2. Be open to feedback. When people you consider to be wise give you advice, take it. You can’t enlist the best people you know to help further your vision and then be unwilling to hear what they have to say. If you start this project out with people whom you know have your best interest at heart, there’s no need to get all riled up if they don’t think your idea will work as presented. Be quiet, listen openly and be ready to tweak your idea until you get it right.
3. Be ready to pay. Many of the people in your Mastermind Group will be professionals who ordinarily get paid for their time. Once you’ve built good relationships where you help bless them with information based on your skill set, opportunities for free advice may appear effortlessly. Don’t push it though. Be willing to invest in yourself and your vision. Personally, I love to barter. I coach several women who are skilled in one area and in turn they perform services or give advice relating to topics that I would ordinarily pay for. Remember to not take advantage of people. Respect their time and expertise and at least offer to take them to lunch or dinner while you “pick their brain.â€
4. Start out where you are. The people in your Mastermind Group don’t have to have a million degrees or even earn a million dollars yet to give you good, sound advice. At the end of the day, you want someone who is credible. If you’ve got a cousin who lost 150 lbs. on Weight Watchers last year, I’d say asking her opinion on weight loss might be worth a shot!
Patrice C. Washington is the Wisdom & Wealth Money Maven at www.PatriceWashington.com and author of the series, Real Money Answers. Follow her on Twitter at @SeekWisdomPCW for practical tips on wisdom, wealth & business.