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When I run sessions in networking I always start off by telling people that if they go away remembering just one name, then it has to be Donna Messer's. For if there is one woman at the root of all networking, one person who knows more other people than any other, it has to be Donna. I suppose I could stop this article there. You already know Donna, after all. But then I thought that if I know Donna and you know Donna too, then we all have the power to be incredible networkers too. When you know me, you have the chance to know my circle of contacts and as you get to know my contacts, you will get to know their contacts too, and so on. But networking isn't quite as simple as that. Before I blithely hand out my own personal address book, I need to know I trust you, and maybe more importantly, that I like you. I need to know that you are not just a mailing list compilation company in disguise and that you will sell all the information I give you in good faith to a third party.

Women instinctively find themselves wanting to nurture good contacts and to share information with each other. So networking between women is particularly successful. Interesting isn't it, how my local Chamber of Trade thinks it needs to hold a series of seminars on networking skills? But it is not surprising that 95 per cent of their members are men. Women network naturally, in the playground, in the checkout queue, waiting for a bus. Find a woman who has a great network and the chances are she will be happy to share it with you. But I have found a breed of woman who is even better at sharing and at networking. This woman has lived or worked abroad. Build a relationship with a woman who can connect you with women whose experiences extend beyond your local city or even your country, and those networks will have the power to launch you on the international scene.

This month there is a terrific conference in Milan. It calls itself the Working Internationally Now Women's International Networking conference. It is known, fittingly, as WIN 2000. But notice how its full acronymn should read WIN-WIN. For networking should be reciprocal if it is to be effective. I give you a contact from my network, and you give me one from yours and both our businesses grow. But networking isn't just about sharing who we know, it is also about sharing what we know. I can tell you about the cheapest car wash in town and you can tell me about the best place to buy organic bacon.

The WIN conference in Milan is all about relationship building across borders. Last year the 300 or so delegates came from more than 35 different countries and all went home with new friends from another continent. Many delegates, including me, and Donna, are now doing business with people in more countries than ever before.

If you have a business that you want to grow internationally then you should go to a conference like WIN (28-30 September in Lausanne), to an International Businesswomen's Conference, or to a branch meeting of an international women's network, such as TIA (The International Alliance).

But if you can't make it to one of these conferences there is nothing to stop you connecting with women who can help your business grow from your own front room. Read business magazines and make a point of getting in touch with anyone who looks like they could be a useful contact for you. Don't ring them up or email them asking what they can do for you, though. No, start off the conversation by finding out what you could do for them. Offer to give them publicity in your area, perhaps, or to connect them with a magazine or radio programme that would be interested in their story.

Once you have scoured the magazines and papers for interesting contacts you can start on the Internet. There are several websites that really want to help you get connected with other women entrepreneurs. Even if the site is British, while you are Canadian, the chances are that you will find a common link.

Don't just head for the sites that have names that look as if they will be for women in business, think laterally. If you have an interest in bee-keeping, you may find some great contacts from bee-keeping sites.

This month a new magazine is launched, called Woman Abroad and I am the editor in chief. For me this is the culmination of all my work over the last 15 years. Now I can bring together the international communities and build bridges across borders. Woman Abroad has networking at its epicentre. We want to put women entrepreneurs all over the world in touch with each other. We want to tell the world about the marvellous networks and networking opportunities that are out there. If you subscribe to the Woman Abroad Network, and take the magazine, you will receive free publicity for your business to at least 20,000 international women all over the world. Now that's a WIN-WIN situation if ever I knew one. We'll even give you your first copy free. Simply go to the website and see for yourself.

The Internet has revolutionised relationship building. I am now going to share with you some of the websites that have helped me to build my business. Maybe they can help you too?