Jasmine reframes being the only woman, only person of color, or only 'anything' in a room as a point of strength rather than something to avoid. She argues the room's substance, not the demographics of the people in it, should decide whether you show up. She identifies simply as an entrepreneur, not a qualified one.

Being the only female in a room is something she learned to be proud of even when uncomfortable
She lets the room, not the gender/color/beliefs of the people, decide if she wants in
She identifies as an entrepreneur, period - not a female, brown, or minority entrepreneur
Feeling uncomfortable in these rooms is normal and doesn't mean you don't belong

“being the only female in the room has been something that I've learned how to be proud of, even if and when it made me…”
Jasmine Star · 0:00:00

#identity#confidence#representation#mindset

Explainer· 1

Explainer0:17:37

The Two Ways Masterminds Actually Get Formed

Jasmine explains the two standard models for how masterminds come together: an individual host who curates and charges for a group, or a large organization (like YPO or Hampton) that collects a fee and sorts members into smaller cohorts. Both, she notes, gate access by money and unintentionally leave capable people out.

Model 1: a person hosts a mastermind and invites people to apply and pay for a curated group
Model 2: a large organization runs cohorts at scale and sorts you into smaller groups
The price of a mastermind tends to siphon by business size - higher cost, bigger businesses
Both models leave a group of people out, by intention and by exclusivity

“the biggest gap into getting into an executive group coaching program or into a high end mastermind is money.”
Jasmine Star · 0:18:30

#masterminds#business-model#access

Story· 4

Story0:01:00

The T-Ball Team That Started a Lifetime of Being the 'Only'

Jasmine traces her comfort with being the only one back to childhood, when she was one of just two girls in an entire T-ball league - the other being her twin sister. The story illustrates how early she began treating being different as a potential strength rather than a reason to opt out.

She played on a T-ball team called the Pirates that didn't bar girls but wasn't for them either
She was one of only two girls in the whole league; the other was her twin sister
She and her twin were opposites - roller skates versus a skateboard
Being an 'only' started young and became a source of strength when she pushed through

#origin-story#childhood#difference

Story0:08:24

Turned Away From the Hotel Because She Brought Her Daughter

Traveling to a mastermind with her husband and daughter, Jasmine was told at check-in that children weren't allowed at the wellness hotel and that guests seeing her child 'might be triggered.' In 100-degree heat, an hour before her event, she had to scramble to find another hotel, and unexpectedly felt like crying.

The couple decided to travel to all events together this year, even solo-attended ones
The front desk said kids weren't allowed and a visible child might trigger guests
She was outside Phoenix in over 100-degree heat with an hour until her event started
The rejection triggered an unexpected, unfamiliar urge to cry

“if they see your child, they might be triggered.”
Jasmine Star · 0:09:15

#motherhood#travel#adversity

Story0:11:36

Walking in Late to a Room of 33 Men and Understanding the Tears

Arriving at 5:16 to a silent, candlelit room of 33 journaling men, Jasmine was greeted by name as the facilitator noted she was the only woman. Sweating and singled out, she connected the moment to a childhood spent overweight, behind in reading, and desperate not to be different.

She walked into a pin-drop-silent semicircle of 33 men, late, and was greeted by name
The facilitator publicly noted she was the only woman in the room
The exposure surfaced childhood memories of being obese, unable to read, and always behind
Her core wound was never wanting to be different - and the room made her feel different again

“my whole life, I never wanted to be different. And I was.”
Jasmine Star · 0:11:36

#vulnerability#belonging#self-image

Story0:06:37

The Cruel DM Attacking Her Motherhood - and How She Refused to Break

After posting about being the only female founder at the event, Jasmine received a scathing direct message accusing her of using her adopted daughter as a prop, emasculating her husband, and being selfish and money-driven. She calls it a 'drive-by' and explains why it didn't crush her.

The message claimed real mothers stay home and that she was doing it all for herself
It attacked her adoption, her marriage, and her worth as a mother
She calls it a 'drive-by' - a hit from someone with no context on her life
She holds firm that she is the best mother for her daughter regardless of the attack

“I am not a perfect mom, but I know I am the best mother for my daughter.”
Jasmine Star · 0:08:24

#criticism#motherhood#resilience#online-hate

Q&A· 1

Q&A0:16:13

The Three Questions Everyone Asks About Getting Into Elite Rooms

Jasmine surfaces the three questions that flooded her DMs after posting about the mastermind: how she got into the room, how much money you must make to get in, and how to grow big enough to join. She explains why the honest money answer often discourages people into never trying.

Question 1: How did you get into that room?
Question 2: How much money do you have to make to get in?
Question 3: How do I grow my business big enough to join?
Telling people the entry number often makes them see it as impossible and give up

“they look at that and they see an impossible number, and then they say, I'll never get there, so I won't try.”
Jasmine Star · 0:16:13

#masterminds#access#business-growth

Takeaway· 2

Takeaway0:03:41

Why She Steps Into Hard Rooms: Grandmothers and a Daughter

When nervous about being the only woman somewhere, Jasmine grounds herself in two motivations: honoring the sacrifices of her immigrant grandmothers, and hoping her daughter will one day stand among many rather than be the only one. Representation, she argues, makes the whole industry better.

She reminds herself her grandmothers made the biggest sacrifices for her to be in these rooms
Both grandmothers came from lands outside the Americas
She wants her daughter to stand amongst many, not be an 'only'
More representation makes business as a whole better

“my grandmother made the biggest sacrifices for me to be able to be in these rooms.”
Jasmine Star · 0:03:41

#representation#legacy#motivation

Takeaway0:13:14

Change the Narrative When You're Singled Out

When the facilitator framed her lateness as 'dealing with things with her family,' Jasmine felt reduced to the only-woman stereotype. Rather than accept that framing, she consciously acknowledged what was true, set it aside, and decided to move on with the work she came to do.

Being cited as 'dealing with family' reinforced the only-woman narrative she didn't want
She acknowledged the facts were true rather than denying them
She deliberately chose to change the narrative and move on
The event went well and the situation didn't beat her

“Then I decided to change the narrative.”
Jasmine Star · 0:13:14

#reframing#agency#confidence

Frameworks in this episode

The Not-For-Profit Peer Mastermind

The Saguaro Method for Handling Criticism

Insights & moments

◆Hot Take· 1

Why Being the 'Only' in the Room Is a Strength, Not a Discomfort

✶Explainer· 1