Modernizing Your Business Operations

Being an entrepreneur or a key part of a small business can be a beautiful and rewarding career path, especially if the regular 9 to 5 isn’t cutting it.

However, it can be taxing and come with a lot of new responsibilities that you will have to tackle. For someone to go from “Cog” to “Boss” the utilization of technological applications that will streamline business practices is vital for success and mental rest. Every business has different needs and requires tools that help improve automation and productivity.

This article offers tools that can help you with making your operation more efficient.

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Payment

Without money coming in, your business will not be sustainable. Therefore, you will need at least one application that can charge, invoice, and track business transactions. 

Square is by far one of the most popular and easy tools that can do all three of the actions above. It is very simple and efficient to use through a mobile device, so you can make money on the go.

(Sorry but Venmo or CashApp are not seen as credible and are perceived as less professional.)

Also, when you sign up for an account, they send you a card reader for free to complete in-person purchases. My favorite and most used feature is Square Invoice, which allows me to invoice clients (from my phone) and collect compensation that is directly deposited to a linked bank account.   

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Taxes

In life, you are guaranteed two things: to die and pay taxes. As a business, you will have to be responsible for tracking both your income and expenses, which you will have to file in your annual tax return.

Keeper Tax is by far one of the easiest (and most enjoyable) apps that calculate your tax write-offs based on your business purchases that it tracks by linking your cards to the app. Although it does cost a monthly or annual fee that in itself is a write-off. AND if you subscribe to the app for a year, they offer a complimentary tax accountant that looks over your income tax filing for that year free of charge.

Workspace/Collaboration

One of the most diverse and important tools available for business communication and collaboration is Google Workspace. The most popular tool it offers is Gmail, which can be readily tied to your website.

In addition to email services, Google Workspace offers Google Drive (i.e. Google Docs, Slides, Sheets) which comprise applications that rival Microsoft Office and allow for cloud sharing and collaboration in real-time.

Other useful tools include Google Calendar for setting up appointments/meetings and Google Meet, a competent video chat rival to Zoom. With the new ability to record meeting transcripts, Google Meets also allows for meeting highlights and efficient note-taking.

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Passwords

Today, securing your passwords and updating them frequently are two of the most important tasks a business owner must do frequently. 

Using a secure password manager such as 1Password will enable you to login securely, generate strong passwords, share passwords effortlessly, store digital records, and monitor the dark web.

There are numerous tools to help you manage your business operation. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, every business should have tools for finances, communication, and operational security. This article has helped you understand what tools are important to managing your business operations and help improve your productivity.

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Tools

1. Square - Point-of-sale tools for business management
2. Keeper Tax - Helps independent contractors & freelancers discover deductions everyday and file taxes.
3. Google Workspace - Collaboration solutions for the way work is changing.
4. 1Password - Secure password manager

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