The Top Tools You Need To Start An Online Business
Do you have an idea for a business that you have been sitting on?
When I was in my corporate job, I thought starting a business meant leasing a business space downtown, putting up a sign and going to networking events. It wasn’t until I started researching that I realized there was a whole other world of people starting businesses with just their laptops!
Of course, there is no magic button for success, and it’s a lot of hard work but it IS possible to find success as an online entrepreneur.
Becoming an online entrepreneur has a lot of benefits. To me, the biggest benefit is that I am being intentional about how I earn my money. I’m passionate about what I do and how my work impacts my client’s lives. I believe everyone has the right to feel inspired and motivated by their work.
Imagine how the world could change if more people could do work that they were passionate about and made a difference in the world?!
It’s exciting to think about. And while you might not be able to jump ship from a soul-sucking job overnight, you can think about an escape plan. If your escape plan includes starting a business, you can start putting your plan into action now.
We live in such a unique time in history where technology and the internet allow you to start and grow a business from anywhere. So I want to share with you the tools that help keep my business streamlined and manageable.
Disclaimer: These are all tools I personally use and love, but some of these links are affiliate links and have special, extended free trials if you use these links to sign up.
Acuity Scheduling is the tool my clients use to schedule appointments with me. I can set my schedule of open times, and then they can use a private link to go choose what day/time works best for them.
Zoom is the software I use to facilitate my client calls. It’s easy to use and has a lot of bells and whistles like video, screen sharing, options to record and more.
Active Campaign is the email management tool I use to collect email addresses from my website and send updates to subscribers. It’s vital to start and grow an email list when you are starting an online business!
Canva is a free tool that I use to create all my blog post graphics, worksheets, and basically any other graphic you see from me online!
Smarter Queue: Not every Facebook post you see from me is curated and posted in real time. Sorry! A lot of the time I create Facebook posts in bulk and use Smarter Que to schedule them to post over time. It’s a must so I’m not on social media all the time!
Tailwind: Pinterest is its own beast for scheduling posts and building an audience. Tailwind has been an amazing tool for managing that process. If your audience is on Pinterest, you will need this tool!
If you are just starting out and trying to get a business off the ground, these tools can help you look like a pro out of the gate. It’s important to leverage tools like this (even if they cost money!) so you can stay focused on sourcing and servicing clients.
And if you are still hesitant to put your business idea out into the world? Dip your toe in. Take baby steps. Explore the possibilities. Because you deserve to follow your passion and earn your money in an intentional and meaningful way.