I decided that I was going to start a business in 2017, before then I had no prior knowledge of anything I planned to do except lessons I learned from having to sell products made in Home-ed class and watching my father run his businesses.

As a computer science student then, I always believed that the goal of technology is to improve your lifestyle. Over the past 3 years, I have tested and tried different tools to help me create processes and run my businesses. These top 10 business tools in no particular order are my favorites. I talked about them extensively on my YouTube which I’ll love you to subscribe too if you haven’t.

If video is your jam, you can get all the tea in this tell it all video

My Top 10 Tools:

Canva 

This is my personal favorite graphic design software. I like this app because it has templates that let you create amazing graphic designs by yourself without an expert designer and also has a design school where you can learn how to make amazing designs for free. It’s amazing if you’re working on a budget! It also lets you collaborate with your team – this is one feature I’m so glad this tool possesses. I also use this tool in creating all the graphics I use on my Instagram and to create the Free E-book which everyone loves!

G- suite 

G-suit is a collection of web applications by google for businesses. It consists of Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Drive, Slides, Sheet, Forms, Hangout, Site, and Plus. These are apps that make the whole collaboration process simple and effective especially for businesses working remotely. I use Google Drive to store all of my documents safely.  I also prefer Google Forms to other data collection software because it’s pretty simple to use.
I just love the Gsuite because it makes working remotely with my team seamless and has everything in one place.

Google Hangout and Zoom

I personally think these apps are the best for holding virtual meetings. Hangout is actually part of the G suit and you can have access to it once you have a Google account. I use Hangouts for holding virtual meetings with my team which I think is really cool because it saves me money for airtime. Zoom, on the other hand, is really great for businesses, especially ones, that deal mainly with consultation and Webinar. You can schedule a meeting ahead of time and host a lot of people from different locations. The downside to zoom is that it gives you only 40 minutes free then you have to pay for an extended time.

Calendly

This software can be used for booking appointments. For instance, as a consulting business, you can generate a link on Calendly and let your clients’ book appointments through that link then the bookings are integrated to your personal calendar which updates you on your schedule. I love this software because it helps manage your schedule and makes your business look professional.

I personally use Calendly for business appointments and I will definitely be using it when I launch my consultation for Creatives and SMEs.

Looking to take your business to the next level? These 10 tools with aid you in doing so. Start automating processes and create systems that let you focus on what's important Click To Tweet

Zapier

It is simply an automation tool. It connects various apps and automates repetitive tasks to save you time and improve your workflow.
This app is a lifesaver for my business. I don’t have to manually send emails to every customer that makes a purchase because Zapier does that for me and I get to focus on other tasks. 

Asana

This is a project management software good for collaborating with your team on a project. I personally love Asana because you can break down a project into smaller tasks and assign them to team members. You can also get an update on a task from team members and it helps keep various projects organized in the same space. I would recommend this app for businesses looking to adapt to working remotely because, with it, your team can collaborate and you can track and monitor projects in real-time.

Slack

I highly recommend this tool for a team of more than 1. I love the interface and you get to create different channels for different conversations. You can also mention a team member in a conversation to notify them of a message. This is better for business communication than WhatsApp because it is more organized, works with a lot of integrations, and conversations can be easily traced.

Mailer Lite

If you love any email you’ve ever received from me, I create all of them in MailerLite!!!! I like MailerLite because of the marketing automation and controls it gives you over email marketing.
You can categorize your audience according to their interests and you also get 1k subscribers in the free version.  The landing pages are also a good tool if you’re yet to develop a website (which you totally need btw) and need to market your products.

DocHub

If you need to get anything signed and you can’t get to your laptop or you need to always sign things on the go, this tool is here for you!

Prospa

This has been so helpful for my business. With Prospa, you can create a current business account, register your business, and also has an invoicing system! It also helps you keep track of the inflow and outflow of cash in your business. With my code, you earn N1000 which can give you 40 free transfers. Simply use code:”XY2SX2” 

 That’s all for today! I really do hope you find some of these tools useful in your business. If you use any of them or have any other tools that you swear by which aren’t on this list, please drop a comment. I’ll like us to chat and help each other grow.

Love & Light,
Valerie 🤎