Every brand needs a set of tools to help them navigate commerce in 2023.
In an ocean of options, which tools should you use for your business?
We have tried dozens over the years and know how time consuming it can be learning about each one. We also know how disruptive it can be to select the wrong tool and have to start all over.
Below is a list that we have personally used and vetted and recommend to any brand who is looking to scale. Most of them integrate with each other, which means you don’t have to worry about costly custom integrations.
Ecommerce
Your website is quite possibly your most important asset. More often than not, companies want to sell something on their website, whether that’s a physical product, a service or a digital good.
We recommend building your website on something that has ecommerce baked in, not a web platform that has an ecommerce “module” you can add. There is a big difference between the two.
If you’re serious about selling online and don’t want to spend tons of money on custom development to build and maintain your site, the choice is clear.
Shopify
There is no better platform for brands wanting to scale. Plans start at just $9 USD per month for brands just starting out, but can support large clients such as All Birds, Gymshark, and Timbuk2 as well.
Company Workspace
Every company needs a home base. A place that gives you control of your data and a place where your team can collaborate. This should be one of the first tools you sign up for.
Google Workspace
All plans provide a custom email for your business and include collaboration tools like Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Sites, and more.
Use code JA3VYP4NXWHFFEH to get 10% off the Business Starter Plan.
Use code J6T66WDGUTFNQMK to get 10% off the Business Standard Plan.
Email Marketing
If you’re serious about selling online, you should ideally start collecting emails as soon as you launch your website. Even if you’re not ready to start sending emails, you should try to collect emails for a later date. There are several options out there, but we recommend the one that integrates best with Shopify.
Klaviyo
Hands down, the best email platform I have used and one that integrates perfectly with Shopify.
Turn one–time visitors into customers for life. How? With Klaviyo’s data-proven marketing platform. Send relevant, well–timed email and SMS that increase lifetime values. (Plus, it’s easy.)
Finance & Accounting
We have clients who are great at branding, marketing, product development, and sales but lack proficiency with accounting. Accounting is not something that can be ignored. Having accurate numbers and timely financials is key to running any business. Without them, you’re flying blind.
Over the years, we have used several tools and partners to manage our finances. Here they are.
Divvy
Divvy is the first complete spend management platform. With Divvy, companies can eliminate the need for expense reports, gain real-time visibility of their company spending, add security against fraud and wasteful spending, and so much more.
It integrates with Quickbooks Online, Netsuite, Xero, and other accounting software.
Quickbooks Online
Quickbooks has been the standard for accounting for years. But their latest product, Quickbooks Online (QBO) is the future. They finally came out with a cloud-based version of their legacy platform and it’s making great strides. Inventory management is limited, but you can bolt on a true inventory management solution like Fiddle or Cin7, which integrate perfectly with QBO. And right now you can get 30% off your first 6 months.
Netsuite
For those brands who have outgrown Quickbooks, this is the next best option. With over 29,000 customers worldwide, Netsuite is the dominant ERP (enterprise resource planning) solution for growing brands over $10 million in revenue.
HR/Payroll
HR can be a bear. Employee onboarding, paperwork, forms...it all needs to be done right because if it's not, you could be in hot water.
Gusto
Payroll, benefits, hiring tools, time tracking, and performance reviews all in one place. Gusto is by far the best platform we've used for small business.
Customer Support
Delivering a fantastic customer experience has never been more important. These tools will help you deliver wow across multiple customer touch points.
Help Scout
If you are looking for a simple yet robust and beautifully designed help desk platform, look no further. Help Scout is one of our favorite tools simply because of how easy it is to use.
Whether customers come in through email, live chat, or your help center, your team will be ready with advanced features for collaboration, organization, and automation.
Gorgias
Another great option for anyone who is looking to have one place for all customer communication. Manage live chat, emails & social media all in one place (a nice feature if you have a lot of customer messages across your social channels).
Collaborate
Is your team spread across different cities, states, and time zones? You need more than just email. Start using the latest and greatest tools to not skip a beat, even if your team is remote.
Loom
If you find yourself playing email ping pong with your colleagues all day every day, you absolutely need to try Loom. Instead of typing a lengthy email that lacks clarity and tone, with Loom, you can send a personalized video response that allows you to record a video of yourself and also your screen. It’s by far the best solution I have found to speed up communication with your team. Try it out below for free.
Consumer Insights
Run a poll and get in-depth feedback from real people in minutes. It's that easy.
PickFu
In person focus groups are expensive and biased. Online focus groups are cheaper, faster, and produce better results.
That's where PickFu comes in. At ~$1 per respondant, it's one the best options we've come across. Use "GENSM" to get 50% off your first poll and start getting results within minutes of running your first poll. Yes, minutes!