Sometimes in life, we find ourselves stuck, unable to move forward as we should. It might be a habit, a missing skill, or a limiting belief—whatever it is, our thoughts can end up circling endlessly. Perhaps you want to start a business but don’t know how. Maybe you’re at a crossroads in a relationship and unsure how to proceed. Or it could be that you’re ready for a major life change but need a little extra motivation. Whatever the challenge—trust me, you’re not alone. Most of us tend to internalise our struggles, hoping they’ll resolve themselves or that a solution will magically appear. At Sun and Co., we encourage the opposite: share your challenges and let the power of collective thinking inspire you. One of the ways we do this in our digital nomad community is through one of our signature events: the masterminds.
Group engaged in listening in the Sun and Co. living room
What Is A Mastermind, And What Isn’t?
A mastermind is a group gathering where individual or group challenges are discussed openly, usually with the lead of a facilitator. The outcomes can vary, but our coliving masterminds often help to:
- Broaden perspectives
- Challenge beliefs
- Brainstorm solutions quickly
- Find accountability
- Build a sense of belonging
…these are just a few benefits! In our mastermind sessions, we encourage participants to bring both personal and professional challenges to the table. However, it’s important to note that this isn’t a space for therapy or coaching. Instead, it’s a space where shared experiences and knowledge help foster personal and professional growth.
Before the session begins, we ask participants to follow a few ground rules:
- Speak from your own experience
- Respect others’ perspectives
- Don’t interrupt; give everyone time to share
- Avoid monopolising the conversation; let everyone contribute
- And the good old: Phones off, or on mute!
Masterminds aren’t free-flowing discussions. They have structure and purpose, helping the group move from a challenge to actionable solutions. The structure may vary depending on the topic, group dynamics, and the facilitator.
Group session in the coworking space
Sun and Co.’s Mastermind: How Do We Do It?
Sun and Co. is renowned for community building, and a key element is providing time and space for each individual to express their needs. Masterminds are a beautiful way for us to help guests tackle challenges of all kinds.
Identifying the needs at the base of each challenge is what allows us to facilitate a session that will more easily bring in the desired outcomes. While the structure of each session can vary, we traditionally used what we will call here “The Sun and Co. Setting” (explained further down). However, in early 2024, we recognized the need for more flexible tools to address the unique challenges brought by our community. After a brainstorming session—our own little mastermind—we identified three distinct types of masterminds: practical, personal, and creative.
Practical Masterminds
Needs:
- Finding clarity and effective solutions to a problem.
Usual desired outcomes:
- Objective, goals, strategy, measured (OGSM)
- How-to approaches
- Step-by-step actions
- Resources and examples
- Accountability system/partner
- Understanding who, what, why, and where
Possible settings (can be combined):
- Sun and Co. Setting (Explanation – clarifying questions – advice)
- 1-2-4 All typology (small group discussion format to build and validate ideas)
- Min Specs
Avoid:
- Avoid a long clarifying questions session, as it may not satisfy the need for quick, effective solutions.
Personal Masterminds
Needs:
- Offering support, being heard, and releasing emotional distress.
Usual desired outcomes:
- Advice or tips
- Questions
- Experiences (using “I” statements)
- Open conversation
- Emotional release
Possible settings (can be combined):
- Sun and Co. Setting
- What, So What, Now What? (W³) – Especially useful for emotional release and self-reflection.
Avoid:
- Avoid going into therapy mode. While these sessions can get deep, it’s important to remember they are not designed for trauma work or professional therapy.
Creative Masterminds
Needs:
- Encouraging progress, evaluating potential, and broadening perspectives.
Usual desired outcomes:
- New ideas
- Examples and resources
- Validation of concepts
Possible settings (can be combined):
- Sun and Co. Setting (Explanation – clarifying questions – advice)
- Whiteboard brainstorming sessions
- 1-2-4 All typology
Avoid:
- Avoid overly long clarifying questions sessions, as this may stall the momentum needed for creative progress.
Sun and Co. guest presenting
Step-by-Step: How We Run Coliving Masterminds
Everything starts with a need. By identifying the core need behind each challenge, we ensure that the session delivers the desired outcomes.
Step 1: Committing To The Need
During our Monday Community Meeting or through a casual chat, a guest expresses a challenge they’d like to address—whether personal or professional. Masterminds are a priority on our weekly schedule, so once a need is identified, we schedule it.
We often find we have to give a little nudge! It’s natural for people to feel hesitant about being in the spotlight for an hour, but that’s where our team steps in. We offer encouragement and remind our guests of one of Sun and Co.’s core values: community is built when you give, without expecting anything in return. We emphasise how valuable these conversations are for the community and how brave it is to speak up when facing a challenge.
Once the mastermind is on our weekly agenda, we help the guest refine their challenge into a question, like “How can I launch my own business?” And just like that—the mastermind is ready to go! Almost..
Step 2: Pre-Mastermind Conversation
The pre-mastermind is a 30-40 minute conversation between the facilitator and the person in the spotlight, held 1-2 days before the actual session. This conversation helps both parties align expectations and set the stage for success.
Here’s what we typically discuss:
- Explaining the challenge: The person rehearses their explanation, which helps organise thoughts to ensure the group will quickly understand the context.
- Defining desired outcomes: Though the session lasts an hour, time flies! By clearly stating outcomes, we keep the conversation focused and effective. “Desired” because we want to keep it open to other possible outcomes from the group session.
- Refining the question: We review the question posed during the community meeting to ensure it still aligns with the core issue. Sometimes the pre-mastermind reveals a deeper underlying challenge and the question “How can I launch my own business?” might evolve into, “How can I become more confident in my skills?” if confidence turns out to be the real issue.
- Revising the introduction: Based on the discussion, we fine-tune key points for the initial presentation so the group can grasp the full context.
- Clarifying the mastermind structure: We explain the session structure to ensure clear expectations.
- Addressing the facilitator role: We make clear our role is to hold space, keep the time and bring the conversation back on track. We step in when we feel the need to redirect the conversation or to check-in with the guest.
Step 3: Collective Thinking Into Action
When the day arrives, the guest invites others to join and chooses where the mastermind will take place (our patio, coworking space, etc.). At the start of the session the facilitator reminds everyone of the ground rules and explains the structure:
- Introduction (5–10 min): The guest presents their challenge and desired outcome.
- Clarifying questions (15–20 min): The group asks questions to better understand the issue.
- Core outcomes (20-25 min): The group brainstorms ideas, shares experiences, and offers solutions.
- Closure (2–5 min): The guest reflects on how they feel and what they’ve taken from the session.
The above is the example structure of what we call the “The Sun and Co. Setting”. In 2024, we also introduced the previously described variations to the structure, depending on the type of mastermind (practical, personal or creative). Inspired by Liberating Structures to enrich the process further, we have included some space for different group exercises and techniques after the main discussion.
Group listening to speaker
Conclusions
Collective thinking is a powerful way for groups and individuals to connect and grow. At Sun and Co., we’ve seen countless transformations happen during our coliving masterminds. Even when the group is new, it’s amazing how people open up, share, and learn from each other. Most of us can relate to the challenges being discussed, and everyone leaves with fresh insights.
For the digital nomads and remote workers coming through our door, it is a truly remarkable experience. Besides training active listening skills, it allows for meaningful conversations, feeling of belonging, empathy and deep connection—the perfect mix to build community!
Facilitating these sessions requires energy and focus, but when done right, the result is magical. It’s not about us as facilitators—it’s about creating a safe space for collective thinking to work its magic.
In 2025, Sun and Co. will open its doors to the ColivingHUB Mastermind Retreat, a three-day experience where coliving operators can tackle challenges and connect with each other. We are excited and honoured to take part in an initiative that resonates so much with our nature. Stay tuned for more information!
Have you ever experienced the beauty of a mastermind?
Check out the outcomes of our mastermind session How to Overcome Impostor Syndrome?.
