Female Entrepreneurs, Get Connected to Get Ahead

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."