We are all familiar with the idiom “Great minds think alike.” But do they? Of course having similar ideas to others means that we have more in common and it’s easy to get along with PLU (people like us) because they are of similar mindset. But what is notable about this if we are looking for GROWTH? The trouble is that we tend to move in circles that we are familiar with and this is rather comfortable. So there are times when being put together with people who are different has greater benefits. So you may ask yourself where this is all going? Is your comfort zone starting to feel a little uncomfortable? I certainly hope so!
Business Build Bootcamp
One year ago I enrolled on a Going for Growth Business Build Bootcamp for a group of independent intercultural trainers and coaches, brought together by Matthew Hill, facilitator, trainer, speaker and coach in The Hague at what turned out to be a very eventful and purposeful two days.
A diverse bunch of diversity experts coming together with one goal in mind – to spend time creating ways of having more work we like doing , with people we like working with and being rewarded for the work we perform.
Being a freelancer is not always an easy feat as many of us know. Many freelancers have so many strings to their bow that the market has no idea what they doing. As we learnt at the Bootcamp, it’s crucial to tailor your offer to the needs of your clients.
So are you an independent trainer who is stuck in a rut and doesn’t know how to launch yourself onto the market? Maybe you are full of great ideas but are not sure how to implement them. Do you feel you are alone as a solo entrepreneur and wish you had mastermind group or thinktank to rely on for advice and constructive feedback?
The participants of this high intensity training realized it was better to be part of a high-spirited herd than a lone cowboy/girl! Here are some reasons why:
What have we achieved in 12 months?
A year on I decided to ask a few of of the participants what they got out of the Going for Growth Business Bootcamp last year and how they have progressed in terms of pitching their business case.
Ardi Bouwers, our Dutch China expert, said that thanks to Matthew she has learnt to focus on the client and thinks more in products and touch points. Learning how to attract clients without the hard-selling which isn’t nice and doesn’t work. In terms of the group she finds it inspiring to hear what we are all doing.
The Global German Language specialist, Heike Reinhart , a German based in Basel, on the other hand says she feels more confident and has changed her marketing and branding thanks to Matthew’s valuable tips. According to Heike, she’s so happy to have found some like-minded or different-minded people. It was exactly what she needed although she wasn’t aware that she needed it at the time!
Seyda Buurman-Kutsal, Diversity and Inclusion specialist, trainer and coach and based in the Netherlands, says the Bootcamp has helped her build an extremely powerful and resourceful mastermind group that is very supportive and challenging at the same time. Since she joined the Bootcamp, she has opened up two conferences by doing two training sessions for a colleague, built a new seminar for trainers in English and changed her communication strategy. And she has seen her audience grow. And whenever she is ready for a next step, she picks up her boot camp book and finds at least 3 more steps she can take, there is so much valuable information in it.
Personally, I think the boot camp has given me a paradigm I can work with and I have gained more recognition through marketing channels. It’s also made me be more client-focused and be clear about the products I offer. It mobilised me from procrastination to action! As probably one of the bigger sceptics of the boot camp, my initial thoughts were, “Oh no, this isn’t me!” But I threw the cultural chains of modesty aside and created my own website, became more active on Instagram and have in the meantime written over 20 blogs and yes, it has meant an increase in work too!
The mastermind group is worth its weight in diamonds
We all feel that our mastermind group is one of the diamonds of the Bootcamp – it is a group of women who understand each other’s struggles because they are all entrepreneurs and at the same time are different enough to be able to offer a different perspective of doing business. This is partly connected to our business buddies who we speak to every 7-10 days. We give each other updates on our plans and share new plans for feedback.
And the mastermind group is like having a team meeting when you hit a wall! We had a reunion in Basel in April 2019 and were able to delight in some of our achievements.
One year later we are all independent intercultural and diversity facilitators and coaches going strong. And as we have different diversity specialist areas we share the work and promote each other regularly in our own networks.
What are you waiting for?
So if you are an independent trainer or coach with a closet full of skills and products, don’t let them sit around gathering dust. Get in touch with Matthew Hill – he runs his boot camps face-to-face and virtually. Think of your purpose, your passion and your potential and give them a push. Why not make the next 12 months a year for growth, satisfaction and fulfilment?