Shout out if you love accounting. (Silence). Put your hand up if you just can’t wait to use Excel to manage another project! (No hands go up). “I just adore having a million passwords and multiple systems that don’t talk to each other.” Said no one ever. We’re all trying to work smarter and not harder. So, what are some of the platforms that make running a business easier, so you can concentrate on building a business.
We asked some of Femeconomy’s members what business platforms they use to keep their business on track and growing, and what the benefits are to them and their business.
Jo Palmer, Founder & Managing Director, Pointer Remote Roles
Xero
“Accounting is not something I would normally get excited about, but Xero has been a game changer for my businesses. It is incredibly user friendly and intuitive, and their ‘help’ videos and forums are extremely thorough. Reporting, pays and superannuation are all completed so quickly and reconciliations are so easy to do on the app. Staff are also able to complete their time sheets and apply for leave on their app. Amazing!”
Trello
“Trello has completely changed how I run my business. It is an organisational platform that allows your entire team to access information, documents, conversations and checklists. You can delegate tasks and have a constant eye on everything. This is fantastic for businesses who have a remote team, but it also is an amazing tool to store all your information in one place, even if you sit in an office with your team!”
Clare Bradshaw, Co-Founder, OutfitHer
Quickbooks
“As a chartered accountant by profession, numbers are always at the forefront of my mind. Quickbooks is a cloud-based accounting package that enables me to easily track payments and invoices and run all the reports I need at the touch of a button, and it actually makes bank reconciliations fun (I’m not kidding).
When I first started OutfitHer I tried to manage my stock and sales with my own excel spreadsheets – this was cumbersome and highly prone to error. The inventory management in Quickbooks is automatic – once I process the sale my inventory is automatically updated. Quickbooks saves me so much time, helps me stay compliant and it’s fun to use (even for non-accountants).
My first piece of advice to anyone starting a business is to get yourself set up on a cloud-based accounting system from day 1. My second piece of advice is to use timesaving devices to take time off – not do more!”
Sonya Stattman, Founder, Success Strategist and Business Coaching for Women
Ontraport
“One of my heavy hitting platforms is Ontraport. It is an automated marketing and email system that captures my contacts, sends emails and keeps all my automated communications running smoothly. I use it for clients, events, my bulk email list, my quiz and to capture subscribers for my podcast. I love it because it automates so many little tasks. It combines several applications into one so I have a smooth system.
My goal is always to simplify my admin, tasks and to-do list so that I can stay in my lane and focus on my genius. This ensures I am having the most impact in helping women succeed.”
Susanna Heiskanen, Co-Founder, Tuutu
Woocommerce
“Since moving my website to WordPress Woocommerce, I have seen an increase in my website traffic. Our previous platform was not as robust and it lacked the flexibility needed to cater to our increasing volumes, products and ability to offer more options to the consumer.
With Woocommerce, we can customise the look and the feel of our online shop and it has integration with many of the other platforms like MailChimp, PayPal, AfterPay snd ZipPay. You can also add Australia Post for shipping.”
Angie Spencer, Stakeholder Communications Specialist, Airservices Australia
Ripl
“Digital Marketing is one of the key ways that small businesses and non-profit organisations can put their best social media foot forward. We know that Facebook and Instagram algorithms favour video content, but it can often be costly and time consuming to film, create, edit and launch compelling short videos. Ripl is a smartphone app that’s primary focus is in supporting your brand’s reach and engagement. It’s quick and easy to create content, and my clients love the Ripl videos that I create to share animated brand narrative. Better still, the analytics prove that Ripl video content delivers higher engagement rates, meaning new business leads and followers.”
Reckon One
“At $5 per month, I can manage my client details and automatic invoicing with a minimal investment of time. It is efficient, easy to use and helps me prepare my quarterly BAS statements. Can’t ask for more than that!”
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Header photo by William Iven on Unsplash
