Listen to ‘How to build your own mastermind (when you’re not getting invited into the room)’ on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Your player of choice

In today’s episode, I’m sharing the story behind a spontaneous idea that turned into one of the most impactful business experiences I’ve had in a long time. After watching other creators attend mastermind-style weekends and feeling a little left out, I decided to stop waiting for an invitation and create my own room instead.

I walk you through exactly how I organized a creator retreat in Austin, from inviting the first few people and coordinating travel logistics to planning mastermind sessions, booking an Airbnb, and creating an experience that helped everyone leave with actionable ideas for their business.

Most importantly, this episode is a reminder that if the opportunity you want doesn’t exist yet, you have the power to create it yourself. Whether it’s a mastermind, a networking event, a girls’ weekend, or simply a space to connect with like-minded people, sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you build.

In this episode, I cover:

• Why waiting for an invitation may be holding you back
• How I organized a creator mastermind weekend from start to finish
• The simple mastermind framework we used to solve real business problems
• Ways to create meaningful connections with other entrepreneurs
• Why creating your own opportunities can lead to unexpected growth and friendships

If No One’s Inviting You Into the Room, Build Your Own

As entrepreneurs, it’s easy to look around and feel like everyone else is getting access to opportunities, communities, and experiences that somehow seem just out of reach.

You see the mastermind retreats, networking events, and business getaways. You see the group photos of people who seem to have found their circle, and if you’re anything like me, you might find yourself wondering, How do I get invited to something like that?

That question had been sitting in the back of my mind for a while. One of my friends regularly shares highlights from mastermind-style weekends with other creators in her industry. They rent an Airbnb together, spend time connecting, talk business, and simply enjoy being around people who understand what it’s like to build something online.

Every time I watched those Instagram Stories, I felt a little bit of FOMO. Okay, maybe more than a little.

At one point, I jokingly thought, Maybe I should start a DIY account just so I can get invited on one of these trips.

But eventually, another thought crossed my mind: What if I stopped waiting for an invitation and created the room myself?

And that’s exactly what I did.

The Decision to Build My Own Room

Late one evening, I decided to stop overthinking and just send the message.

Three people immediately came to mind. One was someone I had met at a conference and later invited onto my podcast. Another had also been a podcast guest. The third was a former student who had become a friend over the years.

I sent each of them a direct message asking for their phone number because I had something I wanted to invite them to. Once I had everyone’s numbers, I started a group text and pitched the idea: a casual mastermind weekend where everyone would pay their own way, share an Airbnb, and spend intentional time together.

After I hit send, my brain immediately started doing what brains do. What if they thought it was a terrible idea? What if nobody responded? What if I had completely misread the situation?

Fortunately, my fears lasted about five minutes.

The first response came in almost immediately. One of the women replied, “I was hoping this was what you were going to invite me to.”

Instant relief.

How We Organized the Weekend

Once the initial group was on board, everyone invited another entrepreneur they thought would be a great fit. Soon, we had seven women from different parts of the country planning a weekend together.

To keep things simple, we voted on a destination, selected an Airbnb, split the cost evenly, coordinated flights, and mapped out a rough schedule. After discussing a few options, we landed on Austin because it was the most central location for everyone traveling in.

I booked the Airbnb, collected reimbursements, and started putting together the experience. One of my favorite parts of the process was using AI to help organize everything. I used my AI agent to create an itinerary, research restaurants, coordinate reservations, and even build a landing page with all the trip details.

Having everything in one place made the experience feel organized and professional without adding a ton of extra work.

When Things Don’t Go According to Plan

As often happens in business and life, things shifted.

In the two weeks leading up to the trip, three attendees had scheduling conflicts and could no longer make it. Our group went from seven people down to four.

And honestly? It was perfect.

The smaller group created space for deeper conversations, stronger connections, and more personalized discussions. Sometimes the experience you end up with is exactly the experience you’re supposed to have.

What Our Mastermind Weekend Actually Looked Like

The first day was primarily a travel day. After everyone arrived, we headed to the Airbnb, settled in, changed clothes, and went out to dinner. There wasn’t a strict agenda. We simply talked.

We talked about business, life, goals, challenges, and everything in between. By the end of the evening, we were exhausted from traveling and called it an early night.

The next day was our only full day together, so we made the most of it.

After breakfast, we spent several hours in a structured mastermind session. Each person took a turn in the hot seat, sharing the biggest challenge they were currently facing in their business. The rest of us asked questions, gathered context, brainstormed solutions, and worked through implementation strategies together.

What made the experience so valuable was that even when someone else’s challenge wasn’t directly related to my business, I still walked away with ideas I could apply immediately. That’s the power of getting smart people in a room together.

After lunch, we shifted from strategy into action. Rather than leaving with a notebook full of ideas and good intentions, everyone selected one thing to work on immediately.

The afternoon became a collaborative working session filled with building, troubleshooting, brainstorming, and sharing ideas. We spent a lot of time talking about AI, exploring new tools, and helping each other solve problems in real time.

That evening, we met up with another entrepreneur who lived locally in Austin. What started as dinner turned into hours of conversation, learning, and relationship building.

When we finally made it back to the Airbnb, nobody was ready to stop talking. We stayed up until nearly 2 a.m. sharing resources, testing AI tools, exchanging ideas, and having the kinds of conversations that simply don’t happen on a typical Zoom call.

The Biggest Lesson From the Entire Experience

The biggest takeaway wasn’t a business strategy, a marketing tactic, or an AI workflow.

It was this: Stop waiting for someone else to create the opportunity you’re looking for.

If you’re waiting for someone to invite you into the room, consider creating the room yourself. You don’t need permission. You don’t need a massive audience. You don’t need to be the most successful person in your industry. You simply need the willingness to reach out, make the ask, and bring people together.

The room you create doesn’t even have to be a mastermind. It could be a local meetup, a co-working day, a retreat, a dinner group, or simply a gathering of people you admire and want to learn from.

The format isn’t what matters. The connection is.

Build the Room

If there’s a community you’re wishing existed, build it.

If there’s a conversation you’re wishing you could be part of, start it.

If there’s a room you’re hoping someone invites you into, create it.

Because the entrepreneurs who build incredible opportunities often aren’t the ones waiting for invitations. They’re the ones sending them.

Resources & Links:

• Scalability
• Overflow Mastermind
• Kajabi 30-day free trial + 2 bonuses
• 150 Free Hooks
• IG University
• 30 Days of Manychat Pro FREE
• Learn how to run successful paid ads

Some of the links mentioned are affiliate links, which help to support this podcast at no additional cost to you.

Connect with Mya:

• Follow on Instagram @myanichol 
• Join my email list
• Check out my website
• Now on YouTube

More about the Radical Disruption podcast: 

Are you wanting to make waves in your industry, push the envelope, and change the way things are done in a radical way? Are you looking for tangible, tactical, and actionable steps that will help you build a sustainable business that stands out? You’re in the right place!

Radical Disruption is home to the disrupters. Here, you’ll learn how to take your business to the next level, break the status quo, and build a disruptive business.

Nursing student turned business and social media expert and host Mya Nichol (hey, that’s me!) shares the real and raw of the crazy journey of entrepreneurship and building a multi-six-figure business.

Through solo episodes and special guest interviews, you can expect honest conversations about throwing out the traditional way of business, scaling in a sustainable way, and becoming the go-to expert in your industry. It’s time to build a disruptive business. See you on Tuesdays!

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