I believe masterminds can be highly valuable assets to your career and your business.

When you’re starting something new, they can be a lightning rod for creativity and accomplishment. In times of stress or struggle, they serve as a safe haven. And for anyone feeling fed up or frustrated after years of the same old, same old, they will recharge and refresh your enthusiasm.

That said, many people don’t know much about masterminds. Although they’ve been around for a long time (it is believed that Ben Franklin belonged to a similar group), they’ve gotten more popular in recent years.

So today, I am answering your big questions about masterminds to give you a good sense of what they are and if they might be helpful to you.

What is a mastermind?

I want to share with you the definition from the man who is the master of masterminds, Napoleon Hill. He popularized the concept with his book, Power of the Mastermind. His definition is this: “The “Master Mind” may be defined as: ‘coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.”

Hill writes that mastermind is perhaps the most important principle to achieve success. It combines experience and brainpower to give participants a serious economic advantage. For instance, when you are surrounded by like-minded people who are always striving for higher success and better results, you will think the same and act the same. You will then be influenced by the people around you and become like them. On the other hand, when you surround yourself with lazy and negative people, you will follow the same pattern and become lazy and negative.

A mastermind group is a group of like-minded people who meet regularly to push themselves toward their goals, hold each other accountable, and tackle challenges and solve problems together. Andrew Carnegie, the industrialist who encouraged Hill to write this book, had his own mastermind group. The same goes for Henry Ford. Ford built a group and met regularly with Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and other brilliant minds in a group they held at their winter mansions in Florida.

How many people are in a mastermind?

They actually range in size quite a bit. Some coaches offer masterminds with hundreds of participants. However, that really gets away from the intention of a mastermind, which is for the individuals in it to share and grow with each other.

That’s why I believe a mastermind is best kept to a group of 20 or fewer like-minded participants. Not everyone has to work within the same industry or type of job, but it does help to have some commonalities that bring everyone to the table.

In our Mastermind Group hosted by Celeste Giordano Coaching, we work in all sorts of different industries, but each of us is driven, ambitious, and focused on high-level success. We face many similar challenges and learn from each other’s unique situations.

What will I learn in a mastermind?

This is a question I hear again and again, and there’s a basic misunderstanding behind it. Masterminds are not classes. There’s no structured learning component.

However, the benefits of a mastermind cannot be overstated. Most participants further their careers, grow their businesses, expand their professional networks, form lasting relationships, and enjoy their work more because of the problem-solving nature of the group.

What’s required in a mastermind?

• Commitment – You have to put the mastermind high on your priority list, be at meetings, and of course, do the work in between.
• Respect – Without mutual respect and support for one another, a mastermind will not work.
• Confidentiality – Because you’ll learn about the inner-workings of other businesses, including their challenges, what happens in the mastermind stays in the mastermind.
• Honesty – Being honest about what’s going on with your business or in your career is essential for your success with a mastermind.

Who’s the right fit for a mastermind?

Anyone who is determined to improve themselves can be in a mastermind. But often, it’s people who aren’t sure of the next steps to take, feel that their career or business has plateaued, or need a jumpstart to achieve their goals.

What I have experienced from being a part of several masterminds is that people often come into them knowing what they don’t want… but they have a hard time articulating clearly what they do want. And that’s where the mastermind is really helpful – creating a crystal clear vision of what you want and how to get it. Then, just as importantly, creating accountability for taking the steps to make that vision a reality.

Are you missing a mastermind as part of your business strategy?

Now that you know how powerful masterminds can be as a tool to grow your business and further your career, you might be thinking that joining a mastermind group is just what you need.

The Mastermind Group hosted by Celeste Giordano Coaching, an elevated, driven, and close-knit group of like-minded entrepreneurs, is currently accepting new members, but positions are limited. If you are interested in applying or have any questions about it, contact me today.

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Blueprint Magazine – Volume 4

“Celebrating Generations”

In this latest issue of The Blueprint, several articles focus on what to do as spring draws to a close and summer begins so that you can smartly meet your professional and personal goals. Articles are written by authors spanning all generations, filled with knowledge to inspire and motivate you.

Here is a sampling of what you will discover in this edition…

• The Best Gift Of All by Pauline Duncan-Thrasher
• Are We There Yet? by Joan Williams
• The Women of Global Change Youth Initiative by Cheyenne Hunt
• The Rise Of The New Economy by Cynthia Mabry
• In Life and In Work, Be Anything But Common by Celeste Giordano
• The Importance Of Reviewing Quarterly by Brigitta Hoeferle
• The Technology Buying Cycle: How Often Should Your Business Update Its Technology? by Jason Rush
• When It’s A Mistake To Hire A Writer & When It’s The Right Move by Katherine Copeland
• Ultimate Mission Impact: There Is Only One Solution by Sheree Allison
• and much more!

My hope is that The Blueprint inspires you in all aspects of your life – to grow your business, to prosper in your personal life and to serve the community and world around you.

Click here to subscribe for your free copy.

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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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