It’s hard to believe, but we’re already at the mid-point in the calendar year.

If it seems as though the last few months evaporated with few results in the forms of sales or new projects to show for them, you are not alone.

But that makes it even more important to buckle down and get to work over the next few months to implement strategies that will get your year back on track.

After much thought, soul-searching, and reflection about what you want to accomplish in the months you have left in 2020, you would be wise to make the decision to begin working with a business coach.

Hiring a business mentor is not a sign of weakness or failure. To the contrast, it’s a reflection of your commitment to using all resources at your disposal to create a life by design and leave a lasting legacy.

It’s a given that you want to search for a seasoned professional who will be able to share lessons learned from their practical experience growing a successful business.

You don’t need to hire someone to share business theories with you – that’s what reading books or listening to audio programs is for. What you need is someone who will guide you in practical, proven strategies that you can immediately integrate into your daily schedule to produce desired changes in your business.

An ideal business coach will help you take an objective, bird’s eye view of your business strategy, ensure the action steps you are taking will generate RESULTS, and provide accountability every step of the way.

But there’s one thing professionals and entrepreneurs looking to work with a business mentor often don’t know to look for, and that is mastermind groups.

American self-help author Napoleon Hill created the concept of mastermind groups back in the 1930s with his book, Think and Grow Rich, which has become requisite business reading for entrepreneurs of all stages. The ultimate purpose of a mastermind group is to help business professionals navigate through challenges more effectively using the collective intelligence of others.

Here’s how they work: A group of driven, intelligent business people meet on a regular basis – often weekly, monthly, or quarterly – to share challenges and brainstorm creative solutions together. They share strategies and advice, turn to one another for support, make meaningful connections and referrals, and even build business relationships when appropriate.

With business coaching, you benefit from customized one-on-one support, and that’s important. But the peer-to-peer mentoring you get from a mastermind group is also extremely valuable.

As a business development strategist at Celeste Giordano Coaching, I discovered that mastermind groups are an essential part of my mentorship program for one simple reason: I have seen the power of mastermind groups foster powerful business growth time and time again.

Here are some of the top benefits of participating regularly in a mastermind group:

1. An Exclusive Community. When you work with a business coach that hosts mastermind group calls or meetings, you gain membership to an exclusive community of like-minded professionals. Each member is working toward their own unique goals and milestones, but they also share a common goal: to build a profitable, prosperous, and sustainable business. Members help one another to conquer fears, overcome obstacles, and achieve their dreams. Everyone comes prepared to add value to the group as well as learn from their peers, and the results can be powerful.
2. Built-in Networking. Networking is a powerful tool for building relationships, gaining visibility, creating referral partners, and generating leads. If you are seeking to grow your business, expanding your personal network should be a top priority. Attending mastermind groups regularly instantly grows your network. Because you will connect with mastermind members on a regular basis, you will build meaningful relationships and tap into the networks of those in the group.
3. Invaluable Feedback. When you belong to a mastermind group, you are allocated time at each meeting to present an issue that you’re struggling with. Peers in the group share honest and constructive feedback that you can use to improve your business. The group also creatively brainstorms the most efficient, cost-effective ways to overcome challenges. In the process, members get to hear what has and hasn’t worked for others who faced similar situations, allowing them to achieve effective solutions that much faster.
4. Opportunity for Collaboration. You will inevitably meet members of your Mastermind Group that offer information and solutions that would appeal to your target audience. Search for opportunities to collaborate with members of your mastermind group. Co-host a workshop, feature one another in your newsletters, co-author a book – the options for collaboration are endless. The more you work together collaboratively, the greater results you will achieve. And you’ll strengthen your relationships in the process. It’s worth noting that there are opportunities to collaborate with your mastermind peers even if your businesses are vastly different. You can invite a peer to volunteer or serve with you on a community or charity project.
5. Lifelong Learning. Successful professionals know that they don’t know it all; there is always more to learn. They constantly seek opportunities to develop new skills, tools, and knowledge. Mastermind groups allow you to engage in learning on a regular basis, which is a catalyst for achieving personal and professional growth. The organic learning takes place via open dialogue, idea sharing, and peer mentorship. In a well-run mastermind group, you’ll walk away from every meeting having learned something new that you can apply to your business and other areas of your life.
6. Big Picture Thinking. Sometimes entrepreneurs are so busy with the daily grind that they struggle to see the forest through the trees. Participating in a mastermind group means gaining new perspectives about your business. Others within your mastermind share valuable insights that enable you to take a step back, see the big picture, and evaluate challenges in a new way. Big picture thinking allows you to ensure that every action you take in your business is bringing you closer to the end goal.
7. A+ Advertising. When you attend a mastermind group and connect with your peers, you indirectly market yourself and your business. As you share insights, strategies, and tools with your peers, they naturally learn about who you are, what you offer, and what sets you apart. As members become aware of your expertise and the value you have to offer, they become referral sources who can recommend your services to members of their own personal networks.
8. Accountability. Don’t underestimate the power of accountability to help you stay on track and reach your goals. Your mastermind group peers will hold your feet to the fire to ensure you accomplish what you set out to achieve. If you choose to share your progress, knowing that your peers will know whether you hit your daily, weekly, and monthly milestones acts as motivation to stick to your plan. But don’t worry about judgement. Mastermind groups are a positive, safe space to share openly about fears and struggles. If you didn’t reach your goal or made the same mistake again, the group will help you explore what mindsets, roadblocks, or bad habits may be holding you back and help you overcome them.

Many professionals have fallen behind and are not on track to accomplish the goals they set for themselves at the beginning of the year.

If that sounds like you, it’s time to add a reputable business strategist to the mix who offers strategy, accountability, and regular mastermind groups to facilitate learning, growth, and achievement.

I am currently accepting new applicants to join my Silver Council Program, which includes a Mastermind, before the end of the summer so you can bounce back and close 2020 as a strong and PROFITABLE year.

Our current mastermind group members are driven business leaders you can collaborate with, tackle challenges with, learn from, and network with – the benefits are truly limitless.

Find out more about the Silver Council Program and Mastermind, and if you’re ready to get results, apply to join now. 

If you’ve participated in a mastermind group before, I’d love to hear the #1 benefit you gained from it. Please leave a comment below.

Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “DoublePlus^TM” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.

To learn more about Celeste, click here.

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At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I work with each client to implement the strategies they’ve been missing that will enable them to break through barriers preventing them from the success they know they are capable of. Contact me today to find your future clients who just don’t know what they’re missing.