Friends in Need
Now you can find start-up support without ever leaving your computer.
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When Lilia Phleger Benjamin decided to start her own PR
business, the digitElle Group, in 2000, she wanted to find mentors
but was short on time. So instead of heading out the door to
networking events, the Encinitas, California, entrepreneur logged
on to the Internet, searching for online support groups. "It was the best and fastest way to network," says
Phleger Benjamin. "I found it was just as effective and more
convenient than [offline groups]." E-mail discussion lists
helped her get in touch with experienced and knowledgeable
professionals, and online groups such as WebSanDiego.org helped
Phleger Benjamin learn more about her industry. To find your own online support network, John Reddish, who
mentors start-ups as the founder of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania,
consulting firm Advent Management International Ltd., suggests
checking with national trade and industry associations;
small-business networks accessible through SBDCs, TEC and others;
and chat and message boards on business publications' Web
sites. Content Continues Below
To make sure a certain online support group is really worth your
time and effort, Reddish advises looking for:
- Confidentiality: a sense of
trust in the group
- Resonance: Members willing
to build relationships
- Parity: Members sharing
common bonds and a simliar level of business maturity
- Size: No more than 15
members, the number at which group effectiveness seems to top
out
- Ground rules: Rules for
frequency and accountability
How will you know you've found the best online support group
that suits your needs? "Trial and error," says Reddish.
"Keep talking to others even when in a group, as the group
dynamic may fizzle. And remember, you may grow at a different rate
than others in the group, and you may have to find another
[one]." Phleger Benjamin enjoyed the online support experience
so much that she and five other women started Techniquelle
(www.techniquelle. com) to unite women in art and
technology. "It's fun," says Benjamin, 37, who runs
the 130-member organization with one of the original
co-founders.
Originally published in the issue of Entrepreneur's StartUps
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