The best tools to use to run your business.

Seriously, I’ve done the hard work for you and used a lot of different software and tools in my time. These are the best of the bunch for newly launched businesses or smaller startups - they’re the ones I still use with clients because they’re worth every cent. Some are even free or have a free option to start with. These have (free option) next to them.

Heads up: This page includes some affiliate links. If you click and sign up for a paid account, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I have personally used & love.

 

Website

  • Squarespace - The best and simplest tool for creating beautiful websites quickly. It’s super easy to get started, has great templates to choose from that are all included, and if you pay for a year upfront you’ll also get your domain name and a business email address with GSuite free for a year. Win.

  • Shopify - The best for online ecommerce with physical products. Like Squarespace, it’s super easy to get started, has great templates to choose from (free or paid) and a whole app store to add extra functionality as you grow.

  • GoDaddy (pay for what you buy) - My personal favourite for buying domain names.

  • Leadpages - The easiest way to create high-converting landing pages to test experiments quickly.

  • Instapages - Similar to Leadpages, but better for SaaS and tech businesses.

Business Management

  • Google Workspace - You'll need a professional email address (e.g. yourname@yourdomain.com) rather than a generic Hotmail or Gmail address. Google Workspace includes Gmail, Google Drive and Google Calendar in one.

  • Slack (free) - For team communication

  • Square - For sending invoices, receiving payments and POS hardware if you need it.

Project & Time Management

  • Asana (free option) - For managing projects and tasks. I use this multiple times a day

  • Trello (free option) - Similar to Asana, but a bit more basic

  • Google Keep (free) - simpler than Evernote and integrates with Google Calendar, reminders and every other Google product. Love it!

  • Zapier - Connect different online programs that don’t usually talk to each other and automate soooo many things.

Marketing + Social Media

  • Canva Pro (free option) - Create professional graphics (for the non-designer). You can start with the free version but upgrading to Canva Pro will give you a few amazing time-saving benefits and is well worth the monthly cost.

  • Buffer (free option) - For scheduling and managing Facebook and Twitter.

  • Mailerlite (free option) - The easiest and lowest cost email software out there. I prefer it over Mailchimp.

  • ActiveCampaign - Great for those who need more advanced features than what Mailerlite can offer, like more advanced automations and tagging.

  • Planoly (free option) - My absolute must-have for stress-free Instagram scheduling.

  • Stock Photos - Yes, stunning stock photos that don’t suck are a thing. Check out my blog post 30 Websites with stock photos (that don't suck) for a full list.

Webinars/Video/Courses

  • Crowdcast - Want to host a live webinar or workshop? Crowdcast takes the tech stress out of it! Super easy to use with no lag and real-time live chat.  

  • QuickTime (free) - Easily record your screen with this free tool included on all MacBooks.

  • Loom (free option) - For quickly recording my screen or video to share a short video.