Our Managing Partner, Tom Courly, was recently invited to join one of @Gil Petersil’s famous Mastermind Coaching sessions. Gil, a good friend of BIC, and special guest to some of Angels + Founders events, has been coaching and mentoring thousands of industry executives and entrepreneurs for more than a decade. He has refined the art of networking and shares his years of experience in a way that everyone can understand. The session itself brought together over 30 keen minds and it was a fantastic experience to see how Gil and his team are able to bring each person to the light, and facilitate the exchange of dreams, challenges, and insights. By the time we were done, each person left recharged and had new connections to explore. Mission success.

Here are 5 Mastermind Tips we learned from the session that will help attract opportunity to your work and personal goals:

1. AUDIT YOUR NETWORK

The biggest asset you have is your current network. You actually already know all the people that can help you on your journey. So take a moment to really understand who you already know and reach out to them. In today’s world, you are only one degree of separation from the new people that can help you move forward. Who do you need by your side and at which point in time? Speak up and do regular follow ups with people around you. You’ll be surprised with how fast you get results.

2. CARE FOR THOSE THAT CARE FOR YOU

It’s the simple law of the universe, care for others and others will care for you. Remember that giving is receiving. Look at how you can assist others in their journey and others will feel compelled to do the same for you. It’s a natural response and the most powerful feeling we experience as a community. Be curious about the people that have enabled you, check in on them often, see how you can add new value to their lives. Random acts of kindness go very far. Nurture the human connection.

3. COMPLIMENT YOUR AUDIENCE

People want to be rewarded for the attention they give you. Look at the most popular social media accounts, the influencers, the community creators. They engage with their fans, and regularly thank them for their support. Let your audience know you appreciate what they do for you, compliments are a great start, gifts and public recognition are even more powerful. It costs you nothing, and will cement your position as somebody that is in it for more than just personal gain. Be generous.

4. CLEARLY STATE YOUR GOALS

Nobody will know how they can help you if you don’t tell them what you need. Don’t wait for others to ask you, initiate the conversation. Same goes when you are pitching an idea or project. Tell the person in front of you what you need; money, ideas, support, sometimes all three. Make it easy for them to understand where they stand in your journey, that way they can straight get to work on supporting you. And if they can’t, they surely will be able to recommend someone who can.

5. FIND THE RIGHT MENTOR

This is the most important part of the journey. Build on the back of giants, and leverage the experience and insights of a person who has done it before. That way you can learn from their mistakes and move faster towards your goals. Avoid using your boss or family as these relationships are often linked emotionally. Pick someone who will bring a fresh perspective to your life and offer advice in a neutral way. You will need different mentors at different times of your life. Switch with gratitude.

At BIC, we wouldn’t have gotten very far if we didn’t recognise the need to connect with the people around us. This is why, no matter who you are, you are always welcome to reach out to our team and share your entrepreneurial journey with us. And if we can’t help you directly, we’ll do what we can to help you move towards your goals. Our successes are interlinked and today, more than ever, collaboration and compassion are the values we need to embrace to succeed. To all of those that have helped us so far, and to all of you we are still to meet, thank you for being part of this story.

Matur Suksma

Want to find out more about Gil Petersil’s Mastermind Sessions