Women in Business Networks

Starting out? Do you feel alone?

If you're a female in business for yourself, things can get a little lonely sometimes. Especially if you work from home and spend much of the day in your own company. That's especially true of people who earn their living from the internet. Aside from the kids, you might not get any human contact during the day, and possibly no sensible adult conversation.

I'm not a fan of sensible adult conversation by the way, but sometimes you do need it to keep the brain ticking over! Sometimes I miss the challenges of the professional life, but I definitely don't miss the office politics.

You can get to feeling a little isolated. Even women who have been in business for themselves for a while and are self-contained (like me) can find they're suddenly longing for some human contact.

If you're starting out in business, then things are generally sticky for the first few months. It can be hard work getting your message out to people about who you are and what you do.

Women in Business is a growth area

Women now make up almost 50% of all business start-ups. Women are especially taking advantage of the internet to work flexibly from home around family commitments. Or simply because that's what they prefer to do. On-line start ups can be ideal also because they don't have a lot in the way of fixed overheads - offices, staffing, cleaning, rates etc.

This trend is set to grow. And for women who want to start a business, starting a women's networking business can be the best of both worlds. I'll come onto that later.

Women In Business - online

Online resources such as personal blogs, article sites like Hubpages, and social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace and LinkedIn are also fantastic for developing your contacts. There are also second life sites such as Kaneva and Second Life where you create a virtual world for yourself and invite people to link up there.

However let's look at some real world online opportunities. Aside from Hubpages of course.

LinkedIn for example has a facility to search on keywords - for me that would be 'dog'. If I ever get my diet book written with a friend of mine I'll also be using 'diet'. So if you're into Art, you could type in the word 'art' into LinkedIn and see what comes up. Then you can invite anyone who takes your fancy to link with you on a one to one basis. I believe Facebook offers a similar thing.

LinkedIn also has some great professional groups. I'm a member of Pet Professionals for example. That means I head over there and see what topics I fancy joining. It's a great way of making new contacts virtually.

Posting to online discussion groups with your details in the signature can help to expand your contacts too. Facebook and Myspace both have lots of discussion groups which you can also join.

You will be astonished at how many people in professional networks and professional social networking groups are women just like you, with the same challenges, fears, opportunities and backgrounds.

Women in Business - In the real world

But sometimes there is no substitute for some personal contact. Some one to one time.

There are many ways you can network directly with like minded people and entrepreneurs, small or even large business owners. And you don't have to be a woman business onwer to take advantage of these things.

So what kinds of things can you do?

1. Find Local chambers of commerce.

This is what they tend to be called in the UK. Often they have open evenings where anyone can turn up for a meet n greet, or they have specific presentation meetings. These can be breakfast, lunch or evening. There's a keynote speaker who usualy does 30 minutes to an hour maximum, followed by refreshments and mingling.

Join your local Chamber. There's usually a membership charge but you usually also get the event at a reduced rate and often advance notification of something useful.

2. Find free business organisations

In the UK we have a free government funded resource called Business Link. this gives access to free courses - taxation, marketing, internet marketing, personal development and so on. Link up with any local organisations. They also often have access to grant programmes.Type into your search engine 'free business support' or 'grant programmes' and see what pops up. Yould even make it more specific by including your local area eg 'free business support Montana'.

3. Join specific Womens Networking Groups

This is the bit I really wanted to talk about. Sometimes getting into a room with 50 or 60 people, many of which are men business owners, can be a little daunting. Especially if you are a newbie woman business owner just starting out. Testosterone fuelled jockeying for position isn't evenyone's cup of tea.

But get in a room full of women and you'll be warmed, welcomed and uplifted. Because everyone there knows what it's like to be a woman on their own trying to make a living. Or being a woman in a man's world.

In the UK there are several major 'women only' networking groups. Here are the main ones for the UK:

• Athena - a well established group structure spanning much of the UK. Athena also runs Cappucino Connections, a free meet n greet in a local coffee house.
• Women in Business Network (WIBN) - an emerging group structure currently establishin across South England. Lots of opportunity for groups to develop in the north.
• Women On Top - a group networking structure, often with special evening events
• Ladies Who Latte - a monthly meet and greet at a coffee shop, established by a lady called Sharon Connolly who was concerned that formal networking was pricing out some smaller business owners.

In the USA, I've just come across an organisation called '85 Broads' which is a global organisation of 20,000 and growing. This is for female professionals - they seem to like people who are highly educated, in high powered employment and/or thriving entrepreneurs. I've applied to join - nothing ventured etc!

What can you expect from a networking group?

These groups all tend to follow a similar structure in that they are designated in geographical areas. They tend to have a monthly meeting where you go, share business cards, do mini presentations and have a working lunch. Connections are made and networks expanded.

Most have their own induction and training courses. Group members also offer their own courses to members at reduced rates. Excellent if you wanted to have 'your colours done' (what colours and styles suit you best) anyway, but then get it at 15% off!

Some of the formal groups have a lock-out policy where once they have someone from say 'pet care' in the group no other pet care organisation is allowed to join.

Some also run evening sessions, development courses and events for a separate fee.

All of these have their own websites and directories where you can get a members account and put your profiles up with links to your own websites or business, and contact details. Take advantage of that free opportunity, because people do search these directories.

You can also get free and often paid avertising on some of these sites as a member.

Usually you can have up to two guest visits to a monthly meeting before they ask you to make a commitment. You then pay a monthly fee for the meeting costs/opportunity.

Finding Women in Business groups

I did it using the internet. I simply typed in 'womens business groups' women in business' 'women business organisations' into my search engine and had a look at what popped up. I had a good browse around and found the groups I liked the look of. Then I did a test meeting and found the group I liked.

Women in Business Groups as a Business Opportunity

If there's nothing local to you, why not consider joining one of the groups as a franchisee. Often franchises to start women business networks aren't all that expensive, and the groups can grow really fast.

The one I joined was new and went from about 8 people to about 20 in only a few months.

Going in as a franchisee has advantages that you'll get really excellent support and training from the parent company. That's because their success is your success.

So you can actually start networking and your own business by setting up a networking group. And the income can be pretty good too.

If there's nothing in your area and you don't like the look of any women's networking business you find, you can even start your own. The Ladies Who Latte model is a great one for that. It was simply someone whop thought it would be lovely to network with other like minded women over coffee. Sharon's been running LWL for 3 years now and its grown like topsy. She's now introducing a small annual membership charge.

1. Take advantage of any guest passess before you sign up.
2. Group dymanics are all different, even within the same networking organsation. Check if you like what you feel, see and hear first. If there's more than one group within easy reach go to them all.
3. Take full advantage of membership perks like free ads and classifieds on the networking group website
4. Always make sure your profile is up to date and has a nice photo. People like to see who they are doing business with.
5. Check all the membership terms and conditions before you sign and make sure it's what will fit you
6. Make sure the monthly meetings are at times you can actually go!
7. Always take plenty of business cards and try and change around company literature to make it different each time
8. Be yourself and relax.
9. Take advantage of any franchise opportunity if you're a woman who is also a people person, or
10. Start your own networking group - with a PC and a bunch of friends you never know where it could lead you :)