LinkedIn Groups
If you want to connect with other small business owners like yourself on LinkedIn, joining a LinkedIn group provides connections and resources, but there are so many of them that it can be hard to select one. These groups are a little different from typical message boards, but they offer opportunities to find answers, get advice and network.
Each group runs and operates autonomously – some are open to anyone and others are membership only and you need to be accepted by the group manager. A few popular groups are Small Business Marketing Network and Bright Ideas & Entrepreneurs.
Bright Ideas and Entrepreneurs is a popular group with many members, including small business owners, startup founders, angel investors and more. You can get some amazing business insights and share ideas.
Personalities
Sometimes you just want leading information and resources for small businesses delivered from a friend (or a small business champion). The people listed below are a few of the best to follow if you want to stay current on small business news, ideas, and trends.
1. Barbara Weltman
Barbara Weltman has been an advocate, public speaker, and resource for small business news since the release of her first book, “K. Lasser’s Tax Deductions for Small Business,” in 1995. Since then she has run her website, her “Big Ideas for Small Business newsletter,” and her blog, not to mention written over a dozen books. Weltman is on this list twice because for many business owners, it is easier to scroll through her Twitter feed for trending topics and news events than search her website. However, if you don’t take a minute to read her blog—you’re missing out.
2. Melinda Emerson
Known as the SmallBizLady, Melinda Emerson created #SmallBizChat, the longest-running small business live chat on Twitter. Small business owners tweet their questions or thoughts on current events from all over the world with #SmallBizChat. She’s also a regular columnist for The New York Times and also writes for The Wall Street Journal and MSNBC. Like Barbara Weltman, she shows up on this list twice because not only does she run a boss Twitter account, but also her website and blog are top notch.
3. Dharmesh Shah
Co-founder of Hubspot, Dharmesh Shah also founded the blog, OnStartups.com, which has over 350,000 members in its community. He has invested in over 40 startups and has co-written both “Inbound Marketing: Get Found Using Google, Social Media, and Blogs,” and “Inbound Marketing: Attract, Engage, and Delight Customers Online.” Visit the OnStartups.com blog for small business news, features resources, readings lists, and a question and answer forum.
4. Jill Konrath
Known for her fresh insight into sales strategies, Jill Konrath is also the author of “AGILE Selling and SNAP Selling.” She regularly writes thought-provoking tweets on current events and shares articles from numerous sources. Her blog is a great place to get started to learn the ins and outs of sales.
5. Gene Marks
Columnist and small business owner, Gene Marks, writes regularly on his blog and for the Washington Post, Forbes, Inc Magazine, and Entrepreneur. His Twitter feed regularly shares his articles, business tips, and news; he’s also the author of “Streetwise Small Business Book of Lists” and “The Manufacturer’s Book of Lists.”
6. Amanda Miller LittleJohn
Founder of Mopwater Social PR firm in Washington, D.C., Amanda Miller Littlejohn is nationally recognized as a PR expert. Follow her on Twitter or check out her blog for the latest developments in the PR and social media world. Plus: regular podcasts and events to learn more from the master herself.
7. Women On Business
The Women On Business news site was established in 2007, and since then (with the addition of their Twitter account) has been delivering useful information that women need to be successful in the business world. Their tweets are all about sharing thought-provoking articles and ideas, like how to say no and delegating work.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should business owners check these blogs?
There’s no right answer as to how often business owners should read blogs. They can help your business, but you likely can’t spend significant time reading them everyday. That’s why we narrowed the list down to a few of the best blogs.
How dependable is the information in these blogs?
We do our best to select verifiable resources when publishing posts. Therefore, you can be assured that the resources are authentic and authoritative. However, we have no control over any of the blogs except for Fora Financial. We do ensure that our posts are fact-checked and edited prior to publishing.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Post by: Fora Financial
Fora Financial is a working capital provider to small business owners nationwide. In addition, the Fora Financial team provides educational information to the small business community through their blog, which covers topics such as business financing, marketing, technology, and much more. If you’d like to see a topic covered on the Fora Financial blog, or want to submit a guest post, please email us at [email protected] .
Sources:
https://ioufinancial.com/7-top-online-communities-for-small-businesses/
https://www.fundera.com/blog/small-business-news
https://www.forafinancial.com/blog/small-business/best-small-business-blogs/