Midlife MavericksI was talking to Kevin a while back.
We were chatting about business, about building things online, about that familiar low-grade loneliness that tends to sneak in when you’re doing something new.
At some point, I said:
“I’m thinking of putting together a mastermind.”
I was thinking out loud.
Kevin didn’t hesitate.
“That’s a great idea,” he said.
This part matters.
Instead of overthinking it.
Instead of researching formats, pricing, or what to call it, I acted.
What actually happened next
I sent an email to six guys.
Yes, guys. Grown men. Builders.
People I admire. People doing real work online.
A space where I’m still fairly new and, frankly, where I wanted support.
The email was simple.
“Hey guys, I’m thinking of putting together a small group.
Four to six times a year.
Everyone brings something to give.
Everyone brings a question to ask.
No BS. No performance.
Would you be interested?”
That was it.
No pitch.
No positioning statement.
And one by one, the replies came in.
“I’m down.”
“So down.”
“This sounds great.”
“Count me in.”
Every single one.
What that reaction told me
There are a lot of people walking around thinking:
“I wish something like this existed.”
But they don’t ask, they don’t raise their hand, they assume everyone else is sorted.
Very often, people aren’t uninterested.
They’re just waiting for someone else to go first.
Or maybe you’re not waiting.
Maybe you’re scared someone will say no.
And if they do?
You’re exactly where you started. Minus five minutes. Plus one answer.
So go first.
Quote of the Week
“None of us is as smart as all of us.”
Ken Blanchard
That sentence explains more about growth, resilience, and sane entrepreneurship than most business books combined.
What a “mastermind” is supposed to be
A mastermind, originally, wasn’t meant to be a shiny product.
Napoleon Hill described it as the coordination of knowledge and effort of two or more people working toward a definite purpose, creating a kind of third mind. Collective intelligence.
In practice, a classic mastermind usually means:
- A small group of peers
- Meeting regularly
- Sharing challenges and goals
- Giving feedback
- Holding each other accountable
Often structured.
Sometimes paid.
Usually facilitated.
And yes, when done well, those groups can be powerful.
But the real value never came from the name or the format.
It came from people thinking together.
What I actually do
I don’t obsess over labels.
What I build are rooms.
This one now has a name — Claudia and the guys, mostly because that’s how it happened.
Informal. Human. Slightly imperfect.
We start in March.
Four to six conversations a year.
Everyone brings something to give.
Everyone brings something to ask.
That’s it.
Different niches, different perspectives, same seriousness.
No Slack, no performance, no pretending.
Just adults helping each other think.
I’ve been doing this longer than I realised
Years ago, I ran a PTA.
Yes, really.
I sold more cake than should be legal and raised a frightening amount of money. When I do something, I commit.
What I noticed back then was this:
Every PTA was fighting the same battles: Money. Volunteers. Clashing dates. Scarce resources.
So I created a group.
PTAs sharing equipment, sharing knowledge, coordinating calendars.
I left that PTA years ago.
That group is still running.
Same principle. Different chapter.
The lie we need to stop repeating
Somewhere along the way, we accepted this idea that:
“Business is lonely. That’s just how it is.”
No.
That’s what happens when you isolate yourself and call it independence.
Support doesn’t have to be:
- Formal
- Paid
- In your exact niche
- Perfectly designed
And loneliness is not a prerequisite for ambition.
If anything, we should actively push back against it.
There’s an old line: “If you want something done, do it yourself.”
I’d add a corollary.
If you want a room that doesn’t exist, build it yourself.
If you want support that no one’s offering, offer it first.
Reply and tell me: What’s the group, conversation, or support you’ve been waiting for someone else to start?
Now go make the ask. I’ll be here with my coffee.
See you next Wednesday.
