Taking This to the Next Level

Now that I'm done reading the response to the Dues Report (it's awesome! Thanks so much for your e-mails!), I've been going back to all the surveys you've been sending in.

It has been amazing reading your input. I can see that there are quite a few people who would be fantastic Mastermind group leaders just by how they're responding to the course and the survey. Seeing that kind of response is amping me up to press ahead and help them (you?!) succeed.

There's one other thing I've seen in the surveys: some have some concerns about whether they can do it. They can see the obvious benefits of running a Mastermind group, and they can see the ginormous need for it. But they're just not sure if running a group is a perfect fit for them.

And frankly, the answer for some is NO -- because running a group is definitely not right for everyone; not all are cut out to be leaders. When I asked on the survey what your "fears" were, most left that blank, which is very encouraging. But virtually every one of those who did leave a response worried about something that's not really an issue at all -- if you set things up "right" in the first place when you establish your group. I know how you can learn to do it right so that being a leader feels natural.

Of course, others are chomping at the bit saying "Let's go!" Those are the people who "know" they have something great to offer their peers in their specific business niche to make everyone in their group fabulously more successful. And while they've learned a lot from the core article series, they want something more than what's in those articles.

Many of you have asked me to do an in-depth seminar, but when I look at my travel schedule for the rest of the year, I know there's no way I can possibly do one until 2011. Yet these people want to get going! There's got to be a way to get things rolling quickly for them! Which gave me an idea.

The Idea is Simple!

My idea is to simply follow my own advice. For those truly serious members, I'm creating a Mastermind group for leaders (like you?) who are ready to start a good group, or who have started one and need it to be better so it can meet its potential. In other words, my idea is a Mastermind group of Mastermind group leaders! Leaders who will help each other with getting focus, setting rules, and recruiting members. And once things are running, each leader will have access to other leaders -- including me -- who will help you when something goes wrong (and things will, no matter how well you run a group!) Like, a petty (or not so petty!) dispute between two members. I've been there, and can help you get through it so at the end your group is stronger, not destroyed.

Wouldn't that be huge in helping you succeed, which will help your group succeed, which will help your members succeed?

Without even waiting to know if you're interested, I'm already in the process of creating it -- I'm certain that with the size of the membership of the Mastermind Source (more than 2,100 people have signed up for the free course so far!), I'll easily fill the maximum number of memberships I'm willing to take on.

That number is only 30-50 members -- approximately only 2 percent of the current membership of Mastermind Source. I want to be able to concentrate on the initial group a bit to really get it going well before I even consider bringing in more.

Certainly there will be membership dues so that the members truly concentrate on success too -- I don't want to waste my time. (If you don't understand why dues are so important, then read the free Dues Report! It's truly critical to a group's success.)

I don't know how much dues will be yet. But I do know this: some will say "too much!" even if I only charged a ridiculous $15 a month -- and others will say it's a bargain even if I charged $150 a month, because they know such a group will enable them to make many times that.

I'm going straight to the top tier with the membership platform, too: it will be hosted on Membergate, the Rolls Royce of web-based groupware. I've signed the contract and they're building the site now. It should be ready by the end of the month.

Important: What You Need to Do

I know some of you are sitting there tapping your credit card on their screens, saying "Great idea! I want in! NOW!" If that's you, tell me! (See Update Below.) I'm gathering the names of the people who are leaders already -- whether they have a group or are simply certain a group is in their future. As I noted above, I already have quite a few members who have already made it clear they're leader material. If you are also in that boat, you need to get on that list too. Use the site contact form to let me know. It would be helpful if you told me what your price cutoff is: You wouldn't be able to do this if it cost more than how much per month?

As I said, I already have quite a few people on that list. In the next few days I expect to hear from a hundred or two more, all vying for the limited number of seats I'm anticipating (again, only 30-50).

As I get to the point where membership is open, I'll let the people on that special list know first. If for some reason those limited seats don't fill up on the first day, only then will I let everyone else know the doors are open, but I will cut off new memberships at the end of the second day no matter what so the group can get rolling.

Charter Member Discounts

"But Randy," some of you (the ones who carefully read the Dues Report!) might say. "Isn't this a new, 'unproven' group (even though you are the Mastermind Source guy, and have the experience to pull this off)? Shouldn't you have discounted dues for the first year?"

Why yes: yes it is. While I'm quite confident that my years of experience will help this group to be very successful, the early, charter members will still get a break on dues simply because it is a new group. There will also be a initiation fee later; charter members won't have to pay one*. And charter members will get a significant discount on the dues for at least the first year.

*(Charter members who drop out of the group, and then want to join again later, will have to pay the dues structure in effect at that time, including any initiation fees.)

(Why an initiation fee? Because members that come along later will get the benefit of the core knowledge built up in the forums, as well as various special documents that have been made available to members, starting with the Dues Report if they don't already have it.)

Charter members will also get discounts on Mastermind Source seminars.

What If I'm Not Ready, or You Fill Up?

I will open it up later to further members to join in. But I want to get that "proof" of being a successful group which justifies full dues first. I don't know exactly when it will be opened up again; as a new group, I'm just going to have to play it by ear for awhile. So if you want in soon, you really need to get in with the Charter group!