Opportunity Knocks on the Worldwide Web

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 Lifenotes, "In this business you're working from home,
Project, a non-profit research center that studies theso you can be very isolated. That's why networking
social effects of the Internet on Americans, betweenwith other women is important to me. Also, things
2000 and 2002 (the latest data available), there waschange so quickly on the net. I network with others
a 63% increase in online shopping. In fact, theand go to offline events because it helps me keep
number of Americans who made purchases on afocused and on track."You can learn a lot reading
typical day online doubled during this period from 3books, listening to audio programs and attending
million to 6 million per day. This helps explain whyonline and telephone trainings offered by successful
every woman I spoke to recently about the potentialmarketers. But, without a doubt, the best investment
for business success on the Internet expressed ayou can make before (or after) you start your
firm belief that wide-ranging possibilities for successbusiness is to attend a workshop or seminar, live and
exist for anyone who truly puts her mind to it.Allin-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 aAlso, the connections you make with, both, the
business today. The reason is most logistical andattendees and presenters at live events are
overhead issues related to brick-and-mortar storesinvaluable. 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 toolsand teacher-student relationships. The short- and
and resources to help you start and run yourlong-term benefits that result can influence your
business with just a few clicks of yoursuccess tremendously.If you're a woman who is
mouse.Women Who Know How to Work Itthinking of starting an online business, an online
Debbie Schnaidman of Hackensack, New Jerseybusiness workshop will be held in Denver, Colorado,
started in 2003. To Schnaidman, "This is the bestthis 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 useWomen's Internet Association, along with W3 is a
Yahoo hosting, which provides a shopping cart as wellfirst-of-its-kind event, organized by women, for
as hosting. And you get so much help from otherwomen. The three-day program will feature live,
people and companies."Internet Strategist Jamilainteractive trainings by ten women who have built
White of Bowie, Maryland (jamilawhite.com) recallshighly successful web-based businesses. Attendees
when she started her first Internet-based business inwill be taken through the steps of choosing, planning,
1996: "At that time there were no shopping cartlaunching and running an Internet business. Among the
programs or ready-to-use online stores like there arelist of Internet Marketing standouts are "Tech
today. I was cutting and pasting customerTamer" Jeanette Cates, Loral Langemeier, finance
information from my database into Word documentscoach and founder of LiveOutLoud.com, "Marketing
to create invoices! I also had to manually transferMaven" Denise Michaels and W3 organizer, Barbara
information written in my UPS Log Book to myDrazga In addition to the daily sessions, participants
computer files. That left lots of room for errors towill have multiple opportunities to interact with the
occur. So, from a logistical standpoint, it's so muchtrainers over lunches and dinners. You can get full
easier today. [Even] the carriers who deliver thedetails 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 growthbusinesses, 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 profitwiz when I started. The majority of what I know
potential and the convenience of the Internet. Saysnow came from trial and error. If there had been
Carr-who runs an online real estate investmentsomething like the Women's Web Workshop when I
company-"There is no cap on earnings or on timefirst started, absolutely, I would have attended." Carr
involved. You can do the amount of business youagrees, "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 myget discouraged. You can sit there and tell yourself to
life!" Carr was in Real Estate for over 25 yearskeep going. Or you can find a supportive friend to
before she began marketing her services online viatalk to." Which is a big bonus you can take home
Helen Bassett, of Tasmania, Australia launched thatfrom 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, shechallenges, 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 islifelong friend?Liz Wagner attended an Internet
perfect for women because you can work right outMarketing conference recently, and hasn't been the
of your kitchen. It gives women a lot ofsame since. Email: .
flexibility."Stay Connected