Business Mastermind
“No two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind [the master mind].”
In its second year, the USCR Business Mastermind offers a combination of education brainstorming, peer accountability, and support in a group setting that sharpens your spiritual business skills.
Rev. Dr. Ahriana Platten provides a monthly course, followed by a Q and A to discuss what was learned and how it might be applied.
The Business Mastermind is a great way to improve your business acumen, learn new ways to look at the spiritual importance of a community’s business activities, and to get to know others in the region and across the Unity movement.
Host
Rev. Dr. Ahriana Platten
Business Consultant
businessmastermind@unitysouthcentral.org
Ahriana’s professional background is quite unique. She’s worked parallel career fields for more than thirty years, spending half her time as an entrepreneur and business consultant, and half her time in spiritual leadership. She has led international development teams in North American, South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
Ahriana is the founder of asoulfullworld.com, a global wisdom community. She’s an award-winning author who helps people master the art of living an authentic, purpose-driven, passionate life. She’s often referred to as a wisdom keeper, a practical mystic, and a leading-edge coach for visionaries, influencers, entrepreneurs and spiritual leaders, Ahriana believes there is nothing more important than creating a meaningful life and having real impact on the world, and she loves to provide tips and tools for discovering your sacred calling.
A former Ambassador for the Parliament of the World’s Religions, Ahriana is featured in the acclaimed international docuseries, “Time of the Sixth Sun.” She has traveled the world to explore its cultural differences and human similarities, speaking to religious and indigenous leaders from over 250 tribes and traditions, and her weekly newspaper column is seen by 120,000 readers each week.
Publications
The Changing Story by Rev. Dr. Ahriana Platten
Rites and Rituals – Harnessing the Power of Sacred Ceremony by Rev. Dr. Ahriana Platten
Dates & Times
Content Session: 1st Wednesdays @ 11 AM to 12 PM CT
Q&A Session: 3rd Wednesdays @ 11 AM to 12 PM CT
Dates in 2024
Content Sessions
January 3: Grant Writing Techniques
February 7: Spiritual Entrepreneurship and Revenue Models
March 6: Ethical Leadership and Governance in Spiritual Organizations
April 3: Eco-Spirituality
May 1: Digital Innovation in Spirituality
June 5: Mindfulness and Mental Wellness in the Digital Age
July 3: Creative Expression and Art in Worship
August 7: Building and Nurturing Diverse Spiritual Communities
September 4: Interfaith Collaboration for Global Impact
October 2: Ceremonial Practices
November 6: Journeying Through the Year
December 4: Futuristic Perspectives on Spirituality
Q&A Sessions: January 17, February 21, March 20, April 17, May 15, June 19, July 17, August 21, September 18, October 16, November 20, December 18.
Calendar
Subscribe to our calendar to not miss these or any events.
Meeting Location
For convenience, we will be meeting on Zoom. Please arrive early to check your technology.
Cost
There is no set fee for any of the events. However, we appreciate your consideration for a suitable love offering.
Business Mastermind Topics
Ethical Leadership and Governance in Spiritual Organizations
Emphasizing integrity and ethical decision-making as core principles for leading spiritual communities.
Spiritual Entrepreneurship and Revenue Models
Exploring creative business strategies for spiritual growth, including digital platforms, merchandise, and experiential services.
Planning IS Self-Care
Burn-out is the number one reason ministers leave ministry. Planning is a powerful tool for protecting yourself from burn-out. Plan vacations. Plan daily tasks. Plan for unexpected emergencies. In this lesson, we’ll learn why planning is good self-care.
Making the Holidays Meaningful
The holiday season begins in October and ends at Easter. From the first day to the last, it’s a journey of spiritual change and growth. Learn how to create a meaningful and interconnected holiday season.
Ethics
Did you know that there's a legal definition for confidentiality and it's substantially different from keeping a secret? What would you do if a congregant told you they were thinking about doing something and asked you to keep it confidential? How do you know what to keep confidential and what to share? What are the ethical considerations surrounding confidentiality and how do you make good decisions? We’ll focus on ethics and confidentiality in this 90-minute class which will meet the UWM annual ethics class requirement for Unity ministers.
Financial Transformation
Wondering how to think differently about the financial health of your spiritual community? Leadership and finances go hand in hand. Let’s talk about why your financial health is the co-creation of your community and how to lead your community to more generosity in this area.
That's your story?
We all love stories. What is the story of your community? How do you describe what you do and why you do it? What are the important elements of your story? In this lesson, we’ll build an outline.
Contracting
Independent contractors. What are they? When should we hire them? How do we tell the difference between an employee and an independent contractor? How can we prepare the necessary contracts? Pick up a check list as part of this lesson.
Culture Creation
Culture is the personality of your community. Is your culture loving? Forgiving? Judgmental? Supportive? Learn how to determine the culture of your community – and how to change it if it needs to be changed.
The Problem Is Not the Problem
If you rub two sticks together, you create heat. If two people’s opinions rub each other the wrong way, the heat can become a destructive force. Positioned correctly, and with guidance, disagreement can result in profound spiritual growth. Learn how in this session.
The Power of Permission
It’s painful to hire someone who doesn’t do their job. Too often, the lack of action reflects a lack of empowerment. How do you outline responsibilities, address needed training, and hold your staff accountable? This session provides useful tools.
Strategic Spontaneity
Change is coming. It’s the one thing we can rely on – and it often happens so fast that we must act spontaneously to address it. Are you preparing your community for the spiritual growth that comes from change? Early conversation can make all the difference!
How Spiritual Business Differs
Spiritual business is different from other business because it’s all about people instead of products. In our January session, we explore the seven energy centers of your spiritual business, and learn how to create good systems and processes, while honoring the people we serve.
Social Action
Empowering people to engage in social action gives them the opportunity to act as the living expression of the Holy. How do you choose your social action direction? What projects will be meaningful to your city? Can you build a tradition of service, inside your building and out? These questions and more will be answered in this video.
What Are You Teaching Next Year?
When planning your next year’s teachings, do you ever consider what YOU would like to learn? Your passion is contagious. Think about what will challenge your community and grow your own soul!
A Plan for the “Holidaze”
The holiday season is at least six months long (Halloween to Easter). How do you create a cohesive journey for your community that begins with the underworld, death, loss and grief and ends in resurrection? Ahriana gives you pointers on designing this path for your community.
The Big Marketing Picture
Target demographics. Strategy. Tools. Talents. Objectives. Impact. Analysis and Branding. There are so many words to apply to your marketing process. Ahriana explains what they mean and how to use them to design a long-term marketing plan that works.
Volunteer Participation
Why do people volunteer? What makes them commit to helping? How do you avoid losing volunteers, and how is volunteering one of the ways we help our congregants grow spirituality? All this and more in this session.
Powerful Employee Retention
What is your staff’s experience working for you? How do you attract and keep great employees, and gracefully release those who don’t perform? What is the character and personality of your work-related culture? Find out in this session!
FAQs
Can I earn CEU credits by attending this support call?
Yes! Unity Worldwide Ministries (UWM) will accept any hour attending our support calls as CEU credits. The recording and reporting of such hours to UWM remain the responsibility of each individual. Ethics and Inclusivity CEUs are earned as the topics are specifically offered. For any questions, please contact UWM directly.
What’s the difference between the two meetings a month?
The first meeting addresses a specific topic of interest to introduce common business practices and what works well in ministry. The intent is to inspire the immediate practical application to get some personal experience.
Then, the second meeting, is an opportunity to engage in a Q&A, which allows participants to reflect on their experience and get some valuable feedback from the host.
For whom are these meetings intended?
Primarily, these meetings are designed to address the business challenges in ministry for ministry leaders, such as the leading minister, the board president, treasurer, administrative manager, etc.
You can ask yourself the question who in your ministry could benefit from learning more about the business aspects of ministry?
Are these meetings confidential?
Yes and no. The first meeting, focusing on presenting a particular topic will be recorded for later use while the second meeting (Q&A) will not be recorded to ensure a safe space to discuss real-world challenges and opportunities.
I can’t meet at the time and day the meetings are held. Are there any recordings I can watch?
Yes, the first meeting will be recorded. However, it is not clear yet how we are going to make the recording available. We will update this FAQ once we made a final decision on the videos’ distributions.
Are there any other calls or meetings that provide ministry support?
Yes, USCR offers several calls and meetings to provide specific support in various areas. Check out our calendar to learn more about those regular events.