If you’re doing it right, nothing could have adequately prepared you for the graft, sweat and tears that come with being an entrepreneur. It’s a far cry from the outset when you were drawn to the romance of flexibility, the freedom of being your own boss and making your own rules, and the sheer satisfaction of starting something of your own.
Sound familiar? It may be time to stick your hand up for help. Sometimes all it takes is incorporating a few extra tools into your daily work life, and who knows, perhaps even help in the form of another human.
These are some of the solutions that could help new entrepreneurs go from overwhelmed to “I’ve got this.”
Quickbooks
Accounting is arguably one of the most daunting aspects of becoming an entrepreneur. Suddenly you have to keep track of and efficiently manage money going out and, hopefully, coming in. Then make sure payments are processed and bills settled. Nobody prepared you for this.
Quickbooks [link: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/] is the online business tool that’ll take care of it all. It’s hard to believe all the things such a simple, easy-to-use platform can do for your business. From payroll to bill management, profit projections, live bookkeeping, and even tax deductions, you can pretty much consider Quickbooks your silent, super-efficient finance partner.
Asana
Juggling all sorts of tasks is an inevitable part of the entrepreneurship journey, and it’s so easy to drop the ball on a few things as you move along. That’s okay, but there is a way to do things smarter.
Making use of a good project management tool is one way to quell the anxiety around your juggling act. Perhaps one of the more robust project management tools out there, Asana packs a punch for both individuals and teams. While most project management tools are free to individuals and teams just starting out, Asana offers the most features, even on its free plan.
It boasts carefully considered workflow templates for various types of work teams, for example, marketing, engineering, event planning, design, IT, to name just a few. You’ll be amazed at the big difference simply having a clear overview of your workflows and projects can have on your everyday work life.
Canva
Whatever industry your business operates in, you’re bound to need graphic elements regularly. It’s hard to imagine successfully marketing your business any other way. Think social media graphics, flyers, newsletters, branded stationery, and even internal documentation like employee handbooks.
Online graphic design platform Canva has made this a whole lot easier for those of us who aren’t design whizzes. They’ve pretty much revolutionised and democratised graphic design, to the benefit of small businesses all over.
With its massive, diverse range of templates and design formats, it gives you all the tools to professionally present your brand to the world. You may just get carried away and convince yourself that you’re a real designer once you see what Canva allows you to do. You’ll have fun while you’re at it too!
Human assistance
Don’t act surprised – we all know that another helping human hand can go a long way in relieving the load of entrepreneurs. Sometimes it’s not so easy to admit, though.
An online virtual assistant gives you all the benefits of a professional helping hand without the responsibility of employing a permanent employee.
Completely remote but always available to tend to your business admin, personal tasks, and even family needs, an online virtual assistant will take the weight of everyday organisation off your shoulders so you can focus on the bigger, more important tasks at hand.
Take a minute to picture your life without the hassle of having to do things like filing, calendar management, travel scheduling, presentation prep, and all those annoying admin tasks life throws at you. How much more value will you add to your business?
Outsourcery provides experienced, world-class quality virtual assistants at affordable prices. We run one of, if not, the most stringent recruitment and selection processes in the virtual assistant industry, ensuring all your affairs are in the best hands. Visit our website to find out more.