Mastermind FAQ’s: An Interview with Barb

These are the top mastermind questions I get asked most often

  • How much time will be expected of me?

    For all the mastermind programs you will be expected to attend the mastermind meetings which will last 2-3 hours every one to two times a month. Some programs also include a 30 minute mentor session once a month. You will need to prepare for the sessions which may take 15 – 60 minutes, depending on what information you might need present when asking for support. You will also need to put in whatever time is required to fulfill your action and goals you set for yourself the session prior, which would be part of your business development.

  • Why do I have to attend the mastermind meetings?

    This time is for you and your colleagues. Your input not only helps your colleagues reach their goals, it also helps you grow as a business leader by providing unbiased insight, ideas and experience to your peers.

  • Why would working in a mastermind be better than working alone?

    As humans we get excited at the prospect of new things and ideas. Often we are stuck or paralyzed by the implementation. Working with like-minded people will give you insight into pitfalls and obstacles, support when you are second-guessing your value, and ideas for direction when you are stuck. Things you cannot easily give yourself.

  • What would someone get out of a mastermind group that was put on by someone else who is currently well known running a 7 figure business, like Fabienne or Ali?

    There are different levels of investment for different levels of commitment. It depends where you are in your mindset. If you are really ready to kick it up a notch, then go to that uncomfortable place and pay a price that feels a little out of reach. The difference in what you will get as far as training may be very little, but the people you will be rubbing elbows with will be different. Think of being able to belong to the same mastermind group that Fabienne or Ali may belong to. The people in that group would all have a different level of experience, insight, and mindset then the people you may see in a local mastermind group. But you cannot just walk into their group and be a good fit for them. You would not have enough to offer them unless you are at the same level as they are in their business.

  • What are the factors on the group if someone who joins does not commits to “play full out” at 100%.

    This is a great question. In a non-facilitated mastermind group there is no true accountability to the participants to “play full out”. I have seen someone hijack several meetings for issues that soon became known to us as requiring therapy and not coaching. In a non-facilitated group it is very hard to get that person to withdrawal. Who’s going to tell them? How will they take it? Maybe they feel entitled to stay no matter what. It could be very detrimental to the health of the group and the people in it.
    Since the BLITZ Big Thinkers groups has participants that must sign a contract and will be held to the standards laid out in that contract, they must “play full out” or leave the group. Help and receive help OR don’t help and leave.

  • What experience do you have that might help me?
    • Three different mastermind groups over the past four years.
    • Been a business owner since 2005.
    • Extensive business training and education.
    • Paid up to five figures for coaching and for business development because I know the value of expert support.
    • Mentored several business owners to their own successes and have been appointed the president of a business networking chapter.
    • Tained director for a global business networking company and have received extensive training on helping businesses to grow and reach their goals through the world’s best word-of-mouth marketing program.
    • Attend conferences at least twice a year, read books, listen to podcast and pay to belong to associates that are filled with experts that can help me grow and become more valuable to my businesses and my clients.
    • Continuously upgrading my skills through training and mentoring.
    • Have a certificate in Teaching and Training Adults.
    • Certified Coach with CTA which is recognized by the IFC.


      Life Coach Certification from Coach Training Alliance
  • How do you know that you will have answers to help someone in my field?

    You are the expert in your field, but I am sure being the expert is not the reason you are not easily growing in your business. I am an expert in business visioning and I do not have to be an expert in your field to help with your business development. That said I have had the opportunity to work in several different business industries (from catering to medical device manufacturing) that has given me tremendous experiential resources to draw on when I work with others.

  • What if I cannot help others in the group?

    If you are interested in seeing others succeed then your own experience being different from the others in the group will be a great asset to your colleagues. I have found that entrepreneurial business leaders are full of interesting and valuable experiences that create a base of knowledge worth sharing.

  • What if I don’t feel comfortable talking or sharing my issues in the group?

    Before you are accepted into a group we will have a “get acquainted” session. During this session we will discover your interests, intent, and comfort level. It may be that this type of support will not fit your comfort level. We should know this before you start so that you do not purchase something that is not right for you and your business.

    If this is the case, there is an opportunity to participate in the 1-to-1 mentor sessions only. These sessions would be strategy sessions just for you using me as a sounding board. This program is offered irregularly, so would depend on available times.

  • What kind of help can I expect to receive?

    The business leaders screened for these groups have extensive and diverse business
    experience. They bring a lot of different aspects to share. Information I have seen shared in a mastermind meeting include things like:

    • Marketing
    • Business development
    • Core concept development
    • Operations
    • Business planning
    • Finances
    • Wealth mindset
    • Leadership skills
    • Management skills
    • Visualizing and innovation support

    Not only have people received ideas of what they might do, sometimes they leave with a complete plan of action, a new brand, a mantra or mission statement and even the contracts and contacts to get them started or potentially finance their venture.

  • If I am not sure what is not working in my business how will you be able to help me?

    Well, sometimes it takes more than one session to get to the core of the issues you may be facing. There are techniques to help guide people to discover what it is that holds them back, which I will bring to the calls. You will get insight and ideas from everyone with guidance and direction in the calls facilitated by myself.

  • What if the group is not a good fit for me?

    • If you are not getting what you need from the group but you want to be in a mastermind group, then we can transfer you to another intake that your “get acquainted” session has match you with.
    • If you decide that mastermind support is not what you want then we will return your investment less your deposit.
  • Can I contact anyone as a reference to your work?

    There are people I have worked with that would be happy to discuss my abilities
    with you. Please see the testimonials page of the website for these contacts.

  • What type of person best fits in this program?

    • This program has been designed for business leaders that have been in business for more than 3 years, are looking to grow their business, branch out or start new ventures, want to stretch their skills and opportunities and are willing to step out of their comfort zone to get to that next level.
    • Business people that fit this profile are often very visionary, innovative, and forward thinkers. Many envision creating products or services that are well beyond their current skills but incorporate their core abilities and passions.
    • These people know that they do not have to know everything to be able to make the goals that are currently out of their reach because there are always ways to leverage the knowledge and skills of others. They also will not allow others to tell them that it cannot be done until they have exhausted
      all their options to make it work.
    • These are the business leaders I call “big thinkers” that become the wealthy, inspiring, investors, corporate CEO’s, world leaders, and role models of the future. Their growth does not stop with their first success, but merely starts at the first success and continues to grow and change throughout life.
    • These are the people that we want to read about, write about, listen to, and pay to see. I believe that everyone has the opportunity to become that person with the right mindset and intent.
    • When you are ready to share what you know with others and you genuinely are interested in helping them get to the next level you are ready to receive that gift in return and mastermind will be right for you.
  • How do you know if I fit in a group?

    There is an intake process that includes an interview. During this interview I look for key interests, background experiences, and comfort levels that I use to match you with the other business leaders.

  • Does this really work?

    Like all training, you will get out of it what you put into it. With a positive attitude, vision, and intent you will be able to leverage the knowledge of the others in your group to your advantage (and they will leverage you to their advantage), creating a successful mindset and outlook that will help you make better decisions and create more viable options for growth within your business.The only person I have not seen this help is the one that will not accept the gift of information from anyone else. You must be open to all the ideas that are put to you, even if they do not seem worthy at first. Sometimes it is the small statements that are not even more than a passing thought that become the gems of your business.

  • What results can I expect?

    You will grow into a more visionary or entrepreneurial mindset that will allow you to see more opportunity and assess your options more effectively.You will work with less conflict and search out the right people that will fulfill the business needs to create a more functional, stable business model.

    You will step into your role as the business leader you know you are, without the hesitation you currently feel and others will see you as that leader.
    The ultimate result of this change will be faster implementation of ideas, quicker growth, and more income.

  • Have you ever paid for mentoring or coaching support before?

    Yes. I have paid five figures for mentoring in the past and it was the best money I ever put towards my personal growth. I have never gone back to the fearful, hesitant business owner I was before I got that support. Every step I made after that support was confident, forward and up.Currently I belong to a Gold Mastermind group that is a 12 month program which I paid a high 4-figures to join plus several weekend excursions, flights, hotels, and other travel expenses that will put this group in to the 5-figures level before the end of the year – but again well worth it.

    I also belong to my ongoing mastermind group of 4 years. There are costs in time and low dollars involved, but the meeting requirements are strict and demand accountability and effort to be accepted.

    As an additional support I had an advisory board for my business for 2 years which cost me meeting space and meals to host as well as time to prepare and maintain the authentic ideas of the board members and implement their ideas into my business.

  • Why do you believe in mastermind groups?

    I like the concept of others sharing their experience and skills to help one person succeed. I also like the diversity that more that one person can bring to solving a problem. I truly believe that a great leader cannot do it alone and without the right support they cannot become great. All great leaders require a team of people to help support and accelerate their growth to a higher level of success.

    In the book “Think and Grow Rich” Napoleon Hill discusses the mastermind concept and how great leaders of the world of business, government, and religion used their groups to overcome their handicaps and become extraordinarily successful. Men like Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and Mahatma Gandhi.

    It worked for them, for my colleagues, and for me – and now it can work for you.

  • How do I know if this is what I need?

    If you are currently saying to yourself, “I know I am destine or deserving of more than I have right now, but I’m hesitant to take the next steps to get there”, then you need some type of support and I believe that the support of your peers with diverse skills is a comfortable and rich way to get the help you need.

  • What if there is a competitor in the group and I don’t want to reveal my business ideas to them?

    During the intake process I try to ensure that the group is filled with diverse non-competing business people. If during the first introduction meeting you feel that someone may be a competitor, then we will discuss moving you to another group.We want you to be totally comfortable with the group so that you have a safe place to openly discuss your ideas, feelings, and business challenges.

  • How do I know my ideas are not going to be taken from me?

    All participants must sign a contract with BLITZ Business Success and each other as well as a Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA) that bars them from discussing the content of the group meetings with anyone other than the group members. This NDA gives the participants legal recourse if information is disclosed that may damage their business or cause loss of income or capital. It is recommended the core or proprietary secrets to your product or service be kept a secret and only the issues around developing the business to support the development, production, marketing, distribution, and sales of those products or services be brought to the meetings.