There are certain things you need when you start a business. These are the programs and businesses we use and recommend for business needs.
WEB SITE NEEDS
One of the first things you’ll want is a domain name for your website. We prefer and use Namecheap for Domain Name Registration. Register Your Domains Hassle-Free.
Choose a hosting company you’ll love and who’s paying attention. We did! Mom Webs Hosting
Then, we mostly use WordPress with Genesis themes by Studiopress.
MAILING LIST
You’ll also need a reliable mailing list. We use and recommend Active Campaign. Integrates nicely with our aMember shopping cart and has lots of great options. Try it free. No credit card required. Instant setup.
We previously used AWeber and still recommend them where appropriate. Compare the two and see which one fits your needs best. Get started free for up to 500 subscribers!
SHOPPING CART
Accept subscription payments, manage customer profiles, deliver digital content, integrate with your blog, forum, or CMS, send opt-in newsletters, run your own affiliate program — everything is easy with aMember Pro.
SOCIAL MEDIA SCHEDULERS
Metricool This is the tool we currently use for regular social media scheduling. A visual planner shows what you have scheduled and the best times to post. Use with multiple brands each with their own dashboard. It also allows you to bulk upload new posts as well as download past posts. And it does so much more. They have a free forever plan for one brand which includes one account from each of the supported social media platforms.
Missinglettr We love this tool because it turns blog posts into a full campaign automatically. Campaign options such as 2-week blasts, 2-month blasts, and 6 or 12-month evergreen, make it easy to schedule content and then forget about it. There’s a 14-day “no credit card needed” free trial.
STOCK PHOTOS AND GRAPHICS
Daily Art Hub Every day they release a fresh and new FREE Clip Art Set! Each set is only free for 24 hours afterward it goes on sale in their shop. Commercial use is allowed. The current deal allows you to download as much as you want on their website for just $20!
Canva is a good choice if you need or want to do it yourself. There is a free and a premium account. Each version provides a selection of templates, font, and stock images. You can import from your computer or cloud storage as well. It also has a built-in social media scheduler.
Creative Fabrica is a great resource for templates, fonts, quotes, and more. Sign up for their mailing list and get access to free resources weekly.
Depositphotos Royalty-Free Stock Images, Photos, and Vectors
She Bold Stock Photos offers stock photos, done-for-you quotes, social media graphic and lead magnet templates, and more.
BUSINESS COACHING
PLANNERS & PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE
I recently found my favorite new planners from The Page Company. The Productivity Planner will literally change your life, and the Budget Planner is exactly what your budget needs. They’re like nothing I’ve ever seen before…in a good way! You REALLY need to check them out here.
ActiveInbox for Gmail One of my favorite email productivity tools. I used the free version for a long time, but I’m in love with the paid version.
Boomerang for Gmail I love scheduling emails with Boomerang! This way people don’t know I am really a vampire.
FREE STOCK PHOTOS
FILE STORAGE
MISC
Fiverr Do more on the go with talented freelancers. Don’t Just Dream, Do. Freelance Services For The Lean Entrepreneur.
Grammarly is an online grammar checking, spell checking, and plagiarism detection platform.
Interested in flat-rate, unlimited graphic design? Check out… Design Pickle. I know you’re probably thinking, why am I recommending a company that is basically a competitor? I’m just one person and can only do so much. And Design Pickle offers a great unlimited design program for those just needing quick jobs here and there.