Meet Caty Winyard | Creator of The Wearable Wallet & The Mastermind Group/Women in Business Mastermind

We had the good fortune of connecting with Caty Winyard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Caty, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
In March 2018, I felt completely isolated. I had a brand new business – The Wearable Wallet – that was surpassing all my expectations… but I also had three kids under age 6, a husband who traveled every week for work, several health issues that had me at an infusion center three times a week, and no family nearby.

I felt desperate to belong with a community of women who were also on this entrepreneur journey, but the only groups I could find were networking groups or paid coaching programs that were outside my budget.

So, I decided to do something about it. I went to a Facebook business group, found 11 women who lived in Colorado (out of a post with over 500 comments), and asked these strangers if they would be interested in meeting together in Denver. To my surprise and delight, they agreed. In fact, several women said that they wanted something like this, but they didn’t want to be the one to organize it.

For the first several months, I had no clue what I was doing. I was excited about meeting other women entrepreneurs, but I still didn’t have a clear vision of what a mastermind did. But these women kept showing up, month after month, and I eventually found myself Googling everything I could about leading a mastermind group.

Even if I couldn’t define it at that time, I knew what I wanted the group to feel like. I wanted to create a place where every win – big or small – could be genuinely celebrated. I wanted an environment where every single person felt seen and accepted. More than that, I wanted to create a sacred space for us to be vulnerable with the struggles and pain that comes with being an entrepreneur; to be able to honestly say, “I feel like a failure” and to not be judged, but gently comforted, supported, and encouraged.

Over the past three years, that’s exactly what I did! I now have three groups across the state (Colorado Springs, Denver, and Loveland/Fort Collins) and I’ve led three mastermind retreats.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When I started The Mastermind Group/Women in Business Mastermind in 2018, I was looking for community. I longed to be able to connect and relate with other business women, and I discovered I wasn’t the only one. I never intended this to turn into a business; I just kept learning, experimenting, and growing until it blossomed into what it is today – a mastermind movement that is supporting and encouraging entrepreneurs across the state of Colorado.

The first thing that makes this group unique is that this is NOT a networking group. The purpose of us meeting together is not to grow our circle of influence or learn how to sell better. Instead, we focus very intentionally on how to support the business owner. One of the questions that is asked at every single meeting is, “What are you struggling with or need help with right now, and what does help look like?” We share some practical ways to solve a problem, but we also dig into some of the lies we didn’t know we believed. As a result, each person who attends our monthly meetings is invested in one another. Seeing someone else in the group succeed does not in any way diminish from someone else’s ability to achieve success.

The other unique aspect of the groups is that we – myself and the other leaders – are not coaches or the experts. We all listen to one another and each person has the authority to speak up and share. Everyone comes in with their own unique past and experiences. No one gives lectures on best business practices or clique advice on work-life balance. We share what we’ve lived through when someone is going through a similar struggle. It is the collective wisdom of the group is what makes our mastermind meetings so magical.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park is one of our go-to spots to take our out-of-town friends and family. We love looking for waterfalls from the snow melt, wildflowers that grow on the side of the mountain, and getting up above the tree line. We always pack jackets for the short hike to the summit!

My husband and I enjoy craft beer, so we love taking people to Weldwerks Brewery in Greeley. We often go there and play games together as a family.

One of our favorite local restaurants is Vatos Tacos in downtown Loveland. Their pork belly street taco is absolutely amazing (it tastes like bacon), but the mango fish is my favorite.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost, I would not have started or been able to continue this journey without my amazing husband! He has supported every step I’ve taken since starting The Wearable Wallet in 2015 – from listening to me rave about the business book I’m reading to taking care of our kids so I can work a weekend event to helping me name my mastermind group. He has believed in me when I struggled to believe in myself. I truly couldn’t have done any of this without him!

Business Boutique by Christy Wright – the first conference in 2015 and everything that came after taught me how to start a business and be an entrepreneur. My journey might not have gotten started at all if Christy Wright didn’t have a burning passion to help women make money doing what they love.

Jenni, Kisha, and Marie – my original Women in Business mastermind ladies! These ladies have encouraged me when I was overwhelmed and ready to quit, have celebrate every single win with me, and helped me brainstorm through countless problems. I truly would not be where I am today if not for these incredible business women!

Website: www.themastermindgroup.com

Instagram: @thewearablewallet

Facebook: Facebook.com/thewearablewallet

Other: www.thewearablewallet.com