Being part of a group is a great way to learn more about yourself and others, boost your skills, and feel supported while doing so.
A business mastermind group enables you to network with like-minded people and connect with them on a personal and professional level.
If you’ve never joined a business mastermind group before, the prospect of joining one can feel daunting. However, if you have a set of relevant questions ready in advance, you’re sure to feel more confident and prepared ahead of your session.
Keep reading to learn more about business mastermind groups, and what questions you can ask during them.
What Is A Business Mastermind Group?
A business mastermind group is a group of peers that spend time together to discuss certain topics (typically business-related), learn together, and give and receive advice and support.
They’re becoming increasingly popular – people love them as they offer a safe space to network, conduct business deals, exchange ideas, and help overcome obstacles.
You might think that a business mastermind group would take place in a conference room, but these groups can take place anywhere, whether online or in person.
You might find a business mastermind group in your local community centre, in a cafe, on Zoom, Skype, or on social media.
Regardless of the location, you’re sure to learn a lot about yourself, your peers, and the business world in general. Business mastermind groups can connect you with people from all industries, careers, and niches.
This means you can find potential employers and employees, you can see what your competitors are up to, you can understand the market or industry you’re in, and network with like-minded individuals.
Like any quality service, business masterminds tend to cost to join. You may be required to join a monthly membership, a yearly membership, or pay per session.
The cost of joining can cost you under £100 a month, but some can be as expensive as £100,000 per year.
In a business mastermind group, you’ll usually have around 5 to 10 attendees, but this will vary depending on the type of group.
There will always be more than two attendees, which is one of the things that sets business mastermind groups apart from business coaching.
Instead of just being on the receiving end of advice as you would with business coaching, you help others and give advice as well as receiving it.
Mastermind groups will have moderators or admins to make sure that the group keeps to a schedule and doesn’t go off-topic too much.
The admin will allow new members to join, make sure that all points on the agenda are covered, and help to introduce new members.
It’s also the moderator’s job to make sure that the meeting doesn’t start or end too late, as this can be inconvenient for all members of the group.
Being a member of a business mastermind group can help you grow as a person and as a business – you’ll be regularly challenged to set and meet your goals, identify and work on your strengths and weaknesses, and expand your web of knowledge.
What Questions Do I Ask At A Business Mastermind Group?
You can really reap the rewards of a business mastermind group if you put the time and effort in, and prepare in advance.
Part of the preparation process involves having a set of questions ready to ask your peers in the group, but what are the best questions to ask?
How Will I Benefit From This Group?
This question should be asked before you commit to the group so you can find out the benefits of the group and how the group can help you grow as a person or business.
Every business mastermind group is different and has different members, so it’s good to know what you’re getting into before you commit or spend any money.
Does Anybody Need Any Help With Anything?
If you need assistance with anything, don’t be afraid to ask your business mastermind group. However, if anybody else in the group needs assistance, you’re expected to help if you can.
You won’t get the most out of the group if you just sit back and let others do the talking, so step up and ask if anybody needs help.
Do You Have Time To Meet?
Some people may have just enough free time to attend their regular business mastermind sessions, but may not have the time for extra meetings outside of the group.
Don’t assume that every member has the time to meet, as some people have children, businesses to manage, and errands to run.
Instead of asking when somebody can meet, it’s best to ask if the person has time to meet. Then you can compare schedules and make time in your diaries to meet and discuss business or form collaborations.
Some people prefer to conduct business meetings after working hours, between 6 pm and 8 pm – but others tend to only work during the working day and shut their brains off as soon as the clock strikes 5 pm.
It’s also best to ask about their timezones, as many online business mastermind groups take place on an international level – and your 6 pm could be somebody’s 4 am.
What Are Your Socials?
In 2024, the majority of online conversation is conducted through social media rather than emails. Social media generally means quicker responses and easier conversation, whereas email replies can take days.
LinkedIn is a great way to continue conversation away from the business mastermind group. It’s also a great way to see their experience, job role, and their shared posts – you can get a lot of information from somebody from their LinkedIn profile alone.
It will also be beneficial to ask for their Facebook if you want to get to know them on a more personal level, and their Twitter.
Asking people for their social media accounts is also a great way to grow your online presence, as chances are, they’ll follow you back on your socials.
Mark is a multi-award winner in business networking and relationship building. He is passionate about coaching and mentoring business owners and professionals through 1-1 & group coaching, team performance workshops and group mastermind sessions.