Four Apps I Can't Live Without

Let’s admit it: we’re all on our phones all day long. While I could write (and have read!) a dozen things about some potentially negative side effects, I also find my phone to be an incredibly valuable tool for business. I have gotten better about not being on my phone during non-work hours, so I use it to the fullest for my business during the week.

Over the years I have found some incredibly useful apps and tools that could help any small business owner - and a lot of non-business owners as well! Here are four apps I can’t live without.

1) TeuxDeux
I found this app years ago and I have faithfully used it ever since. It’s a very simple but useful tool that gives me a daily checklist - and yes, I can literally ‘check’ off tasks by tapping them with my finger, which is a very satisfying experience! I love using this app to remind me of my weekly rhythms, and I can set recurring tasks for every week, month, or year. I would highly recommend this for anyone, whether or not you’re a small business owner!

2) Quickbooks
Having a financial app is life-changing. It’s so easy for me to review recent transactions and categorize them for tax purposes, add mileage in right after I drive for business, or upload receipts straight from my iPhone. This app became even more valuable when I caught a fraudulent purchase on my bank account just a few short weeks ago! In short, if you have a hand in managing your finances, you need this app. It is worth its weight in gold!

3) Creator Studio
This is both an app and a desktop site, and truthfully I use the tool more on my computer than my phone - but it’s incredibly helpful all around! When Facebook first launched Creator Studio as a way to schedule and review social posts, it was clunky and hard to use. Since then, the UI has become far better and easier to understand. I only use this tool for ALL my social media scheduling, both for myself and my clients, and I would pay for it…yet it’s free! Click here to read a full review of how to use it.

4) Asana
Yes, I have two productivity apps and yes, I need them both! Whereas TeuxDeux gives a quick and dirty list of daily tasks, in Asana I can set up bigger projects, organize client work, and assign tasks to my executive assistant. It’s keeps me on track long-term and helps me manage the dozen or so clients that I have, since I do different things for each one of them, whether SEO tasks, updating Google ads, or sending Facebook reports.