Creating a Network of Success: Community-Oriented Resources for Entrepreneurs
Starting your own business is a thrilling experience. For many entrepreneurs, it’s a dream come true — but no one can deny that the journey is also a challenging one. Being an entrepreneur often comes with a rollercoaster of emotions that many first-time founders never anticipate. These highs and lows can often feel overwhelming and isolating, especially if you don’t have a network of like-minded peers with whom to share these experiences and emotions. Whether you are a solo founder or have a supportive co-founder, the need for community is paramount to your success and your well-being.
Networking and building your community may feel like another overwhelming task on your endless “to-do” list, but there are resources available that make the process easier and more accessible. With the influx of social media groups, in-person events, and programs for entrepreneurs, there are many ways to begin. Choose the route that feels best for you, depending on your level of comfort and how you see yourself engaging with your community. Here are some of our favorite community-oriented resources geared toward small business owners to get you started on this journey. Remember: you can do anything, but you don’t have to do it all alone.
Elevate by Grameen America
If you are looking for a program that offers it all — loan capital, business development training, community, and asset- and credit-building tools — consider Elevate by Grameen America. Elevate by Grameen America offers affordable loan capital, a peer network of support, business development resources, asset-building, and credit development tools to impact and improve emerging businesswomen’s income, credit scores, and personal savings. Strengthening financial inclusion for all women significantly improves income opportunities and job creation, in turn bringing economic mobility to families and entire communities.
Opening financial doors for all unlocks opportunities for higher incomes and job creation, paving the way for wealth generation across families and communities. The program currently supports businesswomen in New York, NY, Newark, NJ, Memphis, TN, and Atlanta, GA with plans to expand nationally over the next decade. Learn more about our program here.
BrainTrust Founders Studio
If you are a woman founder in the beauty industry, BrainTrust Founders Studio offers access to the largest membership-based platform dedicated to founders of beauty and wellness companies. This community is creating a global movement that’s reimagining the future of entrepreneurship by empowering diverse founders to start, grow, and accelerate profitable businesses — through community, mentorship, education, and capital. Started by Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, BrainTrust Founders Studio is all about seeing women win. They offer access to a supportive network of entrepreneurs, as well as meetups, monthly virtual coffee chats, and webinars featuring industry leaders and influencers.
Visible Hands Fellowship Programs
As the organization states on its website: “It’s not a pipeline problem; it’s a resource problem.” Visible Hands focuses on the earliest stages of company building, where access to capital, resources, and connections are the biggest barriers for underrepresented founders. Among their many programs, VHNYC is a 10-week Founder Fellowship for early-stage, underrepresented founders building high-growth, tech and tech-enabled businesses. Through this hybrid program, you can join an exceptional cohort of 15 overlooked founders based in New York City. Along with a $10,000 business grant, fellows attend hands-on workshops and join a vibrant and uplifting in-person community that will unlock hybrid opportunities to connect digitally and meet IRL across the five boroughs.
Facebook and LinkedIn Groups
Social media can be a mixed bag, but one of its greatest advantages is the ability to connect with like-minded people. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow, joining online groups tailored to your industry, interests, or passions can open the door to valuable insights, resources, and relationships.
Platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn make it easy to find these communities—often just a quick search away. You’ll discover dozens of groups dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs like you or others in your community. From sharing advice and success stories to offering mentorship and business tips, these spaces can be powerful tools for growth.
Local Community Meetups
If you enjoy engaging in person, reach out to your local libraries, community centers, business centers, and universities and colleges to see if they offer networking and community events for local entrepreneurs.
Can’t find anything locally? Start your own meetups! Put the word out in your community that you are eager to build a network of like-minded entrepreneurs and see who answers the call. The Nextdoor app is a great place to begin your local outreach. Sometimes the network you are looking for is right down the street.
No matter how you intend to build your community: you’ve got this!