Welcome to the inaugural post of the new Forum for Women Entrepreneurs & Executives blog. As an organization that connects experienced women with unique points of view, what better way of creating a forum for dialogue than through the vehicle of social media.

Our organization is all about connecting experienced women leaders to peers, mentors and resources to deliver a deeper understanding of business in the context of a larger perspective. So, why are we not using technology as a means of supporting this powerful network?

I’ve found many CEOs and execs I know had a similar first impression of the concept of Social Networking: Who’s got time to post a profile and pictures up on Facebook, and get “poked” by close friends? Not me! Frankly, I prefer a more traditional type of relationship with people I’m close to. So how exactly would Social Networking apply to my professional career?

Yet through personal experience, I’ve recently discovered the term “Social Networking” to be something of a misnomer. It’s not strictly about entertainment or socializing with family and friends, but is about building a community, which has infinite application to building business networks. Social Networking is actually a mechanism by which professionals can better communicate, better share, and better collaborate. In fact, in this day and age, Social Networking is becoming as fundamental to how we do business as the internet itself. It is about how we use the technology at our disposal to strengthen business relationships, share ideas, and interface with potential sponsors, clients, members and customers.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve become a believer that there is something worthwhile going on here. In organizing our first-ever conference on Social Networking “Business Applications of Social Networking” on March 25, an enlightened member of my Advisory Board connected us to the keynote speaker via Facebook. In addition, I’ve been seeking a new Director of Marketing and Communications, and some of the best resumes I’ve received came in after I posted the job on LinkedIn. Definitely not a waste of my time!

Through exposure to Gina Bianchini at Ning, we’ve decided as an organization that creating a Social Networking site for our members is a crucial and exciting new avenue for our “forum.” Hopefully we can use these activities as another way of forging and sustaining deep and meaningful connections, and as a means of self-educating on the business benefits of Social Networking. Please join us March 25 to hear from the experts (that includes you) how Social Networking can benefit your business.

I look forward to your comments about your business experiences with Social Networking. Also, let us know what specific questions you’d like to have answered at the conference?