Account Executive

The pros and cons of entrepreneur networking groups. With all the challenges of building a company, isolation may be the toughest and it can get lonelier as you grow. Once you have more employees, investors, clients and a leadership team relying on you, certain concerns can't be raised with them the same way. You need trusted peers who've been through it, a safe place for honest talk about what's actually keeping you up at night. I'm active in several entrepreneur groups. I joined the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) to surround myself with like-minded owners, and I now serve as president of EO's Long Island Chapter, which keeps me close to the local business community. I'm also a Long Island Chapter member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), for a broader perspective outside my industry, and a member of Hampton, where I can raise something like a term sheet and get an honest gut check within minutes. It's the combination of viewpoints that works best since each pulls a different kind of peer into the room. About 10 years ago, when my company (Bookkeeper360) was just starting out, I joined a local business referral group and met Terry Rubenfeld, a fractional CFO from Long Island. Terry joined Bookkeeper360 full-time in the early days and now leads its Advisory Services division as its internal CFO. You never know who you'll meet if you don't put yourself out there. By the way, you don't have to be a natural "schmoozer" to utilize networking groups. If you're introverted, start with a small forum, say eight to 10 people, before going to a 200-person mixer. That's often where real value lives. Ask for help with one or two specific challenges you're having, not for advice about the entire company strategy. The key is to be willing to share, give back and listen. The best groups also enforce a no-solicitation rule. You're there to get candid help with a real problem, not to hand out business cards. Networking is like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger you get and the more confident you become. That will carry over into pitches, presentations and everyday interactions with your team. At 10 employees, I needed tactical help: How do you price a service, collect an invoice, find your next client? Almost any local business group can deliver that. At 100 employees, running a remote team nationwide, the questions turned strategic: Capital allocation, leadership structure, building a connected culture without a shared office. These are decisions to stress-test with founders running similarly sized, distributed companies. Once the problems in the room stop matching yours because your business has outgrown the average member's, it's time to move on. Reasons to join a networking group. Gets you out of your own head and your own office. Real personal development, not just professional. Sharpens how you explain your own business, since you're pushed into becoming the expert in the room. Genuine friendships with people who understand the pressure you're under. A wider circle you can call for a fast, specific answer. Access to knowledge and mistakes other founders already paid for. Visibility that compounds. I once landed clients from a taco party. Drawbacks. Time. It takes a while to know if you've joined the right one. Cost. Some groups are expensive. Personality conflicts and quiet competition. Skill and stage mismatches. If other members are years ahead or behind, conversations stop being useful. It's hard to measure ROI precisely. But think about the value of a chance meeting with your next Terry Rubenfeld, or the dollar value of a bad deal you walked away from. Ask: Am I leaving meetings with something I'll act on? If not, find a better group. Networking and peer-to-peer learning groups are like joining a gym: You get out of it what you put in. The payoff isn't immediate, but it compounds if you show up consistently, come with a plan, and are a better listener than talker. Nick Pasquarosa is the founder and CEO of Bookkeeper360 in Woodbury.

Bookkeeper360 recognized as top 10 online accounting firms for small businesses. Bookkeeper360 delivers flexible hourly services with payroll and tax preparation, ensuring clarity with financial dashboards tailored to business requirements. Bookkeeper360 provides thorough services, including payroll and tax preparation, along with financial dashboards to improve your organizational clarity. Bookkeeper360: Flexibility in Hourly Services Bookkeeper360 stands out for its flexible hourly bookkeeping services, allowing small to medium-sized businesses to only pay for the support they genuinely need. With rates starting at $19 plus $150 per hour for additional help, you can manage costs effectively as you receive customized assistance. This service is designed to scale according to your specific bookkeeping requirements, ensuring you get exactly what you need without overspending. You can choose from a variety of services, including payroll, tax preparation, and financial reporting, which allows you to customize your support based on your unique business needs. Bookkeeper360 emphasizes personalized service, giving you direct communication with a dedicated team of bookkeepers. This model is particularly beneficial for businesses needing occasional help, as it eliminates the need for a full-time staff member, making it a cost-effective solution for managing your finances efficiently.