Link: http://www.smallbusinesscan.com

What's it really like out there for Irish small businesses?

With prophets of doom on one extreme and Pollyannaism on the other, the reality for small business owners probably lies somewhere in the middle. But where can anyone who's brave enough or crazy enough to consider starting-up get an idea of how others are doing, and how do they find out what they're letting themselves in for?

One place to take a reliable sounding is on SmallBusinessCan.com an online resource and meeting place for start-ups and SME's, and is unique in that it is focused on starting-up and doing business in Ireland (and increasingly the UK).

The website provides information on the various stages of developing a business, which in turn is supported with a lively forum where members can get further advice from other business owners facing similar challenges.

Irish people are getting used to social media and the internet. Not that long ago it was thought that putting a photo or a real name online might lead to having an internet “friend” turning up uninvited on the doorstep, or having impostors  in all corners of the globe! Maybe a slight exaggeration, but social media in Ireland has come out in the open in recent years, and people are getting used to the idea that interacting with others online is not that different to real-life after all.

This mix of virtual and real world interaction is becoming the norm in modern business ... I mean we all want to meet our online friends in real-life ...don't we? ...

There is no typical contributor on on SBC; they can range from wide-eyed newbies starting their first business, to hoary seasoned pros who've been there done it and bought the t-shirt (though some might struggle to squeeze into it nowadays); and all business shapes and sizes in-between.

But the key to social media is that it is more a conversation than one-way broadcast, where people must engage regularly and genuinely to get the most out of it. The success of any community-based forum depends on good quality posts and and overall community spirit. The site could do better to promote this interaction though, as people only get  back what they give out, and soon tire of self-publicists.

Despite the persistent travails of the economy, the banks, the property market and so on, the mood is surprisingly positive among those experiencing the reality of running a small business in this country.

And along with support and advice from the growing community of business people with real-world nouse, small businesses can and probably will – despite whatever obstacles are flung in front of it.