First off, happy new year! I’m sure there’s at least one part of your new year’s resolution that involves maximizing productivity so you can spend less time doing the things you don’t like and more time doing the things you love. I have many recommendations to help you with that, but apart from various methods of scheduling, using the right tools is key. Here are the tools I am currently using:
Email. Hands down, G-Suite. At just $5/user, you can have your name @ your company email, 30GB of online storage, advanced admin controls, and more. I also use the Boomerang plugin, which allows me to compose emails at any hour of the day (ahem, 5:00AM) and send them during normal office hours.
Project Management. Currently, using Asana. Early on, I was using Google Keep, but opted for the a more advanced system as my work got a little more complex.
Contracts. Hands down, Hellosign. For free, you can send three documents a month. Edit your beautifully branded contract in whatever system you’re using, upload it to HelloSign, insert your e-signature and date, and email it to your client for their dated signature in a matter of seconds. Bonus: it integrates with Google Drive.
Accounting. I use Wave, and it’s amazing. And simple. And completely free. It’s even been endorsed by my Accountant (her name is Brianne and she’s a CPA and completely rocks. Please ask me for her contact info!)! I am able to share my dashboard with her so she can see all of my income and expenses that are automatically transferred from my business checking account. Speaking of…
Business Checking. I use Spark Business, a digital business account through a completely online bank, Capital One 360. Sidebar: we use Capital One 360 for our family checking and savings accounts, and I highly recommend it! With Spark Business, there are no monthly transaction limits, service fees, or minimum balances.
Hosting. I use Dreamhost, which has the best support in the industry and really phenomenal hosting. It allows my site to be hosted at “https://” instead of “http://” which is really great for SEO purposes.
Please note, none of the above are affiliate links, these are my personal recommendations based on my satisfaction with each of them. If you need any advice on other tools, please reach out. I’ve tried my hand at several and might be able to steer you in the right direction!
