What I've Learned About the Value of Masterminds and the Power of Women

By Glorie Averbach

Women learned a lot in 2018. Some of it was less positive, such as the slow progress of women in business and particularly in tech. But in 2018, women also demonstrated that when we come together, we can effect real change. We can shift long-entrenched corporate cultures, we can influence policy, we can impact elections, and we can change the “status quo”. We learned, (or were reminded) that we are very powerful collectively.

This “collective power” of women was not new to me. I became very aware of it earlier on in my career when I decided to join the Women’s President’s Organization. (WPO).

The WPO is a premier membership organization for women presidents, CEOs, and managing directors of privately held companies. Through global, confidential, and collaborative peer-learning groups, the WPO accelerates business and personal growth, enhances competitiveness, and promotes economic security.

The WPO is, in essence, a Mastermind, a group of “business best friends”.

Coming from the custom home automation tech industry, an industry that is 95% male dominated, the WPO was a breath of fresh air for me. I now had a monthly meeting group of women colleagues with whom to share my wins, challenges, fears, frustrations, ideas and innovations all in a supportive, non-judgmental environment.

To back track for a moment, the concept of the Mastermind Groups was formally introduced by Napoleon Hill in the early 1900's.

Hill wrote about the Mastermind principle as "the coordination of knowledge and effort of two or more people, who work toward a definite purpose, in the spirit of harmony. No two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind."

In a Mastermind Group, participants raise the bar by challenging each other to make necessary and important life changes, create and implement goals, brainstorm ideas, and support each other with total honesty, respect and compassion.

This was certainly true of the WPO group.

Through the WPO, I learned not only invaluable lessons about how to take my business to the next level but experienced an immeasurable amount of personal growth as well. Frequently, before joining the organization, I felt lonely in my career and business pursuits. But at the WPO meetings, an incredible group of women provided support, empowerment, inspiration, and afforded me the precious ability to tap into the wisdom, knowledge and experience of others.

I found my group of “business best friends”.

It is my experiences with the WPO that serves as the impetus for starting the Women in Tech mastermind groups through our company, myCEO.ca. Not only do I truly believe in the value of this form of connection and commitment, I have also been woman in tech throughout my entire career and strongly believe in paying it forward. I understand and empathize with the challenges, the loneliness and the obstacles that accompany being a woman in a male dominated environment. I also deeply believe in the power of women helping other women.

Moreover, there is a special energy that surrounds a group of growth minded individuals working collaboratively and sharing stories and experience – an energy that lifts both the individual and the group.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?

We sincerely hope you join us – and your peers - on this very special journey with Women in Tech World Masterminds Series.

Thanks for reading, I look forward to connecting with you soon.

Glorie Averbach is a Principal team member at myCEO.ca. She shares her expertise to help tech entrepreneurs build their small business. She is a speaker, coach, mentor, and business owner. In her spare time she is an advisory partner for young business leaders with the Business Development Bank of Canada. She also volunteers with YELL - Youth Entrepreneur Leadership Launchpad - a Canadian charity to support young leaders in an increasingly uncertain future.