Master Your Next Mastermind: The Copywriter’s Guide to Authentic Growth
Plus… 7 Easy-to-Implement Tips From Some of the Most Successful Think Tank Members
So you’re thinking about joining a mastermind to grow your connections and build your copywriting business. Grow in a way that is aligned with you – your mission, your values, your lifestyle.
But, you’re hesitant. You picked this career—or let’s be real, fell into it—because you love your independence. You love helping your clients, some of your favorite human beings, solve their problems, get better responses, make deeper connections, and garner more attention. All from your little corner of the world.
You’re **gasp** an introvert. Probably. A badge you wear with honor.
“Let go of who you think you’re supposed to be; embrace who you are.”
– Brené Brown
And you’re living your dream. Pursuing a career that fills you up. Owning your space like the business owner you are, in sweatpants and slippers at your dining room table; or if you’re lucky enough, out at your local cafe or co-working space in real clothes.
Delivering value to your clients. As you grow and learn each day.
You intentionally fill your time with podcasts and books. And dream big dreams for this business of yours.
And you’re ready for more. You’re ready to make an investment in yourself and your business. With courage, confidence, and resolve.
It’s time to take a **strategic** leap of faith.
Because you’re tired of doing it all on your own. You can’t sit through one more business conversation with your bestie who doesn’t get what you do. She has the best of intentions and a kind heart. But gosh, she just can’t relate.
You feel a pull. And you know your next step is to surround yourself with humans who understand you. And your business. Ones who are a few steps ahead of where you are. Trusted advisors you can turn to with questions—big questions, small questions. Questions like is LinkedIn where I should be spending my time? Can I afford to fire this client? Is this the type of service I even want to offer anymore?!
Questions you want real answers to, because you have an intense desire to succeed. To grow. To propel yourself forward in this next stage of your entrepreneurial journey.
A mastermind for copywriters is the next best move for you and your business.
And yes, you’ve done the research. You’ve figured out which group of super talented, oh-so-smart human beings you’re intentionally choosing to surround yourself with. You’ve identified which mentors you’re going to learn from. And what structure works best for you.
You’ve made your selection and you’re ready to hit the purchase button. You’re all in, but you find yourself asking…
How do you get the most out of a mastermind?
Good question. Really good question. The answer?
Approach it as you do your garden. Sans the dirt under your nails and the sweat on your brow. Although, if that’s your thing, by all means.
Your garden is raw earth. Tilled, cared for, with skills and knowledge and deliberate tending. And it grows the most immaculate fruit and vegetables.
You? You’re a good hearted human. With dreams. And skills. And by nurturing them—and yourself along the way—you’ll grow the most amazing, most aligned business.
So think of your next mastermind as you would a garden. It’s a container, an opportunity for real growth. Even if you’re a gardening novice. Or a pro with succulents. Or air plants. Gotta love air plants.
And even if you’ve been gardening all your life. Tilling the ground, planting rows and rows of seeds, cutting fresh lettuce, and nurturing your tomato plants.
“There is a natural progression to everything in life: plant, cultivate, harvest.”
– Jeff Olson, The Slight Edge
No matter where you are in your gardening… ahem, entrepreneurial journey, you appreciate each new season and recognize there is a time to plant, a time to cultivate, and a time to harvest.
Those same seasons are the stages of growth you’ll experience in the mastermind you’re joining. As you tap into your true, authentic powers and nurture your time, energy, and effort in the coming months.
Stage One: Plan First for a Value-Filled Mastermind Experience
Before a gardener plants one seed or plows one row, she plans. The planning stage is absolutely crucial to her success. As a copywriter and business owner, it’s time to reflect on your goals, research your opportunities, and take time to think about your next move. As you manage your clients, your workload, and live your life.
For a gardener, it’s reflection, looking back on past seasons to decide what to grow, gathering seeds, sketching a plan for your next growing season. And preparing the soil with fertilizer, plowing it, getting it ready for planting.
A recent Harvard Business Review article written by Francis J. Greene and Christian Hopp revealed “entrepreneurs who write formal plans are 16% more likely to achieve viability than the otherwise identical nonplanning entrepreneurs.”
And whether you formalize it by writing it all out, or not, taking time to plan before you plant a single seed is essential to your success.
For you, it may be an intentional look back to see where you need to improve, where you want to put your energy and focus in the coming season. It’s taking time to build your awareness and set your tone for the upcoming season, in your case, your mastermind.
To help you reflect, answer these three questions or levers that Rob Marsh talked about in episode #230 of The Copywriter Club Podcast.
“As you reflect, there’s three main levers to consider.
Number one is all about your expertise level. Where are you in your business and what are you capable of actually doing right now?
Number two, and this lines up with where you are in your business, and that is which clients are you working with?
And the third lever is what value (assets) do you create?”
Understand these levers and reflect on your answers as you select the mastermind and investment that is right for you. And as you set your intention.
Stage Two: Plant Your Intentions for Authentic Growth
For the gardener, this is likely a favorite time. It’s where the planning halts and the doing starts. It’s knees in the dirt, digging, planting, compacting the earth, and watering. It’s hard but fulfilling work. It’s time to plant.
As a mastermind participant, it’s go-time. You’ve selected your mastermind, you’ve done all the research, now you’ve made an investment. Probably a sizable investment. Even though it makes you anxious and uncomfortable. But you know you value what you pay for.
“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.”
– Warren Buffet
Masterminds work well for this very reason. You and those around you paid to be here.
And now it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. You’re ready to focus on value. And get to know a new group of entrepreneurs and copywriters, go-getters who might just be more experienced, more successful than you. If that’s the case, you’re likely in the right place to grow and learn.
And you’re working up the courage to introduce yourself and claim your intention. To add value. Even though you’re scared. Look, you just spent a huge amount of money. And just like the seeds disappearing in the ground, it may be hard to see how your investment will grow and change you.
Trust the process. It will get you through. You’ve gotten yourself and your business to this point. You’ve done some heavy lifting. And you’ve figured things out, time and time again. Deep down, you’re confident in your abilities, your desire to learn and grow, and your worth.
You’ve earned a seat at the table. So take a deep breath, and get ready for the next stage…
Stage Three: Cultivate Relationships and Embrace Slow, Steady Growth
It’s time for deep, authentic work. And consistent action. Just as the gardener tends to their growing seedlings, keeping a watchful eye out as they pull weeds and encourage growth, you’re keeping a watchful eye on your growth.
“Being consistent allows you to establish awareness, build trust and deliver your services efficiently and profitably. Without it, your business is more likely to fail.”
– Cat Townsend
And in case you’ve been living under a rock, here’s the reality; at least, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Almost 20% of U.S. small businesses fail within the first year. By the end of their fifth year, roughly 50% have survived. After 10 years, only around a third of businesses have stayed the course.
You’ve likely heard these stats. They’re hard to miss. And they’re painful. Because people, human beings make up those statistics. People like me, and you, entrepreneurs with dreams and families, who have put in a ton of hard work.
So rise up. Embrace this new, value-driven you. In this stage of the mastermind, you’re literally growing right before your own eyes as you engage with your crew, soak up the training, and jump into the live conversations.
It may be slow, and definitely challenging, but you’re making progress as you show up for your business. Your copywriting skills are flourishing, and you’re getting bolder and more sure of yourself with each week.
The unknown that once made you anxious has shifted. You’re listening deeper, the wisdom around you is taking root. And you’re at peace. You’re enjoying this stage more than you ever thought you would. As opportunities and connections continue to arise and strengthen.
And you take a step, make a decision, or take action with each training.
“The majority of the high level, successful copywriters we work with take imperfect action frequently. The reason they’re successful is that they jump in and iterate.”
– Kira Hug
The wisdom from your mentors and community is filling you up. You’re cultivating your energy, your business, and your life. You’re sharing wins and engaging with your copy crew, gaining a new support system and perspective along the way. And you’ve strengthened your bond with a handful of peers who have turned into advisors and friends.
Yes, you feel overwhelmed at times. But you keep moving forward and trusting the process.
Stage Four: An Authentic, Intentional Harvest
Ahhhh, the stage that gets all the glory. A stage filled with pride and tangible results. For the gardener, it’s time to share those ripe tomatoes and crisp spring onions. And showcase their perfectly sweet corn-on-the-cob as the centerpiece of their summer picnic.
It’s that time for you, too, as a copywriter and mastermind participant. To examine your harvest. Maybe it’s visible in your monthly income. Or the types of clients and projects you’re working on. It’s a feeling of alignment in your business and your life, more connection. Or maybe it’s visible with your notoriety, being seen as the expert in your special thing.
It’s time to showcase your growth, your progress, and your results. And to truly savor the experience, to cherish the relationships you’ve made, to step back and admire your hard work and breakthroughs.
“Any time you see what looks like a breakthrough, it is always the end result of a long series of little things, done consistently over time.”
– Jeff Olson, The Slight Edge
As you harvest, more reflection is required. Take notes, detailed notes, about what you want to keep and what you want to leave behind as the seasons change yet again.
This growth journey you’re on is constantly evolving. The seasons continue to change. And it’s time to revisit another stage, be it planning, planting, or cultivating.
To help you master your next mastermind, here are tangible things you can do to get ahead faster.
7 Mastermind Pro Tips From Successful Copywriters
As you approach your next mastermind, you know you must stay true to yourself as you work to get the most from your investment. You’re ready to plan, plant, cultivate, and harvest. In fact, you’re in full-on planning mode right now. So now what?
You’re ready for tangible advice, little things and big things you can do to set yourself up for accelerated learning. To set the stage for what is to come.
Well, good news. Here is curated guidance from seven of the most aligned copywriters we know, copywriters just like you, who embraced their most recent mastermind experience and grew and harvested more than they thought possible. Seven clear tips hand delivered to you, just in time for your next mastermind.
Pro Tip #1: Figure out what hours you do the best writing, what hours you’re best for meetings, and when you want to be working on the business versus on clients. And put it into a calendar to plan it all out. Usually, I plan my time out a couple of weeks in advance, and then I leave windows open for clients to pop in or a few spots for anything last minute that comes up, but it’s all in there.
Think of your energy levels as sunlight. You radiate each day, well, most days. And you have a rhythm, certain times of day where you’re at your best.
You likely know your prime writing hours, when you’re at your best for client calls or strategy sessions. Now it’s time to apply that knowledge.
Arrange your day, your schedule, for authentic growth. Without the peaks and valleys of a stress-filled, highly caffeinated day.
Pro Tip #2: Be discerning about what is on your calendar and what stays on your calendar. Think about and listen to your business. And look for better ways to give it fuel.
And after each mastermind call, block time—for me, it’s two hours—to put together your plan to implement and take action. It’s been a game-changer.
Plants are often started in a greenhouse. A controlled environment for optimal growth. This is the advantage Bree is talking about. Your time is your most valuable resource. Your business is a living, breathing entity.
So think of your calendar as a greenhouse. Keep close guard of it, especially during an intense growth period, like a mastermind.
Pro Tip #3: Rapid application of learning and implementation of ideas is the whole game for me. I made the mistake of thinking that time spent hanging out in a mastermind was equal to progress made.
That’s like equating gone fishing with dinner will be ready shortly.
With your money and your time on the line, it’s time to get into doing mode, not just learning mode, hanging out mode or helping mode. Apply what you learn, quickly, to experience your truest growth.
Your time in a mastermind program is not for sitting on the sidelines. Get in the game.
Pro Tip #4: I can very easily go down the rabbit hole comparing myself to others – especially having started my business at 45 when it seemed like everyone in my niche was close to half my age and more successful.
For me, it’s about limiting the number of copywriters I follow to protect my energy. I also limit my attention to feedback — good or bad. When I post something in the mastermind group, on social media, or share a new podcast episode, I know I’ve been myself.
When you contribute or engage, trust in your genuine desire to help and walk away without an expectation of how it will be received.
Owning your voice, your place in the group is essential to your success. So stop comparing yourself to those around you, and start tapping into your genuine desire to help others.
And trust yourself in the process. If you do, you’ll grow your business in your own very real, very unique way. And come out the other side stronger and more confident.
Pro Tip #5: Look for one good idea. One good idea implemented well has almost always paid for itself.
It comes back to focus, hyper-focus. On one good idea, not the many you’ll hear throughout your time in a mastermind. Planting the seed of one good idea, nurturing that idea, and in many cases, saying no to new, more exciting ideas around you.
That is some of the hardest work you’ll do in the coming months.
Pro Tip #6: Know what your goals are and do only things that push you towards what you want – otherwise you’re wasting time and not being intentional. Connect 1:1 with other members. Ask questions. Show up.
Have initial goals, just like a gardener. Some sort of vision or map or benchmarks. And then jump in, ask questions and connect with the mastermind members around you.
And cultivate relationships with those you really connect with. Not all of the members, but a select few. And work together to get to your next level of business and life.
Pro Tip #7: Keep moving down a single path in order to get the highest return. Be laser-focused. Stick to the rule of one and set aside hours every week for working on your business. There will be a lot for you to consider, change, and implement.
Aim for your highest return, with laser focus. But go in knowing your mastermind will open doors, and share with you new ways of thinking, resources, tools, and so much more.
So stick to your one thing, your one path, and set aside the hours for consistent work, consistent progress. There will be many ideas. Really good ideas. Stay true to your plan and you’ll reap your own rewards.
Accelerate Your Success In Your Next Mastermind
You’re ready. You’re more ready than ever to jump into your next mastermind, to ramp up your growth and lead this business of yours well into the new season. You know in your heart you’re on the right path.
And you commit to learning deep. To feeling attached to the mess and the process, the ups and the downs of tending to your entrepreneurial dream. You promise to appreciate each win, to savor it. And to relish in failure, feedback, and critique.
You’re ready to let go of being the knower, and instead, you seek knowledge, community, and wisdom. As you surround yourself with action takers, to connect with them – even though they are more knowledgeable and experienced than you are.
So embrace imperfect action each day, each week in your business and your life. And get ready to accelerate your growth as you join The Copywriter Think Tank.
Not sure what that is? The Copywriter Think Tank is a mastermind group for copywriters ready to put their businesses on steroids and grow. It’s the perfect combination of goals setting, accountability, community, training and more.
If you’re interested in applying, click the link above. And remember, approach the experience as you would your garden.
“Personal relationships are the fertile soil from which all advancement, all success, all achievement in real life grows.”
– Ben Stein
About Katie Caples
This is a guest blog written by Katie Caples, business strategist, author, and an alum of The Copywriter Accelerator. Katie writes launch copy for female founders, thought leaders, and heart-centered course creators. For a free business planner and to hop on her mailing list, check out All Things Business.
