When it comes to running a small business, the days are long and the weeks are short. As a business owner, you’re often a multi-hyphenate, who heads up finance, marketing, HR, and the list goes on and on (and on). So how can you streamline your business and be set up for success? It’s as simple as choosing the right tools for your business and your goals.
Just ask Bola Sokunbi, founder and CEO of Clever Girl Finance. Running her small business is a team effort and she provides them with tools that’ll help her employees align with her business goals. Sokunbi started her business in 2015 as a hobby and made it into a serious business venture in 2018.
In those seven years, she not only stayed dedicated to some of her favorite digital tools but also picked up a few along the way that has helped her run her company more efficiently. “We basically evolved into tools that are supportive of team sharing and collaborative efforts. Anything that supports collaboration for a virtual team, are tools we have aggregated towards,” Sokunbi says.
Here are four tools that have made an impact for Sokunbi and her small business.
1. Google Workspace
What does Google not do? Whether you want it to set up a business email, or use it to share files, Google Workspace has almost every tool that teams can benefit from. “In terms of organization, G Suite is a really important tool. Especially because now I have a team and my team is mostly remote, and we do a lot of file sharing. We really rely on the G Suite offerings,” Sokunbi shares.
2. Slack
“One big tool that we use, that many companies do, is Slack,” Sokunbi says. Slack is a messaging app that businesses can use to connect their employees. From being able to chat with each other to sharing files, Slack unifies a team. “Again, we are primarily a remote team so it really helps stay on top of our communications. In an easy, noninvasive way, Slack has been super helpful for that.”
3. Bank of America Mobile App
Though this isn’t a tool per se, Bank of America’s mobile app1 has become a resource for Sokunbi to manage finances and day-to-day operations. “I am a Bank of America business account holder so that’s really helpful in terms of managing day to day. I’ve had other business accounts… and found the services that Bank of America offers just more robust. They also have a small business owner's resource center that’s pretty cool,” Sokunbi says. Their small business resources are set up to help owners find the tools and information they need to run their day-to-day operations smoothly. Whether it’s general information about accounting matters to understanding simple terms such as free cash flow, or even getting advice from other women entrepreneurs, you can find helpful content for starting and managing your business. From managing accounts to doing payroll for her employees, Sokunbi chose to switch over to Bank of America because it offered more services that covered all her needs financially.
4. Canva
“[We use] Canva for design. Before we were very much into InDesign or Photoshop, our designer used to use. Once Canva came along, we shifted to it because it allowed team sharing,” Sokunbi shares. The free online graphic design tool is easy to use, and great for everyone from beginners to expert artists. Not only does the tool have free templates, but it is constantly being updated with relevant design trends.
1. Mobile Banking requires that you download the Mobile Banking app and is only available for select mobile devices. Message and data rates may apply.