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Get More Done with Our Preferred Tools
Figuring out which tools to use to grow your business can be a daunting, time-intensive prospect. We know this because we’ve been doing it for the last decade, and when we dive into research mode, we go deep. It generally takes us at least 20 hours of research and a few months of actual use before we’ll recommend something as not all that glitters is gold, especially when you look under the first layer. Instead of spending your valuable time and money doing the research and experimentation we’ve already done, take a peek at the list below.
Some of the links below are referral links, and at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you decide to use them or make a purchase. The commission does not bias my recommendation but does compensate me for the time and effort to research on your behalf and share my thoughts.
Asana is my #1 recommendation for task and project management systems, both for collaborative teams and for individuals. With features like multiple nested to-do lists, an action item being able to live in multiple projects, and the ability to set up default tasks and projects, it’s a flexible and powerful tool for ensuring that the right stuff gets done. It’s been great for our team to know exactly who is responsible for what step in a project and allows our work to keep flowing because when it’s time for someone to step in for their part of the project they get notified. No more waiting and wondering or lag time between phases of a project! Best of all, it’s free for fewer than 15 users.
Gusto is the payroll service we recommend and use, whether you are just hiring your first employee or have an ever-expanding team. It’s significantly cheaper and better than ADP, their customer service is fantastic, and it’s so easy to use. They take care of so many things: automatically paying employees, getting everything filed with federal, state, and local taxes, quarterly and year end reports, administering medical and other benefits, and so much more. You can manage independent contractor payments pretty easily from there, too. ICs really appreciate not having to eat fees and it’s nice not to have 8 different ways to keep up with your contractors’ invoices and payments.