Each month I look forward to the 2nd Tuesday of each month! I am so excited to be a part of the Rising Tide Society and leading a Tuesday’s Together group in Columbus, Ohio. Last month was our 1st official month, so this month is just our 2nd time meeting. If you are a small business owner, photographer, videographer, wedding planner, make up artist, you name it, you are invited to join us! This is a movement of people who want to push “Community Over Competition.”
I know with schedules not everyone can make the meeting time, so I hope each month to blog the topic we will be discussing to help connect those who couldn’t make it. This months topic is “Tools of the Trade” We will be discussing some of our favorite apps or business tools that have been a life saver to us!
A few tools that come to mind first that have changed our business are 17 hats, Trello and my amazing limelife planner! (No my planner isn’t an app, but it has a HUGE part in my business)
17 hats, is an online system that keeps track of EVERYTHING. We just start implementing this into our business about a month ago and it already has made things so much easier for us. We do all our questionnaires, contracts, quotes, invoices, you name it through this online system. It keeps track of everything and it even has a built in calendar. I seriously love it. We are still learning are way around it, but it is a HUGE way to organize your business, keep everything accounted for and a HUGE time saver. You can even have built in emails to send out to clients. Seriously, its awesome. Before my hubby joined me full time, my way of running a business wasn’t the total best. He truly has helped me organize and run a business better then just writing everything down in a notebook and keeping track that way. (Not the easiest come tax season!) So yes, we are huge advocates of 17 hats! We were scared of it at 1st, because of allowing credit cards but it is definitely worth it! I love being able to send over contracts and invoices immediately! So if you don’t have it yet, go sign up for a trial month!! It won’t disappoint you!
Trello! We were introduced to trello at our marriage retreat by the amazing Katelyn & Michael. While we were there we actually signed up for it and started organizing it. We LOVE it! Trello is FREE, so that makes it even better. You can get an app for your phone and it is also online. This is our way of keeping our “To Do” lists organized and for us to stay on top of them! I LOVE little cute paper pads, and being able to cross things out, but I always end up starting a new one or forgetting it somewhere, so it really isn’t ever that efficient. When we started using Trello we fell in love quickly, I could see all the things I needed to do and under each thing I could create a check list for it. Trello is always open on my laptop and easy to see what needs done NOW. The super nice thing about Trello is I can see trevor’s “to do’s” as well and if I am swamped I can kindly leave him a note of something that needs done and he will have it on his “to do” list. It’s perfect! So if you don’t have trello, click here and sign up today!!
Lastly, this isn’t an app but like I said above, I LOVE planners and cute paper pads, so naturally I would have a planner to write everything down. I do have a calendar in 17 hats, but I MUST be able to write down things. The last two years, I have used Limelife planners that a photographer friend Tasha and Leslie have created. They are photographer friendly and seriously amazing planners. You can custom make the covers and add so many goodies to the inside. I love being able to view the whole month and then be able to break it down week by week in the next session. In the back of the planner is a place for me to keep track of miles and shoots as well. This is one thing I never leave home without. I always bring my planner with me, I am lost with out it. You should definitely check them out if you are in the market for a new planner!
These are just a few of things that have helped our business. Hope these few tips and tools help! I would love to hear what apps or tools are working for you! Feel freer to share!
xoxox
