Nine valuable online resources for women entrepreneurs

Great business people are single-minded, resolute and driven. They are also well-informed, always looking to educate themselves, and constantly searching for new opportunities.

So it’s handy to have a cheat sheet of online resources you can go to that can help you do those exact things!

The below list of resources is far from exhaustive (and I will add to it in time) but it is a good starting point for women entrepreneurs and business owners who want to stay up-to-date, learn new things and grow their businesses.

Stay informed

The Broadsheet

This daily email newsletter is part of Fortune magazine and it focuses exclusively on women in business and politics. It is US-based, but it covers a range of very interesting news and views on issues and topics of relevance to women entrepreneurs and women in business globally.

SmartCompany

If you’re reading this, you probably already know SmartCompany is a brilliant resource for Australian entrepreneurs and business owners. As well as reading fab regular columns by the likes of me, it’s an invaluable source of news and information on what’s going on in the broader business community too. It pays to stay informed about the business landscape.

Women’s Agenda

Similar to The Broadsheet but with an in-depth focus on Australian business, politics and culture, Women’s Agenda is a trailblazer and agenda-setter for news about women in Australia. Low on fluff and high on substance, Women’s Agenda does a great job chronicling and discussing what it means to be a professional woman today. It’s also worth reading to get a handle on this country’s women movers and shakers.

Learn valuable stuff

Think with Google

The Think with Google website is targeted at marketing professionals but so much of it is totally relevant to anyone who is even remotely involved in running a business online. It has brilliant and instructive articles and videos on topics such as consumer trends and behaviour, as well as emerging tech trends and plenty more. It makes for great inspiration for your business strategies and ideas.

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn has become far more than just a place to put your CV online and network. As well as being a publishing platform, it has also branched out into providing online courses in the business, tech and creative arenas. LinkedIn Learning provides a massive number of short online courses that have been prepared and designed by industry experts. Thinking about publishing an ebook? Need to learn the basics of bookkeeping and accounts? You’ll find it all here.

Facebook Business

For better or worse, it is close to impossible for the majority of businesses, especially consumer-facing ones, to conduct business without a Facebook or Instagram presence. You absolutely have to be on social to be in the game. It’s vital for almost all business owners to have at least a basic grasp on how to use Facebook for business and this site provides a lot of great tips, hints and tutorials on navigating the world’s most popular social media platform.

Grow your business

WeConnect

WEConnect International is a global network that connects women-owned businesses to qualified buyers around the world. It certifies women’s business enterprises based outside of the US that are at least 51% owned, as well as managed and controlled by one or more women, and then connects them with multinational corporate buyers. It’s a great resource for businesses looking to grow beyond Australia’s shores.

Landing Pads

Administered by Austrade, Landing Pads provide market-ready Australian startups with access to some of the world’s most renowned startup hubs including San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Shanghai, Berlin and Singapore. You have to apply and satisfy some stringent criteria to get into the program, including proving your business’s vision, scalability, traction, differentiation and market relevance.

Australian government’s business grants programs

If you’re starting up a business or already operating, this is the first place you should go to find out about what grants you and your business might be eligible for from the Australian government. Simply plug in your postcode, what industry you’re in, and select the reasons why you might want a grant for your business. Hit enter and away you go.

NOW READ: A talk-show host, a musician and a philanthropist: How these three women built their powerful tribes

NOW READ: A state-by-state guide to all the government grants available for your small business