Inside919.com - The Triangle's Online Small Business Professional Network - Is Three Years Old

April 28, 2011 - PRLog -- Raleigh, North Carolina - In April 2008, an Internet entrepreneur who relocated to Cary, North Carolina from Colorado, founded Inside919.com, the network for the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill area.

Inside919.com is the first of the ComeOnInside.com networks started by founder, Pat Howlett. http://www.comeoninside.com  "For 3 years, local business owners and solo-professionals in the 919 area of North Carolina have connected online to help grow the local economy, their reputations, professional networks and their bottomline," Howlett said.

On Inside919.com's third anniversary it has over 3600 members, all who live or work in the area that is served by the 919 area code. 3600 members translates to an average of 100 people a month for the past 36 months, or about 3 people a day, every day, and it is still growing. Howlett, welcomes each newcomer personally. "There's still room for you. Come on inside!"  

Inside919.com's impact on the local community is significant. The friendly and supportive spirit of the network makes it easy to meet people, to get business questions answered, and to learn new business skills, in particular, effective networking, relationship-building and social media marketing. Member, sponsor and coach Leslie Flowers wrote, "The biggest value [for me has been] learning 'best practices' in social media simply by watching those with high integrity and standards for living."

In this economic time when so many people have lost their jobs and are having to reinvent their livelihoods, a local online and in-person network like inside919.com is a lifeline. "Getting to know people online first is an accelerator. It makes your first meeting feel like your third, and you know in sales that's worth a lot," says ComeOnInside.com Training Director Martin Brossman. "If you're not using online networking you're leaving money on the table."

"I know a number of inside919ers are doing a good part of their business through people they've met on inside919," Howlett said, "this just works." Howlett leads with exemplifying a culture of respect and genuine relationships, which are essential to the vitality of this network.

Member and realtor, Ken Smith wrote this, "Pat [is] an example of how the “pay it forward” energy can radiate and make a difference. I don’t think I’ve met anyone in my lifetime who does this more genuinely than Pat does." (See his comment and others on this blog post: http://honoringyou.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/pat-howlett-s... )

Member and writer Dave Baldwin says, "The most valuable aspect of InSide919 to me is the fact that it is designed to combine online networking with offline networking." Every month there are usually at least four inSide919 sponsored events, one a week: a coffee, a lunch, a social in the early evening, and a lunch and learn panel called Final Friday.

The other North Carolina areas have networks too. "We intend to launch the rest of the North Carolina ComeOnInside.com communities this summer," Howlett explained.

1.  Inside252.com – Cape Hatteras, Elizabeth City, Greenville, Henderson, Kill Devil Hills, Kinston, Morehead City, New Bern, Rocky Mount, Washington, Wilson

2.  Inside336.com – Asheboro, Burlington, Greensboro, High Point, Jefferson, Lexington, Mt. Airy, Roxboro, Wilkesboro, Winston-Salem, Yanceyville

3.  Inside704.com & inside980.com – Albemarle, Charlotte, Concord, Gastonia, Kannapolis, Lincolnton, Monroe, Shelby, Statesville, Wadesboro; (980 overlays 704)

4. Inside828.com – Asheville, Boone, Brevard, Forest City, Granite Falls, Hendersonville, Hickory, Lenoir, Morganton, Newton

5. Inside910.com – Dunn, Fayetteville, Jacksonville, Laurinburg, Lumberton, Rockingham, Wilmington

Inside919 is one of the most active Web sites in the local area, providing excellent exposure for local business people who have filled out their online profiles. It has 26,000 pages of content, and is in the top 20,000 most active Web sites in all of the United States, based on Alexa rankings. The site has over 6,500 blog posts, over 1,000 videos, 132 groups, and 19 sponsors, with 3,625 members to date. There is video training on how to use the site. This is one example: http://inside919.ning.com/video/how-to-use-inside919-tour.

# # #

ComeOnInside.com is ALL about welcoming Local Micro Business Owners & Solo Professionals to join one of our United States area code based networks to meet others, share & contribute and grow their own networks and bottom line. It began with inSide919.com which was founded on April 27, 2008.