What do you think?
Rate this book
Mastermind Dinners: Build Lifelong Relationships by Connecting Experts, Influencers, and Linchpins
This is a playbook designed for those who want to create and cultivate meaningful relationships. The catalyst that has brought me the majority of my success over the past two years comes from hosting something I like to call 'Mastermind Dinners.' These dinners have taken me from being bankrupt on virtually every level of my life to personal and professional heights which include launching a #1 rated business podcast, spending a week with three-time best-selling author Tim Ferriss in Argentina, meeting up with skate legend Tony Hawk at his offices in California to sit in on his radio show, and now running one of the world's most exclusive events for entrepreneurs. The speed by which I've turned my life around can easily be replicated and I've created this book to show you how. The key is the way in which you create and cultivate your relationships, and the concept of Mastermind Dinners is your vehicle."
102 pages, Paperback
First published December 22, 2014
156 people are currently reading
741 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
November 14, 2017
According to this book, your network is your network worth. This is an interesting idea I find, and it seems plausible...
The book mostly went into the how, and touched on the why a little, but barely.
Another book goes deeper into this.
"Connecting people brings value to you."
Because when you do a warm introduction between two people (explaining what both people mean to you, what they're working on and what interests them) When you walk away to leave them to get to know each other, the first thing they will talk about is you and how awesome they think you are. Because that is the biggest common ground between them.
(or something like that, I couldn't find the source, so could not check)
I can't help but keep relating this book to a model from 'The Tipping Point':
Maven, connector, salesperson
Where this book would be a salesperson's guide. But is it applicable for a maven or a salesperson? I'm curious
It also reminds me of the book 'Quiet: the power of introverts' chapter 10 about the dinner parties. Where they solve the issue of being overloaded by changing the format from one giant table to smaller tables and corners both in the middle and at the sides of the room.
While 'mastermind dinners' he suggests putting the most interesting/outgoing person in the middle. (with himself there as well to be able to facilitate)
But most of all I wonder whether this is a good way for an introvert to take control over his social life instead of hiding away from it...
It's a short read, (like a really really thin book) and the title alone summarizes quite a bit from the book. But it has some interesting practical ideas, I might want to experiment with in the future.
The book mostly went into the how, and touched on the why a little, but barely.
Another book goes deeper into this.
"Connecting people brings value to you."
Because when you do a warm introduction between two people (explaining what both people mean to you, what they're working on and what interests them) When you walk away to leave them to get to know each other, the first thing they will talk about is you and how awesome they think you are. Because that is the biggest common ground between them.
(or something like that, I couldn't find the source, so could not check)
I can't help but keep relating this book to a model from 'The Tipping Point':
Maven, connector, salesperson
Where this book would be a salesperson's guide. But is it applicable for a maven or a salesperson? I'm curious
It also reminds me of the book 'Quiet: the power of introverts' chapter 10 about the dinner parties. Where they solve the issue of being overloaded by changing the format from one giant table to smaller tables and corners both in the middle and at the sides of the room.
While 'mastermind dinners' he suggests putting the most interesting/outgoing person in the middle. (with himself there as well to be able to facilitate)
But most of all I wonder whether this is a good way for an introvert to take control over his social life instead of hiding away from it...
It's a short read, (like a really really thin book) and the title alone summarizes quite a bit from the book. But it has some interesting practical ideas, I might want to experiment with in the future.
January 24, 2015
I read this book just in time as I'm about to host my first "Mastermind Dinner" in a few days. I have no doubt that things will go much better now that I've read this book.
Even if you don't plan on hosting a dinner anytime soon (hint: you should), this book is a quick read and has multiple ideas & tidbits that will stick with you in how you relate with others, provide value to your connections, market your business (and yourself), and more.
Even if you don't plan on hosting a dinner anytime soon (hint: you should), this book is a quick read and has multiple ideas & tidbits that will stick with you in how you relate with others, provide value to your connections, market your business (and yourself), and more.
October 28, 2015
This is a short ~1 hour read. The beginning had a lot of unsubstantiated claims about success, but when he got into the specifics of how to host a good dinner event I enjoyed that. I'd recommend it for anybody who has been thinking about hosting small events or if you just need something short to read for your monthly Amazon Prime book and the topic is generally interesting to you. I fell into both categories.
November 24, 2019
A personal anecdote wrapped around some elementary networking advice, stretched out like a double-spaced high school paper trying to meet the page requirements. Skip it, but do host some dinners.
January 19, 2015
Implementing.
July 24, 2021
A networker does research on companies; a relationship builder does research on people.
I break these ‘Dinners’ down into two categories: local dinners and location dinners. Both are generally focused around three areas:
1. Reconnecting with old ties (catching up, and keeping relationships healthy)
2. Introducing people who can benefit from knowing each other (there is a lot of strategic thought behind this)
3. Connecting with people who I’ve been meaning to connect with for quite some time (killing eight birds with one stone, in essence)
You must be sure there is at least one commonality amongst your guests. It could be that they are all entrepreneurs, athletes, artists… it doesn’t matter, but there has to be one unifying area of conversation.
Second, you don’t want to invite anyone with a conflicting interest (i.e. direct competitors). The goal for you as a dinner host is to put four to eight incredible people in a room and create an environment where they feel comfortable to open up and share.
“Hey Steve! I’m planning to hold a dinner next week with a group of ____ (Best-selling authors, entrepreneurs, artists, etc…), interested?” If he says ‘yes’ that’s a small win. Then email #2 would include a date and a time.
By eliciting only a tiny commitment off the bat you increase your chances of opening up dialogue, which is the core goal of reaching out in the first place. Also there’s a cognitive bias in play here. Once somebody says ‘yes’ to something small, they’re more likely to say the same thing when asked for something big in order to be congruent with their initial response.
Whenever faced with an objection follow up with a question like “Under what circumstances would you say yes?” The success I’ve had from posing this simple question has been astounding.
I’m in a phase of my life where I have little desire to expand my network. I have incredible people in my life and limited bandwidth. I’m currently in a much better position to go deep with my existing relationships then to find new ones. Often when hosting a dinner (especially when travelling), I’ll use programs like connect.com, contactually.com, or LinkedIn search to find out who in my network lives in the city I am visiting. Should I want to hold a dinner with some new people, I may make a post to Facebook saying something like “Travelling to San Diego, do you have anybody you think I should connect with while I’m in town?” These are the most common ways I fill my dinners now, and they work famously!
A nice touch is to loop back to the group a year later and email everyone again saying “Happy anniversary!” or “It’s been one year!” as a follow up to check in on everyone and see if you can spark conversation. Be sure to include the picture you took.
I recently held an axe throwing event for entrepreneurs and it was fantastic. An experience like this takes bonding to a new level because it puts everyone on a level playing field.
I break these ‘Dinners’ down into two categories: local dinners and location dinners. Both are generally focused around three areas:
1. Reconnecting with old ties (catching up, and keeping relationships healthy)
2. Introducing people who can benefit from knowing each other (there is a lot of strategic thought behind this)
3. Connecting with people who I’ve been meaning to connect with for quite some time (killing eight birds with one stone, in essence)
You must be sure there is at least one commonality amongst your guests. It could be that they are all entrepreneurs, athletes, artists… it doesn’t matter, but there has to be one unifying area of conversation.
Second, you don’t want to invite anyone with a conflicting interest (i.e. direct competitors). The goal for you as a dinner host is to put four to eight incredible people in a room and create an environment where they feel comfortable to open up and share.
“Hey Steve! I’m planning to hold a dinner next week with a group of ____ (Best-selling authors, entrepreneurs, artists, etc…), interested?” If he says ‘yes’ that’s a small win. Then email #2 would include a date and a time.
By eliciting only a tiny commitment off the bat you increase your chances of opening up dialogue, which is the core goal of reaching out in the first place. Also there’s a cognitive bias in play here. Once somebody says ‘yes’ to something small, they’re more likely to say the same thing when asked for something big in order to be congruent with their initial response.
Whenever faced with an objection follow up with a question like “Under what circumstances would you say yes?” The success I’ve had from posing this simple question has been astounding.
I’m in a phase of my life where I have little desire to expand my network. I have incredible people in my life and limited bandwidth. I’m currently in a much better position to go deep with my existing relationships then to find new ones. Often when hosting a dinner (especially when travelling), I’ll use programs like connect.com, contactually.com, or LinkedIn search to find out who in my network lives in the city I am visiting. Should I want to hold a dinner with some new people, I may make a post to Facebook saying something like “Travelling to San Diego, do you have anybody you think I should connect with while I’m in town?” These are the most common ways I fill my dinners now, and they work famously!
A nice touch is to loop back to the group a year later and email everyone again saying “Happy anniversary!” or “It’s been one year!” as a follow up to check in on everyone and see if you can spark conversation. Be sure to include the picture you took.
I recently held an axe throwing event for entrepreneurs and it was fantastic. An experience like this takes bonding to a new level because it puts everyone on a level playing field.
October 21, 2020
Hosting dinners with like-minded people is one of the most powerful way to build fantastic relationships in business and in life. You should think carefully about who you invite to these meals and look for uncommon commonalities that make it more likely the guests will resonate with one another. Be the gatekeeper of your network and assume responsibility for the people you surround yourself with in life.
October 24, 2017
To the point and an easy read
So many books of this nature can be laborious and a bit vague but not this one. Jayson easily guides you through his process for creating and hosting a mastermind meeting in a simple easy to digest way. Great work!
So many books of this nature can be laborious and a bit vague but not this one. Jayson easily guides you through his process for creating and hosting a mastermind meeting in a simple easy to digest way. Great work!
May 23, 2018
Right up my alley
I'm already working on something similar so Jayson's advice in this book is most timely! I'd recommend it to anyone who is mindful about the friendships they keep.
I'm already working on something similar so Jayson's advice in this book is most timely! I'd recommend it to anyone who is mindful about the friendships they keep.
June 8, 2019
An unbelievable resource for connectors
I have been following Jayson’s work for a few years now and always love reading and going through this book before I host any gatherings and dinners. Always gets me thinking of the group differently. Love all the resources as well!!
I have been following Jayson’s work for a few years now and always love reading and going through this book before I host any gatherings and dinners. Always gets me thinking of the group differently. Love all the resources as well!!
April 9, 2020
Yes you can run a successful mastermind
I was thinking to.run a mastermind i read some other books in this topic. I can say this book is on my top 10 books it is practical , straight to the point and action oriented. Thank you Jason.
I was thinking to.run a mastermind i read some other books in this topic. I can say this book is on my top 10 books it is practical , straight to the point and action oriented. Thank you Jason.
September 17, 2022
I’ve been interested in the idea of hosting networking dinners and thought this book did a relatively good job of inspiring how that process should look. It’s not the best written book I’ve ever read but was motivating none the less.
November 8, 2023
After seeing Jayson’s success first hand at putting on amazing dinners and events, I knew I had to read this. Great, actionable advice on how to create successful, well thought out networking dinners.
July 16, 2017
Wonderful little book about the power of connecting others of like mind, growing your own sphere of influence and the true meaning of success!
March 9, 2018
Relationships need to be deep to mean anything.
That’s the real takeaway for me from this book. It’s a great read and a great reminder of how to do this the right way.
That’s the real takeaway for me from this book. It’s a great read and a great reminder of how to do this the right way.
February 20, 2019
Very short. It's really more of a combination of blog posts vs a book. However, there were still some good take aways.
May 29, 2019
Decent read
Author doesn’t say anything that an accomplished investment banker doesn’t know. However, it’s a decent read and a quick one at that.
Author doesn’t say anything that an accomplished investment banker doesn’t know. However, it’s a decent read and a quick one at that.
August 17, 2019
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jayson and all that he does to share everything that goes behind his success (specially around networking). Would very much recommend this short and very actionable book.
September 1, 2019
Quick read that focuses on your network and building lifelong relationships. Loved the chapter on Marketing 101.
August 31, 2021
There's really only two or three chapters about hosting a mastermind dinner. Most of the book seemed to be fuller - quite a famous person and share a few related thoughts, rinse and repeat.
January 16, 2023
A quick read filled with not-so-new but still relevant reminders. Perfect if you’re hosting anytime soon.
September 23, 2015
Brief and encouraging -
Basic idea: host dinners for interesting and influential people and you'll become friends with more and better people. And that will change your life.
This is a quick read, half practical tips and half motivation (relationships are what matter most). There are some helpful ideas, but nothing you probably couldn't come up with. But what all the ideas do in total is make this feel doable.
I'm looking forward to trying this myself, actually.
Basic idea: host dinners for interesting and influential people and you'll become friends with more and better people. And that will change your life.
This is a quick read, half practical tips and half motivation (relationships are what matter most). There are some helpful ideas, but nothing you probably couldn't come up with. But what all the ideas do in total is make this feel doable.
I'm looking forward to trying this myself, actually.
January 1, 2016
Jayson's book resonated a lot with me as I also thrive on relationships. It is frustrating to see people hungry for business cards at conferences and getting confused on what "networking" truly means. Small group meals with the right folks are very powerful and underestimated in our society. Food binds people and gets them closer. This book provides the big picture as well as step by step process for setting up dinners with A+ players in your industry.
January 18, 2016
For anyone who wants to double down on business relationships, this book will help create memorable and beneficial events where people can connect. Jayson's story amplifies the message that when you come right down to it, relationships built on giving, rather then receiving can have a long lasting benefit. In this book, you will learn how to create events that will give incredible value to those that attend, in turn allowing the host to be a super connector and influencer.
July 11, 2015
It is a quick and super useful read full of actionable info, tips, and resources. Easy to implement (so long as you follow through and commit) and will definitely make an impact.
It's also quite refreshing, in a world where every business author feels the need to add 200 pages of filler, to read a book with no extraneous fluff. Definitely worth reading!
It's also quite refreshing, in a world where every business author feels the need to add 200 pages of filler, to read a book with no extraneous fluff. Definitely worth reading!
April 13, 2016
This book was simple, quick and informative. I created my own mastermind group called B&B - Brag & Biz, in August 2015 and this has given me more ideas on how to expand my network and add value to others with the Mastermind Dinners. I'm ready to start making my list of how I want to perform these and my first few people to invite.
April 21, 2015
Quick DIY for networking newbies
Great introduction to the nuts and bolts of hosting networking dinners, including details about restaurants food and ice breakers. A little light on choosing guests and the actual conversations.
Great introduction to the nuts and bolts of hosting networking dinners, including details about restaurants food and ice breakers. A little light on choosing guests and the actual conversations.
June 3, 2015
Simple, short and powerful. Excellent read.
Every entrepreneur should read this book and share it with their most valuable contacts. Great value when put into practice. Highly recommend to anyone interested in developing their own network. Thanks Jayson ;)
Every entrepreneur should read this book and share it with their most valuable contacts. Great value when put into practice. Highly recommend to anyone interested in developing their own network. Thanks Jayson ;)
February 18, 2016
Mastermind Dinners a Must!
This books though simple is a great mind nugget of information. I loved it. I has given me food for thought and small steps for success in connecting with people I want to know better.
This books though simple is a great mind nugget of information. I loved it. I has given me food for thought and small steps for success in connecting with people I want to know better.
March 30, 2016
In terms of length, Mastermind Dinners is the nonfiction equivalent of a novella. You can easily read it one sitting. I've arranged smaller dinners to let people in my network meet, but the author has inspired me to think bigger.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews