Business Networking in Pgh

I've found the following extremely useful for new business, referrals, inspiration, encouragement and camaraderie during this transition into self-employment.

• WBN (Women's Business Network)
  http://www.wbninc.com/
  
  
• WSBA (Women's Small Business Association)
  http://www.meetup.com/Womens-Small-Business-Association/
  
  
• Meetup.com
  http://www.meetup.com/
  Groups I belong to/recommend:
  - http://www.meetup.com/Success-In-Networking-Group/
  - http://www.meetup.com/Pittsburgh-Small-Business/
  - http://entrepreneur.meetup.com/58/
  - http://www.meetup.com/pittsburgh-freelance/
  - http://businessnetwork.meetup.com/1001/
  - http://www.meetup.com/GreensburgEntrepreneurs/
  
  

Some are free to attend -- though your meal is on you -- while others have reasonable membership dues (plus your meals). Some are category exclusive (only one member per industry category) and others are open to all. Some have meetings over lunch and others are before or after working hours.

I recommend trying a few and seeing how you fit within the dynamic of the group, the time/cost ratio, etc. I don't intend on staying a member of all of these listed -- unless I don't intend to have time to work on any new business generated by these groups.

As the ol' clique goes: Time is money; since it's a super valuable and rare commodity, make the most of it by being picky/choosy about which ways you acquire new business leads and moral support.