Success in business has a lot to do with who you know. Building relationships and partnerships with the right people is critical to the growth and success of your small business.
It’s no secret that success in business has a lot to do with who you know. Relationships and partnerships with the right people are critical to growing your customer base and making your business succeed.
Despite the undisputed importance of networking, many small business owners have no idea where to start. Whether you've formed your own LLC or are looking to pave your way as a business consultant, once you have decided to make building strategic relationships a priority, a great place to begin is with business groups made for that purpose.
Here are ten of the top small business groups for networking.
To form business connections within your community, the best place to start is often your local chamber of commerce.
The quality and involvement of chamber organizations can vary from city to city, but most of them provide foundational training, professional development, and resources for local small business owners.
Along with networking opportunities, many chambers of commerce bring in guest speakers and provide mentoring opportunities at affordable rates for new business owners. Contact your area’s chamber of commerce for more information.
For more than 50 years, this nonprofit business association has provided opportunities for small business owners to gain critical skills, grow their networks, and achieve their business goals.
SCORE calls itself the largest network of free volunteer small business mentors in the nation. It offers free online learning opportunities and a platform where small business owners and mentors can connect.
Because SCORE is supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration, as well as corporate donations, it is one of the most affordable avenues to grow your business network.
Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) calls itself the only peer-to-peer network exclusively for entrepreneurs.
Through mentor relationships, online networks, and global networking events, it has cultivated a community of more than 15,600 business owners around the world who share knowledge and build their business networks through EO’s various programs.
