20 LinkedIn Groups Every Entrepreneur Should Belong To

The best LinkedIn groups for entrepreneurs 

Here are 20 LinkedIn groups all entrepreneurs should consider joining.

1. Executive Suite

Executive Suite is all about connecting executives so they can share advice on leadership, decision-making and more. As a member, you’ll join more than 380,000 fellow executives and gain access to the group’s web series, discussion boards and practical advice.

2. Startup Specialists Network Group

With more than 1 million members, Startup Specialists Network Group caters to startups, mentors, founders and investors. As such, it’s a great resource for entrepreneurs. Here, you’ll find support, as well as tips for building your business, crowdfunding advice, best business practices, advice on networking and so much more.

3. Social Entrepreneur Empowerment Network

With approximately 20,000 members, the Social Entrepreneur Empowerment Network is for socially conscious entrepreneurs who want to make a difference through their work. This group, led by Ryan Eliason, focuses on connecting like-minded professionals so that they can achieve their powerful missions.

4. Female Entrepreneur Association

If you’re a female entrepreneur looking to connect with other women leaders, the Female Entrepreneur Association is a group through which you can do just that. It has approximately 12,000 members and strives to link women entrepreneurs so they can share inspiration and raise awareness.

5. Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Network

With more than 340,000 members, CMO Network dubs itself the No. 1 executive group for chief marketing officers. Managed and moderated by Recruiter.com, this group connects marketing professionals interested in marketing trends, content strategies and networking events.

6. Young Entrepreneur Connections

The Young Entrepreneur Connections group has more than 17,000 members and is open to a wide range of professionals, such as entrepreneurs, startups, attorneys, accountants, marketers, consultants and more. The primary focus of the group is to help young business owners connect with one another. [Check out these amazing companies founded by young entrepreneurs.]

7. Band of Entrepreneurs

As a “nonprofit organization of, by and for entrepreneurs,” Band of Entrepreneurs has more than 35,000 members and provides support on topics like legal help, human resources, public relations, technology and more.

8. Bright Ideas & Entrepreneurs

Bright Ideas & Entrepreneurs facilitates discussions between entrepreneurs all over the world. With more than 22,000 members, this group invites you to share ideas and connect with other like-minded professionals.

9. Digital Marketing

The 2.3 million members of the Digital Marketing group discuss areas of the digital marketing landscape, including social media marketing, mobile marketing, search engine marketing, online advertising and more. The group also provides updates to industry reports and white papers to keep members abreast of trends, innovations and the best digital marketing practices. We appreciate that the group even organizes social and networking events and conferences.

10. Entrepreneurs Meet Investors

With approximately 8,500 members, Entrepreneurs Meet Investors is a great group for entrepreneurs seeking startup funding or for more established businesses in need of capital for further growth.

11. Entrepreneur’s Network

Founded in 2008, Entrepreneur’s Network has more than 120,000 members and is the LinkedIn group for the professional network Eprenz. As with Eprenz, Entrepreneur’s Network aims to connect current and aspiring entrepreneurs to find answers, ask questions and connect with similar professionals.

12. Future Trends

If you’re looking to connect with fellow trend hunters and visionaries in a variety of industries, then Future Trends is for you. Join the nearly 800,000 members in this inspiring group and start sharing your ideas.

13. Leadership Think Tank

Committed to collaborating on the improvement of leadership, Leadership Think Tank, with more than 840,000 members, aims to enhance the relationship between leaders and followers through open discussions about leadership concepts and practices.

14. On Startups

On Startups, a group of more than 1 million members, gives entrepreneurs a space to discuss marketing, sales, finance, operations, recruiting and other startup-related topics.

15. Start-Up Phase Forum

With a community of more than 30,000 members, Start-Up Phase Forum provides information and support to entrepreneurs and small business owners in the startup phase. Topics range from marketing, recruiting and financing to legal aspects, blogging, slogans and branding. [Learn how to improve your business blog.]

16. Linked Business

The slightly more than 13,000 members of the Linked Business group come together to discuss difficulties small businesses face, gain perspective and share their experiences.

17. COSE (Council of Smaller Enterprises)

Based in Ohio, this group of more than 4,000 members aims to provide support to organizations and small businesses. COSE fights for small business owners’ rights and provides a forum for entrepreneurs to connect with and learn from each other.

18. Business Evolution

With more than 28,000 members, Business Evolution is a group of experienced professionals who discuss profitable ways to foster diversity and community. The group shifted its focus from business trends to these topics in the wake of COVID-19-era restrictions that devastated small businesses.

19. Small Business Network by Entrepreneurs HQ

Small Business Network by Entrepreneurs HQ, a group of more than 330,000 members, offers a way for entrepreneurs, founders and small business owners to find possible financial backing and share advice about web design, search engine optimization, search engine marketing and other marketing strategies and tips.

20. Digital Marketing: Social Media, Search, Mobile & More

With more than 1.5 million members, Digital Marketing: Social Media, Search, Mobile & More provides a space for professionals in all areas of marketing, social media, public relations and advertising to come together to share strategies, advice and tips with each other.

Benefits of LinkedIn for entrepreneurs

LinkedIn is all about connections. The platform provides a great way to connect with colleagues, organizations, industry professionals, clients and more. Although LinkedIn can be a useful tool in any professional’s networking toolkit, it can be especially beneficial for entrepreneurs for the reasons below.

Visibility

As a new or budding business owner, an entrepreneur often has little visibility and client reach. LinkedIn is a terrific way to increase your visibility and raise awareness of your business, products or services. You can reach potential customers and clients, identify new market gaps and build your brand through the LinkedIn network.

Thought leadership

LinkedIn isn’t just a place to “sell” yourself. Instead of constantly promoting your business, you should also provide value to others as well. You can build your image as a thought leader in your industry by adding to LinkedIn group discussions, mentoring younger or less experienced professionals on the platform and offering your expert insight where you can. Giving back is a great way to gain trust and appreciation from your community, which is ultimately a benefit to you in the end.

Mentorship and industry connections

Perhaps the biggest benefit LinkedIn offers entrepreneurs is the ability to connect with experienced industry professionals. You can find mentors, discuss solutions with like-minded individuals and network with professionals around the globe. Networking can play a major role in entrepreneurship and LinkedIn is a great way to do just that.

Recruitment

As you grow your business, you may need additional team members besides yourself. The professionals you interact with in LinkedIn groups can be great hiring prospects or employee referrers. Interviewing people you know through these groups can help narrow your recruiting pool to the very best candidates. This saves you time and makes a great hire more likely.

The dos and don’ts of using LinkedIn as an entrepreneur

Are you ready to dive into LinkedIn and its numerous groups? Here are some do’s and don’ts to keep in mind as you navigate the platform.

Do: Customize your LinkedIn URL.

On LinkedIn, you can replace the generic string of numbers at the end of your profile page URL with a custom username. Choosing this name works just as with other social media platforms: Go with something that tells people about you quickly while keeping it professional.

Do: Add a profile photo and headline.

Just as you might put a short description of yourself toward the top of a resume, you should do the same for your LinkedIn headline. Similarly, just as some resumes include the candidate’s photo, you should add a professional photo of yourself to your LinkedIn page. This way, when you interact with other people on LinkedIn, they see who you are and start to remember your face.

Do: Regularly update your resume and achievements.

When people visit your LinkedIn page, they should be able to see your work experience and all your professional accomplishments. This means you should update your page as often as necessary to showcase your most recent achievements. Making a great first impression is far less likely if you’re showcasing outdated positions and old awards instead of a rundown of your latest and greatest triumphs.

Do: Share content and create original posts.

On LinkedIn, you can post short written status updates with photos and you can create full-length blog posts as well. Each of these activities lets other professionals see what you’re doing and interact with you. The more content you create, the more naturally you keep folks informed of your latest developments and build meaningful professional connections — and potentially business opportunities.

Don’t: Join groups but not contribute.

On LinkedIn, you get what you give. If you join a LinkedIn group but never engage with any of the content, don’t be surprised if, upon first posting yourself, you receive little to no engagement. A steady habit of interacting with others’ posts increases the likelihood of other people doing the same with yours.

Don’t: ‘Like’ posts but not comment.

On LinkedIn, a comment goes much further than a “like.” Sure, there are some instances when just a “like” will suffice — say, when someone in your network posts a short bit of inspiration. But if you see a post detailing a professional update or asking a question, give congratulations or share a meaningful answer. Keep doing this and you’ll forge bonds with other LinkedIn users while building the seeds of thought leadership.

Don’t: Explicitly sell yourself or your business.

Although LinkedIn is a professional network, it’s not a place to explicitly advertise your products or services. Instead, use LinkedIn to build professional connections and showcase your thought leadership on topics related to your work. This way, when people in your LinkedIn network do need products or services like yours, they’ll naturally — not forcedly — think to contact you.

Don’t: Use LinkedIn like another social media platform.

On Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, your business can promote its newest offerings, ongoing sales or other items you’d normally market. As an entrepreneur on LinkedIn, this promotion isn’t appropriate — and neither is using your LinkedIn like you use your personal social media profiles. You should only share professional content relevant to your field, nothing in the way of selfies, personal updates and the like. LinkedIn may technically be a social network, but it’s a professional network first and foremost.

Groups are just the start on LinkedIn

Within LinkedIn groups, you can make all sorts of valuable professional connections. LinkedIn, though, is more than an internet-based professional network. It’s also a hub for job listings, industry news, educational courses and so much more. Browse and use the platform while keeping the above do’s and don’ts in mind and you’ll unlock all kinds of unexpected opportunities.

Max Freedman and Skye Schooley contributed to this article.