Where Can I Find Other Small Business Owners to Connect With?

You don't need saving from the solopreneur life. You just need the right place to learn, connect on your terms, and grow.

Where Can I Find Other Small Business Owners to Connect With?

Let's get something straight from the start.

If you're searching "where can I find other small business owners to connect with" it's probably not because you're lonely. You chose self employment. You like working for yourself. The freedom, the flexibility, the fact that you answer to no one but your customers, that's the whole point.

But at some point, you start to notice there are things a community of fellow business owners could give you that going it alone can't. Not because you need hand-holding, but because you're smart enough to know that the right people in your corner make you sharper.

Better decisions. Faster growth. Someone to sense check an idea with at 10pm when you're not ready to act on it yet, but you're definitely thinking about it.

That's a very different reason to seek community and it deserves a very different kind of community in return.

Here's where to find it.

The Sort of Business Community You're Actually Looking For

Before diving into the where, it's worth being clear on the what because not all small business communities are built for you. I actually talk about this in this episode of my podcast Growth Addicts: Finding the right community for your business

Many business communities are built around the assumption that being a solo business owner is a problem to be solved. They lead with loneliness, burnout, and the idea that you need rescuing from your own independence. If that's not where you are, those communities can feel patronising at best and noisy at worst.

What you're more likely looking for is:

• A safe, judgement-free space where you can ask business questions without feeling like you should already know the answer

• Connection with other small business owners on your own terms dip in when it's useful, step back when you're heads-down

• Practical learning from business owners who are actually doing it, not just talking about it

• Peer insight from business owners at a similar stage (or slightly ahead) of where you are

• Real growth opportunities like collaboration, member-to-member referrals, and directory listings

• A place to be found as well as to learn reframing community as a business development tool, not just a support tool

Keep that in mind as you explore the options below.

Online Small Business Membership Communities

Online communities are the most flexible option, and flexibility matters when you're running a business on your own schedule. Purpose-built communities like, The Small Business Community, designed for small business owners are the most valuable option if you find the right one.

Unlike social media groups, the best ones are structured around your growth with resources, peer discussion, expert insight, and events you can engage with when it suits you.

The key is finding one with a culture that matches how you actually work. Look for:

• A clear focus or niche that's relevant to your stage

• An active but not overwhelming feed (quality over volume)

• The ability to lurk and learn before you're ready to engage

• Real conversations, not just promotional noise

• Respect for members as capable, independent professionals

And don't overlook the ROI. A quality paid business community might feel like an extra expense, but when you tot up what's included, training, expert workshops, tools, resources, and peer access, the monthly fee often works out significantly cheaper than buying any of those things individually.

A single workshop or course can cost more than a year's membership.

If you're going to invest in your business growth (and you should) a well-resourced community is one of the most cost-effective ways to do it.

If you want a community built specifically around helping small business owners learn, grow, and connect, without the assumption that you need rescuing, The Small Business Community was built for you.

Some of The Small Business Community members (including me, Amanda Hughes, heyyy!) at a recent collaborative event between members. L-R Diane Quinn of Quinn Hypnosis, Susan Livingstone of Rise Strong with Susan and me

Facebook Business Groups

There are thousands of small business groups on Facebook, ranging from broad communities to tightly focused niche groups like Mums in business.

For small business owners who want flexibility, a well-run Facebook Group can be a good starting point, low commitment, easy to dip in and out of.

There are challenges of free Facebook business groups though. Many groups become dominated by self-promotion, surface-level questions and answers that aren't rooted in expertise (often leaving you more confused than before you asked)

Tips for finding a good free Facebook Business Community:

• Search your niche + "community," "support," or "group"

• Check whether the pinned posts and recent comments show real conversations

• Look for active members and moderation, it's a sign someone cares about the quality of the space

Local In-Person Networking Events

Online is convenient, but in-person connections often go deeper. For many independent business owners, a quarterly networking event or monthly meetup is the perfect balance. Enough connection to be energising, infrequent enough not to feel like an obligation.

Look up your local Chamber of Commerce, meetup.com or local co-working spaces to find local face to face networking events near you.

Industry-Specific Associations

Nobody understands your business challenges quite like someone in the same industry. Trade associations and professional bodies exist in almost every sector and often offer networking as part of membership.

Some options depending on your location:

• Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) — UK-wide

• Industry trade bodies specific to your sector

These associations often run annual conferences too, an excellent way to get a concentrated dose of connection without any ongoing commitment.

How to Get Real Value From Any Community You Join

Finding the right community is step one.

Here's how to make it actually work for you on your terms.

Be selective. Don't join five communities and dilute your attention. Pick one or two that genuinely fit and go deep.

Lurk before you leap. There's nothing wrong with watching and learning before you contribute. The best communities make this feel welcome, not weird.

Ask the questions you'd be embarrassed to Google. The best thing about a trusted community of peers is that you can ask the things that feel too basic or too vulnerable for public forums. A good community makes that feel safe.

Connect outside the platform. When a conversation sparks, take it further. Relationships that start in community spaces often grow into something much more valuable.

Contribute when you feel ready. If you want a village, you have to be a villager.

You didn't go into business for yourself because you needed other people to validate every decision. You did it because you're capable, driven, and clear on what you want but even the most independent business owners benefit from having the right people around them. Not to prop them up, but to sharpen them. To offer a perspective they hadn't considered. To say "I tried that, here's what happened." To celebrate the wins with someone who actually understands what they cost.

That's what the right small business community gives you. As always, we're saving you a seat in The Small Business Community. A dedciated online small business membership community where you can learn (from expert resources) connect (with other members, not just the host) and grow (through member referrals, our directory listing, promotion spaces and more. Learn more and join The Small Business Community here.