I am opening up the doors for a rare opportunity to join me in a private mastermind group. This is a 3-month collaborative program, focusing on:
- Keeping you accountable to your creative goals. Are you finding it difficult to make the time to write, work on your craft, or develop your creative business? Consider us your personal trainer — your accountability coach that keeps you motivated day in and day out.
- Providing a group of creative collaborators to bounce ideas off of. Creative work is often lonely — what if you had a group of people that you could get feedback from and brainstorm ideas with? That’s us!
- Helping you stop struggling with the basics so you can create true momentum. So many writers and creative professionals I speak to struggle with the basics of their website, email newsletters, and social media. This group is like a shot of espresso in helping you get it done so you can focus on the quality of your craft, and reaching your audience.
- Honing in on the work that matters most. Most creative people struggle to juggle their vision with life’s responsibilities. In this mastermind, you will learn countless tips of how to do this in a practical way. We will focus you on only the things that matter — and give you the confidence to say “no” to what doesn’t matter, and “yes” to what does.
We attack the problems I see crop up most pervasively in the lives of creative professionals. We break the bad habits, and reframe boundaries as opportunities.
In each phase, I talk about the goal, how I do it, and clear ACTIONS you need to take. That’s right, none of this is reading course material or doing homework — it is all about taking action.
My goal? To give you a clear focus for your creative actions in July, August, and September.
The Creative Action Mastermind is one of the most powerful things I have ever offered — the feedback from folks who joined me have been off the charts amazing. They have found renewed clarity in their creative work, and a solid roadmap for moving forward.
Details:
The program runs from July 1 – September 30. This is not a course — it is a collaboration. A mastermind group is traditionally a group of like-minded people who come together to help one another brainstorm, focus, and take action.
I’ll start by saying that I only work with creative professionals. These are writers, crafters, designers, artists, entrepreneurs, and others whose work is not just about earning money, but about creating something special that will enrich the lives of others.
It is about craft, art, and an almost magical connection that happens when their vision sparks something in the hearts and minds of those who receive it. If you are reading this, that’s probably you.
But let’s face it, it can be difficult to turn your vision into reality.
You have the “creative” part of “creative professional” down, but feel like you need more growth in the “professional” part.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE MASTERMIND
“This group has lit a fire under me. It has created energy and momentum with my writing. Plus: I’m having so much fun!”
–– Teri Case
“I’m telling you, these Masterminders are a generous and creative and supportive group. And that Dan Blank is generous and helpful beyond the beyond.”
–– Judy Reeves
“There are so many layers of emotional and creative spirit in this group. I can feel positive momentum building.”
— Mary McFarland
“Dan promised me collaboration when I signed up for this group. I had my doubts, but not anymore. Being a part of the the Mastermind group has brought so much clarity (and simplicity) to my creative work.”
–– Jack Schaeffer
“Dan’s Mastermind group is a safe haven for creators and writers. Dan and my fellow Mastermind participants helped me define the direction for my writing and reach more readers through my website, blog and social media. I recommend this group to anyone looking for support and direction in their creative projects.”
-— Rupert Davies-Cooke
“WOW. I’m really blown away (seriously, not exaggerating) by the kind, helpful responses in this group. When I signed up, I had wondered if I was doing the right thing by joining this Mastermind –– I was afraid I wasn’t really ready for the step. But now I see that this is exactly what I needed.”
—- Maya Rushing Walker
“I believe that Dan Blank has created MAGIC here. This group has held me accountable to making a positive change in my creative work — I have never been a part of something this powerful before!”
—- Cathey Nickell
“This Mastermind has given me a sense of direction with the business side of my writing that I’ve never had before.”
—- Dawn Downey
HOW THIS WORKS
This bears repeating: You do not get loads of course material — you get prompts and actions to take. You are given a structure by which to collaborate with me and others in the mastermind. Nothing else. This is about action. Period.
You don’t have to show up anywhere on any particular day or time (I understand you are too busy to add another meeting to your calendar), but you will have constant access to the group (and myself) via these powerful collaboration tools.
- A private Slack chat group. This is basically a 24/7 instant messaging system for small teams. This is where you can brainstorm ideas, share insights, cry for help, and feel a sense of collaboration in what can be an otherwise lonely process.
- (Mostly) daily video updates from me. This is where I talk you through key steps to be taking, and expand upon conversations we are having in Slack. These videos are only for the Mastermind group, are recorded (nearly) every day, and give you an inside look into how to truly make progress. I will not talk in theory, but in terms of practical steps, sharing with you how I am doing this myself.
- A virtual co-working space. There is a separate channel in Slack that I have created that is meant to be a virtual co-working space. Beyond the tips, the advice, the strategies that we share in Slack, the co-working channel is where we say hello each day and get the benefits of being collaborators.
Imagine this as a real-world co-working space. Every day you show up to our huge loft, with big rustic wooden tables filled with iMacs. There is good music playing, amazing coffee, huge windows, and each of us shows up at our desks to work on our projects, while getting to know each other. You are a part of a community that is special — and this is where we say hello and motivate each other every day.
Are you worried about how to use these tools? Don’t. These are things my team and I use every single day, and are a core way that collaborative groups work. They are easy to get the hang of, and after all, we are here to help you out along the way!
That is the real value here: collaboration. You will have me and others in the mastermind providing feedback on your goals, helping provide direction, giving feedback, and pulling you out of the hole when you feel stuck and lost.
Each month, I will provide feedback on your tasks, your progress, and your direction. And I will also tell you when you are losing focus or biting off more than you can chew. So much of this process is about clarity and focus. Taking simple actions consistently, not getting bogged down.
My role is to be a coach in this process. You get to watch what I do, I give you direction, observe and suggest corrections. But I’ll be clear: it is YOU on the playing field. I’m not out there to do the work for you, or hold your hand when you are stalling. My feedback will be short and to the point. This is about taking action when it matters.
WHO THIS IS FOR
This is for the creative professional who wants to take the audience side of their craft more seriously. Who wants to have a clearer plan for 2016 in terms of engaging others.
I work with writers, artists, designers, crafters, entrepreneurs and anyone who is doing creative work that is deeply meaningful to their audience.
And I will absolutely say, this is about living up to your creative vision. A big part of my process is indeed about getting clearer about the meaning and experiences I am creating for others. The business side is meant to honor that, not derail it.
WHY THIS PROGRAM MATTERS
Let me share a few ways that this program is different from anything else I have offered before (and from what most others offer):
- Very often, people sell you “content,” such as course material, when a key ingredient to success is collaboration. This mastermind is about that collaboration: relationships with others that keep us focused and accountable. Consider why it costs $75 to join a gym for an entire month, but $75 to hire a personal trainer for a single hour. Just joining a gym gives you access to tools, but hiring a personal trainer gives you access to insights and a personalized system. Most people don’t show up to the gym on an average day, but they nearly always show up to an appointment with a personal trainer. It is a commitment, and assurance to get the job done.This mastermind is that commitment. I am waiting at the gym for you to show up. Don’t leave me — and your creative vision — hanging.
- There is no refund policy on this program. When you sign up, you are making a commitment not only to me, but to yourself. Take action, or else lose your investment. This is a no excuses program. If you don’t do the work, you will hear it from me. One term you will hear a lot in this program is the following: “No half-assing it.” (Sorry for the language.) Why do I use this term? Because most creative ventures fail not because they aren’t engaging ideas, but because the person half-asses it. They do it part way. They give up at the drop of a hat.
This program is a half-ass free zone. There is no “dropping” the mastermind part of the way through. When you sign up, you are making a 3-month commitment. If you don’t show up, that’s on you. Because I am there every day, waiting for you.If you have creative work that is deeply meaningful to you, whether it is full-time or part-time, I’m challenging you to stop treating your profession like a hobby. If you have a day job, I would bet that you would never consider showing up late for work. Or show up only three days per week to a job where you’re expected to be there five days per week. Or you wouldn’t just leave mid-day from the job because you didn’t feel inspired to do it.
Yet, this is how people “show up” for their creative vision. For their creative career.
This program isn’t for everyone.
I’m accepting a really limited number of participants because I want to ensure we have a solid group of people ready to take action. And I’ll be honest — I want it to be fun, not just productive.
Want in? Apply now. If you are accepted, there is a $750 total fee for the three-month program, payable in three monthly installments. So you pay $250 in July, $250, in August and $250 in September. Yes, I am always flexible to creating a specific payment plan that fits your needs.
Instead of a “Register Now” button, I have an application for you. I want to get a sense of your vision and challenges before I allow you to join the group. This is not meant to be judgy — that is not my goal. I simply want to ensure this group is filled with a group of passionate creative people ready to take action.
The deadline to apply is Wednesday June 29, 2016. But please keep in mind, there are limited spaces available, and they go on a first come, first served basis.
