Small Business Community: Build It and They Will Come
A small business community is what YOU make of it. It should include a number of the support and/or business groups listed here:
- government agencies, such as
Small Business BC,
or
Small Business Canada,
or if operating out of the United States, then
Small Business USA.
All three of these sites are government-run, and simply examples of how state, provincial, regional and national governments provide support to small business entrepreneurs;
- the
right type of association
(for example, industry and trade associations);
- an
internal committee
(for example, made up of employees and/or business stakeholders, such as suppliers, customers, shareholders);
- a small business advisory group (which can work like a board of directors);
- a small business
network
- which is a peer group either within your industry or outside of it or perhaps this could be a peer exchange group (where your business exchanges information with a peer business in another part of the country - non competing region);
- one or several
business mentors
- choose someone who's done it all before and is willing to share;
- a resources group, website, company and/or databank;
- and, finally, your
employees,
families, friends and associates.
These associates and groups work together for a common purpose: each wanting to improve their own business (or in the case of family and friends, helping you improve your business) through the support and connection with others.A peer group or peer exchange can also be built into a valuable business network. And if these groups don't exist in your industry or line of business, build one. You will be amazed at how eager people are to connect. A home-based business can have additional challenges - it can be hard to meet people, and make a connection, from home. But smart home-business owners
create connections
with others and build their own successful network. In other words, to build a strong business you need to build a strong support structure and a
successful network
around your business; and it must include all stakeholders.
Return from
Small Business Community
to
More-For-Small-Business.

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