Mastermind Group | Meet My New Friends!

Look at that. A non-food related post. Get ready because it's gonna be over quick: I've got something like 27 days of new meals left to share with you. O'boy.

Anyways...

I've shared before that I'm a member of The Influence Network. Since the network started back in January '13, I've learned some really great things: how to be proactive & strategic with social media; what inspires me; and how to get involved in some really interesting forum-based discussion. 

It's been really cool to find a community of like-minded people!

But after a while, I wanted something a little more than the forums and the classes: I wanted face to face contact. And I didn't want to get Catfished in the process. So a group of like-minded ladies and myself banded together to create a Mastermind Group - essentially a small group where women from across North America meet face-to-face, through Google Hangout, to collaborate and discuss. Ballin', am I right? I'm right.

Tonight was our first meetup and it felt... well, it felt like this:

For the first time ever, I feel like I am using the internet for what it was really meant to do. #community #influencenet #mastermindgroup
— Samantha Butler (@_samanthabutler) May 15, 2013

We used words like vision and purpose; encourage and hold accountable. Between the bunch of us, we've got three time zones, eight states/provinces, and eleven different lives to live - and despite this, were able to connect for one hour. Uh-cool.

That would be myself, looking incredibly goofy, while nursing The Caterpillar. 

So we've decided to kickstart our group by sharing a linkup, and a little bit about why a Mastermind Group is valuable to us. So here I go:

Why is a Mastermind Group important to me? 
I'm looking to connect with a community of like-minded Christian women bloggers and business owners to share ideas, learn and grow. I'm looking to continually create. And the best way to do this is by linking arm in arm with other creators.

What are my goals for this Mastermind Group?
This first time around, my goals are simple: I want to connect and meet with other people who are like me: women who God has called to write their life, share their stories, and run small businesses.

What are my goals for my blog in the next 6-12 months?
Write more continuously, schedule my posts, write them in advance, and be very purposeful and intentional - yet flexible.

Who are my blogging inspirations?

Naptime Diaries. Jessi's designs and prints are great, and her blog looks beautiful, but what really inspires me about Naptime Diaries is the author's purpose. She does everything with intention: there's a mix of vlogs, shop shoutouts, discounts, sponsorship plans, and a connection between her various networks - She Reads Truth and The Influence Conference / Network. The planning and intention lets you know that she's doing what she wants to be doing - and there's a reason you should be coming along for the ride. It keeps me coming back.

Our Nest in the City. Similarly, Emily is very intentional - and her blog has a breezy feel to it. Like, "Thanks for coming in! - try this pumpkin cookie I made! - mind if I speak in french for a sec?" Her posts are planned in advance, and she doesn't seem to mind if they're short & sweet once in a while. They also are mixed up well - a little food, a little photo dump of the kiddos, a little heart-to-heart. I think this is what makes it feel so comfortable. Our Nest in the City is like your favourite pair of yoga pants that still look pretty cute, and you could wear them to a fancy restaurant if you wanted, but they'll also do a great job when you're watching a movie at home. (If that has any negative connotation to you, you need to get a better pair of yoga pants!)

A Royal Daughter. I feel like Amanda has really leveraged the beauty of connection: she has this unique understanding of how to connect people with people, businesses with businesses and herself with you. She writes a lot about infertility and I think that is so important - not just to speak about in her own experience, but for those who don't struggle with it personally. She manages to touch on some really difficult issues with love and gentility, and that's not an easy place to write towards. Amanda is also super serious about owning her content - her design and her writing is hers and she is very knowledgeable about how to be your own blogger. I love that.

And now, meet my new friends. I think they're really cool & I hope you take the time to check out their websites and stay a while!