When you are a business owner, you never walk alone because many entrepreneurs are in your area. All you have to do is connect to find more opportunities. Connections help you find more business partners and give more information about potential markets. 

How can you do that easily? This article will help you expand your entrepreneurial networ¥t†k in the local region.

Before thinking about statewide and nationwide connections, options in the area are easy to approach because of the short distance and the shared experience. Linking up with these nearby people saves you time, and you don’t have to be active on social media to find connections. Most importantly, you can find many like-minded individuals helping you solve problems they faced previously. There are three useful ways to find those people including:

Joining Business Clubs

It is simple as that; however, you should choose legit clubs composed of ambitious entrepreneurs and business specialists. In particular, you can visit the city or county’s website to find these groups or go to local offices to ask for more information (of course, you must follow COVID-19 protocol). For example, there are clubs in New York, Los Angeles, Houston, and other areas to make connections.

With several clubs in mind, choose ones with specific entrepreneurial networks in your field or industry. Look for information about future events, seminars, and casual meetings. One thing to remember is that not all people in these clubs are entrepreneurs, and they might be financial specialists or other professional positions.

But, that mix of members can also benefit you because they may lend their expertise. For instance, if you aren’t sure about the buy-out agreement or other related issues of your succession plan, try making friends with people in the financial sector. 

LinkedIn is a useful website to build up contacts among media tools because you can view local entrepreneurs’ profiles and see what they did. They also post information about many business events and groups in your area.

Using a Coworking Space

A coworking space is a place in which employees from different companies share a workspace every day. It includes not only entrepreneurs but also professionals. From senior accountants to experienced marketers, a coworking space helps you meet various people who might be your potential business partners or great employees.

According to a detailed study, coworking spaces boost social connection and collaboration for entrepreneurs. Many entrepreneurs are interested in connecting with like-minded people who run their businesses in a coworking space.

Don’t be disappointed if you don’t connect with people immediately when you join a coworking space. Employees in the coworking space are the mutual connections for you to know their bosses, who might be the potential partners for your business. Therefore, being sociable in a coworking space is the best way to expand your entrepreneurial network.

Building an Entrepreneurial Network by Yourself

You are super busy creating and developing your company, and we know that. Therefore, you don’t have to make connections with other entrepreneurs hurriedly. All you need to do is build up contacts step by step. The key part is starting locally with other entrepreneurs and develop these connections for years. Here are essential steps to do:  

Firstly, ask yourself what specific field your business belongs to. We want to focus on the word “specific.” For example, answering “my company is a Mexican restaurant” is still general. Saying “my company is a local Mexican restaurant serving fast food” is specific.

Secondly, find those on the list who might have the same mission and spend more time connecting with them. These people are entrepreneurs or other professionals you are looking for. You might encounter former company owners who can give you invaluable lessons they spend decades learning. 

Finally, create an entrepreneurial network by introducing those contacts to each other. Another option is arranging a casual meeting and inviting them all. You might ask, “Why a casual meeting?” The answer is that you should create a friendly environment at the beginning. Imagine asking someone about financial insurance in the first hangout. It doesn’t sound natural to make friends, so remember to go step by step.

This entrepreneurial network motivates its members to recommend more like-minded people who might join the group and become your business partners. 

Besides the experience of coaching CEOs, the Aspire360 team specializes in helping entrepreneurs create business connections with many partners.