“Do it on your own,” they said. “It will be the most rewarding and liberating thing you’ll do for yourself,” they said.
Well, they weren’t lying, but nothing could have adequately prepared you for the graft, sweat and tears you must pour into your solopreneur venture. It’s a far cry from the outset, when you were drawn to the romance of flexibility, the freedom of being your own boss and making your own rules, and the sheer satisfaction of starting something of your own.
Sound familiar? If you can relate, then chances are you’ll stick your hand up for all the help you can get. Sometimes all it takes is incorporating a few extra tools into your daily work life, and who knows, perhaps help in the form of another human may do you and your business the world of good.
These are some of the solutions that could help any solopreneur go from overwhelmed to “I’ve got this.”
Quickbooks
Accounting and all things finances is arguably one of the most daunting aspects of becoming an entrepreneur. Suddenly you have to keep track of, and efficiently manage money going out and hopefully, coming in. Then make sure payments are processed and bills settled. Nobody prepared you for this. Why didn’t they teach us this at school?
Quickbooks is the online business tool that’ll take care of it all for you. It’s hard to believe that such a simple, easy to use platform can do wonders for your business. From payroll to bill management, profit projections, live bookkeeping, and even tax deductions, you can pretty much consider Quickbooks your silent, super-efficient finance partner.
Asana
An inevitable part of the solopreneur journey is wearing many different hats at the same time, juggling all sorts of tasks simultaneously. Sounds like a bit of a circus show when put like that, but the irony is certainly not lost on those of you who know the struggle!
Making use of a good project management tool is one way to quell the anxiety around your juggling act. Perhaps one of the more robust project management tools out there, Asana packs a punch for both individuals and teams. While most project management tools are free to individuals and teams just starting out, Asana offers the most features, even on its free plan. Do some research on their full package pricing to see how they measure up to other similar platforms.
It boasts carefully considered workflow templates for various types of work teams, for example, marketing, engineering, event planning, design, IT, to name just a few. You’ll be amazed at the big difference simply having a clear overview of your workflows and projects can have on your everyday work life.
Canva
Whatever industry your business operates in, you’re bound to need graphic elements on a regular basis. It’s hard to imagine successfully marketing your business any other way. Think social media graphics, flyers, newsletters, branded stationery…
Online graphic design platform Canva has made this a whole lot easier for those of us who aren’t design whizzes. If we’re honest, they’ve pretty much revolutionised and democratised graphic design, to the benefit of small businesses all over.
With its massive, diverse range of templates and design types, it gives you all the tools to professionally present your brand to the world. You may just get carried away and convince yourself that you’re a real designer once you see what Canva allows you to do. You’ll have fun while you’re at it too!
Outsourcing to humans
Don’t act surprised – we all know that another helping human hand can go a long way in relieving any solopreneur’s load. It is what it is, though sometimes it’s not so easy to admit. You’d be pleased to know that this doesn’t necessarily mean hiring a staff member in the flesh.
An online virtual assistant gives you all the benefits of a professional helping hand, without the responsibility of employing a permanent employee. Completely remote, but always available to tend to your business admin, personal tasks, and even family needs, an online virtual assistant will take the weight of everyday organisation off your shoulders so you can focus on the bigger, more important tasks at hand.
Take a minute to picture your life without the hassle of having to do things like filing, calendar management, travel scheduling, presentation prep, and all those annoying admin tasks life throws at you. That picture looks pretty sweet, doesn’t it?
See, there are various ways to help you along this solopreneur journey that don’t involve partnering up or selling out. You can continue going at it alone if you make the most of the tools available to you. At least until you start aiming for global domination, that is.
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