Tools I Use to Make Managing a Small Business Easier
Spend more time doing what you are good at and less time on the mundane.
Automation and strategically selected apps can significantly improve the operational efficiency of your business. I’m an incredibly slow adopter. It was important for me to start out slowly, because I wanted to learn how to do everything. As my business has grown, I’ve realized that spending more time doing what I’m good at and less time on the things I find mundane and taxing, is not only more enjoyable - but also more productive and more profitable.
As you’re getting up and running, it can feel daunting to know where to start and what to automate. There is certainly not a one-size-fits all approach to automating business practices and processes. The list below is the set of tools and resources that I’ve been using, and I would like to share what has worked for me. None of the tools that I’m using in my business today are the first that I’ve used for that function. Trial and error has been key in finding what works for me, so I encourage you to implement what works best for you and your business. The great thing is that most of these platforms provide free trials. Make lists that include what features you need for each business function - there are lots of options and many of these products have folks who will help you fine tune your use of their tool.
In full transparency, I spent the beginning of my professional career with a more frugal mindset. I didn’t, and still do not, like to frivolously spend money because I ultimately then have to work more to recoup those costs. It has taken me some time to understand which tools & support systems were the right fit. The systems I have put into place have had an incredibly positive effect on my professional life - but what I didn't expect was the overwhelming positive effect that these systems would also have on my personal and overall quality of life. It is truly about finding the right balance between cost and operational effectiveness.
Please note that I may receive affiliate compensation for promoting/sharing some of the following tools. However, these are legitimately the tools I use on a daily basis (at the time of this writing) and have put through the wringer to make sure they are the best tool to meet MY needs.
Core Tools for Running Your Business
Gmail: Gmail is so much more than email for me. I rely heavily on Google Drive and Google Docs/Sheets for shared client work. Here’s why Gmail stands out above other email platforms:
Gmail integrates with a ton of other apps. Gmail is core to automation within my business.
I can funnel emails sent to multiple email addresses into one inbox.
I can see all of my calendars in one calendar view.
I can share documents with clients/colleagues and we can update them simultaneously, in real time.
Google Forms have made my contracting process easy breezy. We use it to generate and autofill information in documents that are repeatable, such as client contracts.
Freshbooks: When I started my business, I tracked my income & expenses using a spreadsheet. And in the early days I even created invoices manually in Microsoft Word. I eventually used a different tool to track my time, but I was still seeing a huge time suck in manually tracking each expense that came in. This worked for a while (mostly because I didn’t want to pay what felt like a high annual fee for an all-in-one tool), but eventually as my business grew, I did not have as much time to spend doing this type of manual work. I researched several accounting platforms and chose to invest in Freshbooks. I like Freshbooks because:
I’m able to track time against a project/client so that I can generate invoices with the click of a button.
There are out of the box reports that are easy to use (think P&L, periodic expense reports) - although my one gripe with Freshbooks is that you cannot save reports, so any customizations made to a report have to be re-done each time you view the report.
It links to my business credit cards and bank accounts, so expenses are automatically imported and categorized.
My virtual assistant can manage everything in Freshbooks (see more on this below!). Freshbooks is not as fully automated as some other platforms (as mentioned above, one con for me is the inability to save filters for frequently used reports) - but the cost and user-friendliness of Freshbooks outweighed the price and learning curve of other platforms.
One important thing to note as you read my review of Freshbooks is that I have a somewhat straightforward business (no inventory or full time employees), so my needs in the accounting department are not very heavy.
Zoom: My business has been almost exclusively remote/ virtual in all of the years of its existence (since 2014!). I’ve used just about every online meeting tool and Zoom is without a doubt my favorite. A more recent plus for Zoom is that most of my clients are familiar with the platform. I spend about ⅓ of my working hours in online meetings, so having an online meeting tool that makes my life easier is essential. Here are a few of the particular reasons why I love Zoom:
The Zoom/Gmail integration has been a huge timesaver for me. I love the ability to quickly schedule a meeting (with one click!) right from my calendar and send directly to my client(s) with all meeting information embedded into the invite
The Zoom/Slack integration is awesome - a meeting can be spun up with just a few keystrokes.
The ability to record a meeting is a huge time saver. I don’t love watching myself talk… but it can be helpful if someone is unable to attend a meeting live or if I need to remember a key decision that was made.
1Password: I cannot begin to tell you how much time I have spent resetting passwords. 1Password is an excellent platform for storing all logins, passwords, credit cards, bank information - really any sensitive information you want to protect. Be warned that It takes a bit of time & diligence to set up and keep up to date, but ultimately this is a huge time saver and makes working with my virtual assistant a breeze. Here are a few of my favorite features:
You can create different vaults so that only certain members of your team have access to certain information.
You can share credentials that have 2 Factor Authentication requirements.
Dropbox: Dropbox is another platform that I rely on in my day-to-day operations. Every document I create, receipt I need to save, data or information I receive, etc. is saved in an organized, systematic way in Dropbox. Dropbox has also eliminated nearly all of my paper files as I have moved to an entirely electronic filing system. I do not store any files on my computer’s folder system - I save everything in Dropbox. I do this for two core reasons. First, by saving in Dropbox, my VA can access the files she needs. Second, when I move to a new computer, I’m able to install Dropbox and download the files I need to access. While I generally use Dropbox for documents, files, or folders that do not need to be shared, the platform does offer the option to share folders with other people to collaborate. For sharing files with clients, I typically prefer Google docs as noted above.
Nice to Have as Your Business Grows
TidyCal: Having a tool that allows my clients/colleagues to schedule time with me has been my number one time saver. After researching several automated calendaring options, TidyCal best fit my needs. A large part of what I do is connect with clients in meetings. I no longer spend time going back and forth to find a date/time that suits my clients. Clients are able to click a link to see my availability and select a time. TidyCal then automatically sets up a calendar invite with online meeting details. Why do I love TidyCal?
I own email addresses across different domains and platforms (both Google and Outlook), which made calendar management a headache.
TidyCal allows me to sync all of my calendars, so that I have one main point of reference.
I can set up rules regarding when a meeting can be scheduled. This helps me maintain No-Meeting-Fridays!) and keeps clients from bombing last minute meetings onto my calendar.
Note: TidyCal is owned by AppSumo, which is a suite of productivity products. When you click the link above, search for TidyCal to find this tool.
Virtual Assistant (VA): I found myself getting bogged down with a lot of repeatable tasks that I could not automate, and it came to a point where I needed a partner to take some of the work off of my plate. A few years ago (at the time of writing) I was introduced to my VA. We get along famously and work together really well (I got lucky in finding an amazing VA on my first hire… my advice is to be patient and take your time to find the right person). My VA handles several ongoing tasks such as expense reconciliation, document organization & storage, ongoinging tax preparation, website maintenance, calendaring, etc. She also manages one-off research, tasks, and projects, as needed. She is exceptional at brainstorming and ideating with me - so she also serves as my sounding board for various ideas during our weekly meetings. Here’s why I love working with a Virtual Assistant
Once I have handed off a task to my VA, I no longer think about that task. I have checks and balances in place to make sure everything gets done, but I don’t worry about execution of the tasks on a daily basis.
My VA pays for herself…Since she has taken so many tasks off my plate, I’m able to do more client/billable work.
I get a different perspective of things… Since I run my business solo, I’m the only one making decisions. I love having someone else help me think through certain decisions.
Slack: Slack is my favorite communication tool for eliminating unnecessary emails, phone calls, and meetings. This feels like a no-brainer in the tech world, but I work with folks across all sorts of industries, so this is worth mentioning. The one word of caution I would offer is to set expectations/boundaries around communication after hours and response time. I rarely use Slack with clients - I mostly use it to connect with contractors, my virtual assistant and colleagues. Here are my favorite things about Slack:
I can communicate using all sorts of media… images, videos, emojis and my absolute favorite.. screenshots! This is useful when communicating around specific issues/questions.
I can communicate with either a group of people or 1 on 1.
Slack has a great free plan (which I have taken full advantage of!).
One of my favorite features, especially when working with various clients, is that I can be a part of many different workspaces and quickly toggle between the different workspaces dedicated to each client.
Technical Tools that Can Improve Client Experience
Vimeo: Vimeo is such a helpful tool in the creation of videos for clients. If I need to explain a concept, new tool or process or demonstrate something for a client, I can record and edit a video with Vimeo and share it with the client. It is often quicker to record a video then to type out instructions/information and send via email. Also, clients can re-watch helpful videos if needed - this has saved me from additional meetings to explain the same concept over and over. I have got overwhelmingly positive responses from clients when I share information with them via video.
Zapier: I have been using Zapier for years in client work to connect different systems, but I have recently started using it to manage my own business. The first use case is to notify my virtual assistant when I have saved a voice memo, so that she is able to take that voice memo and action upon it based upon the content of that voice memo. That saves me from having to Slack or email about it later, which really streamlines the process for us. I see a ton of different use cases for this in the future, and we will continue to build up on the Zapier implementations that I put into place for my business.
Notion: A task management tool when collaborating with anyone, or even when working solo, is absolutely essential. We have been using Notion, and I love it so much, because not only does it have a task management system, but I can create wikis. I can create a page for each of my clients, for example, and keep key links, documents, information and meeting notes all in one place so that I do not have to keep a million tabs open on my browser to remember where to find things. Also, we keep track of all of our internal standard operating procedure documents and key information about my business, so that we know exactly where to find everything when we need it. I believe we are just starting to tap into all of the benefits of Notion, but I imagine growing the usage of it as my business continues to grow.
LucidChart: I have been using LucidChart for years. It is an awesome tool to be able to document processes for my clients, so I will typically map them out and be able to validate that I understand what they told me using a flowchart within LucidChart. I can also create entity relationship diagrams when building bigger projects and needing to build out new objects and fresh database tables. It's a really helpful way to visually communicate with clients and make sure I understand the scope of the project. Recently, I have started using it for additional use cases such as thinking through all of my lines of business and making a table. There are a million other things I can draw in LucidChart to help stay organized and to really visually communicate. I am such a visual learner and listener, that even drawing a chart while listening to my clients can be really helpful.
