Women entrepreneurs are emerging as a powerful force in today's marketplace, with 10.1 million women-owned businesses in the U.S (Center for Women's Business Research, 2006).  It is an exciting yet challenging space to be in - especially in these tough economic times.  Being cautious with cash flow is key, but you still need to hire resources and vendors in order to grow your business.  If you need a web developer, sure you can do a web search and then spend countless hours interviewing for the right provider - Do they specialize in small business sites? Do they have flexible pricing/billing options? Do they require meetings in their office or are they willing to meet at a local coffee shop closer to your neighborhood?  You need to find a vendor that fits not only your professional needs but your individual working style in order to form a beneficial relationship.
 
The Seed, a new online community service founded by two Denver-based business women - Erin Seabold and Kathy Leeman, launches this month to answer some of the most common hurdles business owners face.  "When I started doing any sort of vendor research, I would feel so frustrated because I would have to go through a dozen companies to find someone who really fit my company's needs.  At times, I would suffer from vendor-overload and procrastinate making a decision at all, which was a detriment to my business, " explains Kathy Leeman, Chief Operating Officer of The Seed.  "When Erin and I started sharing similar difficulties finding not just qualified, but appropriate resources - meaning they are a good match based on specialty, business style and stage of business - the idea of The Seed came to life."
 
The Seed has developed a proprietary method that allows business owners to be matched to vendors based on an in-depth survey that covers topics from specific talents to preferred meeting venue.  In essence, they get vetted referrals for the service they need - saving a significant amount of time, effort and money.  This member-based community strives to support women in business by helping them find the resources they need to succeed, all in a community environment which allows them to connect with other business owners, manage their social network marketing, market their goods and events and even post job openings.
 
"It is all about connection," notes Erin Seabold, CEO, "We wanted to provide this service to women business owners to help them find resources more efficiently than traditional methods, but we didn't just want to be another directory of service providers.  We wanted to make the site, www.theseedconnection.com <http://www.theseedconnection.com> a place to connect with resources, yes, but also other women in the community and the nation, and form groups to discuss challenges and successes.  The true value of the membership comes from the wealth of business tools we have compiled in one energized, encouraging space."
 
For more information on The Seed, visit www.theseedconnection.com.