One of the best parts of being in a community of women business owners is learning from each other. Running a business takes the right tools to stay sharp, responsive, and productive year-round, and we wanted to know:
What’s one tool, app, platform, or physical item, you wouldn’t want to give up, no matter the season? Here’s what our members had to say:
"ChatGPT helps me with my emails and proposals."
Kerri Rush | Fresh Wheatgrass Girl
Tool: ChatGPT - chatgpt.com/
“It helps me with my emails and writing proposals as well as organizing and prioritizing my projects and marketing schedule.”
"My paper planner helps me plan and process in a way I can’t do digitally."
Lori Vande Krol | Life Made Simple LLC
Tool: ProAction Planner: www.alifemadesimple.com/proaction-planner/
“While I love digital tools for capturing my to-dos, my paper planner helps me to plan and process in a way that I can't do digitally. I have tried going without a paper planner and always feel more stressed, overwhelmed, and less productive. The ProAction Planner fits my needs perfectly with spaces for goalsetting, planning, habit tracking, and reflection.”
"If it’s not on the calendar, it will not happen."
Kourtney Perry | Ladie Lex Scented Candles
Tool: Google Calendar: calendar.google.com
“As a busy business owner, if it is not on the calendar then it will not happen. From tasks to meetings to deadlines. A calendar has helped me stay organized down to getting bills paid. My daughter can even see everything so that my work/life balance is just a little easier.”
Carol Lunde | Another Home Sells
Tool: Google Calendar: calendar.google.com
“My life is here, if it’s not on my calendar, I won’t be there.”
"Slack is the hub for our culture and communications."
Rachel Formaro | Collabry
Tool: Slack: slack.com
“As a company with clients and consultants across the country, Slack is the hub for our culture and communications. From celebrating to birthdays, to collaboration, we LOVE Slack.”
"WordPress enables me to get creative with web design."
Kathryn Towner | WinCommunications
Tool: WordPress: wordpress.com
“WordPress for website development enables me to get creative with web design. It's allowed me to serve small businesses with a ‘Yes we can’ approach. I've created websites using a variety of different tools, as well as from scratch with code, and the WordPress system suits me best.
WordPress templates do exist as plug-and-play options for start-ups on a budget. At the same time WordPress is flexible and expandable to satisfy the savvy developer.
Most online tools integrate with WordPress which makes running and marketing your business easier.
I especially appreciate the fact that a WordPress website is not locked on one vendor’s server. WordPress websites are portable.”
"CrashPlan helps me meet client needs for data security."
Janice Marquardt | Passwall Solutions
Tool: CrashPlan: www.crashplan.com
“It’s an automatic backup tool for computer crashes and to prevent cyber ransom. It’s not too expensive and helps me meet client needs for their data security.”
"This app helps women work with their cycle to improve productivity."
Alyx Coble-Frakes | The Agenda.
Tool: The Agenda. App: www.theagendaperiod.com/
“This app helps women work with their cycle to improve their productivity, boosting sales and saving so much time!”
Whether you’re managing client calls or prepping a product launch in the middle of July, having the right tools in your corner can make all the difference. The right support system, digital or physical, helps keep your business moving forward.
