13 Best Practical tools for founders of startups
As a business founder, things get overwhelming quickly, especially if you’re the only one handling the business side (just like me lol)
Everything lands on my plate, from research to marketing to responding to user emails
How am I still standing? Well, apart from my concerning lack of sleep, I’ve got a secret weapon: 13 simple & easy-to-use tools I rely on to keep me sane, meet deadlines, and stay productive.
Here are they
Here are they
Research Anything to Build a Business.
When you need to research anything from tax laws to “why isn’t my website loading,” this is your best friend.
It is a lifesaver when it comes to quick research. It provides a clear overview of any topic you’re looking into and lets you double-check facts without much hassle. For example, I recently searched about copyright with gifs, and it gave me a solid foundation in just a few seconds.
- Pros: Great for fast, diverse information on
- Cons: While it gives a good overview, you’ll still need to dig deeper for complex research.
- Pricing: Free for basic use.
Similar tools to this? read here
Central Place for All Business Knowledge and External Info
Man, information is everywhere. If you are a founder, potentially, no almost 100%, this info is scattered 🙂 From that brilliant idea you had in the shower three weeks ago? Or that crucial client email from… sometime last month? It’s hard to keep track of everything with random notes saved in random places.
With Saner.AI, I can sync data from various sources and retrieve it instantly when I need it. The best part? I don’t have to organize anything (because, let’s be real, I don’t have time for that).
- Pros: Keeps everything searchable without needing to organize it.
- Cons: Early stage product so can have some bugs
- Pricing: Free with paid plans for more features.
3. Grammarly & Quillbot
Fix Writing Communication (Like Emails to Customer Support to Investors)
English isn’t my first language, so these tools ensure my communication is spot-on and professional. Plus, they’re free, so why not, right?
- Pros: Free, easy to use, and ensures polished communication.
- Cons: Need to pay for advanced features
- Pricing: Both offer free plans with premium upgrades.
4. ChatGPT
Marketing Content Enhancement
If you’re not using ChatGPT, you’re missing out. I don’t fully replace my writing with it, but I use it to improve and “beautify” my content.
For instance, I started this post and had it enhanced based on my top-performing posts.
- Pros: Enhances and refines content effortlessly.
- Cons: Still needs your human touch (no, it can’t replace your personality)
- Pricing: Free with paid plans for more features.
5. Canva
- Marketing Design
- I’m not great at Photoshop, so Canva is my no-brainer choice. Why spend time learning complex software when you can create solid designs for free? 😂
- Pros: Easy, intuitive, and free.
- Cons: Limited compared to professional design software, but perfect for early needs.
- Pricing: Free with premium templates and elements available.
6. Tella
Product Demo Recordings
Tella is my hidden gem! The zoom-in and zoom-out effects can be done easily without requiring a PhD in Capcut or Premiere. This seriously saves me HOURS
- Pros: Makes your demos look professional without the professional effort
- Cons: No, I think?
- Pricing: Free trial for basic features, with premium options.
7. Slack
Team Communication
We use Slack because it’s free, simple, and lets us tag and respond to messages quickly. One downside? On the free version, messages are only stored for 90 days.
- Pros: Free, with great integrations and ease of use.
- Cons: Limited message history on the free plan.
- Pricing: Free with paid options for extended features.
8. Tally
Survey tool
I use Tally because it’s free and sends notifications to Slack when there’s a new submission. The downside is there’s a limit of about 100 notifications.
- Pros: Free and integrates well with Slack.
- Cons: Notification limit, which can be restrictive.
- Pricing: Free with paid upgrades.
9. Google Sheets
Complex Timelines, Databases, CRM 🙂
No CRM has monetized me yet lol. Google Sheets still does the job for my CRM and database needs. Maybe it’s because my previous career involved tons of Excel work, so I find it manageable.
- Pros: Familiar, flexible, and free.
- Cons: Not as user-friendly for CRM as dedicated tools.
- Pricing: Free.
Cold outreach
I like Lemlist because it’s quick, easy, and has a clean interface. The only con? The price is a bit steep for a tool that integrates both LinkedIn and email outreach.
- Pros: Fast, user-friendly UI.
- Cons: Pricey if you’re just starting out.
- Pricing: Free trial for basic features, with premium options.
Email to users
They are decent. I say one of the biggest pros for me is the fast customer support
- Pros: Great customer support.
- Cons: Features are solid but nothing groundbreaking.
- Pricing: Free with 300 emails/day
Landing page
We chose WordPress because it’s easy to use and doesn’t require a ton of engineering effort—important when every bit of coding time counts in the early days.
- Pros: Simple, quick setup.
- Cons: Limited extra customization.
- Pricing: Free themes are available, with premium themes for advanced options.
Prioritize, follow up on tasks, and make sure nothing slips
My current way of handling it is not optimal, I write everything down, then mentally prioritize (which is exhausting). But my to-do are toooo many
So I’m excited about Saner.AI’s upcoming task assistant, we aim to save me and other founders from drowning in to-do lists.
What now?
So, there you have it – 13 tools that keep me alive & productive as a business founder.
I’m always open to discovering new ones, so if you have any recommendations that supercharge your workflow, let’s share! What tools have significantly improved your productivity?
