About
A Mastermind Group of Experts
Sit with different fields, similar years of experience, all around the same table.
ASCEND: Advance, Strategy, Collaborate, Empower, Nurture, Develop
You’re stacking hats.
Managing people, marketing, and sales is too much pressure for any leader. It means you’re sacrificing somewhere, whether it’s business objectives, sleep, or time with family.
ASCEND is for experienced business leaders looking for ideas, tips, and expertise to simplify their responsibilities, balance their many roles, and achieve steady growth.
You can’t lead alone.
This will be a 30-minute call to see if ASCEND is a good fit for you.
Discussion Topics
Talking points to lead us where the conversation takes us.
Discussions on overcoming key entrepreneurial and leadership challenges, including but not limited to:
Revenue-Related
- Sales and marketing strategies
- Financial management
- Product/service development
- Customer retention and loyalty
Operational
- Time management
- Productivity optimization
- Process improvement
- Leveraging technology
- Supply chain management
Personnel
- Hiring, recruitment, and onboarding
- Effective employee management
- Team development
- Navigating legal and compliance matters
Personal Leadership
- Work-life balance
- Strategic planning
- Decision-making
- Cultivating a growth mindset
Succession Planning
- Analyzing future needs in specific roles, given growth expectations
- Establishing necessary experiences for readiness to step into key leadership positions
- Considering current staff vs. recruitment candidates
Meeting Details
Time: 7:30-11:30 a.m., third Wednesday of every month
Location: Downtown Kennett Square
Membership Expertise Level
3+ years experience leading your own practice, firm, or consultancy
Leads OR helps companies with $1M - $20M in revenue and 5 - 50 employees
Lives within 30 minutes of Kennett Square
Commitment to attend at least 11 of 12 meetings annually
Commitment to 1-year membership
Payment of annual fee: $2,000
ASCEND in Your Business Leadership
You will meet with Hendrik-Jan, a founder of the group.
Typical Agenda
15-20 minutes
Welcome & Check-in
We start with a quick welcome and tone-setter, followed by a deeper individual share.
Each member provides one positive update, a current challenge, and an interesting insight since our last gathering.
30-45 minutes
Focused Discussion
Drawing from the shared challenges and insights, the group focuses in on common themes and shared hurdles.
Leadership facilitates a deep-dive discussion to leverage the collective intelligence of the room.
30-45 minutes
Member Challenge
On a rotating basis, a member presents a pressing business challenge, goal, or opportunity.
The group then provides focused feedback, brainstorms solutions, and offers actionable next steps.
30-45 minutes
Knowledge Transfer
This session features a 10-minute presentation by a member or invited expert on a pre-selected topic.
It will be followed by a Q&A session and group discussion to integrate new knowledge with our collective experience.
30-45 minutes
Helping Others or
Guest Session
Once a quarter, we dedicate time to invite a pre-vetted entrepreneurial guest (often in their first two years) to present a specific issue.
The group processes the challenge, offering guidance and strategic advice to help them accelerate.
30-45 minutes
Pluses, Deltas & Takeaways
We wrap up by capturing the Pluses (what worked well and what was most impactful) and the Deltas (areas for improvement).
Every member shares their Key Takeaway.
Join the Discussion
You will meet with Hendrik-Jan, a founder of the group.
Core Fundamentals
Our Foundation for Collaboration and Growth
Build Trust Within Our Group
Maintain strict confidentiality regarding all discussions. Honor commitments made to the group and individual members. Cultivate an environment of psychological safety where members can openly share challenges.
Listen Generously
Commit to active, undivided listening. Be fully present, minimize distractions, and strive to understand others’ perspectives deeply before formulating a response.
Speak Intentionally
Contribute thoughtfully to progress the discussion. Be willing to ask probing questions, share authentic experiences and insights, and constructively raise issues, even if challenging, for the benefit of the group.
Embrace Diverse Perspectives
Be genuinely open to learning from all members, valuing insights regardless of industry, tenure, background, or approach. Recognize that different viewpoints lead to more robust solutions.
ASCEND in Your Business Leadership
You will meet with Hendrik-Jan, a founder of the group.