10 tools I use to drive my one-person business forward

Read time: 4 minutes

Shiny new object or useful, long-term tool?

Technology is designed to simplify business, but with the array of options, it’s easy to make things complicated.

I’ve been running my one-person business for 4 years, experimenting with tools to streamline my process, save time, and operate effectively.

Here are 10 tools I use to drive my business forward.

Many of them are free.

1. Notion

It’s my business hub.

I use it for almost everything:

• Notes

• Task list

• Planning

• Content creation

• Project management

• Customer relationship manager

• Templates & process documentation

It’s multi-functional with a simple interface and has gained popularity quickly.

Using a popular tool with project management capabilities can make you a more effective collaborator. Here’s the simple project management structure that transformed my one-person business.

Notion can serve as a wiki and a website. Plus, it now has artificial intelligence embedded in the system (for a fee, of course).

2. Wave

It’s my accounting system.

It’s lean and perfect for a one-person service-based business. It’s not a powerhouse, but that’s the point. While I use other programs and reporting tools for deeper analysis and strategy, Wave keeps my finances organized.

I have used QuickBooks before and find it super helpful. Still, I would only consider it if I added complexity to my business model or created a physical product-based business.

Wave gets the job done.

3. Otter AI

It’s my transcript system.

Some of my best thinking happens when I talk out loud to myself. I’m a kinetic thinker, so I do my best thinking on the move (and at the whiteboard). So I’ll set up my microphone and walk around the room thinking out loud.

Otter will transcript what I say, so I don’t have to rewrite it.

I also use it for some meetings where people don’t mind having the conversation recorded (it saves time on notes).

4. Google Suite

It’s my tool suite for collaboration, communication, and storage.

It’s no surprise that Google is listed here. It’s dependable, functional, and easy to navigate.

I used it for the following:

• Email

• Calendar

• Shared files

• Virtual meetings

5. TidyCal

It’s my scheduling system.

I primarily use it for discovery calls for potential clients. It used to be a pain to schedule meetings via email because it wasted a lot of time going back and forth. But now that I’ve crafted my Slow-Low-Sprint workday structure, I have dedicated blocks for meeting times - making scheduling meetings more manageable.

TidyCal integrates into my Google calendar.

6. Beehiiv

It’s my newsletter system.

You’re reading this post via email or the web, thanks to Beehiiv. My newsletter has become my top business priority, and I’m committed to sharing lessons, insights, and strategies to help you become a professional solopreneur.

There are many strategic benefits to having a newsletter. For me, it’s an avenue for longer-form content, plus you’ve opted into reading posts, which means I don’t have to rely on social media’s algorithm to send it to you.

Beehiiv is a newsletter-first platform, and while there are upgradable versions, the free version is excellent.

7. Hypefury

It’s my social posting system (for Twitter).

I post daily content on Twitter and LinkedIn. For months now, I’ve solely focused on building the habit.

I used to create and post on the same day, but it put too much stress on the process. Now I invest a time block to batch and schedule content about 10-14 days out.

I use Hypefury for Twitter and post natively to LinkedIn.

Hypefury has excellent features that eliminate some manual aspects (like auto plugs and auto-retweets) to get your content in front of more eyeballs.

8. Microsoft Suite

It’s my tool suite for financial analysis, presentations, and writing.

I have used Excel, PowerPoint, and Word for years. I’ve learned the keyboard shortcuts, tricks, and formulas that save me time.

If you asked me only to keep one tool and find replacements for the rest, Excel is the one I’d keep. For context, I have a finance and data background, and it’s crazy powerful. It helps me predict the future.

I suspect I’ll keep using these for many more years.

9. Stripe

It’s my payment system.

I still get checks sometimes, but now I default to online payments. Yes, there is a fee per transaction, but it’s so simple to use and integrates well with other tools.

10. Daily Timebox Calendar

It’s my daily planning system.

It’s a PDF template I print out and fill out by hand as part of my end-of-day routine.

Without it, I would be misusing all of the other tools. Timeboxing helps me stay focused on the most critical tasks.

Plus 4 More Tools

• PandaDoc for e-signing and managing contracts

• Slack for instant messaging

• Zapier for automation

• ChatGPT for AI