PUSH the Envelope Masterminds for Business Owners

An Exclusive Mastermind Group for Business Owners

No One is in Charge of Your Success Except You

Imagine for a moment you’re back in the 1800’s living on the east coast. You want to “Go West” to find your fortune. You have two choices. You can pack your wagon and head out on your own. You’re strong and determined and resourceful – and you might make it. But you’ll be facing perils alone and you’ll have to carry ALL your resources with you. There won’t be any one else to rely on or lend a hand. You’ll have to overcome any obstacles by yourself.

Your other choice is to join a wagon train with lots of other people. That means that as you cross uncharted territory, you’ll be with people who have a wide variety of skills and knowledge that you can draw on. There’s strength in numbers, and you can count on help if you get tired or hurt. There are people who have your back. There’s a sense of community, camaraderie, and mutual support. And you have a dramatically higher chance of a successful journey.

It’s the same when you’re in business. You can go it alone and depend on your own skills and resources, or you can surround yourself with peers who can help. No, I’m not suggesting you give up your independence. I’m suggesting you join with peers to tap into their wisdom and expertise, and offer your wisdom and expertise to help them. In short, I’m suggesting you join a mastermind group.

What’s a Mastermind Group?

Masterminds have been around since the time of Socrates, and even Ben Franklin had his version that he called a junto. The modern concept of a mastermind started with Napoleon Hill who wrote two of the best business books of all time: “Think and Grow Rich” and “The Success Principles”. In these books he talks about the power of the mastermind and says:

“A mastermind alliance consists of two or more minds working actively together in perfect harmony toward a common definite objective.

“Through a mastermind alliance you can appropriate and use the full strength of the experience, training, and knowledge of others just as if they were your own.

“No individual has ever achieved success without the help and cooperation of others.

If you want to go farther and faster, the answer is to join a group of people with similar interests who come together to help each other with the challenges and problems they face. Because the reality is, if the answers you’re looking for were where you’ve been looking, you would have found them by now.

The Purpose of a Mastermind

The primary purpose of a mastermind is the success of each and every one of its members through focused attention on each member.. Everyone works together to give each member individual attention. Everyone is invested in the growth and development of each other as well as themselves. They each become trusted advisors for the other members of the group by asking challenging questions, offering suggestions, and holding each other accountable. In return for helping, they also get help. Everyone gives, and everyone receives. And in the process, each member is more successful in their business and has far fewer struggles. If you doubt this, think about some of the challenges or problems you’re currently facing. How long have you been facing them? What is it costing you to have them linger? Is it time for a change?

Or, maybe your business is running well, with very few problems. Instead, you’re faced with lots of opportunities and are reaching for your dream. Having a group of peers who become your trusted advisors can make the difference between straight-line success or lots of starts and stops.

Having a Team of Trusted Advisors can be the Difference Between Success and Struggle

“The measure of success in not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it’s the same problem you had last year.” —- John Foster Dulles

Being a business owner brings a sense of independence and freedom. “I am the master of my fate.” But it can also come with a feeling of loneliness …. even if you have partners. There’s a lot riding on the decisions you make, so you want to make the best decisions you can. And you know it’s up to you.

The Sum of the Whole is Greater than its Parts

It’s true! In a mastermind you put 6 to 8 heads together and you have the opportunity to grow yourself and/or your business in ways you might never have thought possible..

7 Reasons to Join a Mastermind, According to Forbes Magazine

In October, 2013, Forbes ran an article on the 7 Reasons to Join a Mastermind Group. Among the reasons were:

Becoming part of an exclusive community.
Having a group of personal advisors to turn to.
Collaboration opportunities.
Extending your network.
Learning from the experience and knowledge of others.
Cross-promotion between members.
Being challenged to think and play bigger.

The Two Critical Components of a Successful Mastermind

The design and frequency of the hotseat
The training and background of the facilitator

The Power of the Hotseat

The number one reason to join a mastermind group is to find ways to achieve success more easily, quickly, and efficiently. You want answers, brainstorming, and training that focuses on you and your specific situation. You want customized solutions that exactly fit, not generic solutions. That’s why the hotseat is so critical. When you’re in the hotseat, everyone in the group is focused on you. Their only intention is to help you find answers that are right for you. When you’re in the hotseat you may squirm a little as you share things about yourself or your company, or as someone challenges your thinking, but you’ll walk away with actionable steps that will make a difference.

Why Does the Quality of the Facilitator Matter?

The role of the facilitator is to set up the meetings and ensure they are effective for all members. That means helping members be clear on what challenges they’re facing and how the group can help. The facilitator helps guide the discussion, keeps it focused, and manages the process. The facilitator may share their thoughts, but first they want to help get the best ideas and thoughts from group members. Most importantly, it’s the facilitator that sets the tone of the group. They are the one who creates the safe environment and makes it possible to have the kind of deep discussions that are meaningful, not just nice conversations.

Working with a trained mastermind facilitator means you have a guide who’s trained in listening skills, knows how to manage the flow of conversations, can hold you accountable in a way that keeps you moving forward, and can step in when challenging situations arise. Couple that with coach training, and you’ve got a winning combination for your mastermind facilitator.

Why Join a PUSH the Envelope™ Mastermind Group

No Limits, No Excuses!

The greatest limitations in life are often the ones we put on ourselves. PUSH the Envelope™ members always want to test the limits and push the envelope. And PUSH members don’t make excuses. They find ways to help each other achieve their dreams and goals.

How Does it Work?

Each intimate group is made up of amazing business owners who are building powerful businesses that allow them to make more money and reach more people while working fewer hours

Each group is carefully designed to ensure there’s synergy among the members. Our groups are designed for decision makers. That means they are in positions to make decisions that dramatically impact their business. It also means they are people who make decisions and take action. Some groups will be industry specific, but without competitors. Others will have a cross-section of industries. Since there are advantages to both formats, you will have the opportunity to pick what fits best for you. All prospective members will be interviewed before being accepted to the group. Each group is designed with the individual needs of the members in mind.

Who is Your Facilitator?

I’m Philip Cohen, a Master Certified Coach, one of only about 700 world-wide. Not only do I have extensive training in coaching skills, but I’ve been teaching those skills for almost 20 years at two of the top coach training schools in the world. In addition to training and experience in facilitation skills, I have training specifically in Mastermind Facilitation, and also in communication skills. I’m a former CPA and business consultant, and was managing partner of my accounting firm. I’ve seen just about everything and heard all the stories about starting, building, and exiting a business.

What difference does this make to you?

Since the time I was a CPA, many years ago, I’ve been concerned by the high failure rate of business.. Over the years there have been more and more resources available, but the failure rate hasn’t changed dramatically. I also noticed that even the businesses that continued often struggled. There are many challenges to creating a successful, thriving business. Not only do you have to have something your customer wants, you have to know how to run a business. And it’s not as easy as many people think. Many business owners end up feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and struggling.

When I was managing partner of my accounting firm, I thought I had to make all the management decisions by myself. Sure, I had an attorney and periodically talked to some consultants, but I was mostly on my own, even though I had partners. I didn’t know there was another way. Yes, we were very successful, but I often struggled over decisions, and there were some that I wish I had made differently. The only path I knew was to go it alone.

Since becoming a coach, I discovered how much easier it is when I have others around me to provide suggestions, challenge my thinking, and hold me accountable. People whom I trust and care about my success. People I’m in a formal relationship with so they are always accessible. I’m still responsible for my decisions and the actions I take, but I’m happier with my decisions and I get better results from my actions.

This is what I want to bring to my peers, other business owners. A way to be more successful more quickly and with less struggle. The combination of my experience and training gives me a deep understanding of how to help you be successful by finding your own path. A path that fits you, even if it’s not the path everyone else has taken There are many paths to success and happiness. Just because you’re not on the same path as everyone else doesn’t mean you’re lost. As your Facilitator, I’ll help you find what’s right for you.. I bring all my skills, training, experience, and heart to our PUSH the Envelope™ meetings with only one goal in mind: The success of each and every group member.

This is why I’ve created Push the Envelope™ Masterminds. I’m passionate about helping business owners tap into the resources that can eliminate struggle and help create success. Why go it alone, when you can get others to help you?

PUSH the Envelope™ Masterminds give business owners the opportunity to come together with their peers. You can’t help but be more successful when you surround yourself with other people who are equally amazing.

Why the name Push the Envelope™?

A philosophy, not just a catch phrase

When deciding on a name for our masterminds, we needed one that would really speak to what a mastermind is all about and be in alignment with our belief that great things can happen when we go outside our comfort zone and look for more than what we already know. But for most people, going outside their comfort zone is by definition, uncomfortable or scary. We need encouragement, or even a push. The concept of pushing the envelope is about extending the limits of what’s possible. It also means to move beyond the limit of what has usually been done or was the accepted standard. In a mastermind, you push your limits, your beliefs, your perceptions, and you learn how to move beyond what’s become comfortable and accepted. Best of all, you do it with a group so you’re never alone…you always have your mastermind partners; your supportive, non-judgmental safety net.

“We are most comfortable with the things we know best. But, if we always avoid the unfamiliar, how will we ever know what riches may be waiting for us.”
~~Mary Kay Stanley

PUSH the Envelope™ is for you if:

You want to tap into the power of a group of other business owners, all committed to the success and growth of each member of their group.
You’re a business owner, able to make decisions affecting your work, life, and environment.
You know you can be more and have more when you’re not doing it all alone.
Eliminating overwhelm, overload, and overwork is a priority in your life.
You’re ready for more focus and direction in your life and business.
You’re not satisfied with the current status of your business.
Settling for ordinary is not an option – you want to soar past extraordinary to something even greater.
You want to handle problems only once and solve them, not defer them
You’re willing to be challenged.
You want to help other business owners grow and develop themselves and their businesses.
You know problems come with the territory and are willing to face them and deal with them
You’re tired of being frustrated and overwhelmed, and not having the success you want.

Oy Vay!! The Captain has a Dilemma. Do you sometimes feel like this captain? Not sure what decision to make, and realizing that you have to make a choice or else……. Maybe you feel this way often. Or maybe you consistently question the decisions you’ve made. If any of this applies to you, a Push the Envelope™ Mastermind Group could help.

Some of the Benefits of Joining a PUSH the Envelope™ Mastermind:

Make decisions instead of staying stuck.
Sharpen your business and personal skills.
Tap into the experience and skills of your peers
Create real progress in your business.
Take advantage of opportunities, instead of watching them go by
Get honest feedback, advice, and brainstorming.
Solve problems that have been stumping you for a long time.
Find many creative ideas by brainstorming with others.
Create action plans and have the group hold you accountable.
Receive critical insights into yourself and your business.
Get immediate training. Need to learn something quick? Just ask!
Add an instant and valuable support network.
Gain a sense of shared efforts and intention
Opportunity to help other business owners achieve the success they want.
Gain confidence in yourself and your decisions.
Start saying “No” more.
Shorten your learning curve

But It’s Not Just About Business

Sometimes the biggest problems we face come not from our business life, but outside. (Yes, there is a life outside your business.) We hear, “leave your home life at home.” Realistically, that’s often not possible. Your group can also help with other problems that compete for your attention. Those things that need a solution because they distract you from your business.

PUSH the Envelope™ groups are not just about finding solutions, they foster creating relationships that can go beyond business. In this environment members have a willingness to open up and be vulnerable. You show up, warts and all, saying, “I’m here. I’m in this place … again!” You bring your blocks, challenges, and places where you’re stuck, as well as wins and celebrations.

Life is not always smooth. Your PUSH the Envelope™ group is your life preserver when you need it, your cheering squad when you want it, and your advisory board always.

A mastermind group is not for everyone. It’s an investment in yourself and a commitment to the other people who are part of your group. To get the most out of the group, you need to be willing to give it your all, just as you do in your business.

Key Characteristics of Push the Envelope™ Mastermind Members

You’re able to commit the time and energy to the group
You’re willing to share your personal insights to benefit other group members.
You’re ready to ask for, and receive help
You have, or are ready to create a BIG vision for yourself and your company
You’re driven to succeed. Just getting by isn’t acceptable
You’re willing to show your scars. You know they show determination, not weakness.
You’re willing to be held accountable.
You believe that having the appropriate support network will make your journey easier
You aren’t willing to be blind-side by what’s in your blind-spots
You know that challenges come with the territory, but you won’t let them stop you
You are committed to aiming high and stretching yourself
You are willing to share openly and honestly about yourself and your company

What You Get When You Join a PUSH the Envelope™ Mastermind:

Two live, interactive 90-minute video conference calls each month.
Membership in a select group of 6-8 business owners
A safe, non-judgmental place to explore challenges and opportunities
There will never be direct competitors in your group
One hotseat opportunity per month for each member
One 30-minute laser session with me, Philip Cohen, your Facilitator and Master Certified Coach, each month.
Life and business skill training during meetings
A DISC Behavioral Assessment so you can better understand your behavior and communication styles, as well as what motivates you.
A PUSH the Envelope™ members-only forum for continuing conversations and collaborating with other members.
Downloadable materials for organizing and managing meeting notes, action plans, mind maps, and capturing inspiration and motivation.
Special virtual training for PUSH the Envelope™ members to supplement training and discussions from meetings.
Invitation to live events for PUSH the Envelope™ members only.
A team of trusted advisors to assist your journey to success.

“No one can predict to what heights you can soar. Even you will not know until you spread your wings.” ~~~Anonymous

Are you ready to fly?

Monthly membership for the charter group is $350.

For more information, answers to questions, or a discussion about joining, contact me by phone at 702-252-3652, or office@ptemmc.com