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If you’re a small business owner, you probably already know that networking is key to growing your business and expanding your reach. Whether you’re looking for new clients, potential partners, or just some fresh insights, building relationships with other professionals is essential. Here are some practical, easy-to-follow tips on how you can boost your networking game by joining local business groups, attending industry events, and using online communities to your advantage.

Join Local Business Groups

Getting involved with local business groups is one of the best ways to start building a solid network. These groups are filled with people like you—other small business owners who want to grow their businesses and help their communities thrive. By joining, you’re not just networking; you’re getting access to a wealth of shared knowledge, advice, and support.

Look into your local chamber of commerce or nearby business associations. They usually offer regular events like networking breakfasts, workshops, and seminars. These gatherings give you the chance to meet other business owners, exchange ideas, and put your name out there in the local market.

The more you show up, the more familiar you’ll become to others. And don’t just be a wallflower—engage, share your insights, and ask questions. Networking is about building relationships, not just exchanging business cards.

Attend Industry Events

Industry events are another fantastic way to connect with people who could help take your business to the next level. Whether it’s a trade show, conference, or seminar, these events let you stay on top of industry trends while meeting potential clients, collaborators, or mentors.

Before you attend, do a little homework. Check out the event schedule, and make a list of the speakers or attendees you’d like to meet. Have a goal in mind—whether it’s learning something new, finding a potential partner, or just getting your name out there.

Once you’re there, don’t be shy! Strike up conversations, ask for advice, and offer some of your own experiences in return. And here’s a pro tip: always follow up. Whether it’s a quick email or connecting on LinkedIn, a simple “Nice to meet you” can help turn that one-time meeting into a lasting relationship.

Leverage Online Communities

In today’s digital age, online communities can be just as valuable as face-to-face networking. Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook groups, and even niche industry forums give you access to a global network of professionals without ever having to leave your desk.

Start by joining a few LinkedIn groups that focus on your industry. Engage in discussions, share valuable content, and comment on others’ posts. This will help you build your credibility and get noticed by people who may become valuable connections.

Facebook groups are another great resource. Find groups for small business owners or your specific industry, and get involved. The best part? These groups are often super supportive, with members ready to share tips, collaborate, and even send business your way.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, effective networking is all about building genuine relationships. Whether you’re joining local business groups, attending industry events, or diving into online communities, the key is to be authentic and open to collaboration. So go ahead—start making those connections and watch your small business thrive!

In 2024, TikTok continues to solidify its role as a vital platform for small businesses (and not-so-small ones – for example, slots PG Soft operator has bet on TikTok as part of its marketing strategy), despite facing regulatory challenges worldwide. The platform, known for its short-form videos and massive user base, has proven to be a game-changer in the digital marketing landscape, particularly for small businesses looking to increase their income and reach a broader audience. However, as TikTok’s influence grows, so too does scrutiny from governments across the globe, raising questions about the platform’s future and its impact on small business income rates.

TikTok’s Revenue-Generating Power for Small Businesses

Recent data shows that small businesses leveraging TikTok have seen significant increases in revenue. The platform’s unique algorithm, which prioritizes engaging and authentic content, allows even the smallest businesses to achieve viral success and reach millions of potential customers. According to industry reports, small businesses using TikTok have reported an average increase in sales of 25% within the first six months of actively posting on the platform.

TikTok’s integration with e-commerce has also contributed to this growth. Features such as in-app shopping and direct links to online stores have streamlined the customer journey, enabling seamless transitions from viewing a video to making a purchase. This has made TikTok not just a marketing tool but a crucial sales channel for small businesses.

Global Regulatory Challenges and Their Impact

While TikTok’s influence on small business growth is undeniable, the platform is also facing increasing regulatory challenges worldwide. In 2024, several countries, including the United States and India, have introduced or proposed legislation aimed at restricting TikTok’s operations, citing concerns over data privacy and national security. These regulations have the potential to disrupt small businesses that rely heavily on TikTok for marketing and sales.

In the United States, proposed laws could require TikTok to divest from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a ban. Such a move could significantly impact the platform’s accessibility and functionality, leading to potential income losses for small businesses that depend on it. In India, where TikTok was banned in 2020, businesses have had to adapt to alternative platforms, highlighting the risks of relying too heavily on a single social media channel.

The Future of TikTok for Small Businesses

As TikTok navigates these regulatory hurdles, small businesses must remain agile and adaptable. Diversifying digital marketing strategies to include other platforms, such as Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts, may help mitigate risks associated with potential restrictions on TikTok. However, for now, TikTok remains a powerful tool for small businesses, offering unique opportunities for growth and engagement.

Despite the challenges, TikTok’s impact on small business income and visibility cannot be overstated. As the platform evolves, small businesses that stay informed and flexible will likely continue to thrive, capitalizing on the viral potential that TikTok uniquely offers.

About a year ago, actually Thanksgiving week 2023, my wife and I decided to take a road trip to visit friends that live in the Northwest.  Coming from Denver, that is about a 24 hour drive, and I knew I needed something to occupy my time, just so I could stay awake.  I started looking for books on tape.  I am a little particular in the type of books I like to listen to or read…I really only like to read non-fiction about business.  I do not like theory or idea books.  I like to hear real stories of business owners and entrepreneurs who have actually done things, and to learn how they did them.  Some of my favorites include Bruce Halley’s story, written by Michael Rosenbaum, of Discount Tire in Six Tires, no Plan, Anything you Want, by Derek Silvers and the story of starting CD Baby, Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh the founder of Zappos, or Small Giants, a compilation of stories that tells the story of a dozen or so varied businesses and their owners, that decided to focus and stay small to succeed, by Bo Burlingham.

The problem for my trip was, I really couldn’t find anything good, and I really did not want to spend the money to buy something that I might not like.  I knew about podcasts, but had never been able to find anything I liked listening to.  Either the audio quality was crap, or the show content was boring, or the format was that of a pitch-fest.  Then I found Timbo!  Timbo Reid of the Small Business Big Marketing podcast.  I listened to his shows for almost all my awake time on the drive there and back.  I was hooked.  His show was engaging, well produced, funny, and GREAT content.  The trifecta…only with four things, and I have no idea what that is called.

Addiction to Small Business Podcasts

Over the next few months, I worked my way through all of Tim’s shows, and still wanted more.  It was like a drug, but there was no more new content to consume.  So I went looking for more shows.  There are tons of shows in iTunes.  Even tons of shows in the small business or entrepreneur categories, but the reality is, most of them are not very good.  Because of this, I was encouraged to re-launch our show, Small Business Naked, which I feel, and many have confirmed this, has good content, is an engaging podcast, and fun to listen to.  But I still find myself wanting more.

If you are anything like Johnny and me, you find yourself driving around a bunch every day.  As a small business owner, I have a lot of responsibilities, and those responsibilities take me all over the city.   Thirty minutes to drive here, twenty minutes to go there, and every once in a while an hour drive across town.  Where I used to just listen to music, now I fill those times with podcasts, and am constantly looking for new ones.  Podcasting is great, it is easy to get into, you can talk about anything, but because the low barrier to entry, anyone can do it, and does.  Not many will ever have a successful podcast with tons of listeners, but a select few will, because they take the time to put the right energy and effort into it.  It is those podcasts that I want to share with you.

Entrepreneur Podcasts On The Rise!

Entrepreneur podcasts are starting to gain some momentum from some of the big boys starting new podcasts, and I think it is great, but just because someone has a big name, does not mean they have a good podcast.  Some, however are great, and I will share a few of them.  This will by no means be a complete list of the ONLY good podcasts to listen to, but I hope to regularly update this list as I find more and more good quality podcasts.  So here goes, here is my top 10 list of podcasts to listen to if you are a small business owner or entrepreneur, or hope to be someday. I will also be giving them a NAKED Score in the three categories I feel is important: Good in my ears – GimE (sound quality), Make me Laugh – MmL (engagement/entertainment), and Good Shit – GS (content).  I will rate them on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest.   Please check them out if you have not already, and if you have one that you think should be added to the list, please let me know, either by the contact us page, or by emailing me at nick [at] smallbusinessnaked.com

The Starters Club with Erin Smith.

Erin has a few different formats, but mainly interviews entrepreneurs that have a service for small business owners.  She does interview a lot of women business owners as well.  But she interviews people that have good content to bring, and I have learned a lot from her podcasts.

GimE 7/MmL 4/GS 8 NAKED Score: 19

Podcast Answer Man with Cliff Ravenscraf.

Cliff is a machine.  He has several podcasts, and teaches others how to podcast.  Tons of great learnings on this podcast.  They are long however, and I do have to listen to him on 1.5X speed, as he speaks very slowly.  He is a wealth of knowledge, and good to listen to if you are considering podcasting yourself.

GimE 10/MmL 2/GS 8  NAKED Score:  20

Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Poterfield.

This is a newer podcast for me, but I have listened to several.  It is mostly about social media marketing, as Amy is a Facebook guru.  She speaks all over the world and has a very loyal following.  Great podcast to learn how-to’s of social media marketing.

GimE 10/MmL 3/GS 8  NAKED Score: 21

Sales Marketing Profit with James Schramko and Taki Moore.

These guys are awesome.  If you want to learn how to get into coaching or online marketing, they are the go-to-guys to listen to.  This one won’t be for everyone, as they do not really touch on brick and mortar type stuff, but No filler, all Killer is one of their mantras, and it is no lie.  Not much fluff here, but I do laugh a ton while listening.  If there was a podcast I had to slow down the speed, this would be one.  Taki talks at a mile a minute, and there is no stopping him.  Might have to listen to each show two or three times if you can’t take notes.  Great thing is that it is a podcast, so you can listen as many times as you want.

GimE 7/MmL 9/GS 6 NAKED Score:  22

WOW Small Business with Bryan Orr.

Bryan is a guy after my own heart.  He is a co-owner in a home services business, believes in good content, and can cut a joke about himself or two.  I have thoroughly enjoyed several of his guests, and have learned some great stuff.  I always like hearing from folks that have real businesses, so that could be why I connect so well with Bryan and his podcast.

GimE 10/MmL 7/GS 6 NAKED Score:  23

Side Hustle Show with Nick Loper.

This is a unique podcast in the fact that Nick is all about people starting a side business.  Many of the guests he has on the show start side hustles that turn into full time businesses though.  Nick is entertaining, focused on good quality, and is living what he talks about.  Many of the ideas on the show, he has tried himself.

GimE 10/MmL 6/GS 8  NAKED Score:  24

Modernpreneur with Craig Carpenter.

Biggest disappointment on the list, but I like the content so much, it shows up high on my list of best business podcasts.  Craig is no longer producing shows.  I have tried to reach out to him to find out what happened, but have not heard back.  There are only 19 shows, but all are really good.  Some I did not think I would connect with, but wow, good stuff.  The website he created and the graphics for the show images is amazing.  I wish Craig would come out of hibernation and create some more shows.

GimE 10/MmL 6/GS 9 NAKED Score:  25

StartUp with Alex Blumberg.

If you have not heard of this podcast, you live under a bigger rock than I do.  It is great!  Still early days for Alex and Gimlet Media, but they are killing it in iTunes.  Alex started this after a career at NPR and had a huge following from being on This American Life and Planet Money.  They only have 11 episodes, but it is really good.  Very honest content about starting a podcasting business.

GimE 10/MmL 6/GS 10 NAKED Score:  26

Small Business Big Marketing with Timbo Reid.

The small business podcast that got me interested in podcasts.  Tim’s unique in the fact that he is a great marketer, great interviewer, and all around nice guy.  He brings on a wide range of guests from inventors, to entertainers, to publishers, and franchisers.  All with one thing in common:  they are doing something great around marketing their small business.  Timbo will make you laugh, he will motivate you to do better marketing, and will give you an idea or 10 to improve your business.

GimE 10/MmL 9/GS 10 NAKED Score:  29

Small Business NAKED with Nick and Johnny.

Well can you blame me?  I will say that it was a tie for first for the best business podcast.  We love bringing great guests and great content to our listeners each week.  We have lots of laughs, try to get down to what really makes small business owners and entrepreneurs successful, but, we have had a few sound issues along the way, but for the most part, I believe it to be the perfect podcast.  If we only had the time to produce more shows.

GimE 9/MmL 10/GS 10  NAKED Score:  29

If you are a small business owner looking for ideas to help launch or grow your business, check out our weekly podcast Small Business Naked.  Each week, Nick and Johnny bring loads of insight to how they started and grew their business, as well as insights from amazing business founders from all over the world.

You disagree with my ranking of Small Business Podcasts? Have one to add to my list you believe is the Best Business Podcast?

Lots of people have the idea to start a business.  Lots of people would just like to work for themselves.  Many people are stuck in jobs that they hate for fears that are just not real.  For many people, the thought that they are not qualified to be an expert stands in the way of starting.  Maybe you can relate; you would feel like a fraud, or that you just don’t have all the answers.

When I first started my painting business in college, I thought I knew it all.  I had worked for one summer for a college painting company called Triple ‘A’ Student Painters.  They had “hired” me to “manage” an area close to my home town the summer prior.  I was responsible for sales, hiring, training, production, supply management, marketing, and everything in-between.  BUT (and it is a big but), I had gone through training to be prepared for this.  They sent me to painter school for one week over my spring break.  You read that right, ONE WEEK.  I learned it all.  Now I’m a bright guys, but I was in no way prepared to do all the things I needed to do to paint homes for people…but I did it.  By the end of the summer, I had earned about $1500 plus paid off my equipment, and now, I was a professional!

During the first two or three years of starting my small painting businesxs, I had lots of questions.  I did not do a lot of things the right way.  But I learned…constantly.  When I came up to something I had never done before, I would go to the guys at the paint store, and they always had tips and insights for me.  When things took longer than I thought, we just put in more hours.  I can only imagine how many hours were wasted those first few summers.  I had all sorts of guys working for me, and I had no clue how to train and manage them well.  Today, my company has a full on training system that takes someone from a band new employee up to a manager.

The reality is, you WILL make mistakes.  You WILL do things wrong.  However, if you only did things you knew how to do, you would never grow.  I will admit that you should have some level of confidence and ability in what you are doing, but there are a lot of things that you will and should learn along the way.  I may not learn something new every day, but I most likely still learn something new every week.  The trick is to remember it so you don’t have to learn the same lesson twice…but if you are anything like me, you will do that too.

So, the question still remains:  Are you qualified to start your business?  I believe you probably are.  Do you know more than most people about the topic?  Are you willing to study whatever it is to get better at it?  Will you surround yourself with a team of people that will compliment you?  That, is where the magic is.  Hire a team that is smarter than you in different ways.  Don’t surround yourself with people just like you.

Nothing will happen without a little action and forward motion.  Take a step in the right direction.  You might just surprise yourself.

For more ways to grow your business, to hear stories from successful small business owners, and more from Nick May,  listen to the #1 Small Business Podcast from Denver, Colorado, Small Business Naked