Being around a bunch of people where you can share your ideas, learn, and really bond can prove to be incredibly life changing for any pet business.

I saw a need for the free pet sitting facebook groups I run.

People wanted to feel closer to one another where they could bond and really know exactly who was in the group.

This sort of closeness transforms businesses because when people can feel free to share openly and honestly without fear, true business and personal growth happen.

I see it all the time.

The Problem I Needed To Solve For Pet Sitters:

People would direct messaging me explaining that they wish they could share in the free group but they didn’t feel comfortable because:
…they didn’t know who was reading.
…they didn’t know if it was going to be screenshot and publicized.
…they didn’t want to be judged.
….they were afraid what others would think.

Plus they really wanted to build their business and wanted to know how and not just in one post. They needed someone to help hold them accountable. They were hungry and ready to work.

They were also ready to invest in their own success.

They knew that the free groups, while sometimes good, only gets you so far. They knew that in order to be in an elite community where people are showing up and are caring about one another’s success, pushing together, that they would have to invest their time and money.

When this investment happens a lot of the bickering, drama, and failure to follow through on tasks or goals goes away.

 

When I decided to launch the Jump Mastermind group, I knew I needed to take my own advice and:

Defining My Audience Was A Must.

I also realized that people joining would want to know that “hey these are my people!” I know they would want to feel comfortable sharing, know that others had the same type of business and it would feel so comfortable

…almost like a family.

I didn’t want it to be a free for all where just anyone with a bank account could join.

There had to be a bit of exclusivity.

The most obvious qualification stated at the top of the Jump Mastermind landing page says that business needs to be making at least $50K a year.

I settled on $50K thinking that by this time, one would already have a website, clients, and are up and running. They also might be on the verge of having staff and just need that support.

Or they might already have staff?

I needed to set the bar at a qualification where we didn’t just get watered down with a bunch of Wag and Rover sitters. I also didn’t want a bunch of people who were constantly spinning their wheels “too busy” to make any progress.

But I have to be honest with you.

I actually had some really incredible people who are making things happen in their own business who haven’t yet reached this $50K threshold.

Their value wasn’t defined by their revenue.

It was actually defined by their mindset.

I have come to realize that mindset and participation is actually more important and any dollar number.

 

But Bella Doesn’t Care About Small Business…

It has been tough taking this type of stance with the Jump Mastermind. I have been told, “Bella doesn’t care about small businesses” which really couldn’t be further from the truth. If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t have 350 blogs and 200 videos free to the world!

I have also been bad-mouthed inside some ‘not so secret’ Facebook groups. For posting videos and blogs on my own Jump Consulting facebook page and saying things like “If you aren’t growing, then your dying!”

 

 

It hurts to read these things, but then I remember these aren’t my people. They aren’t the type of people who have been flooding the Jump Mastermind.

I learned a lesson.

The very reason I set out to define who is right for this Mastermind was glaring back at me as my loyal friends sent me screenshot after screenshot of the Bella Bashing that was taking place.

The lesson was mindset.

Mindset is the most important thing to ALL business success so it should be a cornerstone of the Jump Mastermind.

Additionally, I realized that I have an enormous responsibility to the group, or the “Jumpers” as some of them lovingly call each other, to make sure that the quality of people in this group stays at the cream of the crop!

To make sure that people who would write things like the above never end up in the group.

Side note: To the point of the screenshot above…I would never, ever, try to convince anyone to become a member. The group isn’t about that. It is like working out. I can’t make you work out. You have to WANT to do it! 😉

I Learned, Not Everyone Is The Right Fit And $50K Isn’t The Barrier:

It is the right mindset. Mindset is everything.

One of my favorite mentors says to write and talk about who is NOT a good fit for what you’re doing, and thanks to this interaction I have 3 ways detailed below.

 

3 Ways To Know Who Is Not Right For The Jump Mastermind

 

1. Those That Don’t Want to Grow:

If you aren’t growing, you are dying.

It is literally a science.

You can’t change that.

Also, you really become the people you hang around. Have you ever asked yourself and took inventory of who are you spending your time with?

As pet sitters and dog walkers, it is TOUGH. We are either around pets all day or alone!

Have you thought about how intentional or unintentional you are about who you surround yourself with? Are they pouring into you or sucking you dry?

Any successful person I know has always been surrounded by people of the same mindset pushing them to be better.

And the clincher?

They typically meet with them on a regular basis.

2. Those That Don’t Want to be Challenged:

This is a really tough one.

As business owners, we spend a lot of our days pouring our heart and soul into our businesses. When someone challenges they way we do things or encourages us to change our methods to go out of our comfort zone, it’s tough to receive!

It is even tough for me.

I just put my website out into the Jump Mastermind a few weeks ago and told them to rip it apart! Afterall, they are my target audience. Naturally, the struggle is real to not react and be defensive when we hear something we don’t like. It is a real human reaction many of us have when we are told to change.

They are why I have made recent changes to my own website and for that I am grateful.

A Mastermind conditions you to take it easy. Consider others ideas and think about solutions that you might not have thought about the first time around. It is literally the ‘group think’ and it helps members become better and better each month.

3. Those Who Are “Too Busy”

I tell my coaching clients to replace the words, “I’m too busy” with “It isn’t a priority” because that is really what it means.

We make time in our life for things that are a priority.

If someone isn’t willing to make the time in their life to participate in the group then they won’t be a good fit. They won’t get anything from the group and they probably won’t give anything to the group.

Granted we all have seasons in life. Sometimes we are in growth mode, sometimes we are in maintaining mode. To know which you are in is powerful.

Remember that bonding I told you about? Two local meet ups have already happened in the three months that the Jump Mastermind has been happening. People are connecting so much online that they are meeting up IRL (In Real Life) and learning to care and share on such a deeper level.

Want to know the clincher? These people were IN the free facebook groups, and never got together until the bond they formed in the Mastermind inspired them to.

Pretty powerful, huh?

So Where Does That Leave Us?

Well if you have read this entire thing you are either in one of two camps.

Camp #1: You disagree with this entire article. It might have even upset you. In that case, that’s okay. You have every right to feel the way you do. Let’s just be happy that I have taken the time to spell it out and you know for certain this Jump Mastermind isn’t right for you.

Honestly, it’s no problem for me, as I hope it isn’t for you!

Life is too short.

Camp #2: You are already scanning the page for “where can I sign up?” Thinking YES I need a group of people who GET me, who are DOERS and not complainers, and who will SHOW UP for me. If that is you, you need to go here and sign up.

Grateful

It is tough for me to express in words how much of an imapct this Jump Mastermind has had on so many businesses and personal lives. The privledge of being able to lead this, to spend my time pouring into many people and have them supporting my goal of influencing lives and busineses has been nothing short of overwhelming. So I am just going to let them do the talking for me. Don’t take my word for it. Hear what they have to say below.