My Top 10 Tools for Running an Efficient Online Business
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. I only promote platforms and products that I use myself.
The business tool landscape is overwhelming. There always seems to be another "game-changing" app promising to revolutionize how we work. As a solopreneur who's tried a lot of tools, the ones that have earned a permanent spot in my business toolkit all share a few key characteristics. Solving real problems without creating new ones, integrating seamlessly into my existing workflow and making my daily operations smoother, not more complicated.
These are the 10 business tools I can't imagine running my business without.
1. Squarespace
It shouldn’t be a surprise that Squarespace is my number one tool since I specialize in the platform and my website is on Squarespace!
It’s an all-in-one website builder that offers digital products, commerce, blogging, scheduling, gated content and so much more.
2. Notion
This is essentially my work brain. I use Notion for all of my planning and organizing for every part of my business including my to-do lists, client projects, marketing and code backups.
There are so many features and workflows that you can easily adapt it to how you work. And the best part is there is a free version.
3. Flodesk
An easy-to-use email marketing tool to send beautiful emails to your subscribers.
Simple flat rate pricing no matter how many emails you send per month or how many subscribers are on your list.
Get 50% off your first year with my link or use code ERINFITZ.
4. Zight
If you’ve worked with me then you know I love a video recording! I find the best way to communicate with clients is to do a recording of my screen, that way I can talk through the project and there is a visual to go along to avoid any confusion.
I use Zight to communicate with clients, client walkthrough tutorials and for my YouTube videos.
5. RightBlogger
I find it easier to make YouTube videos than Blog posts so this is a true game changer for me! I link my YouTube video in RightBlogger and it creates a full blog post based on my video content. It can also give me a YouTube description and timestamps. And you don’t have to start with a YouTube video, it also has Blogging tools, SEO tools and Social tools to help speed up your content creation workflow.
6. Wise
One thing I love about my job is getting to work with people from around the world, but getting paid can be tricky so I use Wise for international payments.
It’s like PayPal but better and with way lower fees.
Get your first transfer of up to 800 CAD fee-free with my link.
7. Thrivecart
For payments that require a credit card, I use Thrivecart. It’s unique from other payment platforms because you pay a one-time payment to use it.
It’s great for digital product sellers, course creators, and service providers who want robust checkout functionality without ongoing monthly fees.
8. Dropbox Sign
When I first started my business doing contracts was a task I dreaded. I didn’t have a good system for adding the client details to the contract and getting it signed - it was all manual.
So I switched to Dropbox Sign and it’s so much faster. You can create contract templates which saves a lot of time getting the contract ready and it’s very easy for the client to sign.
9. Calendly
I use Calendly to schedule video calls to avoid the “when are you available” back-and-forth emails.
You can sync it with your calendar, create different meeting types, set specific meeting durations, and block out days or times when you don't want meetings.
10. Termageddon
I use Termageddon for my cookies and legal pages. It’s easy to set up by answering some questions to help identify the privacy laws that apply to you. The disclosures are then generated and you have the option to add them to your website through a code block so that the pages automatically update when there are changes in the laws or when new ones go into effect.
