Group Masterminds & Mixers

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401 W. Kennedy Blvd Tampa, FL 33606

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Group Masterminds & Mixers

Event planning guide prepared by:

Future Founders & The Singleton

Foundation for Financial Literacy and

Entrepreneurship

Content for Million Stories provided by:

The Singleton Foundation for Financial

Literacy & Entrepreneurship


Group Masterminds & Mixers: Program Summary

The objective for hosting a “Mixer” or a “Mastermind” Event is to provide a platform for

open communication amongst student entrepreneurs across your campus. It provides an

opportunity to use entertaining videos to help you attract a wide variety of students to

the event and serve as “ice-breakers” and “thought starters” to begin the sessions.

Entrepreneurship can feel lonely, but through these group events, you can get everyone

talking and sharing and who better to receive advice about being a student entrepreneur

from, than other student entrepreneurs!

Mixers – Provide an opportunity for networking, sharing stories and building

collaboration within a group. When planning these types of events, it is important to begin with

the location and time of the event. For a mixer, find a space that allows for a flexible size group,

and can accommodate a TV or monitor. Also, given that this is a longer event, light snacks and

drinks may be nice offerings for your attendees. You will want a TV or screen monitor to broadcast

the entertaining video(s) you select that can be accessed online at www.millionstories.com or though

the ceo.org resource center. A microphone or small stage area is optional. You can choose different

themes for your mixers, such as;

“Faceplants” There is a series of videos called “Faceplants” that provide personal stories from

people who discover the value of failure in pursuit of their dreams. It provides reassurance that

everyone has “bumps in the road”. Review the videos and select the best one(s) that set the tone

for your event. Play the video and then encourage other individuals to come up to the “mic” to talk

about their own “Faceplants”. You may want to have a couple of people already lined up to talk so

that you can make it easier for others to feel comfortable to join in. Through this exercise, you

create an environment of sharing so people can more easily open-up about the challenges they have

faced being an entrepreneur and provide an atmosphere of empathy and support where people can

learn from others who have dealt with the same type of setbacks.

“Our Stories” – the goal of this themed event is for everyone to have a chance to tell their own

story about their journey to become an entrepreneur or brainstorm ideas for businesses. They can

share what inspiration or life situation was the catalyst for making them want to be an entrepreneur.

The group leader can choose from a variety of short videos from “American Paycheck”, all featuring a

different city and how young entrepreneurs have chosen the businesses they are running.

“Money Talk – For yourself and your business” – before you can finance a business, you must

have your own finances under control. Pick from a variety of short, entertaining videos called

“Adulting with Richard Sherman” for topics on everything from how to budget to saving for an

emergency fund and get the group sharing their best tips for becoming financially savvy!

http://www.millionstories.com/


Mastermind events are more structured and intimate than mixers and are essentially groups of

roundtable discussions in small groups. The hope is to allow participants to be open, share ideas, and

most importantly... learn! Groups should range from 4-8 people, ideally pre-assigned, and when

student check in to the event, are given their group assignments. Groups can be assigned by random

chance, business industry, business stage, major, or anything else your group comes up with!

Find a space to reserve on campus that has enough space and flexible design to allow for small

breakout groups amongst your attendees. This event will take time, so ideally, you’ll want to reserve

about 2 hours to accomplish the goals of this event. Also, given that this is also a longer event, light

snacks and drinks may be nice offerings for your attendees. If you would like to incorporate videos

to act as icebreakers or thought starters, a large computer screen or iPad should be fine to play the

different short videos that can be accessed online at www.millionstories.com or though the ceo.org

resource center. Pick from the themes above under “Mixers” or select your own subjects to cover.

Students will take turns sharing a problem they are facing or questions they have. The rest of the

group will share feedback and offer insight from their own experience(s).

A typical rule for these groups is that one student is designated to be a note-taker, one to be a

timekeeper, and (other than the note and timekeeper) no phones should be allowed at the

roundtable. There should be no telling others what to do. Instead, individuals can offer insight based

on their own personal experience. Participants should ask clarifying questions to help understand the

full situation. Also, everything is to remain confidential amongst the group.

The timekeeper tracks the time to everyone knows when to switch. Time is to be shared equally

amongst all members of the group. The discussion begins with a member explaining a

situation/problem they are experiencing. Following the explanation, the rest of the group will be able

to offer their insight. This process repeats around the entire roundtable until each participant has had

a chance to share. The group then finishes with the chance to offer a shout out or special thanks to

someone in the group or the group as a whole for their support.

COVID Statement: Due to the global pandemic, it may not be possible for your campus to host in

person programs. Because of this CEO is providing our pledged campus participants access to a

virtual event platform: HopIn. This platform will allow you to host your events concurrently among

other campuses participating in Biz Launch Week. Where it is safe to do so, we encourage

participating campuses to host these events in a hybrid fashion while following CDC and other Health

Department, as well as campus specific guidelines.

Event Itinerary:

*Timing is provided as an estimate to help give a general sense of the event structure

1. Registration / Check-In

2. Welcome remarks and instructions (15-20 min)

http://www.millionstories.com/


3. Playing of video(s) to highlight a challenge or situation for discussion (5 min)

4. Divide into groups and conduct the Mastermind discussion (45-90 min)

5. Small group reflection (10 min)

6. Wrap up remarks (5-10 min)

7. Optional: Networking (15 min+)

Group Masterminds & Mixers: Marketing Overview

Mastermind round-table discussions offer face to face opportunities for students across campus to

offer insight and support to one another based off previous experience, all while remaining

confidential. Entrepreneurship can be lonely, and who better to receive advice about being a student

entrepreneur from, than other student entrepreneurs!

Group Masterminds & Mixers: Flyer Elements

Include: Date, Time, Logo: BizLaunch Week, Event Name, Marketing Overview, Contact Information

& How to Register (if required), Access link to MillionStories.com

Group Masterminds & Mixers: Event Planning Checklist

• Request Event Space: Date ________ Confirmed ________

o Check with R.S.O to ensure room can accommodate attendees in a safe manner.

• Create Online registration for participants: Date ________

• Institution website:

o Update event on school website: Date ________

o Provide campus with HopIn event link: vizlaunchweek.com/event

o Post on school online calendar: Date ________

• Design work:

o Flyer/Poster/Program/etc.: Created _________ Ordered/Printed ________

▪ Print copies: _________


▪ Post and distribute across campus: Date ________

▪ Stuff business faculty mailboxes: Date ________

o Image/logo for event website: Date ________

o Email sent to college of business faculty and staff: Date _______

o Global email sent to faculty and students: Date ________

• Invitations:

o Save the date mailed/emailed: Date ________

o Formal invitations mailed/emailed: Date ________

o E-mail marketing blast #1: Date ________

• Print Media:

o Budget: ________

o Date to run ad: ________ Number of times: ________

• Press Release: Date contacted ________ Date released ________

o Campus press release provided by Collegiate BizLaunch Week

• Social Media:

o Facebook: Date(s) ________ (tag @ceoentorg)

o Instagram: Date(s) ________ (tag @ceoorg)

o LinkedIn: Date(s) ________ (tag @Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization)

• Sponsors:

o Recruit Sponsors ________

o Target Amount ________

o Collect Logo: Date ________

o Table cards? Confirmed _______

o Promotional materials? Confirmed _______


• Contact CEO HQ:

o Provide event marketing materials to CEO HQ by completing form:

bizlaunchweek.com/createvents

o CEO HQ will add your event to the HopIn platform

o On day of event you can live stream to the world!

Group Masterminds & Mixers

Documents

Transcript of Group Masterminds & Mixers