7 Elite Mastermind Programs That Are Actually Worth the Investment
Let me tell you something most people won’t: paying $20,000 for a mastermind doesn’t guarantee you’ll get $20,000 worth of value.
I learned this the hard way. Three years ago, I dropped $18k on a mastermind because the sales page promised “high-level connections” and “breakthrough strategies.” What I got was eight Zoom calls where everyone took turns talking about their problems while the facilitator nodded and said “that’s powerful” a lot.
No frameworks. No solutions. Just expensive commiseration.
But I’ve also been part of masterminds that completely changed my business trajectory—where I met people who became actual business partners, learned strategies I implemented the next day, and got the kind of honest feedback you can’t get from your spouse or your free Facebook group.
So what’s the difference? I spent the last six weeks talking to entrepreneurs who’ve invested in multiple masterminds, comparing notes, and figuring out which ones actually deliver. Here’s what I found.
Top 7 Mastermind Programs Worth Your Investment
1. The Collective by Stephanie Anne Hughson – Best for Digital Product Creators
What It Is: Stephanie’s mastermind for entrepreneurs building businesses around digital products—courses, memberships, downloadables, anything you sell without trading time directly. She’s built multiple seven-figure digital businesses and teaches the exact playbook.
Why It Delivers: ✅ Launch Expertise: Stephanie knows how to launch. Not theory—she’s done it repeatedly at high six and seven figures. You get her actual launch frameworks, not recycled Product Launch Formula tactics. ✅ Small Group Hot Seats: These aren’t 50-person cattle calls. You get real time with Stephanie and the group to solve specific problems in your business. ✅ Audience Building Strategy: Digital products require audience. Stephanie teaches how to build one that actually buys, not just follows. ✅ Sustainable Scaling: How to grow without needing to launch every month or burn yourself out creating content 24/7.
What to Know: ❌ Digital-Specific: If you run a service business or agency, this won’t be directly applicable. ❌ Requires Product or Product Plan: Come in with a digital offer or a clear plan to create one. This isn’t about figuring out what to sell.
Perfect For: Entrepreneurs with a digital product doing $5k-$50k months who want to scale to consistent six figures. If you’ve proven your offer works but can’t seem to scale it reliably, Stephanie’s been there and knows the way through.
View The Collective by Stephanie Anne Hughson →
2. Sigma University Collective by Jesse Elder – Best for Alignment-Focused Entrepreneurs
What It Is: Jesse Elder’s program that blends business strategy with consciousness work. This is for people who want to build businesses that feel good, not just look good on paper. Jesse’s approach integrates mindset, energy, and strategy.
The Real Value: ✅ Inner Game + Outer Game: Most programs teach tactics without addressing why you’re not implementing them. Jesse works on both the strategy and what’s blocking you internally. ✅ Lifetime Community Access: Unlike annual masterminds, you’re in for life. The community alone is worth the investment—people who think differently about business and life. ✅ Unconventional Wisdom: Jesse challenges the hustle culture BS. He’ll show you how to make more money by doing less—but in a way that actually works. ✅ Ongoing Content: Regular new trainings, live calls, and resources. It’s not a one-and-done program.
Considerations: ❌ Not Purely Tactical: If you want step-by-step “do this, then this” without any inner work, you’ll find this frustrating. ❌ Requires Different Thinking: Jesse talks about frequency, consciousness, and energetics. If that makes you roll your eyes, this isn’t for you.
Best Match: Entrepreneurs who’ve achieved some success but feel misaligned or exhausted. If you’re tired of forcing yourself to do what “should” work and want to build differently, Jesse’s your person.
View Sigma University Collective →
3. The Collective by Becky Keen – Best for Premium Pricing Strategy
What It Is: Becky Keen’s mastermind specifically for coaches and consultants who want to charge premium rates. Not “a little higher”—we’re talking $15k, $30k, $50k+ engagements. Becky specializes in boutique, high-ticket business models.
Why People Join: ✅ High-Ticket Sales Mastery: The sales conversation at $25k is fundamentally different from the one at $2,500. Becky teaches you how to navigate that level of investment. ✅ Positioning and Authority: How to position yourself so that premium pricing feels natural, not awkward or apologetic. ✅ Boutique Business Model: You don’t need 500 clients. Becky shows you how to serve 10-20 high-ticket clients and build a multiple-six or seven-figure business. ✅ Sales Without Sleaze: Enrolling premium clients through genuine connection and value, not manipulation or pressure.
Limitations: ❌ High-Ticket Focus Only: If you want to sell at volume or lower price points, this won’t align with your model. ❌ Coaching/Consulting Niche: This is specifically for people selling expertise and transformation, not products or other business models.
Ideal For: Established coaches or consultants tired of the volume game. If you’re closing clients at $3k-$5k and wondering how to get to $15k-$30k without working more, Becky shows you exactly how she’s done it repeatedly.
View The Collective by Becky Keen →
4. The Collective by Greg Hickman (AltAgency) – Best for Service-Based Business Owners
What It Is: Greg Hickman’s mastermind designed specifically for agency owners and service providers. Not coaches or course creators—this is for people running agencies, done-for-you services, or consulting firms.
Key Strengths: ✅ Agency-Specific Expertise: Every strategy, framework, and example comes from the agency world. No translation needed. ✅ Scaling Systems: Greg’s built and scaled multiple agencies. He teaches the systems that let you grow without becoming the bottleneck. ✅ Team and Delivery: How to hire, manage, and retain a team that can deliver without you micromanaging every project. ✅ Productizing Services: Turning custom services into productized offerings that scale better and sell easier.
What to Consider: ❌ Service Business Only: If you’re not running a service-based business, the content won’t resonate. ❌ Implementation Required: Greg gives you the frameworks, but you have to do the work of applying them between calls.
Perfect For: Agency owners or service providers doing $30k+ months who feel stuck. If you’re working insane hours, your clients depend too much on you, and you can’t scale without cloning yourself, Greg’s been exactly where you are.
View The Collective by Greg Hickman →
5. Business by Design by James Wedmore – Best for Building Business Foundations
What It Is: James Wedmore’s program focused on creating a business with solid foundations—not just chasing the latest funnel or tactic. This is about building something that lasts and works without you needing to hold it together with duct tape and hustle.
Core Benefits: ✅ Foundation-First Approach: James teaches you to build on rock, not sand. The fundamentals that most entrepreneurs skip in their rush to scale. ✅ Mindset and Strategy Integration: Your business is a reflection of your internal world. James addresses both so you can grow sustainably. ✅ Proven Methodology: Thousands of entrepreneurs have gone through Business by Design. The framework has been tested and refined. ✅ Long-Term Thinking: This isn’t about quick hacks or viral moments. It’s about building a business that grows steadily and reliably.
Drawbacks: ❌ Not Fast-Results Focused: If you need to make money in the next 30 days, this won’t get you there. It’s about building right, not fast. ❌ Requires Foundational Work: Some people want advanced tactics. James starts with the basics—because that’s where most businesses are actually broken.
Best For: Entrepreneurs who are tired of the boom-and-bust cycle. If you’ve had some success but your business feels fragile or dependent on constant hustle, James shows you how to build something stable.
6. CEO Academy by Xtina Harmsworth – Best for Stepping Into Leadership
What It Is: Xtina’s mastermind for entrepreneurs who need to make the shift from “doing all the things” to actually leading their business. This is about stepping into CEO-level thinking and decision-making.
What You Get: ✅ CEO Mindset Development: Learning to think strategically instead of tactically. Seeing your business from 30,000 feet, not ground level. ✅ Leadership Training: How to lead yourself, your team, and your business with clarity and confidence—even when you don’t have all the answers. ✅ Strategic Decision-Making: Developing the ability to make high-level decisions quickly and trust your judgment. ✅ Peer-Level Accountability: Being around other CEOs who expect more from you than you expect from yourself.
Considerations: ❌ Not for Beginners: This assumes you have a business that’s already working. If you’re pre-revenue or just starting, this won’t be the right fit. ❌ Leadership-Focused: If you want marketing tactics or sales scripts, you won’t find them here. This is about how you lead, not what tactics you use.
Ideal For: Business owners doing $250k+ annually who feel like they’re still operating like a freelancer. If you can’t delegate, you’re the bottleneck, and you’re exhausted from trying to do everything, Xtina teaches you how to lead instead.
7. Market Like a CEO by Jereshia Hawk – Best for Strategic Marketing
What It Is: Jereshia Hawk’s mastermind focused on CEO-level marketing strategy. This isn’t about tactics like “post 3x a day on Instagram”—it’s about developing a marketing mind that thinks strategically and makes confident decisions.
Why It’s Different: ✅ Strategic vs. Tactical: Moving from random acts of marketing to a cohesive strategy aligned with your business goals. ✅ Authority Marketing: How to market from a position of confidence and authority, not desperation or scarcity. ✅ CEO-Level Thinking: Making marketing decisions like a CEO, not a solopreneur trying every tactic they see on TikTok. ✅ Implementation + Strategy: You’re building your marketing strategy with support, not just learning about it.
Limitations: ❌ Marketing-Specific: This is primarily about marketing. If you need operations, sales, or financial strategy, look elsewhere. ❌ Not Marketing 101: Jereshia assumes you understand basic marketing. This is about elevation, not education from scratch.
Best For: Entrepreneurs who know how to market but struggle with strategic thinking. If your marketing feels scattered, reactive, or exhausting, Jereshia helps you create a marketing approach that feels CEO-level.
How to Evaluate a Mastermind Before You Join
After spending over $70k on masterminds (some worth it, some definitely not), here’s my checklist:
Check the Facilitator’s Track Record: Have they actually built what they’re teaching? Or are they professional mastermind hosts who’ve never run a real business? You want someone who’s been in the trenches, not just read about them.
Look at Member Results: Don’t just look at testimonials on the sales page. Find people in the mastermind (or who’ve graduated) on social media. Are they actually implementing? Growing? Or just posting motivational quotes?
Understand the Time Commitment: Be honest—can you actually commit to the calls, the homework, the implementation? A mastermind you can’t show up for is a waste no matter how good it is.
Evaluate the Community: Who else is in the room? Are they at your level or ahead of you? You want to be challenged and stretched, but not so far out of your depth that you can’t contribute.
Consider the Structure: Some masterminds are mostly hot seats. Others are training with some Q&A. Some have ongoing community access. Which structure matches how you learn and get value?
Calculate the Real Investment: It’s not just the price tag. Factor in travel (if in-person), time away from your business, and the cost of implementation. What’s the total investment—money, time, energy?
The Real Talk on Masterminds
Look, masterminds are expensive. And not all of them are worth it.
But the right mastermind at the right time can be the difference between spinning your wheels for another year and actually breaking through to the next level. I’ve experienced both.
The key is knowing exactly what problem you’re trying to solve and finding a mastermind (and facilitator) who’s already solved that exact problem. Don’t join because it sounds prestigious or because everyone else in your industry is in it. Join because you know what you need and this mastermind can deliver it.
And here’s the thing nobody tells you: the value of a mastermind isn’t just in the calls or the curriculum. It’s in who you become by being in a room with people who expect more from you than you expect from yourself.
Choose wisely. Invest intentionally. And for the love of all that’s profitable, make sure the facilitator has actually built what they’re teaching.