Quick. Whos in your support network? Huh? Whats a support network? Do I have a support network? Honey, whos in my support network?

Your support network is that group of people you can go to with problems, questions, to vent, to cry on their shoulders.

Friends, for starters. Who are your close friends? Are they available to you when you need them? If theyre not, why arent you looking for different close friends?

And family. Many people, like me, are fortunate to be close to a sibling and be able to talk and vent and share with them. Or it may be a cousin, or an aunt or uncle, or even a parent. If you have difficult relations with your family, do everything you can to mend your side of it. Its worth it, especially if you later become close to a family member.

But Im not talking just about the friends and family members who literally let you cry on their shoulders. If youre running a business, your support network needs to include some specialized professionals who know you and know whats going on in your business.

A web host provider is one member of your support network. Choose someone who is small enough to know you and notice when somethings wrong, but large enough to do what you need done.

You may also need a lawyer, or an accountant, a web designer or a search engine optimizer (SEO).

No matter whos in your support network, make sure they have your best interests in mind.

Building a support network is not always easy, but it will be rewarding in the long run.