5 Easy Ways to Expand Your Network as a Female Entrepreneur
As an emerging female entrepreneur and full-time mama, it might be tempting to do everything on your own. But when it comes to growing a business, you’ll want an entire team in your court. Connecting with other entrepreneurs and professionals in your industry can elevate your professional knowledge and offer you access to new business opportunities.
But how do you build a thriving network of entrepreneurs who share your niche—especially when you’re a work-from-home mom?
Here’s everything you need to know about going from a lonely solopreneur to a well-connected industry professional.
Why Female Entrepreneurs Need a Strong Network
There is an ugly truth in the business world, and the sooner we face it, the sooner we can overcome it. So here it is: women are at a stark disadvantage compared to men regarding entrepreneurial success. We are less likely to receive startup funding, we’re less likely to score angel investors, and people generally have lower expectations when it comes to our ability to achieve great things.
But know this—you are capable of anything you put your mind to. And if we band together, there’s nothing that can keep us down.
With that, here are a few crucial reasons mompreneurs need to band together and focus on building a network.
Networking gets you more business opportunities.
When you have a vast network of people in your industry, you’re more likely to hear about new projects, speaking engagements, and other chances to grow your business.
When you’re working from home or running your business solo, it can be easy to feel like you’re the only one doing what you’re doing. But connecting with other female entrepreneurs can help you feel supported and motivated to keep going.
Networking offers growth opportunities.
There are so many women out there slaying the game in the entrepreneurial universe. Just knowing them and watching them thrive is enough to give you inspiration and ideas for growing your own business.
Reach out to these successful women, and soon enough, you’ll be giving each other feedback, advice, and new perspectives on how to grow your businesses together.
5 Ways to Expand Your Network as a Female Entrepreneur
So now that you know why networking is essential for female entrepreneurs let’s talk about how to do it.
1. Leverage Your Digital Network
One of the best ways to grow your female entrepreneur network is by virtually connecting with women who have already made it. These professionals can provide you with an invaluable wealth of knowledge and insight into how to make your business successful.
You can start by sending a quick email or connecting with them on social media. Once you have their attention, don’t be afraid to ask for advice or request a meeting. The worst they can say is no!
Not sure where to start? Try searching for other successful women in places like:
- Closed Facebook groups for small business owners
- Instagram communities
- Blogging communities
- Local business forums
Virtually connecting with other female entrepreneurs enables women to offer support, advice, or even collaboration opportunities to each other. You can also use social media and digital spaces to promote your business ventures, which can help you attract new customers and clients.
2. Attend events and conferences that are relevant to your industry.
Attending conferences with other professionals is a classic move for meeting other professionals. Check out websites like Meetup.com and Eventbrite to find local events that are relevant to your business. You can also look for national or international conferences that would be worth attending—especially if you have the budget to travel. After earning some experience in your field, you can even apply to become a speaker or host a panel at industry events.
3. Get involved in organizations relevant to your business.
In addition to getting your name and brand out there, joining organizations is an ideal way to meet other female entrepreneurs who can guide your professional journey.
You could start by searching for reputable local organizations in your industry and get acquainted through email. Most organizations will invite you to join after providing some basic information about your services or products. Be prepared to pay dues for some organizations (just be sure to do your research before making any financial commitments).
4. Leverage your existing network.
Next time you’re chatting with a friend or family member, don’t be afraid to mention your business ventures. You never know who she knows and how they could help you grow your network. The best thing about leveraging your existing relationships is that it requires minimal effort on your part—besides mustering up the courage to have a conversation about your business goals.
5. Start your own female entrepreneur group.
If you’re struggling to find an organization that’s the right fit, it might be time to start one of your own! You can use online tools like Meetup and Facebook to create a group for female entrepreneurs in your area. Once you have a few members, you can start planning events and get-togethers.
Now that you have a few ideas for getting started, it’s time to start growing your female entrepreneur network. Just remember that the key to networking is consistency and follow-through. The more effort you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it.
If you dream of building your first business but aren’t sure what steps to take, the Dream Biz Beginner Membership was made for you. In addition to receiving your very own copy of our best-selling guide The Playbook: Guide to Following Your Dreams, your membership includes a curated toolkit of resources to help you launch into action.
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