Creating a Social Network When You Work at Home

Column by Steve Strauss

One thing you will notice right away when you open the door to your home–based business is that there's no one around to hang out or chat with — no coffee break buddies, no friends to gossip with, no one — just you. So, if you want to remain sane and social, it will be incumbent upon you to stay in touch with your old network while creating a new one. You'll probably find that you and your old work buddies are not going to have much in common anymore once you stop working together.

About that new network

Old–timers meet at the barbershop, teens gather at the mall. But where does the home–based businessperson go to hang out, meet people, or maybe conduct a casual meeting? Is there such a place for the upwardly mobile home–based entrepreneur? You bet. Here are a few suggestions:

Your local coffee shop

There are many reasons why a café is a great place to go — it's quick, cheap, informal, familiar, and you can hang for a while. It's a fine place to meet clients, suppliers, colleagues, and new friends who share your informal schedule. Your local coffehouse is also a good place to get together with new business associates you haven't met previously. Seattle public relations entrepreneur Jennifer Sturges says that when she gets clients from her Web site, she likes to meet them first at her local café for safety reasons. "If you're meeting people you have never met before, it is a good idea to meet them in public, someplace besides your home."

Your local bookstore

Bookstores used to be places with signs in the magazine racks that said "This is not a library" or "No loitering." Today, bookstores like Barnes & Noble have changed that image. In bookstores today, you are encouraged to linger and loiter. For the home–based entrepreneur, these stores are the perfect place to get away for a while and join the human race. The whir of cappuccino machines, the plush chairs, fellow bibliophiles reading intently, and people of all types conversing casually create a comfortable environment for relaxing and meeting new people.

And that's the idea, says Terrie Kelly, merchandise manager at the Barnes & Noble in Irvine, California. "Our corporate office designed the superstores with the stuffed furniture, coffee tables and cafés to make them comforting, inviting places for people to study, meet others and socialize. They wanted people to feel as if they were at home."

Networking groups

When you work from home it can be difficult to meet like–minded individuals. One solution is to join a local business group. For example, most communities have entrepreneur forums. These are great places to meet people of your ilk and network while learning new things. Check with your local Chamber of Commerce, Toastmasters, and Le Tip International.

Adult education business classes

Here again, you will find people who share your interests, and who have similar lives and goals. Take a class to improve your skills, or branch out and try something new. You'll certainly meet new people while learning a skill or gaining knowledge.

The key is to get out there — don't stay in your home office alone day after day!

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The information contained in this article is only an overview of the subject matter made for general guidance to the reader, and is subject in all cases to limitations and disclaimers set forth in Staples' Legal Terms and Conditions.