My Top 5 Business Tools

Being self-employed involves high-level organisation and requires turning my hand to many different roles all in one day. I’ve listed here my top 5 business tools which I use every single day and wouldn’t be without. I wish someone had told me about them all on my very first day of self-employment, so if you’re just starting out, then I hope that they can be of use to you too!

1. Let’s talk productivity: writing down tasks is so helpful for accountability and keeping track of jobs, however little or large they might be. It’s also incredibly satisfying when you complete a task and get to tick it off! I use an app called ‘ToDoIst’ which is completely free and works offline on any device – perfect for my busy schedule!

2. You’ll never see me without my good old paper diary! This year I’m using a gorgeous Kate Spade Flamingo Dot Diary which was so kindly given to me by one of my clients, Papier Party. I use this to keep track of appointment times and locations, as well as personal notes and reminders. If you’re still missing a paper diary for this year, then Papier Party currently have a sale on with many items 50% off…

3. Quickbooks is my accounts saviour! This online app is only £3.55 a month at the moment and is superb at keeping track of my invoices and payments. The analytics section also allows me to see clearly which areas of my business are doing better than others. Quickbooks also comes as an app which is handy for on-the-go, snapping receipts, and tracking mileage in the car – I just mark each journey as ‘personal’ or ‘business.’ By syncing automatically with my business bank account, everything stays tidy and organised in preparation for that end of year tax return.

4. Communication is key in any business, and I use Skype to talk to my team daily. Even from remote locations, my contractors and I can keep up-to-date with tasks and discuss any upcoming projects

5. Social Media! I use Facebook and Instagram to follow the current trends in web design and stay up to date with both the technical and aesthetic elements of website hosting and creation. My social media accounts are also invaluable for staying touch with my clients, engaging in my local business community, and marketing LittleBigBox as a brand.

Do you have any top tools that you couldn’t run your business without?! Get in touch and let me know, I always love to hear recommendations from other business owners…

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