How the new Enterprise Nation will help you to build business connections

_Enterprise Nation is launching a new business support platform in October and in the build up to it being unveiled we're highlighting what you can expect to see on the revamped website and how we've designed it to solve your challenges as a small business owner.

So far we've explained how the new Enterprise Nation will help get you quicker answers to your questions, inspire you, build new business skills and find useful busines tools. This week we're talking about making business connections._

We've covered lots of different ways to solve your business challenges over the last couple of weeks but sometimes the best solution is just to talk to someone! Knowing when to take advice from an expert or simply someone who's been there before can be a great strength as a business owner.

Enterprise Nation research earlier this year told us that many small business owners feel lonely, and this isn't surprising with all of the pressures on you to keep your business ticking along successfully.

Making key connections can be challenging though, especially when you're new to the business world, so we've created a section on the new Enterprise Nation to help you build your networks.

Here's a selection of the things you can do in the 'start networking' section:

• Find other small business owners in your area

• Find entrepreneurs working in the same sector as you

• See advisers who can help

• Promote your business via Enterprise Nation

• See what services your peers are using

Enabling small business owners to take advice has always been at the heart of Enterprise Nation so I asked our founder Emma Jones to share a bit about her advice journey and why it's so important to her.

"Enterprise Nation has been built on networking and asking for advice! In the early days, I had to be out and about a lot; networking and promoting who we were and why we existed.

"Then, as that paid off and word spread and the business grew, it was all about surrounding the company with advisers, experts and mentors who helped us understand and build new revenue streams, and appreciate the relevance of systems, processes and culture.

"The company simply would not be what it is today if it hadn't been for those networks and our closest advisers which is why we want to make it as easy as possible for you to access those networks too."