At Sun and Co., our Mastermind sessions are a cornerstone of the community experience. These sessions, scheduled whenever the need arises, foster collaboration and collective problem-solving. In March 2024, we had the pleasure of hosting a session dedicated to expanding an already successful business.
Nina, the host, gathered us in the coworking space, where we collectively brainstormed ideas and insights to help her take her business to the next level. Below, we share key takeaways from this session, offering value not only to those in a similar phase of their business journey but also to anyone curious about what makes Sun and Co. special: empowering our community to grow together.
Colivers engaging in the group session
The Context
Nina is a young Dutch entrepreneur who, after being diagnosed with long-term COVID in 2020, embarked on a personal journey of recovery. After almost two years, she took her healing into her own hands and, with determination and resilience, turned her experience into something transformative. This led to the creation of Lief Kleine Leven, a twelve-week program designed to guide people with chronic pain through recovery step-by-step.
What started as a personal mission evolved into a growing business. Beyond the program, Nina’s offerings have expanded to include:
- A podcast
- 1-on-1 coaching sessions
- Webinars
- An active Instagram presence
- A paid membership with features such as journaling exercises, an online community, Q&A sessions, and intimate WhatsApp groups—all accessible through a beautifully designed app.
Despite this growth, Nina found herself at a crossroads, seeking ways to expand her reach and impact.
The Challenge
The webinars have been a cornerstone of Nina’s business, serving as a funnel to promote her program. However, after their completion, Nina struggles to identify effective channels for continued audience growth. Her key questions included:
- “How can I find and reach more people with chronic illnesses?”
- “Should I expand beyond Dutch-speaking audiences?”
- “How do I incorporate offline content while maintaining the safety I feel with online delivery?”
Additionally, Nina acknowledged her tendency to maintain control over every aspect of her business—a habit rooted in childhood. Now, as she considers scaling her work, she recognizes the need to delegate but feels uncertain about where to start.
The Desired Outcomes
During the mastermind session, Nina hopes to:
- Find inspiration for reaching a broader audience, both online and offline.
- Explore networking and collaboration ideas.
- Hearing about examples of successful expansion campaigns.
- Find clarity on whether to go international or stay focused on Dutch-speaking markets.
- Get insights on establishing collaborations with key players.
- Take out general ideas to build momentum.
- Find guidance on the type of support or team members needed to scale her business.
Group picture in the coworking space
Mastermind Outcomes
The discussion was dynamic and insightful, with participants offering a wealth of ideas and experiences. Key takeaways included:
Actionable Insights
- Survey Customers
Conduct a survey to identify the most effective channels through which current customers discovered her program. - Leverage Testimonials
Use customer testimonials on social media to build trust and connect with potential clients. - Hire a Virtual Assistant (VA)
A VA could take over administrative tasks such as email communication, newsletter creation, research, and Instagram DMs. Hiring someone familiar with her product could make the onboarding process seamless. - Explore Facebook Groups
Join and contribute to self-help groups, which could be a goldmine for reaching her target audience. - Boost SEO and Ads
Ensure the website is optimized for search engines and consider running targeted ads to drive traffic. - Network at Conferences
Attend relevant conferences to build connections and explore collaboration opportunities. - Tap into Podcasts
Reach out to prominent podcasts in her niche to share her story and expertise. - Analyze Instagram Hashtags
Research popular hashtags and accounts to understand trends and expand her reach.
Strategic Suggestions
- Create a Program Teaser
Consider offering a portion of the program on platforms like Udemy to attract a broader audience. This could serve as a teaser to the full offering. - Focus on Core Identity
Decide whether her business is built around her personal brand or the program itself. If it’s about the product, building a team to translate and adapt it for other audiences is feasible. If it’s about her as the founder, scaling might require careful pacing. - Partner with Professionals
Collaborate with medical professionals, coaches, or influencers with similar stories to expand her program’s reach.
Conclusions
The session was a powerful reminder of the value of collective thinking. Participants were engaged, offering thoughtful suggestions and helping Nina identify concrete steps to move forward. Whether it was the idea of hiring a Virtual Assistant or leveraging podcasts for visibility, every contribution was aimed at supporting her journey.
At Sun and Co., we continue to marvel at the magic that happens when people come together to share, connect, and collaborate. If we were to run the same session with Nina today, we’re confident even more ideas would emerge!
A special thanks to Nina for hosting this session and to everyone who participated for their invaluable input.
To dive deeper into the concept of Masterminds, read our article Coliving Mastermind: The Beauty of CollectiveThinking. For insights from a different session, check out How to Overcome Impostor Syndrome: Notes from aMastermind Session.
A well deserved sunset after a working day
