Are you a small business owner? Do you dream of owning your own product-based business one day? As we’ve all heard, running your own business can be really stressful. Have no fear! As a small business owner myself, I’ve scoured the internet for tools, apps, and websites that could make my life easier. Here are some of the tools I use for my small businesses (this blog and Chill, Babe Candle Co).
Shopify
First and foremost, if you have a product-based business, you’ll need a place to sell your items. Yes, you could go with Etsy. It’s a free traffic source! However, if you’re looking to stand out on your own (without someone else pushing the competition under your listing), you’ll need a site to host your online store. This is where Shopify comes in!
It’s great because you get to customize all aspects of your business and create a solid brand for yourself. The best part? You don’t end up giving 10% of your sales away to them, unlike Etsy with all of its fees! There is a monthly fee (or you can pay upfront for the year at a discounted price) but they have plenty of plans to choose from. When you sign up, you’ll receive a free 14-day trial before you even have to select a plan! If you’ve been thinking about trying Shopify, consider this your sign! Need more convincing? Use my link to get a $100 credit for your subscription fees! That’s a HUGE saving (almost 3 months’ worth)! BUT, you do have to pay for one month before you’ll receive the credit.
Faire
As product-based businesses, we have two routes we can go down: Retail and/or Wholesale. If you’re unfamiliar with wholesaling, it’s a way to get other retailers to stock your products in their shops! Super fun right? Finding retailers can be difficult though and figuring out how to take payments can be frustrating. This is where Faire comes in! It’s essentially Etsy of the wholesale world! They help put your products in front of people who’d love to sell your items in their shops.
Like Etsy, there are some fees involved, but that’s to be expected! Within two months of being accepted into Faire, I had FOUR wholesale orders come in! That’s a really cool feeling and a great way to get exposure for your brand. Getting accepted may take some time, but if you already have a brand and are making sales, it shouldn’t take long. If you’re interested in applying, click here!
Flodesk
Ah, Flodesk, one of the loves of my life! Flodesk has to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing email providers out there. It’s easy to use, stunning, and has the best pricing structure out there! How do unlimited subscribers for $39 a month sound? That’s amazing considering how other companies are priced. Still unsure? How would you feel if you could get 50% off your first year of Flodesk? YES! Use my link to sign up with Flodesk and get your first year for $19.99 a month! If you’d like some more information, I’ll link my blog post about why I made the switch from Mailchimp to Flodesk here!
Notion
Hands down, THE BEST app for keeping yourself organized! Notion is a FREE planner/notebook builder that you can use on your computer and phone. One reason planners don’t work for many of us is that they don’t have enough space, they don’t have sections we need, and we usually forget to bring them with us. Notion allows you to fully customize your workspace! There is a bit of a learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, it’s great. If you’re looking for a Notion template to help you with your product-based business, I have one for sale here!
Inventora
If you have a product-based business, keeping track of inventory is essential. Inventora has been a huge blessing when it comes to my candle shop. This website, which was created by fellow makers, allows you to input your product recipes, create products, track material, and product inventory, and more! There is a free version, but if you’re looking to sync it to your Shopify or Etsy store, you’ll need the paid version ($19.99 a month). With the paid version, you get all of the free features, but you’ll get to sync it to your shop and gain vital analytics and data about your shop! If this sounds helpful to you, I have a link that will get you a $10 credit!
Canva
Last but not least, Canva! If you’re a small business owner, I’m sure you’ve heard of or have used this app. If not, it’s a site (and app) that allows you to create beautiful graphics for social media, your website, and literally anything you can think of! While there is a free version, it’s missing some vital features for small businesses. Canva Pro gives you full access to all features, like being able to upload your own fonts! If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your plan, here’s my link to get 30 days of Canva Pro for FREE!
I hope you try these out! Running a small business takes a lot of work, but with these tools on your belt, you’ll be able to avoid business owner breakdowns! Do you have any questions about anything I’ve listed? Leave them in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them!
xo J
PIN IT FOR LATER
