I am a daytime chief marketing officer and a nighttime entrepreneur, and I know what it’s like to run a business all by yourself.

I’ve been a solopreneur all my life, and I don’t want it any other way, but the only way I can constantly publish content while working with my clients is by utilizing tools and processes that help me be as time-efficient as possible.

Are you struggling to gain authority online and positioning yourself as the go-to person in your niche? I can help! I am your host Nina Villalvazo, and I teach solopreneurs, bloggers, and small business owners how to leverage the power of content marketing to grow your business.

Whether you are a solopreneur by choice or because you are just starting your business. I want to show you five tools I’ve been using in my day-to-day business to save time and increase productivity.

A lot of times, productivity can increase when you use the right tools and optimize your current processes.

Speaking of processes, I’m teaching solopreneurs and content creators how to leverage the power of content marketing to grow their business in my online course. My 6 step content framework course will teach you how to define your audience by understanding their physiological triggers, how to create tons of content for multiple channels while saving tons of time, how to create engaging content your audience will love, and so much more. I used all my knowledge I acquired over the past ten years and created an online course for solopreneurs, small business owners, and bloggers just like you who want to grow their business online.

Especially at the beginning of your self-employment journey, spending money wisely is everything. I want to show you five tools that you’ll need as a busy solopreneur.

1. Accounting Software

Tax season is here. I wrote this post in February, and trust me, you don’t want to be one of those business owners who don’t keep track of their expenses. Or even worse, spend hours digging through mountains of papers to itemize everything. Yuck, just the thought of it makes me want to go straight to bed with the blanket pulled over my head. Even if you are not preparing your taxes on your own but letting a CPA do the work for you, you still need to be organized.

An Accounting software can help you keep track of expenses, create invoices, and track your income. It can even track the miles you drove with your car. It’s that great!?

I use Quickbooks, and I set up auto rules to itemize recurring expenses such as advertising costs. A tool like that also lets you snap receipts which is great for everyone who is more likely to lose those damn paper receipts.

Overall, the most important part about having this tool is simply the amount of time you can save.

Why do busy business owners need this tool?

Tracking your expenses is a must-do as a business owner. Save time by using accounting software to file taxes more efficiently.

2. Social Media Management Tool

Finding a social media management tool that fits my needs and budget was tough. I am sure a few of you are shaking your head in agreement with me.

I did hours of research, signed up, and tried multiple social media management tools, and I found one that I can genuinely recommend. Drumroll, please. Pallyy.

Pallyy is the most affordable social media management tool at $15 per month, and it’s super easy to use. I’m all about using affordable tools that can do the job. Why should you spend $40, $50, or $60 when you can get a tool that’s way more inexpensive. This platform syncs with all major social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc. For me, it’s crucial to schedule posts across all major platforms. Pallyy also allows you to tag someone in the post, add a location and Instagram hashtags as a comment to leave your captions looking neat. Other tools either charged for hashtags in the comments or did not offer this feature at all.

Why do busy business owners need this tool?

Scheduling your posts ahead of time does not only ensure constant posting but can also easily save you eight hours and more in your day to focus on other things. Social media management platforms also provide insights all in one place to better analyze and evaluate your content. If you want to check out my recommendation, Pallyy offers a free plan to get started with the option to upgrade to a paid plan.

3. Miro

Miro is one of my favorite unrated tools for business owners. I discovered miro about 1 ½ years ago and using it religiously. Essentially miro is an online whiteboard that can be shared with team members.

What I found most useful about this tool is that it is a visual platform. I work much better when I can see images and graphics, notes, and post-it notes all in one place.

When using the app from a tablet, you can handwrite as well which is great since I like to write drone my thoughts.

Why do busy business owners need this tool?

Miro makes it easy to organize thoughts and projects. It’s like having a huge whiteboard and markers in your pocket everywhere you go. This tool offers an app that lets you log in and work anywhere. Miro offers free and paid plans. I think the free plan is totally enough.

4. Grammarly

I’m sure you have heard of Grammarly by now, but I couldn’t compile a list without including Grammarly. I’ve been using this tool for years, and it definitely improved my writing. After all, I’m not a native English speaker. If you have never heard of this tool before, it’s a platform to enhance your writing skills. Grammarly helps you improve your writing skills by pointing out spelling and grammar issues and providing guidance on how to be more engaging and clear.

Why do busy business owners need this tool?

Using this tool can help minimize your spelling errors and enhance your writing. At the end of the day, you want to put your best foot forward regarding content creation. You want to craft compelling copy that engages your audience and evokes an emotion. Grammarly can help you achieve your writing goals, especially if writing is not your strong suit. Trust me, no one wants to read a social post that’s full of spelling and grammar mistakes.

Grammarly offers free and paid plans.

5. Virtual Assistant

I get it - you wouldn’t be a solopreneur if you would hire someone for your company. Sometimes that’s pride speaking or lack of trust in employees. I am well aware of what it takes to oversee employees, especially when they are working remotely. I manage employees as a chief marketing officer in my daytime job, but I leave managing team members efficiently for another blog post.

There are times when a helping hand is needed, and what if I tell you there is a way to get help without committing to hiring employees? You can hire a Virtual Assistant. This person works fully remote and can handle assignments such as answering emails on your behalf, arranging meetings, preparing presentations, you name it.

I found a service called A virtual, who offers affordable rates for a helping hand in your organization.

Now you might ask yourself, why not hire a temporary employee from a temp agency? It’s a valid question, and I have the answer for you. I’ve tried temp agencies in the past, and I do not recommend them unless there is no way out. Temp agencies have high hourly rates, and unless you are okay with paying someone $35/hr or more to answer your emails, I wouldn’t recommend them.

Why do busy business owners need this tool?

As a motivated solopreneur, it’s not always easy to admit that we need just a little help, and I want to remind you that it’s totally okay.

Hiring a Virtual Assistant can take the weight off your shoulders so you can focus on more important tasks.

The tools I shared here are small, simple steps to make your life as a solopreneur easier.

Until next time!