---
title: How a Mastermind Group Changed My Life
description: With a background that runs deep in both franchising and mastermind groups,  ZorForum asked me to be their first franchisee.
---

[Johnny Franchise: The Franchise Expert](https://blog.johnnyfranchise.com)

# [How a Mastermind Group Changed My Life](https://blog.johnnyfranchise.com/how-a-mastermind-group-changed-my-life)

 Written by [John Francis](https://blog.johnnyfranchise.com/author/johnfrancis) | Mar 15, 2022 1:00:00 PM

Looking back on my decades of experience in the franchise industry, I believe there is one thing that contributed to my success more than anything else: my participation in a business owners’ mastermind group.

I joined our local group when I was just 19 years old and stuck with it for almost 25 years. We didn’t call them mastermind groups back then, but that’s exactly what it was. It was called *The Inner Circle*, and it was a peer group for business owners based in Minnesota. My father was involved in the formation of the group, along with a colleague of his named Norm.

I was young at the time *The Inner Circle* was launching, but I had a job working for my family's businesses and wanted in on the experience. Norm agreed to let me in provided that I agree to two things: I participate and don’t take it for granted.

The tagline of *The Inner Circle* was “Better Business, Richer Life,” and, speaking personally, I can say that my participation in the group led to both. 

Professionally, the group helped me navigate the family business as it evolved from a small, entrepreneurial company to a large, international and publicly-traded corporate business. I survived that transition, and was able to navigate all of the growing pains and political issues that resulted from the shift because of the support I had in this group.  Then when it was time to sell the business - which was completely unexpected - the group was instrumental in helping me navigate that transition in a positive way - not easy!

Personally, it provided support when both my father and brother passed away, as well as helped me adjust to corporate life as an up-and-coming executive. Over the years, I had a front-row seat to real people in my group and the changes they were going through in their own lives and businesses: marriages, divorces, kids, hiring, firing and business acquisitions. I got exposed to a lot - and it provided me with a rich environment for learning and sharing.

Being a member of the *Inner Circle* group had such a profound impact on my career. In fact, I don’t know where I’d be today without the support and knowledge I gained through my participation.

## A Mastermind Group for Franchise Professionals

Ever since that time, I’ve dreamed of setting up a mastermind group that was geared towards the unique needs of franchisors. Nothing like that had ever existed - and I believed it would be a powerful tool for franchise professionals who were building and growing their businesses.

The problem was that setting up a location-based, in-person group like the Inner Circle didn’t make sense - there wouldn’t be enough franchise professionals in any given area to create a successful group. And up until a few years ago, many people weren’t comfortable enough with online technologies to participate in a group over Zoom.

Then COVID happened and 10 years of technology adoption happened in the course of six months. 

In 2021, ZorForum capitalized on this trend and did exactly what I had dreamed of doing years ago: **they established a mastermind group for franchisors.** Because the groups are hosted online, franchisors from anywhere in the world are able to participate in the meetings. The benefit is that it provides for a much more diverse group - and allows for the creation of mastermind groups that will provide the richest experience and the greatest networking opportunities for its members. 

With a background that runs deep in both franchising and mastermind groups,  ZorForum asked me to be their first franchisee - which I gladly accepted! I know the impact these groups can have on a person’s career and life because I’ve experienced the benefits myself. I can say without a doubt that my participation in a mastermind group made me more successful and helped me avoid mistakes that I would have made otherwise.

It was a great experience for me - and now I get to pass along those benefits to other franchise professionals, as well.  If you are a franchisor that wants to network with like-minded professionals, and be part of a community that will help you grow and succeed at a faster rate, I encourage you to give us a try. [You can learn more about ZorForum and how the mastermind groups work here.](https://zorforum.com/johnnyfranchise)

[View full post](https://blog.johnnyfranchise.com/how-a-mastermind-group-changed-my-life)

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