The role of networking in the success of women-owned businesses in Virginia: An exploratory qualitative study

The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory study was to explore the role of networking in the success of women-owned businesses in Virginia. Twenty women business owners participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in person using an interview guide with planned questions vetted through an expert panel. Interviews were professionally transcribed and analyzed using NVivo 10 data analysis software. Participant interview responses suggest that networking greatly contributes to the success of women owned businesses. The four themes that emerged from the data are networking is a must do, there are many different ways to network, the benefits extend beyond making connections, and relationships must be maintained.;The results of this study show that networking plays a significant role in the success of women-owned businesses in Virginia. The findings provide important information for the field of female entrepreneurial networking as well as other researchers interested in further investigating this topic. Further research is recommended to examine the role of networking on the success of women business owners in other populations. Additionally, further investigation should be conducted to determine whether women of color have different experiences with networking as compared to Caucasian women. Future research should also focus on how women business owners develop networks over time and the strategic value of networking over a period of time. A fourth and final recommendation for further study should explore comparisons between formal networking activity and informal networking activity.