If you are starting in a new leadership position this fall, you have a PROBLEM:
- You really want to have an amazing first year.
- You want to exceed everyone’s expectations.
- You want to build trust with the teachers and improve the culture and come in under budget and increase enrollment (and all the things...)
- You want to do all of that without burning out.
- You want to do all of that while still prioritizing your spouse and your kids.
Here's the problem:
- What you want is VERY difficult to pull off.
- Are you 100% sure that you can make all of that happen?
- You need the right plan.
- You need the right support.
I can give you a step-by-step plan and the right support for you to have a FANTASTIC first year!
And your time commitment is just 4 hours a month!
I am going to help you have a FANTASTIC first year. You may be asking: "OK.... but how exactly?"
- A 12 person cohort of private school leaders going through their first year in a new position
- The perfect mixture of support and training
- 12 months (June 2026-May 2027)
- Your time commitment? Just 4 hours a month!
Just imagine...
It is the last day of the 26/27 school year:
- You are looking back with pride on an AMAZING school year.
- You feel VERY proud of what you have accomplished.
- You have built excellent relationships with the teachers, students, parents and board members.
- You improved teacher morale and the culture is SO much better than it was back in September.
- You are not burnt out.
- You don't feel guilty because you have been present and engaged with your family all year long.
- The Parent Survey results are really good!
- You feel happy, fulfilled, energized and excited about the future.
- You had a FANTASTIC first year!
If you join the Fantastic First Year Mastermind, you will get the right mixture of support and training to make this list a reality. And you can get all of this in just 4 hours a month!
"If you are thinking about joining the Fantastic First Year Mastermind, Mark Minkus is the perfect leadership coach for you!
Working with Mark during my first year as an administrator has been invaluable. From our first meetings, where Mark helped me prepare and plan for my first faculty meeting, to our biweekly check-ins, he consistently guided and listened as I navigated complex interactions with faculty, students, and parents.
Mark has played a vital role in the success of my first year as an administrator. His wisdom, responsiveness, and ability to offer clear, actionable guidance made a meaningful difference in my leadership journey."
Jackie, Lower School Director, Huntington Beach, CA
"The best investment my school made in me as a new interim division head was to enlist Mark's mentorship.
Mark helped me provide stable servant-leadership to my teachers, families, and students, but also kept me focused on maintaining commitments to my family and to myself.
There's no doubt he played a crucial role in helping me earn the full time Upper School Head position, and he's helped me build mindsets and practices that will enable me to stay (happily) in independent school leadership for a long time."
Joe, Head of Upper School, Milwaukee, WI
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Here's the plan!
"OK, so I DEFINITELY want to have a fantastic first year.....
How exactly are we going to do that?"
We are going to follow 3 easy steps!
Step 1: Support
Step 2: Training
Step 3: Community
Step 1: Support
- A cohort of 12 leaders, just like you, going through the same experiences at the same time
- "On-Call Consulting" with Mark Minkus. He will always be just a text away when you need advice, a pep talk or a vent session. (8 total hours over 12 months)
Step 2: Training
- Your training commitment is 4 hours per month. You can certainly do more than that, but this Mastermind can get you a Fantastic First Year in 4 hours a month.
- 1 Hour (Week 1): On-Demand Monthly Masterclass on topics like: culture, teacher morale, fundraising, facilities, student discipline, enrollment and much more!
- 1 Hour (Week 2): Monthly, LIVE Group Coaching Call where we discuss and apply the Masterclass and solve problems you are dealing with at school
- 1 Hour (Week 3): June/July 2026 = Summer On Ramp, August-October 2026 = First 90 Days Entry Plan and November 2026 to May 2027) 1 module per month in THRIVE Academy or Parent Academy
- 1 Hour (Week 4): Monthly LIVE Dilemma Lab*
- TOTAL: 4 Hours Per Month
- *"Ummm, what the heck is a Dilemma Lab?" A leader presents a real dilemma from their school. The cohort members ask clarifying questions. Assumptions and blind spots are revealed. Options are explored and the group’s wisdom is applied. A clear, actionable plan is created in real time.
Step 3: Community
- Between coaching calls, between modules, between crises, you’ll have access to the PSL Pro Membership Community of leaders who “get it” and who “get you.”
- Inside the community, you can: ask real-time questions, share wins and challenges, get perspective before you send that email and avoid leadership isolation.
- While you are NOT required to attend, the PSL Pro community goes LIVE every week for the "We Get It" Roundtable, Success Path Group Coaching, Monthly Masterclass and a Monthly Q&A Session.
You will get the exact mixture of support and training that you need.
"Invest in your success as a first-year private school leader by joining the Fantastic First Year Mastermind cohort!
Mark offers a judgement-free, practical, and deeply encouraging platform to support first-year private school leaders. With his many years of experience, Mark has walked me through countless “what do I do?” student situations, always with the child’s success at the center of the solution.
Mark cares for the whole person and it is evident in the ways he encourages me to take care of my mental health and self-care."
Julie, Principal, Boise, Idaho
"During my first year as a Head of School, Mark Minkus has been an exceptional leadership coach and thought partner. His guidance around time management, decision making, and strategic thinking was transformative.
He has a unique ability to bring clarity to complex situations and provide practical, actionable strategies that make an immediate impact.
Just as important, Mark builds confidence. He understands the realities of the role and consistently reinforces that you can lead it well and that you are not alone.
I am a stronger, more focused leader because of his support."
Steve, Head of School, Ellicott City, MD
"Working with Mark during my first year as Head of School was invaluable. He provided steady, thoughtful guidance at every turn and helped me navigate complex challenges with clarity and confidence.
In a role where you are expected to support everyone else, it is rare to have someone supporting you.
Mark gave me the perspective, validation, and encouragement I would not have had otherwise, which in turn helped me become a better leader and more effective supporter for my people."
Margaret, Head of School, Nashville, TN
How much does it cost?
How much is it worth?
- 12 months of support from a cohort of 12 leaders going through the same experiences at the same time (Priceless)
- 12 LIVE, Monthly Group Coaching Calls (Value: $1200)
- 12 LIVE, Monthly Dilemma Lab (Value: $1200)
- 12 Monthly On-Demand Masterclass (Value: $720)
- "Summer On Ramp" Plan (Value: $895)
- Your "90 Day Entry Plan" (Value: $995)
- Lifetime access to THRIVE Academy (Value: $695)
- Lifetime Access to Parent Academy (Value: $895)
- "On Call Consulting" by texting Mark Minkus, 8 total hours over 12 months (Value: $2400)
- 1 Year Membership in PSL Pro (Value: $365)
Total Value: $9365
Actual Cost: $2500 (one-time payment)
OR 12 Monthly Payments of $250 ($3000 Total)
What's included in the Fantastic First Year Mastermind?
