A disruptive wave affects the entrepreneurship across the sectors for the past decade is a hard real fact. But at the time we should thank for the technology developments, pro-SME/MSME government policies, focusing on skill empowerment and vocational training, trading opportunities.

Despite the buzz, the ground reality of the funding opportunities will be quite disturbing. Particularly for the first generation entrepreneurs who are starting their business in small scale with out-of-pocket funding. Being a first-generation entrepreneur or a startup founder can be a lonely journey, with various roles to juggle single-handedly. This often also leads to the overwhelming pressure to execute and micro-manage the business, which ultimately makes the entrepreneur lose track of larger goals and growth opportunities.

Extremely vital factors like Cash flow constraints and challenges with scalability, managing customer relationships and satisfaction, internal difficulties in hiring and retaining talent, competing in an almost global market, legalities and accounts, self-doubt, long-term business planning, strategy and overall business positioning and goal-setting should be addressed in an effective manner.

Despite a theoretically brilliant business plan, and the right mix of service and solution, most small entrepreneurs and startups have difficulty holding on to the market, and eventually fail. While looking into the above challenges, professional networking platforms have a steady rise in popularity, as they are providing a supportive ecosystem for the mutual growth of entrepreneurs. This networking platform offers startups, entrepreneurs and SME/MSME businesses a common ground for interacting, learning, collaborating and as well as to grow.

Apart from fellow startup, this platform also provides mentorship and guidance through success stories, case studies and learning, which is readily shared with the group. Five ways through which a networking platform act as a mentoring source includes, Exchange of challenges and learnings Networking platforms provides a caring environment for entrepreneurs to talk about the challenges faced or share learning from current setbacks.

These interactions help create a sense of positivity and hope once they realize that challenges are common and can be overcome, instead of being overwhelmed by trying to solve it alone. Providing solutions Being a team platform, the admittance to various points of view and recommended solutions to problems often come from outside the sector or industry and can be informative and inventive.

Right connections Even it acts as a platform to voice out, and exchange information, networking platforms also offer access to a huge network of reputed experts, and people who can directly help in not just problem solving or getting new business but also helps in consulting on diverse factors of the business. Industry insights and best practices Apart from focusing on new businesses and solving challenges, networking platforms also offer insightful analysis of industry and economy developments, the impact of government policies and recommendations on best practices which can help an entrepreneur to tide over rough weather by leveraging group intelligence.

Collaboration opportunities A collaborative ecosystem will get created with a vivid mix of business at different levels and networking platform. This will be highly helpful for small and micro-entrepreneurs to scale and expand service offerings. As of now, the collaboration will ensure the exchange of skills and supportive network, even out of the business domain.