What is a Mastermind Group?! Should You Join One?

Hey Friend!

Curious about what a MASTERMIND GROUP really is? Here is a sneak peek into my personal peer-led mastermind, what it is, what it’s done for my business in the past 7 months, and how it has transformed me.

You will also find out the difference between a peer-led mastermind and a facilitated, member-led mastermind! If a mastermind is right for you… AND…. all about my very first (AND MAYBE ONLY) special mastermind that I am launching for YOU GALS. Yes, my Lolas.

Come get in the know!

I pray this blesses you!

FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPTION:

(00:00)
Hey girl, welcome to this quick bonus episode. I just am so excited right now, but I’m not gonna tell you why quite yet, because we’re gonna be digging into first and foremost. What is a mastermind? You guys have heard this term, you know, said widely in our industry like, oh, I’m in a mastermind and this and that. So first I’m gonna answer what is a mastermind. Second. We’re gonna talk about how to know if a mastermind is right for you based on your learning style. And then third, I have a super special, amazing surprise. I bet you can guess what it might be. So let’s dig into this bonus episode.

(01:23)
Okay. Number one. First question. What is a mastermind Stef? What the heck is it? A mastermind is in essence where a bunch of humans that have similar interests or a similar niche or a similar business model that are roughly in the same realm of their business get together. And there are a couple different ways a mastermind can work. They can be peer led, which means like the one that I’m personally in is five women. We all come equally to the table. We all add equal value and there’s no facilitator. And so that is something that is definitely a great way to have community with other people.

(02:01)
You learn from each other, you have open Q and A, you can answer questions. Whether you meet once a month, once a week, our mastermind meets every other week. And it’s just so great. We meet for about an hour to an hour and a half. Usually it’s about an hour and a half. Just the learning that you gain from somebody else’s thought process, and the other people answer questions. And the beauty of it is that when people are in just a tiniest bit of a difference in what they do than what you do, there’s different ways that they do stuff. And there’s different ways that you do stuff.

(02:36)
You’re able to see inside of someone else’s business and also inspire and motivate and just have this overall comradery of, Hey, you know, we got this, we can do this. We can grow together. So that’s one is a peer led mastermind. The other type of mastermind is a member led mastermind. And this type of mastermind is where somebody creates the mastermind group, a leader. So someone that is probably a couple years ahead of the people inside of the mastermind and they are in essence, the facilitator and they add value to the group and they are answering a majority of all of the questions from the members.

(03:18)
The members are all in the same realm of their business. Usually a similar niche, like all online entrepreneurs or all realtors, or at least all trying to grow a business in the same way or in a similar way. That way they can learn from each other. They can ask questions. And then that facilitator is adding value. Now here’s the beauty of having a member-led mastermind with a facilitator is that you have somebody that’s an expert that can run the group that is keeping everyone on task, but then you still have the community aspect. You have all of the amazing people in the mastermind group that are able to connect. They can be partners.

(04:01)
You can have a buddy system where you partner up with people in your mastermind based on how big it is to make it even more valuable. You usually have a Facebook group or some type of Voxer chat where everybody can work and grow together outside of the mastermind meetings. And it’s just amazing. Like it’s just amazing. And so I’m in a mastermind, it’s a peer led one and I’ve been in there for probably seven months now since being in that mastermind, like my income has skyrocketed.

(04:35)
I have connections with an amazing lawyer lady friend. I have connections with women that are making half a million to a million dollars a year that can offer me, you know, business advice and hiring advice. And like inside peeks into their systems. We have people in there that are huge in the podcasting world and somebody that’s an author and really familiar with self-publishing. And so there’s all these different strengths that we each bring to the table. We’re all at different income levels, but we all have the same drive, the same motivation, the same belief in having a faith led business that has tons of balance and peace blended in.

(05:15)
We are not a hustle harder group. And it’s just been so transformative to be able to shoot them a quick Voxer and be like, girls I’m having an issue. What is your thought process on this? To send them like a win of, oh my gosh, I just had the biggest month in my entire life and they’re cheering for me and they’re with me and they get it because they’re all sitting in a similar spot in their businesses as I am. So this year in the mastermind, they’re like Stef, what’s happening for you this year? And I’m like, I don’t know. Just hanging out. Like, God will tell me when I need to do the next thing. My community will tell me, I’m just here, I’m here for it.

(05:56)
They’re like, no, you have to know what you’re doing. I’m like, I don’t know what I’m doing, but when I know what I’m doing, I will tell you guys. So for the last month, I’ve just been pouring into all of you stellar content on this podcast. I did the 10 by 10. If you guys haven’t listened to the 10 episodes that I posted every single day for 10 days in January, like you have to go listen to those. I feel like they’re so great. And I’ve been really pouring into my Podcast Pro University group that you get when you buy the course, roughly a hundred women in there. And I ask them, Hey, what questions do you guys have?

(06:33)
I’ve been trying to go live every other week, answer questions. So I went live in there like last week, I guess, maybe four or five days ago, and I’m answering questions and one of the gals pipes up and she’s like, Stef, when are you gonna do a mastermind? Like we have to have this at a much deeper level. I want a sisterhood, a community. Like, we need a mastermind from you. And then all the other people watching the live were like, I’m in, I wanna mastermind. I wanna mastermind. And so I’m like, Okay, am I supposed to do a mastermind? Like, is this the sign?

(07:13)
I had been praying over what God wanted me to do next at a deeper implementation level. Did he want me to do a group coaching program or a mastermind, or just keep pouring into private clients? And so I thought, okay, maybe this is a sign. I should do a mastermind. So I told them I would pray over it and spent some time with God, you know, Hey, if this is what you want me to do, let me know through some feelers out there onto social media. And you guys like within a couple of hours, I think I had 15 people that were like, I would be super interested in that. Oh my gosh. Yes. So I took that as a huge resounding I’m gonna do a mastermind push from Holy Spirit.

(07:57)
So here we sit and I’m creating this mini episode to let you guys know that the first ever Stefanie Gass and maybe only like, we gotta see how it plays out, but I’m for sure doing one this spring, spring 2020 mastermind with me as your facilitator, host and trainer is officially coming to life. Oh my gosh. And this is Cray Cray. So here’s what it’s gonna look like. And then I wanna talk to you guys about how do you know if a mastermind, whether it’s mine or not is right for you. So mine is gonna look like this from February 11th through mid-May. So it’s gonna be four months long.

(08:43)
We are going to meet for 90 minutes every Tuesday. It’s gonna be from 11 to 1230 mountain standard. And here’s the vision that I have. So there’s gonna be between 10 and 15 women based on who ends up joining. And I also have an application process to make sure that everybody’s really aligned or as best as possible so that everybody’s in the same realm. Like if a millionaire comes in there and they’re like, yo Stef, let me be in your mastermind, I’d be like, probably not the right mastermind for you. But as long as everybody’s kind of in the same wheelhouse, I think it’s gonna be such a beautiful thing.

(09:21)
So my vision is 10 to 15 women. My Lolas, you guys, and we’re gonna meet over video Zoom. A couple of days prior to our meeting, which will be biweekly every month for four months, I’m gonna collect your questions in a specific category, because one of the feedback notes that I received in the application from one of the gals was, Hey, Stef. Like what I don’t love about masterminds is they’re super sporadic. Like whatever question Bobby Jo has is great. And then they’re skipping over here and like, there’s no structure. It doesn’t feel like I’m learning a lot because it’s so all over the place.

(10:00)
So what I wanna bring to the table, that’s different in my mastermind is that I want to hear from the community, we’re gonna do a vote every week and see like, what’s the theme that we wanna cover. Are we talking about email marketing, growing and scaling your brand, podcasting or blogging, are we learning about Pinterest together? Are we gonna learn about resonating with your audience? Do we need to have a hardcore session on just like belief and faith and mindset and conquering fear? Like, what do you guys want? And we’re gonna vote on it.

(10:37)
Then once we’ve secured a category, my gals in the mastermind are going to put their questions into a private group that we’re gonna have on social media. And that is because I wanna have all the questions structured beforehand so that I know how much to answer for each question like it’s gonna be really structured and the questions have to be inside of that category for that week. So for example, if we’re gonna talk about email marketing one week, I’m gonna let everybody know, Hey, you guys voted, the topic is email marketing. I need all of your questions by tomorrow. So everybody submits their questions.

(11:14)
Then I’m gonna go in that group. I’m gonna talk a tad about email marketing. I’m gonna answer all of the questions that came in now, depending on how many people are in the group, you know, each person may get 10 minutes and that person I’m answering their question. They can ask me follow up questions and they get the 10 minute spotlight. Okay. So there’s gonna be a timer. Everyone’s gonna get their own special time in front of the group to get that feedback from me. And then the last 30 minutes of the mastermind is open community sharing. So, Hey, you know, Sarah, I had an idea on that question that you had, and that’s from Mary.

(11:52)
So they’re kind of commiserating and giving each other feedback. And then, oh my gosh, Hey, Stef, I had a quick follow up question on, you know, Janice’s question that she asked. So that last 30 minutes is not structured. It’s open Q and A, it’s community, it’s building each other up, it’s networking, it’s getting to know each other at a deeper level. It’s how can we help each other or how can we help each other scale and grow and breakthrough and have these shifts in our business that we so greatly desire, but maybe we just don’t know how or we’re afraid or we think it seems too overwhelming or the steps are too convoluted. That’s that last 30 minutes. Okay.

(12:30)
So that’s my vision. I’m just so freaking excited about it. And full disclosure. I have opened it up to my Podcast Pro University students first. So I already have applications coming in, but I did warn them. I’m going to tell the world, the rest of my community about this mastermind on Monday. So y’all better go. Y’all better go. And there are still some spots left for the spring 2020 mastermind. Okay. I’m gonna tell you how to get more info in a second, but how do you know it’s for you?

(13:05)
How do you know that a mastermind is the right choice right now? I believe that there are people that sit in different of spaces in their business. Okay. If you’re sitting in a space of, I don’t even know what I’m doing, I don’t know my brand, I think I should start something, I think I should do an online entrepreneurship business, I think like, if there’s so many I thinks happening and maybe I could, and you would categorize yourself as like pre beginner entrepreneur, I probably wouldn’t get into a mastermind. I would probably do private coaching and get clarity, get your brand mapped out, make sure that you have your roadmap for what you’re doing, right?

(13:52)
You have to know what you’re doing and who you’re serving at least at a general level before you can come into a group and help other people elevate and grow. If that makes sense. So I would for sure recommend some private mentorship, if that is you now, if you’re like, okay, Stef, like I know what’s up. Like I kind of have a brand going, I know I’m pretty clear on the work I wanna do. I’ve already got an Instagram going. I’m either wanting to start a podcast. I’m ready for that step. Or I have started a podcast or I have a blog or a YouTube. So whatever your content vessel is, it’s either going or you’re like on the brink of having that thing come to life. And you’re more in a space of I’m in it. Like I’m just in it.

(14:43)
I need to go to the next level, I need to get more followers, I need to figure out email marketing or how to automate certain systems. I’m probably looking at outsourcing pretty soon. Or maybe you already have a VA. You need to figure out how to time block more efficiently, be more productive. And you need not only me as your coach and mentor, but you also need accountability. You need a group of other people, women, specifically faith led mom bosses, driven girls, not girls, women that have your back, that are cheering for you, holding you accountable, giving you tough love when you need it, showing up with you every other week.

(15:26)
Because you know that that’s how you learn best is when somebody’s holding your hands or in the process giving you answers, giving you homework and to do stuff and deliverables for the next time that we meet. And then everybody knows about it. So you’re gonna actually do the thing. If that’s you, a mastermind would be a phenomenal place to invest, phenomenal place to go next. Okay? Now this mastermind, I am doing this because my community asked me for it and I will not do something that you guys are not asking me for and telling me that it’s needed.

(16:04)
So that’s why I knew now was the time to do it. God also pushed me and I had that Holy Spirit whisper of go, which He already has the women in mind that He wants to be with me in this mastermind. And I have no doubt that God is going to whisper to your heart. Go, if you are one of those women, if you are feeling like those Holy Spirit chills right now, like listen to that. Because every time I’ve leaned into the divine intervention, the intuition that comes, I believe from God, when He tells me this is the mentor, or this is the program, or this is the person that you need to reach out to and I do it, tenfold sister tenfold.

(16:46)
It’s like provision comes in, the money’s replaced, like super quickly. I breakthrough, I elevate, like I have more time and space. I figure things out. It’s like magic falls into place for me. So number one, as a question for your heart of is this for me, is, are you feeling those chills? Are you feeling that pull, listen to that before you start going down the road of do I have time and can I afford it and will this be for me? And am I qualified? Listen, God qualifies the called, God provides for the things that He wants you to do, okay. So first and foremost, are you being called to do it? Whether it’s mine or someone else’s okay.

(17:32)
Step two is you have to leap out in faith that if you’re feeling called and pulled to do it, you have to just leap and do it. Don’t get stuck in the overwhelm and the what ifs. Okay. Cause like, even for my mastermind, I was like, oh, I don’t think I have time for that. I’m so busy. Like who has time for a mastermind? What am I? And my ego totally got in the way. I don’t need help. Like if I’m gonna do something right now, it’s just hire a private coach and all these things. And I actually phoned a friend or voice texted a friend, cuz let’s get real. It’s 2020 and I’m like, yo SIS, I feel like I shouldn’t do this mastermind. I don’t have time.

(18:12)
She was like, why wouldn’t you do this? Why wouldn’t you do this? There has got to be things that these women know that you don’t know that you don’t know. Right. There’s got to be some value. Why do you think you were invited? I think it’s on purpose that you were invited. I think it’s on purpose. And these women are the women that you’re meant to be working with and you gotta get your ego out of the way. I love this chick cuz she can just straight up tell me like, she knows me so well like get your ego in line girl, you should do this. You need to try this.

(18:44)
So after that, like first or second call, I’m like, holy crap. Like this is everything. This is everything I needed. And I’m just so grateful that I went ahead and did it. And now I can’t imagine not being part of a mastermind. It’s transformational. It’s different than private coaching because it does have that element of accountability. Also, it’s fun. It’s like you’re in the school of hard knocks with other people that are also in the school of hard knocks and you can like grow together and it’s so fun to see other people win and other people start to have big successes in their business that you were a part of.

(19:23)
It’s just cool. So if all of that is like, oh my gosh, Stefanie, this all sounds so good. And I think I wanna do it. And oh my gosh, there are a handful of spots left. Like I am taking a huge risk right now by even airing a podcast about this. But I just wanted you guys to know how powerful masterminds are. So whether it’s mine or not, like you should really consider them highly recommended. And the one that I’m hosting is gonna be from February 11th through the middle of May because summers are crazy guys. And if we are obsessed with it and if the group that comes together is just magic, we’ll do it again.

(20:03)
We’ll pick back up in August. Okay. So those of you that are like, but I wanna year long mastermind, I hear you, but that’s just not where I’m at yet. And so I wanna really toy with this one and make sure that it’s baller. Like it’s gonna be so good. And then we’re gonna take a breather in the summer. We’re gonna really focus on our businesses and our family and be intentional about who we wanna become and the rest of the year. And then we’ll pick back up in August is my plan for now. And it’s gonna be, like I said, twice a month and there’s gonna be 15 women max. So if you’re like, okay, one of those remaining spots are mine, Stefanie. Like I’ve got to be part of this.

(20:47)
There is an application that you have to fill out to make sure that this whole thing is gonna be a good fit for you. Okay. So if you’re like, I’m gonna do this. I want you to go right now and fill out the application because these spots are going to go insanely fast. The second that this podcast, like within a couple days of podcast episode airing. So let’s talk about some Q and A. So question one, what will we cover in the mastermind? I kind of mentioned this. This is completely up to you guys.

(21:52)
Before we meet, I’m gonna be collecting the questions. We’ll vote over the overarching topic and then we’ll divvy out time so that everybody gets equal time. And then I will train on anything under the umbrella of what I do, right? Branding copy, passive income, podcasting, email marketing, growing an audience, connecting with an audience like straight up advice, faith mindset, etc. There’s really probably nothing that you’d bring to the table where I’d be like, I don’t know. Let’s not talk about that.

(22:25)
We’re also gonna have that open chat for the last 30 minutes of every where you guys get to just collab and network and laugh and have fun. Get to know each other, ad hoc questions, etc. Does this mastermind include any one-on-one time with you? No, but I have set up an option at checkout where you can add a private 30 minutes with me once a month for those four months at a great price. Okay. How much does it cost? So I have made this first ever mastermind, like dumb affordable. My mastermind girls were like, no double the price. I’m like, no.

(23:00)
I really wanna help that intermediate entrepreneur that like mid-beginner to mid-intermediate entrepreneur. And I’m like, if I price you guys outta the market, like I can’t help you. Um, what else? Okay. Stef, I’m afraid to invest in myself and I better not hear you say I can’t afford it. Okay. But you can say I’m afraid to invest in myself. That’s allowed, listen, Lola. I know how it feels to not just have expendable income to just do coaching or do a mastermind or buy a course. Like actually who has that? I don’t know anybody. That’s like, well, I have a grand laying around like, I took the last 200 bucks.

(24:32)
Back in my Brittany Spears days when I was having my breakdown, like, post network marketing. And I was just a hot freaking mess. I had $200 left. Like you guys have heard me say this. Like we were borrowing money from my kids savings account to get by. I had 200 bucks hidden away in PayPal. Don’t tell my husband. And I was like, I need help. So took that, met with a quick mentor and it transformed everything. This mentor was able to turn the mirror on me, help me have clarity, help me have get my ego out of the way. Helped me figure out the systems I was missing, helped me just step one and two.

(25:07)
All I needed was step one and two in order to springboard into success. Truly. So this is, if God is asking you, if you’re still listening to this, okay, and God is calling you to do this. And you feel led to this mastermind, this is the coach, these are the women, this is the time, you’ve got to trust that He put you here on purpose to do this with us. Okay. And look, God has always shown up for me when I trusted Him. He has provided so much abundance. He provided the means to invest in coaches and courses and whatever programs that I needed that He asked me to do. Okay.

(25:56)
Because He’s not gonna ask us to do something that He isn’t willing to pave the way for. So I believe that this is probably what you need to break through the blocks that are holding you back, whether that be yourself, whether it be limiting beliefs, whether it be that you just need to figure out and tweak the messaging so that you can scale, whether maybe your marketing is just off just a bit. And having this mastermind, this collective group of incredibly powerful, driven, ready to do the thing, women is exactly what you’ve been missing. Don’t be the lid on your own catalyst. Don’t be the lid on your own success.

(26:36)
I think that we can rise together. Actually, I know we can. So let’s do this. Let’s do this. And let me tell you something else, PS, and then I’m going. The girls that are already applying are dream clients like motivated and already having success. Leaping, conquering fears left and right. Like the women that are applying in and of itself are pure, straight value to be collaborating with and networking with and growing together and working together. Like you will not be disappointed. I wanna do this with you, and I want to help you. I want you to break through, I’m excited and I’ll meet you inside.