My favourite creative business tools!
These are tools I use or which come highly recommended from trusted sources. I’m a bit of a tool junkie so I’m always on the hunt for a new or better tool to help grow my blog and business.
I get access to some special introductory offers as an affiliate with some of these programs, so I’ve included the bonus goods you might be eligible for in parentheses where applicable.
If you’re looking for info on vinyl crafting supplies in Canada, you can find that list here.
Sell your Handmade Goods
- Standalone web store: Shopify (get a two-week free trial)
- One of the most popular handmade marketplace: Etsy (see my guide here, including a link to 40 free listings)
- The biggest name in the game: Sell on Amazon Handmade
Social media
- Pinterest & Instagram Scheduling: Tailwind (get a $15 account credit, good for one free month of Plus)
- Facebook & Other Social Media Scheduling: Buffer or Hootsuite
- Design your own social media graphics: Canva
Productivity
- The ultimate productivity tool: Notion (Seriously, it’s amazing. I use it organize pretty much my entire life.)
- To-do lists: Todoist
- Track your time: RescueTime
- Save time typing: TextExpander (Get 20% off a yearly plan)
- Get a professional email address: G Suite (Start today with a free 14-
day trial, and email me if you’d like a promo code for 20% off your first year) - Email marketing: MailerLite or MailChimp (I’m using a free MailChimp plan but contemplating a switch)
Learning
- Online creative classes: Skillshare (2 month free trial)
- Digital education to start or grow your creative business: CreativeLive (check the On Air listings for free classes. You can also watch one free lesson each day on their phone app)
- Free tutorials about almost everything: YouTube
Writing
- Improve your readability: Hemingway App (Free online)
- Pick winning headlines: Headline Analyzer (free)
- Correct your spelling and grammar on the go: Grammarly (Free and pro versions available)
- Character limit counter: Letter Count (Free. Stop getting ‘characters exceeded, now you have to redo your whole pin’ messages from Pinterest!)
Other
- Hosting: Websavers (They’re based in Halifax, NS and have been fantastic to deal with!)
- Register or incorporate your business: Ownr
- Commercial use fonts & designs: I made a list of my favourites.
- Shipping to the US: Chit Chats (I love this services; it’s cheaper for me to send stuff to the US than Canada which is ridiculous!)
- Find the perfect colour palette: Coolors
- Access your photos & files from anywhere: DropBox (get a bonus 500MB when you sign up!)
My Library
* The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo – I listened to this using a free Audibles trial and it made me want to throw out EVERYTHING. I didn’t, but it’s a slow work in progress. I found a free KonMari Trello board and have dreams of one day being a minimalist. The Netflix show of it is SUPER inspiring (and made me cry a little)
* I Will Teach You to be Rich by Ramit Sethi – This book legit changed my life. I read it when I was in my early 20s, applied it and saved up enough money to try to walk across Canada (which is a long and wild story for another time.) His website has TONS of free info, and I’ve learnt more from his free material (especially the e-mail newsletters) than I have from other folks courses or ebooks that I’ve paid for.
* Wishcraft by Barbara Sher – It seems weird to recommend a 45-year-old, but the outdated examples don’t diminish the value of this book. It is gold. If you’re not a ‘need a hardcopy’ kinda person, you can get a free PDF of this book at Wishcraft.com. Also, if you’re anything like me and want to do all the things (a common trait amongst makers, I’ve found) her book Refuse to Choose totally spoke to my soul.