Soo. . . you are thinking of joining a mastermind

IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT JOINING A HIGH TICKET COACHING PROGRAM OR MASTERMIND PROGRAM, PLEASE READ THIS FIRST.

I am a person with many professional secrets. I don't disclose many things when it comes to how I run my businesses behind the scenes or who I am learning from in order to run those businesses. The reason for that is that I want to make sure that what I am doing is proven before I mention it to others. One thing I kept under wraps for several years was that I was part of the James Wedmore Inner Circle. A business Mastermind Group that consists of 30 online experts from all over the world that came together to learn from each other and from James on how to run online businesses. If you are familiar with the online education space, you know that the James Wedmore Mastermind Program is THE group that most online entrepreneurs want to get into. The exclusive country club, if you will, of the online space. People like Amy Porterfield, Jasmine Star, Stacy Tuschl, Katherine Zekina, Mel Abraham, Shannon Irvine, and more have been a part of this exclusive group. Acceptance was a personal accomplishment that I was and still am very proud of. In the Mastermind we studied the latest marketing campaigns, current messaging for better sales, online product development, best tools for online businesses, core business strategy, behind-the-scenes business structure, employment procedures, business finance, and so much more. To say that being a part of that Mastermind group helped define who I am as a business owner and entrepreneur is an understatement.

You might be asking yourself, why am I telling you this now? Great question. I have seen a trend for photography educators to start to promote their mastermind groups. And if you read and believe all the marketing that is being put out about those groups, you would think that they are the savior to your struggling business. But, I know, because I was there, that the cost is a hefty investment and you need to weigh very carefully how much you get for your investment.

Here are some of my best tips if you are considering joining a photography mastermind this year. What you need to look out for and consider before parting with your hard-earned money in hopes of a better business.

The Leader -  Let's just dive into this one.

1. The leader of any great mastermind group has been there. They have the receipts. They have built the 7-figure studio, they have the proof and they have proved it over and over and over. Their personal and professional social media screams of their success as a photographer and educator. If they haven't built it themselves, don't buy into their promises of being able to help you build it.
2. They are continuing to run their studio. If they have been out of the photography studio game for several years and are trying to teach you how to build a business in this changing marketing place with content that is over two years old, run far, far away. The world has changed and so have our clients. What worked a couple of years ago may not work now. Yes, there are foundations of business that should be taught, but when you start needing current marketing advice (which is the NUMBER 1 thing we are asked for ), you need someone who is studying and keeping up on current trends AND practicing them in their studio.
3. The leader should be constantly learning and improving themselves and they share that insight with their members. Great educators are ALWAYS learning. A Leader of a Mastermind should be constantly sharing about what book they just read, what podcast they just listened to, what course they just took, or what event they just attended. They should be a part of a Mastermind themselves. They value education and spend time on their own personal development as much as they encourage you to work on yours.

The Content - What exactly should you look to have access to as far as content in a Mastermind Group?

1. A proven system. Those who start a Mastermind are usually doing so because they have a proven framework that has worked for many others BEFORE they decided to take their education offerings to the next level. This framework has been tested and tried over and over by many others. As a member of the Mastermind you should be getting access to that framework AND the upper-level teachings around it.
2. In most Masterminds, you will find things like coaching calls and office hours. Those are great but they still are not one on one attention. That is available at an even higher price point than the Mastermind. HOWEVER, a leader of a good Mastermind will make themselves available for personalized attention when a member needs it. We had an open door to text, call, or PM when we needed it.
3. Events - all the Masterminds that I know of have at least 2 group events each year.  These events are where people gather together in person and spend 2-3 days learning from each other.  The leader brings in outside guests to speak and teach.  The leader also absorbs almost all of the expenses for these events except for misc. meals and travel expenses.  Breakfast, Lunch, most dinners, and a team event or two are all included.  My Mastermind had three events each year that we were expected to attend.  Once covid hit the Leader coordinated online events for us that were on par with the live events with break-out groups, special guests, gift boxes, and more. 

The People - The greatest value in a Mastermind are the people who are a part of it. Even more so than the leader who coordinates it.

1. I didn't stay in the Mastermind because of James Wedmore and his teaching. (Sorry James) Granted he was a big part of it but I mostly stayed because of the people he was able to put in the room. While I was a part of it, I felt like I was the dumbest person there, and that is exactly what I wanted. I didn't want to be one with all the answers, I wanted to be the one who had the most to gain. I sat at tables with people making multiple millions of dollars, people who you would recognize today in the online space, people who had done it longer and better than I had. Even in casual conversations, the true value was those relationships, people I can still call on today for help, not James.
2. The group should be diverse with many different genres, backgrounds, and business visions represented. The best education is going to be found not only in people who have traveled the path you want to travel but also from people who are traveling a path beside the path you want to travel. Differing stories and viewpoints should be celebrated and welcomed.
3. You might find your business bestie in the group, you may not. I personally did not find a business bestie but what I did find was an entire group of people who are in my corner rooting for my success who can celebrate my ups and downs personally and professionally.

The Price - what should these really cost?

1. This is all subjective. I know high-level coaches who charge over 5 figures per day for one-on-one coaching but their Masterminds go for five figures a year. These kinds of groups should be expensive. I believe they should be really expensive. This kind of access to information does not come cheap. The JW Mastermind was approximately 30k a year once you added in travel expenses. That is a big chunk of change that made me a bit sick to my stomach the first time it was paid.
2. Remember that you are paying not only for access to the leader but also access to the people in the room. Gathering a group of people together who have such a high caliber of success, and who will share their information freely, demands a substantial price tag. People who value that kind of environment are only going to share freely with people who they know are serious and will share in return. It goes both ways. The way you show you are serious is by being willing to pay for the experience of being a part of this group.
3. Can you get the same experience in a less expensive group? I am sure you can but I have to wonder if it pays off the way the marketing material says it will. Especially when the leader doesn't have the clout or experience to get the right people in the room or to demand the price that gets the right people in the room. Great leaders of great Masterminds know their value and do not compromise on price or quality. They know their information is valuable and aren't afraid to charge accordingly. Remember they aren't going to spend their time running a group like this if they can make more money running their studio. It has to be worth their while.

Only you can determine if joining a mastermind is the right fit for you.  Personally, there are maybe only three people in our industry right now that I would consider spending the time or money on to join their group.  Too many say they are running masterminds when they don't have the experience needed to do so properly.  As someone who has been there and loved it.  Be very cautious about joining any high-level group when you haven't seen the receipts from the leader who is putting it together.   

Not ready for a high-dollar mastermind but need help with your business?  I got you.  The biggest issue I see with photographers is that they simply do not know how to market their business.  It seems so overwhelming, but I can help.

Do you need help getting your marketing plan working? 

Do you feel like you are doing all you can and still aren't gaining traction?  

Do you feel lost in thinking that you are doing "everything" but still aren't seeing clients' book?

My Breakthrough Marketing Program might be exactly what you are looking for.

A short-term, one-on-one program specifically created to help photographers grow their business.

Hit this link for more information and as always send me a message if you have any questions at all.

MARKETING BREAKTHROUGH PROGRAM