Female Entrepreneurs, Get Connected to Get Ahead

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.

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