I often get asked about the tools and products I use in my business. Turns out, there are a LOT. You may not need all of these, but if you need a recommendation, here they are!
Please note that some of these are affiliate links. If you purchase from them I’ll receive a small commission. Know that all of these are tools that I use and love regardless.
Tools & Products
SCHEDULING & COMMUNICATION
Acuity- scheduling software that has saved me so much time, effort, and back and forth emails.
Zoom- linked to my Acuity so that every time someone schedules a call it automatically creates a Zoom link. So helpful! Free and paid versions available.
Voxer- walkie-talkie app that allows me to text and talk with clients in-between sessions. Super helpful for creating boundaries on your phone when you turn the notifications off! Free and paid versions available.
WEBSITE & MARKETING
Squarespace- easy website building platform with tons of integrations. I love it because they’re constantly improving it and their customer service is solid.
MailChimp- this email marketing platform is the first one I ever signed up for. Some people think it’s not very intuitive but it works well for me and their customer service and tutorials are top-notch.
Later- this is how I schedule Instagram posts. I’ve used Buffer, Hootsuite, and Planoly in the past which are all great, but I like the visuals of Later the best. I generally upload a whole bunch of photos at one time then batch create content from there.
Dubsado- this is a great business management tool that includes CRM (customer relationship management), scheduling, invoicing, and contract signing functionalities, plus a number of other things. It takes some time to set up, but it’s super helpful once it’s done.
MONEY
Stripe- if you need a way to take payments and process credit cards online (you probably do), this is my go-to tool. It integrates with everything and is easy to set up.
MoonClerk- I create plans for ongoing monthly payments in MoonClerk. I love it because it’s super simple to use and I can create plans quickly that are super customized. Other services now have similar features, but this one works well for me.
QuickBooks Online- I use the self-employed version to manage my books (and I also have a fantastic bookkeeper). You have to pay for this monthly, but it doesn’t take any transaction fees.
YNAB (You Need A Budget)- This software is a game-changer. It took me a while to get dialed in, but now (after help from my rad money coach) I love having a better handle on my money, both personally and in business.
PHOTO & VIDEO
Loom- quickly record a video of yourself or a screencast and send, upload, publish, or share with a password SUPER fast. This is how I record feedback or tips for clients and create videos for my blog.
Unsplash- my go-to to find gorgeous stock photography for free! Perfect for blog thumbnails and sales pages.
Bonjoro- this app prompts you to record a video when new people sign up for your newsletter (or whatever trigger you want) so you can say hi to individual people as they join your list. I thought it might be too creepy, but I’ve only gotten great feedback.
VideoAsk- think “choose your own adventure” meets video intake forms. Kind of hard to explain until you experience it but a really fun way to create know-like-trust factor more quickly. Try mine here (but note you do have to enter your email in this case to experience it fully).
Pixieset- since I also take photos I need a platform to deliver the files so that people can view, download, and purchase the images. I’ve been using Pixieset for a while and I love it.
Lens Rentals- as a photographer who doesn’t always want to drop thousands for the latest new lens or lighting set up, this is my go-to rental company to test out high quality gear for a particular shoot or before I buy. Their customer service is incredible, too.
DESIGN & PRINT
Moo- I like to use our local printer as much as possible, but for small items like stickers and business cards, Moo is hard to beat. I’ve been using them for years and they have consistently excellent quality and customer service.
PunkPost- snail mail is the best! It only gets better with PunkPost where an artist writes your message with gorgeous hand lettering and mails the card for you. Guaranteed to create some joy for the recipient!
Canva- let’s be clear; I HIGHLY recommend that you work with a designer to dial in your branding. But once you have the foundation in place, using Canva to create beautifully designed social media posts, workbooks, email header designs, flyers, etc. is ridiculously easy and fun.
Fiverr- if I notice that something has been taking me way too long to do because I’m not familiar with the technology or process behind it, instead of flailing my way through it and wasting time, I often will hire it out on Fiverr. Things like photoshop projects or designing some piece of content I already written.
DIGITAL ORGANIZATION & FLOW
Dropbox- I’ve been using Dropbox for years to organize my digital files and photos and I’d be lost without it. Share folders with others, sync to the cloud to free up space on your computer, and keep all of your assets where you can always access them…even if you spill coffee on your computer.
Zapier- Automate the little things! Want every inquiry that comes via email to automatically be added to a spreadsheet? This will do it. Want to be reminded to follow up with customers a week after an event? Zap it. Just want a nudge about the new habit you’re trying to create? It’ll send you a notification. So easy and so helpful.
Toby- Always have 27 tabs open on your browser? This is for you? Basically, a super robust bookmark system to organize the tabs and docs you want to keep track of easily. I have categories like: daily, finance, wishlist, client notes, listen, and travel.
Books
These are all books I’ve found helpful in my business-building journey and books I often recommend or send as gifts. Mindset, leadership, marketing, money, creativity, habits- these cover the bases!