If you’re a woman starting or expanding a business, getting advice and insight from other women entrepreneurs can be hugely valuable.

 

“When a woman entrepreneur starts out, they want to make connections,” says business consultant Terri Levine, founder of Heart-repreneur and author of Turbocharge Your Business for Women Entrepreneurs. “Networking is the way to do that.”

 

These groups and other resources can provide you with a sounding board and connections to improve your odds of success.

 

With so many online groups and resources out there, how do you know which ones are right for you? We’ve taken a deep dive. Here are some—all of them free—that are worth checking out:

 

1. Lunchclub

Lunchclub, Levine’s favorite networking site, uses artificial intelligence to identify appropriate matches and then sets up a one-on-one video meeting where you can brainstorm ideas. The self-described AI “superconnector” has been hyped by Silicon Valley stalwarts like Andreessen Horowitz partner Andrew Chen, who likens professional networking to “having a superpower.”

 

2. The Product Boss

Co-founders Jacqueline Snyder and Minna Khounlo-Sithep, who headline The Product Boss podcast, have built a strong online community of predominantly female entrepreneurs and small business owners who lean on each other for advice and emotional support. Their private Facebook group, with thousands of members, tackles topics like best ways to drive sales in certain regions, revenue stream diversification, and how to scale a homemade-goods business.

 

3. Ignite Hustle Squad

Former Fortune 500 marketing executive-turned-business coach Julie Ciardi has built an entire brand to support women entrepreneurs. Ignite Hustle Squad is her weekly training forum on Facebook to help business owners scale their businesses to six figures and beyond. It’s also a space where members can share frustrations and goals.

 

4. SCORE for Women Entrepreneurs

SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer expert mentors for entrepreneurs and small business owners, has a website designed especially for women that offers resources, tools and confidential business advice. There are webinars, infographics and blogs on topics such as winning federal contracts, getting certified as a minority-owned business, and women-owned startups in rural America.

 

5. Women in Marketing

This online networking group caters to women who work in the marketing field, as well as women business owners who are trying to figure out the best way to do-it-yourself when it comes to marketing their brand. There are also opportunities to hire and get hired within the group. Interested in using TikTok to reach a different audience? There’s likely an expert in the forum, which resides primarily on Facebook with more than 27,000 followers.

 

The group, which features expert guests and Q&A sessions, has offshoot communities on Instagram, LinkedIn and Clubhouse.

 

6. Women Entrepreneurs at Meetup

Meetup, a leading social media platform dedicated to connecting people in person or online through videoconferencing, has a niche networking site that connects like-minded women entrepreneurs with peers in their own geographic region. The largest U.S.-based group of Meetup’s female entrepreneurs, with almost 24,000 members, is Silicon Valley Startup: Idea to IPO. Participants are welcome to join an existing group or start their own.

 

7. She Leads Media

Entrepreneur Adrienne Garland, who teaches master’s-level courses in entrepreneurship and new venture creation, heads She Leads Media, a private online community of women entrepreneurs seeking to launch and grow their businesses. A recent series of weekly networking sessions highlighted the professional and personal challenges facing small business owners as a result of the pandemic.

 

8. SHeCOMMERCE

A digital resource and online community for online store owners, SHeCOMMERCE is all about elevating ecommerce through downloadable templates, blogs and tutorials. The goal? The financial freedom that can come with a scaled-up and successful business. There are over 100 free resources on the site, including a DIY photo shoot guide and blog posts on the types of retail emails that drive traffic, how to avoid common Shopify mistakes, and tips on writing better product descriptions.

 

Starting a business can be a time-consuming process—and you may feel like you’re going it alone. These groups and other resources can provide you with a sounding board and connections to improve your odds of success.

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