There's a sneaky disease that strikes the best of homebased
entrepreneurs: loneliness. It sounds almost trivial compared to
cash-flow or customer-service concerns-that is, until you catch
yourself staring out the window, fantasizing about hanging out by
those long-lost water coolers and kvetching with colleagues.
Chatting on the Web is certainly one solution to this dilemma, but
less time-consuming are e-mail discussion lists.
Delivered conveniently to your e-mail inbox, discussion lists
provide a new network of colleagues, prospects, advisors, partners
and friends. "You can still `rub shoulders' with your
colleagues, but with e-mail discussion groups, you're doing it
virtually," explains Doug Hudiburg, 33, who started an e-mail
discussion group when he needed to find freelance professionals for
Flatiron
Resource Group, his Louisville, Colorado, virtual
team-management company that assembles freelance teams to help
clients with marketing projects. "The groups can help you get
immediate answers to questions, find other homebased entrepreneurs
to collaborate with, market your services or products and keep
current with what's happening in your industry."
To find a list to join, search Yahoo! Groups or
Listserv. If you can't find a suitable list,
create your own-for free-at Yahoo! Groups. "Building a strong
e-mail community is about adding value," advises Hudiburg, who
spends two to three hours per week on his list. "If you see
your [list] as providing a service, [your list] community will grow
and prosper."
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