The MOD Squad in “Thank You For Smoking”

This weekend my wife and I saw the movie “Thank You For Smoking,” a hilarious film about a tobacco lobbyist and his brilliance at pushing tobacco.

What does this movie have to do with web designers?

Well, Nick Naylor, the main character, gets support from a Mastermind Group, which is a strategy I’ve encouraged everyone on Sitepoint to use. A Mastermind Group is a group of 3-6 complementary professionals who meet regularly to discuss business issues, exchange ideas, and get support.

In Nick’s case, his Mastermind Group is made up of lobbyists for alcohol and guns. They call themselves the MOD Squad, or Merchants of Death. It doesn’t sound funny here, but it is funny in the film. Don’t post criticisms of this example until you see the movie, okay?

Anyway, if you want to see a visual example of how a Mastermind Group can work and support what you do, see this movie. Even if the characters are fictional and meant to be parodies, the example is a good one.

So pick a few complementary professionals (graphic designers, IT support, marketing consultants, small business attorneys, bankers, etc) and meet to help each other out and get support.