E.Factor: Online Community for Entrepreneurs

Millenials and their Xer predecessors—wary of corporations and craving flexibility—are the most self-starting f recent generations. So it’s no wonder we’re seeing a number of new businesses that cater to, well, new business owners (Sproutwire, Sunshine Suites, CoWorking Wiki…). Next up is the E.Factor, a global online community “made for and by Entrepreneurs.” Their goal is to assist businesspeople anywhere with advice, assistance, experience, and funding.

The site consists of:

• The Lounge: a common meeting place where you can post notes, find others to chat with, etc.
• The Finance Corner: how to get funding and get linked to investors that might be interested in your business.
• The Biz: post your own multi-media commercial, or search for anything from a Board member to a table and 6 chairs for your office.
• The MarketPlace: discounts, cool gadgets and travel where they will negotiate as a group to get you the best price.

Bill Sobel at NY:MIEG recently posted on the genesis of the site, rooted in the new online networking paradigm:

For decades and even centuries, people have always met face-to-face in order to start a relationship. Once they had met, they would start corresponding by whatever means they might have available to them. However, these days - it is the other way round - people often do not meet at all until they have met online first, via LinkedIn, Facebook or any of the other sites or even email intros by mutual friends. It is only later on that they meet in person - once they have found they have a common interest, or a shared goal that warrants them taking time out of their busy days to set up a meeting.

This change in “flow” is what led us to develop the E.Factor. We found that as entrepreneurs, you can join Facebook, or any number of groups available via Google, Yahoo or other sites - but it isn’t about just wanting to meet people. You want to meet people that have a shared goal - a shared interest and face the same challenges - you want to meet other entrepreneurs, wherever they may be in the world. So this is what E.Factor is all about - giving you the opportunity to meet likeminded, entrepreneurial people all over the world that can help you (and vice versa) grow your business.

E.Factor will be hosting events globally—one of which is in Soho this evening—which are posted in the calendars in each section.

E.Factor