Facebook Groups vs Mastermind Groups for Pet Sitters and Dog Walkers

One of the most popular questions I have gotten since launching the Jump Mastermind group is what is the difference between the Mastermind and a Facebook group? It is a valid question that requires a lot of explanation because the difference is vast.

One can almost compare it to a cross-country trip from California to Boston. The Facebook group is hitchhiking across the country with no money to reach Boston. With the Mastermind people are flying in a comfy private jet, saving time, comfortable, safe, and well fed.

Here is what I mean:

The Problems With Facebook Groups To Grow Your Business

1. Format:

Depending on what Facebook group you find yourself in, you will experience different atmospheres. We did a great blog on all the different types of pet sitting facebook groups and compiled a list of the ones that were available.

Fact is, they all have unique formats. When joining a group I suggest you pay attention to:

• the screening process
• the numbers of moderators
• who it is led by
• if there are free resources
• the focus or subject matter
• the number of people admitted and their involvement
• the overall tone of the group.

All of these factors greatly influence the success of a Facebook group.

When a Facebook group has no format and people just post about whatever they feel at the time it can get quite messy. One day you are talking about starting a business and the next day you are talking about expanding from 25 to 30 employees.

Some formats I have seen:

• Centered around a products or service
• Messages of the day like “welcome new members” or “post your url and business below” or “Tech Tuesday” posts… those get stale after a few weeks. This format tends to become robotic and dry.
• Theme related where they are laser-focused only on one thing.
• A curator of other people’s content.

2. Facebook Groups Can Give Bad Advice

The larger a group becomes, the tougher they are to manage and members could run the risk of getting bad advice simply because there are too many posts and comments for the moderator to sift through.

This could be so detrimental to the member’s business.

I have actually witnessed someone who has been failing miserable trying to get their pet sitting company off the ground for 18 months, generating only $1500 a month…. actually giving advice to a $100K + company on how to hire more staff.

Jaw dropping part? They were taking their advice!

The advice or guidance in a Facebook group isn’t always vetted and bad information or advice or ideas could be perpetuated. You have to be certain who the person is that you are taking advice from.

I feel this can bring the entire industry to its knees and I see it happen more and more frequently.

It is important to know who you are allowing in your mind and business.

“Before you join a Mastermind Group be prepared to commit and be transparent. This means committing to work on your goals and being transparent about where you are currently and where you want to be.” –Katie Casell 

3. Facebook Groups Hardly Have Any Follow-Up With Its Members

When someone gives advice, there must be some sort of follow up or accountability that the advice worked or didn’t work.

Was it good advice?

Bad advice?

Alternatively, the person who is receiving the advice, did they follow through? If they didn’t, did the person who just spent all the time giving their time and energy to helping this person essentially “waste” that time?

These days, we waste so much time doing things that don’t move our business forward. One really needs to consider if pouring into someone else’s problem online in a Facebook group is really worth their time? Are they just wasting their time giving their endless opinions?

I know some are.

Worse off, some facebook groups allow people to delete their comments or threads. Not only does that hurt the integrity of the group but it also negates all the time the posters took to reply. If there is no follow up, this can really hurt the core of the group.

4. Who Is Hiding In The Shadows?

Sometimes these Facebook groups are so big that you don’t know who is a member.

You don’t know if there is your competition stealing secrets. Everyone has this false sense of security that it is private, and it is actually laughable!

Do you know that right now… I have a fake profile that is in almost every single pet business Facebook group? It would be like finding a needle in a haystack to find this profile and anyone can do it. Who is lurking in your facebook group right now?

Stealing your secret’s, screenshotting your vulnerable moments or ranting moments when you are complaining about an employee or client?

True Story Of A Pet Sitter Lurking In Shaddows To Hurt Another:

I once heard of a person complaining about an employee and another pet sitter in the group who knew this employee took a screenshot and sent it to the employee. Let’s just say it was a big mess. There is such a false sense of security in these Facebook groups and no one could possibly have the control or intimacy when you get into hundreds of people or even thousands.

Scary, huh?

The Positives to Facebook Groups:

It is only right to mention the many great things that Facebook groups have done. Lots of long-lasting relationships have been formed. Heck, it is how I have met many of you through my own free groups:

I Own A Pet Sitting Company With Staff
Jump Start Your Pet Business

Sometimes people have even met up offline at individual meetings, networking groups, or conferences. Lots of resources have been shared to help with things like payroll, credit cards, software systems, and more. Facebook groups can be a real asset but it takes a lot of work, sifting through all the content, opinions of everyone, and time spent scrolling and replying. But this does take a lot of time for these bonds and trust to form.

Here is How Masterminds Are Different Than Facebook Groups

Even though some Masterminds are on Facebook, the format in which they are run, the selection process of members, the topics, and the leadership will drastically change the effect they have on your business. I already discussed in great depth why you should join a mastermind and all the benefits you will bring to a business but it is also important not to think they could just be “another facebook group” and here is why:

Mastermind Groups Have Accountability:

Unlike the traditional facebook group, members and leadership will follow up with you.

Hey, how did that problem you were trying to solve pan out? Did you follow through with your action plan?

Asking about how did that problem you were trying to solve pan out and following up with the person why gave you the advice is very common. This adds an element of accountability that needs to exist to maintain the integrity of the group.

Ways Groups Can Hold You Accountable:

• Have your own file with goals that the members and leaders will check in on you.
• Spreadsheet of goal tracking.
• Group meetings you will be asked specifically, how you are doing with your goals or “did you accomplish that one thing.”

Follow up on conversations and close the loop that was left open

You can no longer say you are going to do things – you have an entire Tribe of people holding you accountable and not letting you forget.

Squirrel Moments Are Eliminated

One of the toughest thing as an entrepreneur is keeping those “squirrel” moments down to a minimum. A mastermind helps give you that focus. In a typical Facebook group no one is asking you “How are you spending your time?”

In Facebook Mastermind Groups you could actually post a video or picture showing that you are getting your goals completed. There is the ability to get real personal about what you are doing, how you are doing it, and when you are doing it. This only helps the group bond.

Here is an example of how a Facebook Mastermind Group helps keep members on task:

You know that day where you have two hours alone at the coffee shop? Typically you could blow those two hours and have no idea what you did. You were on Facebook about 6 times reading, responding, and sharing with your friends and groups that don’t really matter or pour into you. Then you were on email about 8 times because you kept getting distracted. Then you also were working on a blog article in another tab…. catch my drift?

If you had a Facebook Group Mastermind backing you up, you would have “homework” to do. You want to come to your next meeting or post in the group saying that you accomplished what you said you would.

Maybe even share a picture or video which helps others get to know you and bond more!

All of a sudden busy work on Facebook becomes less important, those emails get checked once instead of 8 times. You crank through that blog and get focused because you don’t want to let the group (and yourself) down.

In the pet sitter Mastermind group we have going, we actually paired up with accountability partners and nightly they were checking in on each other. The relationships formed and the energy everyone found their business was magical.

Mastermind Groups Have Valuable Topics:

When Mastermind groups get together there is an agenda with a strict timeline for each activity. There is sometimes a topic that everyone weighs in on or a member that they circle around to help focus on something in their business. The group stays on topic with the leadership’s guidance and that allows the group to be incredibly productive.

This doesn’t happen in a typical facebook group. It is a free for all with no rhythm to posts being published or guidance.

In a Mastermind facebook group, Monday through Friday you are getting daily inspiration, teachings, and motivation.

Topics are great to help hold a timeline too. In the Jump Mastermind group we have a new topic each month. In January, it was goals. I know it doesn’t sound sexy, …. but it was thrilling for so many members! We had experts on vision come in, we did exercises together, we learned the difference between to-do lists and goals and we practiced self-discipline and focus. The results were incredible (just watch Sarah’s video above!) . People were learning from one another. They felt comfortable in knowing they weren’t the only one who struggled with the same types of things. The results were eye-opening. I have an entire list of 35+ things that were done in a week and here are just the first ten:

Set up Calendly and invited candidates to interviews

Finished quiz for manuals and downloaded dog behavior manual for printing

Completed a module for a certification

Set up year-end review with an accountant

Rewrote 3 policies in the employee manual, counseled an employee on tardiness, reconciled check payments, posted hiring ad, and now onto reviewing and sending out invoices

Set up & scheduled blogs & social media posts for 2 months out!

Put out help wanted ad

Met with a new vet office in town

Wrote and printed interview questions

The group got focused and stayed on target and it was so beautiful to watch.

In a general Facebook group, no one cares if you get things done or not. There is no one there to hold you accountable, check in with you, and more.

In February we dove deep into everything numbers. From finding out exactly how much our business would be worth if we sold it today, how our trends can dictate our marketing, how much an average dog walk or pet sit costs our company to how to manipulate marketing and sales to achieve our fiscal goals, to understanding google analytics and so much more.

Mastermind Groups Have a Certain Size:

Size matters. *wink*

Really, how can you have an intimate feeling when you have 1000+ people in a group?

You can’t.

I would even argue that the larger it becomes, the more one can become lost in a sea of people like I talked about earlier.

In a small facebook mastermind group, everyone knows one another. New people are introduced to the group. Relationships form and you don’t get lost with who said what?

You are able to go deep with people and the time between interactions with one another is short. In a large group, this can’t happen.

Part of being in a mastermind is allowing yourself to be vulnerable. Small groups allow this to happen when you know who is watching.

Mastermind Groups Have A Screening Process:

Not just anyone can join a mastermind group. Some Facebook groups only require you to say you have a business, or an email, be of a certain gender, or subscribe to a certain pastime and BOOM! You are a member.

A Facebook Mastermind Group is different. The members are often screened in such a way that they have to meet the requirements and there might even be a cost associated. In the pet sitter mastermind I run, members must be making at least $50K a year and be willing to show up and work on their business. Participation is mandatory.

The Real Difference Between Facebook Groups and Mastermind Groups For Pet Sitters:

It all comes down to what are you looking for? Are you looking for a chance where you can bond with a group of your peers, running the same type of business you are or are you okay with being a wallflower in a larger group where you can just be a fly on the wall?

Neither is the right or wrong answer.

Those who really want to make incredible strides in their business running with a Tribe of people who know you intimately and got your back is where the magic happens.

You are the sum of the 5 people you hang around the most with.

Who are your 5 people?

Psst!

Did you really like this article? If you want to know more about the Jump Consulting Mastermind for pet sitters and dog walkers that have a business doing over $50K + in revenue a year than comment below or ask in one of my Facebook groups.