| Despite a struggling economy these last few years, | | | | Anyone who's built a successful business on the |
| business on the Internet has grown significantly. | | | | Internet will tell you not to work in isolation. Bassett |
| According to the Pew Internet & American Life | | | | notes, "In this business you're working from home, |
| Project, a non-profit research center that studies the | | | | so you can be very isolated. That's why networking |
| social effects of the Internet on Americans, between | | | | with other women is important to me. Also, things |
| 2000 and 2002 (the latest data available), there was | | | | change so quickly on the net. I network with others |
| a 63% increase in online shopping. In fact, the | | | | and go to offline events because it helps me keep |
| number of Americans who made purchases on a | | | | focused and on track."You can learn a lot reading |
| typical day online doubled during this period from 3 | | | | books, listening to audio programs and attending |
| million to 6 million per day. This helps explain why | | | | online and telephone trainings offered by successful |
| every woman I spoke to recently about the potential | | | | marketers. But, without a doubt, the best investment |
| for business success on the Internet expressed a | | | | you can make before (or after) you start your |
| firm belief that wide-ranging possibilities for success | | | | business is to attend a workshop or seminar, live and |
| exist for anyone who truly puts her mind to it.All | | | | in-person. Nothing beats the live experience because |
| agreed, too, that the Internet offers the simplest, | | | | it's absorbed and retained on a much deeper level. |
| least expensive option for starting and running a | | | | Also, the connections you make with, both, the |
| business today. The reason is most logistical and | | | | attendees and presenters at live events are |
| overhead issues related to brick-and-mortar stores | | | | invaluable. They can, and do, lead to new business |
| are eliminated when you do business in cyberspace. | | | | ideas, joint ventures, mentor-protégé |
| Plus there are many powerful and affordable tools | | | | and teacher-student relationships. The short- and |
| and resources to help you start and run your | | | | long-term benefits that result can influence your |
| business with just a few clicks of your | | | | success tremendously.If you're a woman who is |
| mouse.Women Who Know How to Work It | | | | thinking of starting an online business, an online |
| Debbie Schnaidman of Hackensack, New Jersey | | | | business workshop will be held in Denver, Colorado, |
| started in 2003. To Schnaidman, "This is the best | | | | this September 10-12. The Women's Web Workshop |
| time to start an online business. For one thing, it | | | | (W3) is being sponsored and produced by the |
| doesn't require thousands of dollars to start. I use | | | | Women's Internet Association, along with W3 is a |
| Yahoo hosting, which provides a shopping cart as well | | | | first-of-its-kind event, organized by women, for |
| as hosting. And you get so much help from other | | | | women. The three-day program will feature live, |
| people and companies."Internet Strategist Jamila | | | | interactive trainings by ten women who have built |
| White of Bowie, Maryland (jamilawhite.com) recalls | | | | highly successful web-based businesses. Attendees |
| when she started her first Internet-based business in | | | | will be taken through the steps of choosing, planning, |
| 1996: "At that time there were no shopping cart | | | | launching and running an Internet business. Among the |
| programs or ready-to-use online stores like there are | | | | list of Internet Marketing standouts are "Tech |
| today. I was cutting and pasting customer | | | | Tamer" Jeanette Cates, Loral Langemeier, finance |
| information from my database into Word documents | | | | coach and founder of LiveOutLoud.com, "Marketing |
| to create invoices! I also had to manually transfer | | | | Maven" Denise Michaels and W3 organizer, Barbara |
| information written in my UPS Log Book to my | | | | Drazga In addition to the daily sessions, participants |
| computer files. That left lots of room for errors to | | | | will have multiple opportunities to interact with the |
| occur. So, from a logistical standpoint, it's so much | | | | trainers over lunches and dinners. You can get full |
| easier today. [Even] the carriers who deliver the | | | | details by visiting the W3 web site at Schnaidman, |
| goods are now enthusiastic about helping [you], | | | | White, Bassett and Carr started their online |
| because they've benefited so much from the growth | | | | businesses, there were no such workshops to show |
| in online business."Aside from low cost and simplicity, | | | | them how. Says Schnaidman, "I was no computer |
| Rosemary Carr, of Orlando, Florida likes the profit | | | | wiz when I started. The majority of what I know |
| potential and the convenience of the Internet. Says | | | | now came from trial and error. If there had been |
| Carr-who runs an online real estate investment | | | | something like the Women's Web Workshop when I |
| company-"There is no cap on earnings or on time | | | | first started, absolutely, I would have attended." Carr |
| involved. You can do the amount of business you | | | | agrees, "For those just starting out, it's especially |
| want to-a little or a lot-and you don't have to retire! | | | | important. But even if you have experience, you can |
| I'm almost 63 years old and having the time of my | | | | get discouraged. You can sit there and tell yourself to |
| life!" Carr was in Real Estate for over 25 years | | | | keep going. Or you can find a supportive friend to |
| before she began marketing her services online via | | | | talk to." Which is a big bonus you can take home |
| Helen Bassett, of Tasmania, Australia launched that | | | | from a group event. You meet people with whom |
| country's second web site back in the early 1990s. | | | | you share a common interest, and who face similar |
| After attending a workshop in Sydney last year, she | | | | challenges, to yours. Who knows? You could meet a |
| launched b2bwomen.com, an online women's network. | | | | perfect joint venture partner. Or, maybe make a |
| Says Bassett, "Doing business on the Internet is | | | | lifelong friend?Liz Wagner attended an Internet |
| perfect for women because you can work right out | | | | Marketing conference recently, and hasn't been the |
| of your kitchen. It gives women a lot of | | | | same since. Email: . |
| flexibility."Stay Connected | | | | |