Mastermind Group

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Design a mastermind group structure with clear meeting formats and protocols
• Create member selection criteria and application processes
• Build hot seat frameworks and accountability systems for peer groups
• Launch a paid or free mastermind as a product or community offering

DO NOT use this skill for coaching programs, mentorship programs, or online courses. This is for peer-driven mastermind groups where members learn from each other, not from a single instructor.

Core Principle

A MASTERMIND IS NOT A GROUP COACHING CALL — IT IS A PEER ADVISORY BOARD WHERE EVERY MEMBER BOTH GIVES AND RECEIVES, AND THE FACILITATOR'S JOB IS TO HOLD THE STRUCTURE, NOT TEACH THE CONTENT.

Phase 1: Brief

Required Inputs

GATE: Confirm the brief before proceeding.

Phase 2: Design

Member Selection

## Ideal Member Profile
- Revenue range: [$X to $Y — members should be within 2x of each other]
- Business stage: [Early, growth, scaling]
- Industry: [Same, adjacent, or mixed — define which]
- Commitment: [Available for all meetings, willing to do homework]
- Attitude: [Gives as much as they take, open to feedback]

## Application Questions
1. What is your current business and revenue?
2. What is your biggest business challenge right now?
3. What do you bring to a group? (expertise, connections, perspective)
4. Can you commit to [cadence] for [duration]?
5. Have you been in a mastermind before? What did you like or dislike?

Meeting Format

## Standard Meeting Agenda (90 minutes)

**Opening Round (10 min)**
Each member shares: one win, one number, one word for how they are feeling

**Hot Seats (60 min)**
2-3 members per meeting, 20 minutes each:
- Member presents their challenge (5 min)
- Group asks clarifying questions (3 min)
- Group gives advice and ideas (10 min)
- Member states their commitment/next step (2 min)

**Accountability Review (10 min)**
Review commitments from the last meeting — did each member follow through?

**Closing Round (10 min)**
Each member states one takeaway and one action item for the next two weeks

Hot Seat Protocol

## Hot Seat Rules
1. The hot seat member speaks first — no interruptions during their 5-minute setup
2. Questions before advice — understand the problem before solving it
3. Be direct but respectful — sugarcoating helps no one
4. Offer frameworks, not just opinions — "Have you tried X approach?" beats "I think you should..."
5. The hot seat member decides what advice to take — no pressure to implement everything
6. Confidentiality is absolute — what is shared in the hot seat stays in the group

GATE: Present the design for approval.

Phase 3: Build

Deliverables

1. Member welcome packet — expectations, schedule, communication guidelines, hot seat prep template
2. Meeting facilitation guide — minute-by-minute agenda, transition scripts, time management tips
3. Hot seat preparation form — template members fill out before their hot seat
4. Accountability tracker — shared document tracking commitments and follow-through
5. Group agreement — confidentiality, attendance, participation standards

Hot Seat Prep Form

## Hot Seat Preparation

**Your challenge in one sentence:**
**Background context (3-4 sentences):**
**What you have already tried:**
**What kind of help you want:** (Brainstorming / Feedback / Accountability / Connections)
**Ideal outcome from this hot seat:**

Group Agreement

## Mastermind Group Agreement

By joining this group, I commit to:
- Attending [X]% of scheduled meetings (minimum [Y] of [Z])
- Arriving on time and staying for the full session
- Preparing for my hot seat using the prep form
- Keeping all group discussions confidential
- Giving honest, constructive feedback to fellow members
- Following through on my stated commitments
- Communicating in advance if I must miss a meeting

Violation of confidentiality or repeated no-shows will result in removal from the group.

Phase 4: Polish

1. Launch Sequence

## Mastermind Launch Plan
**Week -4:** Open applications, promote to your audience
**Week -2:** Review applications, select members, send invitations
**Week -1:** Onboarding call — introductions, expectations, schedule distribution
**Week 1:** First official meeting — light hot seats, focus on relationship building
**Month 1-2:** Build rhythm with regular meetings
**Month 3:** Mid-point check-in — is the group working? Adjust format if needed
**Month 6:** Close the cohort — celebrate wins, collect feedback, offer renewal

2. Facilitation Tips

• Start on time even if someone is late — respect the people who showed up
• Keep strict time on hot seats — use a visible timer
• Redirect tangents with: "That is a great topic for your hot seat next time"
• Call on quiet members: "Sarah, what is your take on this?"
• End every meeting with stated commitments — accountability is the product

3. Health Metrics

## Track Monthly
- Attendance rate (target: 85%+)
- Hot seat utilization (are all members using their turns?)
- Commitment follow-through rate (target: 70%+)
- Member satisfaction (anonymous monthly pulse check)
- Renewal intent (ask at month 4)

Example 1: Revenue-Focused Solopreneur Mastermind

Members: 6 solopreneurs earning $5K-$15K/month
Cadence: Bi-weekly, 90 minutes on Zoom
Price: $300/month, 6-month commitment
Format: 2 hot seats per meeting, rotating schedule
Focus: Revenue growth, offer optimization, systems

Example 2: Free Community Mastermind

Members: 8 members from an online community
Cadence: Monthly, 2 hours
Price: Free (community benefit)
Format: 3 hot seats per meeting, peer-facilitated (rotating leader)
Focus: General business challenges, peer support

Anti-Patterns

• Too many members — above 10, the group becomes an audience, not a mastermind. Keep it intimate.
• No hot seat structure — without a protocol, hot seats become rambling conversations. Use the prep form and timer.
• Revenue mismatch — a member earning $2K/month has different challenges than one earning $50K/month. Keep members within 2-3x of each other.
• No accountability tracking — if commitments are not revisited, members stop making them. Review every meeting.
• Facilitator doing all the advising — the group should advise. The facilitator manages time, energy, and structure.
• No confidentiality agreement — members will not share real challenges if they fear their business details will spread.

Recovery

• Not enough applicants: Lower the barrier to entry or offer a free trial meeting. One great meeting sells the group better than any marketing.
• One member dominates: Use the timer and redirect. If it continues, have a private conversation about participation norms.
• Group energy drops after month 2: Introduce a new element — guest expert, off-site meeting, or goal sprint challenge.
• Member wants to leave early: Allow graceful exits with 30-day notice. Do not force commitment — a disengaged member drags the group down.
• User has never facilitated: Provide the facilitation guide with word-for-word scripts for the first 3 meetings until they find their rhythm.