My Personal Toolkit for Success

My Personal Toolkit for Success: Leveraging Tools to Empower Your Business

Short, sweet and to the point for this weeks blog. In the almost 2 years since I’ve been in this gig, I’ve trialled plenty of programs and platforms to improve my productivity and efficiency. The following list is the backbone of my business operations. If you aren’t already taking advantage of some or all of the following tools at your disposal, or don’t have any systems in place, then I highly suggest you do in order to claim back your valuable time and energy. Let’s dig in.

Xero - Accounting and Invoicing

Xero has quickly grown to be one of my favourite platforms. It is my go-to for all things accounting and invoicing. Its highly intuitive design and comprehensive features make managing my business finances a breeze. Now, I’m not really a numbers person, but this one platform makes the hard stuff easy, ensuring that I can focus more on operations and less time crunching the numbers. For any creative professional looking to streamline their financial operations, Xero is a game-changer.

Google Calendar - Time Management and Schedule Calendar

In the whirlwind of project deadlines, meetings and appointments, Google Calendar is my anchor. Its simplicity and integration capabilities make it indispensable for planning and staying ahead of the curve. Anyone who’s seen my calendar, sees how huge a part it plays in keeping my life structured and organised, a centre point through the chaos.

Google Sheets/Google Suite - Collaboration and Planning

Google Sheets is the unsung hero of my project planning and document management. Whether it's tracking project timelines or collaborating in real-time with clients, Google Sheets provides the flexibility and accessibility needed in the fast-paced world of digital media.

Buffer - Social Media Management

Buffer is my trusted companion in the social media landscape. Its easy to use, robust scheduling features allow me to maintain a consistent online presence for clients across multiple platforms without monopolising my time. As a solo-business owner, it’s also gentle on the pocket with affordable payment options (depending on your needs).

Adobe Creative Suite - Advanced Creativity

Adobe Creative Suite has been in my life for years and it’ll continue to for many years to come. The great thing is the powerhouse of creative applications that span across niches; there’s web design, photo editing, photo manipulation, graphic design, sound design, animation, video editing, video effects - and that’s just off the top of my head.

As a videographer and video editor, most of my time is spent in Premiere Pro, followed by Lightroom for photography/photo editing. But it’s a comfort to know that when I need to access programs to help me execute specific actions, I just have to click a button. This includes Photoshop, InDesign, Audition and After Effects. Depending on the task at hand, these tools can enable me to bring visions to life.

Canva - Basic Design

For quick, basic designs and sharing concepts with clients, Canva is my go-to. Its user-friendly interface and vast template library allow for the creation of professional-looking designs without the need for extensive graphic design skills.

ChatgPT also has an integration with Canva. If you’ve ever browsed the GPT store you may have possibly seen this. A few prompts later and you have a quick and easy design set up using ChatGPT.

CapCut - Reels and Basic Editing

CapCut has revolutionised how I create client reels. It is another robust platform that's accessible both on desktop and iPhone and enables me to fast track my editing. While I could still technically edit reels in Premiere Pro, Premiere is a more advanced platform meaning that time is effectively taken away from me in the case of creating and editing a basic reel for my clients social media channels. Thankfully this is is where CapCut comes in as a huge timesaver.

ChatGPT - Generative AI

ChatGPT by OpenAI has fast become a staple in everyone’s life - regardless of whether you’re a business owner, corporate employee, school student, or even pensioner trying to understand the ever changing digital realm. This advanced AI tool has become an indispensable asset, assisting with everything from content generation ideas, blog writing, website coding, project planning and management, to answering complex queries with remarkable precision. It’s fair to say that everyone either already is, or soon will be, using ChatGPT or other AI tools extensively in their every day lives. Which leads me to my next point…

A Glimpse into the Future…

As we teeter into a new era in digital innovation, I’ll be sharing more ways that businesses can leverage AI to help get ahead of the game. With so many developments in the space, so many different applications with different functionalities, there’s a wealth of knowledge to be tapped into. I’ve already dabbled into a few solutions myself - solutions I’m excited to share more about one day soon. Stay tuned for an exciting journey ahead as we explore the limitless possibilities of AI in transforming the way we work and create.

Conclusion: A Symphony of Tools

Each tool in my toolkit plays a unique role in the symphony of my work operations. By sharing these resources, I hope to empower my fellow creatives and business owners to take advantage of the tools at their disposal in order to make strides in the digital space.

Once again, there’s room at the table for everyone to eat. Let's share, inspire, and grow together.

- Tayla