The Brain Trust
Replace the single mentor with a rotating panel of domain experts.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~months to results
- Steps
- 3
- Confidence
- 85%
The Brain Trust is Bloom's 21st-century replacement for traditional mentorship. Instead of one person expected to have all the answers, you assemble a group of people from different backgrounds with domain expertise you can call on at different inflection points. It doesn't need to be formal, and members needn't know they're part of it. Borrowed from Pixar, which convenes a brain trust to pressure-test every film, the idea gives you honest, expert feedback across the varied terrain of your life. Because people enjoy giving advice, occasional well-placed asks also keep valued relationships warm.
Origin
Bloom draws the concept from Pixar, which runs a brain trust of people not involved in a given movie to pressure-test the story and make it better. He adapts it as an alternative to 20th-century one-on-one mentorship.
Core principles
- 01One mentor can't have a map for all of your terrain.
- 02A brain trust spans multiple backgrounds and domains.
- 03It needn't be formal; members don't even need to know they're in it.
- 04People love giving advice, so asking well strengthens the bond.
How to run it
- 1
Map your domains
Identify the different areas of life and work where you face challenges and need guidance.
- 2
Recruit informally
For each domain, find someone with real expertise and honesty; they don't need to formally agree to be a mentor.
Pro tip Because the ask is light, it avoids the heavy burden that makes people decline 'will you be my mentor?'
- 3
Call on them at inflection points
Turn to the relevant member when a specific challenge arises rather than pestering anyone daily.
Pro tip A natural cadence of once a quarter or every six months keeps it light and welcome.
Watch out Don't overstep by asking the same person questions constantly.
In the wild
Pixar convenes a group not involved in a given movie to pressure-test its storyline and emotional beats along the way.
→ The films get stronger, illustrating how outside expert perspectives improve the work.
Common mistakes
Expecting one mentor to fit all
A single person's map rarely matches the full terrain you face, and the ask is a heavy burden they may decline.
Overstepping the relationship
Bombarding a member with questions turns a welcome, bond-strengthening ask into an imposition.
Is it for you?
Best for
Ambitious people navigating varied challenges who want honest, expert guidance.
Not ideal for
Those seeking a single deep, formal apprenticeship relationship.
From the transcript
“A brain trust is a group of people from different backgrounds and experiences that you can call upon for advice.”
“The origin of the concept is from Pixar. They do a brain trust for every movie.”
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