Networking & Mentorship

Traditional chambers of commerce, business associations, and boards of trade are voluntary associations or membership organizations that promote and protect the interests of the business community in a geographic area. These organizations may offer members or local businesses a variety of services, including networking events, educational opportunities, member discounts, marketing support, and access to trade publications.

• Bexley Area Chamber of Commerce
• Clintonville Area Chamber of Commerce - Covers the Clintonville neighborhood of Columbus
• Columbus Chamber of Commerce
• Dublin Chamber of Commerce
• Franklinton Board of Trade (FBOT) - Covers the Franklinton neighborhood of Columbus
• Gahanna Area Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Linden Business Network (GLBN) - Covers the Linden neighborhood of Columbus
• Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce
• Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce
• Hilltop Business Association - Covers the Hilltop neighborhood of Columbus
• New Albany Chamber
• Old Worthington Partnership
• Partners Achieving Community Transformation (PACT) - Covers the Near East Side of Columbus
• Parsons Area Merchants Association (PAMA) - Covers the Parsons Avenue area and South Columbus
• Reynoldsburg Area Chamber of Commerce
• Short North Alliance (SNA) - Covers the Short North Arts District of Columbus
• Southeastern Franklin County Chamber of Commerce
• Tri-Village Chamber Partnership - Covers Grandview, Upper Arlington, and Marble Cliff
• Uptown Westerville
• Westerville Area Chamber
• Whitehall Area Chamber of Commerce
• Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce

• Asian American Commerce Group (AACG) (Nonprofit) - Membership organization offering business development, advocacy, and networking for Asian American-owned businesses
• Black Tech Columbus (Nonprofit) - Grassroots group of black tech professionals focused on education, professional development, and community service
• Bunker Labs (Nonprofit) - National network offering resources, tools, and networking to help veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs start their own business.
• Business Builders (Nonprofit) - Entrepreneurship club for Ohio State University students that focuses on connecting, educating, and inspiring students interested in entrepreneurship
• Central Ohio African American Chamber of Commerce (COAACC) (Nonprofit) - Membership organization offering business development, training, and consulting for black entrepreneurs and black-owned businesses
• Columbus - Neighborhood Pride Centers (Local Government) - Serve as a direct communications link between the City of Columbus and the community and house all basic city services in one place - open to the public and residents are encouraged to come in and discuss their questions with city representatives
• Columbus Metropolitan Club (Nonprofit) - Membership organization offering weekly town-hall forums featuring speakers and panelists on a variety of relevant topics for community interest. All forums are open to the public but there is generally a registration fee
• Columbus Rotary (Nonprofit) - Columbus chapter of the international membership organization offering weekly programs, networking opportunities, and service projects
• Columbus Startup Week - Annual five-day event (cost to register) focused on the local startup ecosystem and entrepreneurship in Central Ohio
• Columbus Young Professionals Club (For-Profit) - Membership organization offering hundreds of yearly events for young professionals, including social and business networking opportunities
• Conway Center for Family Business (Nonprofit) - Membership organization providing educational resources, programs, and networking opportunities for family-owned businesses in Central Ohio
• The DIVA Movement (For-Profit) - Membership organization providing networking opportunities, support, and resources for women entrepreneurs
• ECDI Women’s Business Center (Nonprofit) - Business counseling, networking, mentoring, and trainings for women business owners and entrepreneurs (low annual membership fee)
• Festival for Good - Annual celebration of social entrepreneurship and social enterprise in Central Ohio.
• GiveBackHack Columbus (Nonprofit) - Annual event that brings together entrepreneurs to develop sustainable solutions to pressing social issues
• Green American - Green Business Network (Nonprofit) - Network of green entrepreneurs and businesses focused on environmental health across the economy and offers a certification for green small businesses
• Hispanic Chamber of Columbus (Nonprofit) - Membership organization offering resources and networking to Hispanic-owned businesses and Hispanic entrepreneurs
• Kiwanis Club of Columbus (Nonprofit) - Columbus-chapter of the international membership organization which offers networking and service opportunities
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Columbus (Nonprofit) - Membership organization providing support, advocacy, and services for women entrepreneurs
• New American Leadership Academy (NALA) (City of Columbus) - Competitive City of Columbus program providing mentorship and professional development to New Americans
• OSU - Buckeye Social Entrepreneurship Program (Public University) - Connects Ohio State students to professional development opportunities, resources, and expertise related to social entrepreneurship.
• Social Ventures (Nonprofit) - Business support, mentorship, incubation, and financing for businesses that include social impact in their business model. Maintains a Marketplace for social enterprises to market and sell their products and get to know other social entrepreneurs.
• Somali Community Association of Ohio (SCAO) (Nonprofit) - Resources and services for the Somali community, including legal assistance and business support
• Startup Grind - Independent startup community focused on educating, connecting, and inspiring entrepreneurs in more than 125 countries. Has an active Columbus chapter.
• Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) (Nonprofit) - Largest certifier of women-owned businesses in the US and a leading advocate for women business owners and entrepreneurs
• Women’s Small Business Accelerator (WBSA) (Nonprofit) - Membership organization providing training, mentorship, and networking for women entrepreneurs and business owners

Finding a business mentor is one way to deal with the challenges of being a new business owner. A mentor can help you develop your entrepreneurial skills, strengthen your network, and learn how to solve tricky problems. A mentor is also a trusted person who can help you navigate issues like work-life balance and pass along lessons learned from their own previous mistakes and successes. The organizations below offer mentorship services:

• Economic Community Development Institute (ECDI) (Nonprofit) - Small business mentoring events designed to connect you with people who have more experience running a business
• SCORE Columbus (Nonprofit) - No-cost mentorship as well as fee-based training and educational resources for entrepreneurs and business owners
• Minority Business Assistance Center (MBAC) (State Government) - Offers support for small minority and under-resourced businesses through training, mentorship, and networking opportunities
• New American Leadership Academy (NALA) (City of Columbus) - Competitive City of Columbus program providing mentorship and professional development to New Americans
• Social Ventures (Nonprofit) - Business support, mentorship, incubation, and financing for businesses that include social impact in their business model
• Women’s Small Business Accelerator (WSBA) (Nonprofit) - Membership organization providing training, mentorship, and networking for women entrepreneurs and business owners