When I launched my company, one of my goals was to have no staff, just some great freelancers and fantastic online services that would fit all of my business services needs. Here are a few of those services that I use. My intention is to help get you up and started in the areas where you need a little help. And ASK me if you have questions… I love talking about this stuff. Really.

*Official Disclaimer:
These links below are affiliate links, meaning I’ll receive some money for referring you when you buy them.

**Unofficial Disclaimer:I pay for all of these services because I use them and think they’re exactly what I need. If I change services, I’ll let you know. We’re smarter together…

Back in January 2012 I consolidated all of the free and almost free apps & online tools we were using for both No More Nylons as well as The Jason Womack Company over to Infusionsoft. I researched it by asking around who was using it. Then I attended their annual conference called Infusioncon and saw over 2000 small business owners who used it successfully. And I decided to take the leap. And it’s no small feat, I’ll admit it. Trading in free apps for a monthly fee program… who would do that? I did. And I’ll tell you why. I knew we needed to grow, and have the tools that could grow with us. I used to use the following programs: Constant Contact (for newsletters), Highrise (for CRM), GoDaddy’s ecommerce and SurveyMonkey. Plus countless widgets in WordPress. Now I just use Infusionsoft. It also integrates with QuickBooks, so my accounting is more accurate and streamline. If you’d like to see a free demo, click on the picture below that says “Watch A Demo.” And let me know if you have any questions. I’m happy to share how I’m using it.

Presentation Coach: Click here to visit Dyana Valentine.

Dyana is a force of nature! I knew the moment I met her I wanted her on my “team.” I hired her for Pitch Perfect when I first started the Women’s Business Socials to fine tune the message I wanted to share. That’s the beauty of the Pitch Perfect program, I got to talk on and on about what I thought it was. She has this uncanny ability to find the essence of what you’re trying to say and craft a new, precise and intriguing conversation to share.

Great All Around Business Inspiration: Chris Guillebeau’s Unconventional Guides

Like all good things on the internet, a friend forwarded me a link to Chris’s site. I was impressed from the moment I saw the website. I read the free “278 Days to Overnight Success”, then I ordered a few more of his pdf guides and signed up for his program on how to make an online info product. What I love about Chris is the authentic voice he uses in his writing. It feels like he’s talking with me… and that he writes about what has worked for him. It’s not theoretical, nor is it what he thinks is a good idea. He writes step by step what he does, and how you can do it too.

Fax Number:

I had a client call me one day and ask if she could fax me the signed contract for some work. I said sure. I clicked on this page, signed up for a fax phone number, and emailed my client the number, within minutes. That’s how fast business moves sometimes. Now, here’s the beautiful part about this. I don’t use faxes very often, I don’t have a fax machine, and I can send and receive faxes from anywhere that I can check email. Simple, really affordable and easy to set up and maintain. That’s the kind of support I want.

Cloud Storage:      DROPBOX

So maybe you’ve heard about the “Cloud”, if not, it’s okay too. Really it’s like having an external hard drive that lives in space somewhere. (How’s that for un-technical!) So I use my cloud storage space to put files that I want backed up and to have available from any computer, anywhere in the world that I log in. So by files, I mean photos, video clips, contracts, workbooks, fliers and client letters…

There’s also a way to “share” files with other people as easy as clicking a button that says “Share.” So if you’re not able to send a friend or client a HUGE photo file to their email, you can save it to your Dropbox folder, and click SHARE which will send them an email with a link to just that file. It’s that simple. The free account gives you 2 GB of freespace.