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Female Entrepreneurs, Get Connected to Get Ahead

Danielle Sonnenberg

There are two main ways to go about it -- in person or online -- but is one method more effective than the other?

Instant Advice

Graphic designer Christina Blenk started WomanOwned.com, a resource for women business owners, 10 years ago when she needed to drum up business for her Web design company.

Blenk, 39, says that WomanOwned.com may not be the most unique networking site, but it's certainly one of the oldest.

What prompted her to create networking space just for women? "I saw men had the golf course; we were really outside that circle. I thought, why not use the Internet to get women to talk to one another and be each other's resources?" says Blenk.

Through WomanOwned.com, female entrepreneurs can easily meet clients, partners or advisers through its message boards, blogs and journals. Accounts are free, with an option to pay an annual fee for a premium membership, which offers additional services such as instant messaging with other members and photos with your business listing.

Gazelle Simmons, owner of Admin Services primarily uses WomanOwned.com to stay in touch with emerging businesses and potential clients. "I've had a free account for the last year. I come in weekly to catch up on all the new members, check on the groups I'm a member of, update any changed information on my profile as well as network with other members who contact me."

Creating a profile takes just a few minutes. I simply listed some key information including my job title, interests and what resources I was looking for. I could then easily search for small-business owners or services based on their industry and location.

One of the biggest benefits of the site is the effortless interactivity. One small business owner posted asking for help when she wasn't paid for her services as a party planner. A quick reply advised her to always have a signed contract in advance of the event, and to keep an attorney on retainer in case of any problems.

And since it's online, all this expert advice is archived and easily searchable on topics such as employee-management systems, marketing tools or how to best upgrade your office, explains Blenk.

WomanOwned.com currently has 5,000 members; Blenk is aiming for 100,000 within the next few years. Female entrepreneur's busy schedules may prevent them from joining, Blenk believes, which shouldn't be the case because the site can help them solve the problems they are spending their time on, she explains.

Another online route is to start your own networking group. New York-based fashion designer Kpoene Kofi-Bruce, 26, founded Ladies Independent Design League in 2003 with just five members, in order to provide resources for women who were serious about getting a design business started but needed assistance.

The league has since grown to about 32 members, several of whom are achieving greater recognition. "One member has a line in Henri Bendel," says Kofi-Bruce.

Face Time

Still, Erin Fuller, executive director of National Association of Women Business Owners, which was established in 1975, says there certainly are advantages to networking in person.

"Some women prefer talking about confidential matters in person rather than on the Internet," Fuller believes. While NAWBO does maintain an online archive, its format is more traditional.

The NAWBO chapter meetings focus on issues impacting women's businesses in that specific location. Here, entrepreneurs meet local decision makers who keep them abreast of issues affecting their businesses, such as taxation and zoning.

Sitting in on one NAWBO workshop, one of the key points emphasized was that the word "networking" should be replaced with "relationship building." Women I spoke to afterward agreed. "I appreciate the face-to-face networking. It's really about building relationships, which takes time. No one is going to immediately give you business because they met you at a function once," says Maureen Borzacchiello, owner of Creative Display Solutions, a trade-show-display company, and NAWBO board member.

However, networking isn't necessarily about getting new business. Often, it's just about getting to know the key people in your industry. Borzacchiello says, "[This type of networking] has increased my exposure within the marketplace, as well as [helped] make some strategic alliances and connections as I am growing my business," says Borzacchiello.

At the same time, though, Borzacchiello also makes use of online resources: she joined a Yahoo! group that connected her with other entrants in Make Mine a Million $ Business, a Web-based new business contest, and also won financing for her business.

However, some women feel that the in person meeting can never be replaced. Gail Trugman-Nikol, owner of New York-based Unique Business Solutions says, "Nothing takes the place of a face-to-face meeting. You can't see the body language of the person you're emailing. While I follow up on my networking conversations via email, I also schedule another face-to-face down the road. Unfortunately, the Internet has taken away some of the opportunity for relationships."

Ultimately, Blenk says, starting a business is not about having the money but rather about having the right contacts -- whether that's in person or online.

"Don't do it alone. It's all about the resources," says Blenk, whose design business is slated to make $750,000 this year. "It's is a very lonely job to own a company," she says, but through networking, "I know that I have people I can turn to when I need them."