Are you starting your own business? Do you want to know if anyone around you is too?
Alignable is an online network that connects small business owners. It is a US-based company that went public in 2014. Now, it has more than 7 million members.
Imagine a LinkedIn but specifically, for micro and small business owners.
Here is what Alignable can help you with:
Make connections with other business owners
Alignable is meant to act as an “ice breaker” for this community by helping you make connections, post about your business, and refer others. You can announce new events or product lines to all your contacts at once.
You can also create and join groups to connect with other business owners that have similar interests. When you first join, Alignable adds you to a community that includes the businesses in your general area.
This makes it easy for other owners in your area to seek out your business and vice versa. Once you establish a connection with each other, you can continue it through Alignable.
Contribute to your local community
Alignable is great to get you in contact with business owners in your local community.
It spans about 5 to 10 towns in your area and you can personalize your connections by specifying who you want to connect with.
These might be potential customers and partners!
Here are 3 Steps to Promoting Your Business on Alignable:
Step 1: Figure out the logistics
You need your post to communicate your event or announcement clearly. What is the title of your announcement? What is the date and time of your event? Who is it for? What are you promoting?
Step 2: Create art for your post
Unique social media art is a big part of catching your audience. Make sure your message is clear and the color palette is simple. Your design should be something that you stop scrolling to take a look.
Step 3: Share your post
Below is a list of all the different functions on Alignable. You are able to click what kind of post you want to share so your potential consumers can understand your post’s purpose.
The main difference between Alignable and LinkedIn is that it’s more casual. Since it connects you from town to town, it feels close knit.
If you want to contribute to your local community and connect with other small business owners in your area, Alignable might be good for you.
Small businesses deserve the spotlight too.
See if Alignable is a good complimentary platform for you.
Born in Mexico and raised in Escondido, California, Patricia Correa eventually moved to Texas and has lived there for 27 years. She has owned her welding business, Cornerstone Welding, for 15 years. She has always had a entrepreneur spirit – after owning several businesses in the past like a food truck, bridal store, wedding planner/decor and even e-commerce, her welding business has been her number one priority. Patricia is married to her husband, Juan Correa, and currently run the business together. She is the mother of 6 (2 boys and 4 girls). As a family, they not only work for our family business, but also have a passion for serving in God’s ministry. Together they lead a church group in Bastrop TX. Patricia says that her purpose is helping anywhere she can be of service.
Patricia shares her experience as a client at EGBI.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
My story as an immigrant was issued in a book called “The Truth in our Stories”.
“The business knowledge EGBI provided helped me build a better structured business.” Patricia Correa
Tell us about your business.
My business offers mobile welding services. We have a shop in Bastrop where we fabricate and do custom work from fencing, railing, to structural steel.
I found out about EGBi through a friend who is also a EGBI client.
How did EGBI help your business? What service did you benefit from?
I took all the business courses. My business was lacking the fundamentals of business management. The business knowledge EGBI provided helped me build a better structured business. It helped me understand financial accounting and EGBI also helped me set up my own Quickbooks account. I learned about business entities which led me to create the best one for my business. This has helped me with lowering taxes.
Why should people consider supporting an organization like EGBI?
They are very informative and the instructors are very knowledgeable and helpful. They cared for my unique needs and concerns, and helped me develop the skills necessary to be even more successful. My biggest victory is an increase of 40% gross revenue and my profit margins went up at the same level. The business coaching workshops have been incredibly valuable in helping me grow as a business woman managing my business and also helped bridge my knowledge deficit. I highly recommend EGBI to any small business owner.
EGBI provides training, coaching, and support to aspiring and existing business owners who face barriers to growing a successful business. If you would like to support our efforts, please visit our website https://egbi.org/donate/.
Meet Ava Dasari, a summer program intern at EGBI. Ava is very passionate about business, especially in the realm of small businesses. Ava was born in Austin, Texas, and has lived there ever since. In her free time, she likes to listen to music, spend time with her friends, and bake for her friends and family.
Ava shares her experience at EGBI with you.
Share a fun fact with us.
I am really passionate about debate, and I’ve been debating in school for almost 4 years now. Debate allows me to express myself, while also traveling, and bonding with my teammates.
How did you first get involved with EGBI?
I first got involved with EGBI because I wanted to get hands-on experience with the business world, and learn about consulting. After researching, I came across the city of Austin Internship program, where I was paired with EGBI as my site for this internship.
Why do you intern for EGBI?
EGBI heavily aligns with my values as an intern. I love helping small businesses kickstart, and I love giving back to my community. I intern for EGBI because it provides me with valuable insight into the business world, while also helping me gain hands-on experience. Through my experiences at EGBI, I know I have expanded my knowledge about small businesses, but also gained skills in marketing, pricing, entrepreneurship, and graphic design.
How has your involvement with EGBI helped you grow professionally and personally?
Professionally, EGBI has helped me by teaching me important skills about marketing, investment, and small business consulting. I have made connections within the business world, and I know these skills will last me a lifetime. Personally, EGBI has helped me by growing my communication skills. By communicating with different clients, I am able to learn how to understand many different types of people, and provide solutions to their unique problems.
Want to get involved ? Contact us to find out how you can volunteer or donate.
Meet Neel Kakkad, an intern at EGBI . He’s going into his senior year in Austin, Texas. Neel was born in Boston, and moved to Austin before middle school. In his free time, he likes to watch TV, meet his friends, and go to the gym.
Neel shares his experiences at EGBI.
Share a fun fact with us.
I really enjoy playing sports, and I especially love soccer. I have been playing soccer for 13 years now and currently play for my high school’s team.
How did you first get involved with EGBI?
I first got involved with EGBI through the City of Austin’s high school internship program. EGBI’s practices and values intersected with my own and I am glad that I got placed as an intern here.
Why do you intern for EGBI?
Participating in the internship program at EGBI presents a valuable chance for me to acquire practical knowledge, enhance my professional skills, and gain real-world experience that will have a significant positive impact on my future. I have thoroughly enjoyed engaging with the diverse range of services EGBI offers to business owners, and this internship provides me with an exciting opportunity to further explore and develop my interests in this field. Through my experiences at EGBI, I not only expand my knowledge but also gain valuable insights about myself and cultivate my long-term goals.
How has your involvement with EGBI helped you grow professionally and personally?
EGBI has provided me with the opportunity to pursue my passion for business, develop skills, and also make a meaningful impact on small businesses. I have not only gained knowledge, but my involvement with EGBI has allowed me to interact with many clients and new people, developing my interpersonal skills as well.
Want to get involved ? Contact us to find out how you can volunteer or donate.
Josephine is an incoming sophomore in Central Texas. While she was born in Florida, Josephine has lived in Texas for almost her entire life and considers herself to be a seasoned Austinite (despite never having attended ACL). At school, she is the sophomore class president and participates in DECA, extemporaneous speaking, and pole vaulting. She enjoys photography, hiking, painting, and watching movies in empty theaters.
Josephine shares a little bit of her experience at EGBI.
Share a fun fact with us. I am an avid crystal collector. Currently, my obsessions are with citrine and rainbow amethyst. My favorite thing about crystals is taking great pictures and sharing them with everyone.
How did you first get involved with EGBI? I first became involved with EGBI through the City of Austin’s youth internship program. The program essentially matched me with an organization that aligned with my professional goals, and I was matched with this non-profit.
Why do you intern for EGBI? My passion in business and desire to gain experience in marketing has led me to interning here for EGBI. EGBI’s mission to empower both aspiring and established small-business owners resonates with my personal philosophy and this internship allows me to make an impact on the surrounding community.
How has your involvement with EGBI helped you grow professionally and personally? My involvement as a marketing intern has helped me grow in ways I previously could not have imagined. This experience has given me first-hand experience in the professional world and has taught me life-long skills in communication, organization, and problem-solving. I am more than grateful for this opportunity and am excited to pursue my development in business. EGBI provides training, coaching, and support to aspiring and existing business owners who face barriers to growing a successful business.
Want to get involved ? Contact us to find out how you can volunteer or donate.
