As an entrepreneur, you know the journey of building and growing a business is both exhilarating and challenging. One key element to your success? Networking. It’s not just about swapping business cards or adding contacts on LinkedIn; it’s about building a supportive community that fuels your growth and innovation.
Online networking groups have emerged as fun, yet invaluable, resources for entrepreneurs seeking to connect, collaborate, and learn from peers across the globe. Whether you’re a seasoned business owner or just starting, these communities offer plenty of opportunities – from finding a mentor to discovering new strategies, and even forming partnerships that could change the course of your business.
But with so many groups out there, how do you find the ones that truly align with your needs and values? I’ve scoured the internet and handpicked several online networking communities that stand out for the quality, engagement, and value they bring to their members.
12 Best Online Networking Groups for Entrepreneurs
Young Entrepreneur Council
YEC’s prestigious community of entrepreneurs is dedicated to building exceptional teams and cultures, pioneering new innovations, and enacting positive change. We use our knowledge and success to not only elevate our collective but to serve our communities.
YEC is comprised of impactful founders, co-founders, owners, and co-owners of the entrepreneurial community who are under 45 years of age and generate a minimum of $1M in revenue.
Indie Hackers
Indie Hackers is a place where the founders of profitable businesses and side projects can share their stories transparently, and where entrepreneurs can come to read and learn from those examples.
It’s also a community where individual “indie hackers” come together to share their experiences, give and receive feedback, and rely on each other for support.
Freelancers Union (Spark)
Freelancers Union is a non-profit organization serving as a support system for independents through advocacy, education, and services. SPARK, their community, is the voice of the local freelancer! Bringing the diverse and disparate population of freelancers together—creating community—is at the base of all they do.
Through their SPARK chapters, freelancers can support one another through the exchange of knowledge, networks, and encouragement. Your SPARK group, both online and in-person, should feel similarly empowered to share resources, job opportunities, and experience.
Women Business Collaborative
Joining the WBC Community on Networked provides members with unique networking opportunities among a diverse group of over 300 senior professionals from various industries, along with exclusive access to reports, events, and WBC content. It’s a platform that not only facilitates the sharing of resources, information, and advocacy for women’s equality in business but also ensures a safe and secure environment for meaningful engagement and relationship building.
Smart Passive Income Pro
Inside SPI Pro, entrepreneurs looking to elevate their businesses will find a community designed to meet their specific needs, drawing on experiences from those who have navigated similar paths. The platform revolves around three core pillars: facilitating connections and growth through a supportive network of entrepreneurs and tailored mastermind groups, offering exclusive learning opportunities with business growth events and comprehensive access to SPI’s business courses and workshops, and providing direct support from Team SPI through expert-led AMAs and webinars.
Launch Lab Online
Launch Lab Online is an entrepreneurship education platform for active duty military, Veterans, and military spouses who want to start their own businesses and jumpstart the next chapter in their life.
Launch Lab Online provides a gamified, interactive way to learn fundamentals of entrepreneurship—such as how to validate a business idea and find product-market fit— from anywhere in the world, on your time, at your own pace.
Proof to Product Labs
Inside LABS, product-based business owners are immersed in an environment offering live trainings, community events, and coaching opportunities. This program provides comprehensive access to an extensive library of on-demand resources, including years of exclusive business training, practical templates for immediate application, recommendations for reliable vendors, and a structured success path tailored to individual business needs. LABS focuses on delivering practical, actionable advice and fostering a supportive community.
The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE)
The NASE offers entrepreneurs and small business owners a wide range of resources and tools to help you run your business successfully. Members are automatically e-mailed every issue of the NASE’s monthly e-newsletter, SelfInformed. Members can access even more articles and resources online through the NASE’s Learning Center. NASE Members also have unlimited access to the NASE consultants to ask tax, finance, retirement and/or operations questions.
The Networking Group
The Networking Group (TNG) is a national, vetted community of high-caliber entrepreneurs and business professionals dedicated to growth through introductions, referrals, and thought leadership. This dynamic organization offers engaging and energetic virtual events, alongside strategically structured opportunities aimed at helping its members and guests thrive. TNG cultivates a relationship-based environment of like-minded individuals who value mutual respect and support, emphasizing a collaborative culture centered on learning, education, and a strong ethos of giving and helping both professionally and personally.
Mixermind
The MixerMind is a virtual community where you can cozy up with other ambitious entrepreneurs, book top-rated podcasts, and recommend your services. This community has proven to be a goldmine for discovering exceptional guests for various projects and fostering robust partnerships that bring excitement and anticipation for future endeavors. Members appreciate the insightful ideas, practical follow-up strategies, and the opportunity to ask further questions, all within a supportive and reliable network.
Bumble Bizz
Bumble Bizz has been designed to redefine the way professionals network, recognizing that most people find their next job through their network. It offers a platform for professionals to connect, share, and learn from each other in a comfortable environment. The focus of Bumble Bizz is to facilitate networking in a way that feels natural and easy, allowing users to make significant connections at their own pace and on their own terms, thereby removing the traditional discomfort often associated with networking.
