The Long-Term Impact: One Confident Way to Lasting Success

She looked at me like I was growing a unicorn horn. The first time I told a fellow church member that I believed God was calling me to write and speak for him wasn’t easy, and it didn’t yield the results I had hoped for. When I look back on that incident over fourteen years later, I can laugh about it. But it was no laughing matter at the time.

I knew I needed to find a community of people who understood the calling God had given me to write and speak for his glory, but I didn’t realize at the time how pivotal that decision would be for the long haul of serving in ministry. I can look back over the last fourteen years of ministry and see that being part of an author/speaker mastermind group resulted in many enduring benefits contributing to long-term success and personal development. Without “my people,” I’m not sure I would have continued the publishing path.

4 Needs Fulfilled by Group Connections

·   Empathy and Understanding

Writing can be a solitary endeavor, and authors often face challenges that are unique to their craft. Preparing messages and speaking on platforms is best encouraged through relationships. A mastermind group provides a supportive community where members can share their triumphs and struggles, offering emotional support and camaraderie. But, after the initial understanding of this community advantage, I experienced even more benefits that fueled my heart with strength for the journey.

·   Networking Opportunities

By linking arms with other writers, speakers, leaders, and podcasters, I discovered open doors to valuable networking opportunities, including connections with publishers, editors, literary agents, and other writing and publishing industry professionals.

·   Motivation During Challenges

Speaking, writing, and leading come with challenges like rejection, writer’s block, or self-doubt. The encouragement and motivation of fellow group members can be crucial during difficult times, helping authors persevere and overcome obstacles.

·   Collaborative Opportunities

Mastermind groups can lead to collaborative projects, co-authoring opportunities, or joint marketing efforts. These collaborations diversify an author’s body of work and introduce new perspectives and styles. These connections paved the way for me to experience contributions to magazines and devotionals and opened income streams that I didn’t even know existed.

How We Can Help You Sustain in Your Ministry or Business:

Speak Up Growth Groups

Our Speak Up team knows that you have at least three basic needs as a communicator: Clarity, Community, and Accountability.

Right now, the doors are open for Speak Up Growth Groups Registration. What are Speak Up Growth Groups? SpeakUp Growth Groups were born from our very own SpeakUp Conference, the premier conference for speakers and writers to advance their personal or professional ministry.

Growth Groups consist of two levels, Lean In and Learn On. Each group consists of 6-8 participants and a leader who serves as either a discussion facilitator or intensive coach.

Lean In is our entry-level peer-to-peer mastermind group designed for someone who has never participated in mastermind groups before or has beginning experience. This level walks through a monthly focused topic curriculum together with a group discussion to promote accountability and community. The Zoom meeting lasts 90 minutes and is guided by a discussion facilitator.

Learn On is our intensive coaching group designed for speakers, writers, and leaders who are pushing forward to the next level of their ministry. These groups meet and walk through monthly curriculum together, but in addition to the Lean In material, they also receive 20 minutes of intensive coaching, a bonus sheet of resources that complement the month’s topic, AND a monthly bonus Zoom meeting with Carol Kent, myself, our intensive coaching group leaders and Learn On members.

SPECIALTY GROUPS

For 2023-24, Learn On groups will contain two specialty opportunities, PODCASTING and WRITING. All meeting details and group information is the same as our standard Learn On groups with a FOCUS on the group specialty of podcasting or writing. Let us help you answer your “HOW?”!

Registration is OPEN NOW, but only for a limited time.

Question: In what specific area do you need the most help as you move forward with God’s call on your life?