tools that will help you get your startup started
There are approximately 100 million businesses started each year, and while many will go onto succeed and even become household names, others will fail. In fact, approximately 90 percent of startups will end up failing. Whether you want to build a business that will become the next big thing or are just looking to quietly fill a gap in the marketplace, as an entrepreneur, the last thing you want is for your business to go under. Luckily, many of the things that cause a startup to fail can be avoided.

While some factors that can cause failure won’t happen until after your business is running, many factors can cause your business to fail that play in just as your business is getting started. For example, 42 percent fail because there is no market need, but that failure could be avoided by thorough market research. Another reason that a startup can fail is that they don’t use the right tools; however, that failure could be avoided by a company ensuring that they have all of the tools they need and that the tools function how they need them.

The tools you use can have a bigger impact on your business than you might think. When it comes to running a business, some of the most important aspects are your finances, your marketing efforts, and the team you are working with, and using the right tools can help you make the most of each of those areas and keep your business moving forward. If you’re just getting started or are putting things together to start your startup, then it’s important to ensure that you have the tools that you need. To help you out, below are listed some of the best tools for some of the most important aspects of running a business:

Finances

  • eChecks. eChecks is a tool that makes it simple and easy to pay by check without being at the mercy of the mail courier. eChecks are sent via email saving you time and money on postage and paper. Whether you’re paying employees, vendors, or anyone else, eChecks makes it fast and easy. Plus, it’s compatible with Quickbooks, making life even easier.
  • Quickbooks. Quickbooks is a tool that you don’t want to run your business without. From tracking expenses to helping with taxes, it (almost) does it all. No matter how big your startup is now or gets in the future, it’s a tool that can grow with you.
  • Float. Float is a tool that lets you visually see your cash flow and forecasting. Instead of spending hours manually making updates, Float will automatically update your cash flow forecasting for you using data from the accounting platform that you use, like Quickbooks.

Marketing

marketing teams table

  • Canva. Canva is an online design tool that lets you edit photos, create graphics, come up with social media posts, and more. If you don’t have the cash to hire a designer, Canva is a must-have since it has premade templates you can edit to help your business put out high-quality marketing material.
  • MailChimp. MailChimp is an email marketing tool that makes it fast, simple, and easy to reach your audience. It’s easy to use, saves you time, and helps you build and support a brand and community in the process.
  • Buffer. Buffer is a social media management platform that lets you connect all of your social accounts in one place. By having them all interconnected, you can keep track of what’s being said and what’s happening on your pages as well as schedule and publish posts from one hub instead of opening tons of windows and managing each one individually.

HR

human resources for startups

  • Gusto. Managing employees is a big part of an HR rep’s job, so whether you have one on staff or are acting as the HR rep for the time being, Gusto is a tool you’ll need. Gusto lets you manage payroll and benefits and even offers other HR tools, making the job a lot easier and simpler.
  • Zoho Recruit. Zoho Recruit is a tool that every startup needs if they plan to hire staff. Zoho Recruit helps you find the right applicants and streamlines the application and hiring process for you so you can spend less time searching for candidates and more time training and getting the right ones settled in.
  • Fiverr. You may not always need a full-time employee to do a certain job but still need to get the job done. In that case, Fiverr is where you should turn. Fiverr is full of professional freelancers who are available and eager to take on projects and help you keep your company moving forward, even if the project is only a one-time thing.

What other tools have you relied on or been told to use to get your startup started?