The $99 hack that will make $10K mastermind groups obsolete

2023 gutted Coho, the community business I started in Aug 2022 after spinning out from On Deck.

Lots of mistakes, bad decisions, never ending tech layoffs, testing different ideas and business models — it felt like I was banging my head against the wall.

As a founder you have two choices:

• Give up, pack up and go do something else.
• If you really believe in something existing in the world, find a way to create it.

I chose option 2 because one thing kept working: our peer groups (or masterminds as some know them).

For those unfamiliar, peer groups are small, curated gatherings of professionals at similar career stages who meet regularly to share challenges, insights, and growth opportunities.

When we did it right, it really worked.

People who’d been silent for years suddenly reappeared when we announced new ones.

They weren’t there for content or networking.

They wanted real conversations with people facing the same challenges.

At a rough count, during the past 3–4 years, over 2,500 designers, engineers, data scientists, chiefs of staff and marketers have participated in our peer groups.

But it was all manual, expensive. Hard to make it accessible to more people.

That got me thinking. What if we could make these groups work for everyone, not just the lucky few?

At the same time I noticed more and more conversations about loneliness at work and in our personal lives.

Yet the solutions being built were further removing us from each other.

This motivated me even more to build a better way for us to access and learn from our peers.

With zero cash and no team, it seemed impossible.

But then something cool happened.

A member saw what I was trying to do and offered to design it for free (Thank you ÌníOlúwa Abíódún 🙏).

I kept telling more people about it.

An engineer joined soon after.

A data science and AI expert joined the team later.

So we started building.

We faced a lot of ‘one step forward, five steps back’, but now we have a system that matches you with peers at your exact level, keeps groups on track, and even suggests resources based on your conversations.

Why should you care? Because your career deserves better than:

• Generic LinkedIn advice
• Outdated books
• Overpriced conferences

This is for you if:

• You’re tired of feeling stuck
• You want real solutions
• You’re ready to 10x your growth

It’s not for you if:

• You’re content with slow progress
• You prefer theory over action
• You think $10K masterminds are a good deal

We’re launching with a limited initial cohort of 200 participants.

This exclusive first group will help shape the future of peer learning at scale.

Here’s the deal:

• 12 weeks, starting September 15th
• Get matched with 5 peers at your exact career level
• $99 (not a typo, price will be higher later)
• Full refund if we don’t hit 200 sign-ups by September 1st.

How It Works:

• After you pay to secure your spot, later this month we’ll send you a brief onboarding questionnaire
• We’ll then match you with a peer group (4–6 well curated peers)
• Once your group is ready, you’ll get access to your group dashboard where you’ll be introduced to your peers and interact with the AI facilitator
• You’ll receive automatic invitations for group meetings
• Join Google Meet sessions with personalised agendas (these will be generated by the AI facilitator in your group dashboard)
• Participate in discussions — you’ll meet once every two weeks over three months.
• The AI facilitator in your dashboard will generate personalised meeting agendas based on your onboarding data and previous discussions. It doesn’t join live calls (yet) but guides your group’s conversation topics

Still here? Good.

Click below to join the 200.

If we don’t hit that number by Sept 1, you get a full refund.

No risk. All reward.

Secure your place

Let’s see if we can make peer learning work at scale.

Mindaugas

FAQ:

Q: How does this compare to other peer learning or mastermind platforms?

A: We’re on a mission to make high-quality peer learning accessible to everyone. Many existing platforms charge thousands of dollars for similar experiences, limiting access to those who can afford it. Our goal is to offer the same (or better) quality at a fraction of the cost, democratising this type of career growth.

Q: What’s different about this from the original Coho peer groups?

A: This is a new, streamlined product we’ve built from scratch. It automates matching, scheduling, and facilitation, allowing us to offer peer groups at a much lower price point and larger scale than before.

Q: Who is this for?

A: For this initial phase, we’re focusing on professionals in tech roles, specifically:

• Designers
• Engineers
• Product Managers
• Marketing Managers
• Data Scientists
• Chiefs of Staff

We’re looking for individuals with at least 3–5 years of experience in their field, currently in mid to senior-level positions.

While we’re starting with these roles, our vision is to make this accessible to a much broader range of professionals in the future. If your role isn’t listed here but you’re interested, sign up for our waitlist — we’ll be expanding soon.

Q: I’m a current/previous Coho member. What does this mean for me?

A: We’re incredibly grateful for your past support. This new product is separate from the original Coho community. It’s our attempt to make peer groups accessible to more people. As a thank you for your loyalty, we’re offering you first access to this beta test at the discounted rate.

Q: Why are you charging for this?

A: The fee helps cover our costs and ensures committed participants. It’s significantly discounted from what the final product will cost. If we don’t reach 200 participants by September 1st, you’ll receive a full refund. But given the interest we’ve seen, we expect spots to fill quickly.

We are rigorously testing with small groups of folks during the month of August to ensure a great initial launch in September.

Q: How does the matching process work?

A: We use data from your sign-up questionnaire to match you with peers at a similar career level and with aligned goals. Our system helps refine these matches over time.

Q: What happens after the 12 weeks?

A: If the test is successful, you’ll have the option to continue with a new group or pause your participation. We’ll share more details as we get closer to the end of the beta.

Q: Is this replacing the original Coho community?

A: No, this is a separate technology product focused specifically on scaling our peer group model. We’re still figuring out the long-term plans for the broader Coho community which was originally a community service with a membership model. Our goal is to successfully launch and grow the product over the coming months and then reactivate the community we built over the last few years.

Q: What if I can’t make all the meetings?

A: We understand life happens. The system is designed to be flexible. You can catch up on discussions and resources even if you miss a session. However, if you miss more than 2 of the 6 meetings, you will be removed from the group.

Q: How is this different from other networking or mentorship programs?

A: Our focus is on peer-to-peer learning with people at your exact career level. It’s not about finding mentors or making casual connections — it’s about solving real problems with people who truly understand your day-to-day challenges.

Q: What kind of time commitment is required?

A: Plan for a 1-hour meeting every two weeks, plus some time to engage with resources and discussions between sessions. The total time investment is usually 2–3 hours per month.

Q: Can I get a refund if I’m not satisfied?

A: Yes, we offer a full refund within the first 30 days if you feel the program isn’t meeting your expectations.

Q: I have more questions, who do I talk to?

A: Please email Mindaugas, founder of Coho @ mp@joincoho.com