10 Easy Tools to Start Your New Business

Starting a business is not for the faint of heart. The rewards that come with being your own boss also come with the cost of long hours, never really being “off” and major responsibility. But still, many brave souls venture out to start businesses of their own.

When entering a business backed by a franchise, all the support and guidance you could ever need is set in place with proven business models and efficient processes. When you’re creating a business from scratch, however, there are a number of details you’re responsible for, from marketing your brand to tracking analytics.

These ten tools tackle some of a new business’s most challenging aspects, setting you up for success and providing a reprieve from potential headaches:

1. AngelList

Every new business needs funding to get off the ground. AngelList introduces you to investors who might be a good match for you and your brand. Once you fill out a private application, you can start communicating with prospective investors. According to AngelList, applicants usually receive responses within a week.

2. SBA classes and training programs

There’s always something new to learn, and SBA provides online courses and programs to help you master varying aspects of business ownership, from “Understanding Your Customer” to “Encore Entrepreneurship for Women.”

3. Behalf

If you’re starting a business that occupies a physical space and needs equipment, like a commercial refrigerator, you’ll have to find the best rates for the best products available. To make it easier, behalf provides new business with reasonable vendor rates and then facilitates the purchase.

4. Google Analytics

Analytics data is a must if you want to track the activity on your business’s website. Which content is working, how long are visitors spending on a specific page, how are your site’s visitors finding you? Google Analytics is a simple, easy-to-use tool that will answer all of those questions for you.

5. Shake

Shake, by Legal Shield, creates free legally binding agreements in seconds from your smart devices. All you have to do is fill out a few simple questions and you can send agreements which can either be signed in person or digitally. “The app simplifies legal jargon and makes it easy to lock up a gig quickly,” wrote Business Insider.

6. MailChimp

MailChimp will be your business’s new best friend, making it easy to craft and schedule attractive, informative mass emails that are then tracked to show you  who has opened the email and who has clicked links within the email. The email service also allows you to make your messages incredibly specific, implementing SEO and testing different headers to see what performs best.

7. UpWork

When you start a new business, you’ll find yourself needing to create things, like content and websites, for which you may have no experience or knowledge. That’s where UpWork comes in, helping you employ the help of freelancers, so you aren’t stuck designing a logo or building out a website when you have no clue how to do so.

8. Parklet

This website tackles onboarding, creating a platform to organize and keep track of your growing team. Companies like Pinterest, TaskRabbit and Sony all rely on Parklet to manage thousands of employees.

9. Content Idea Generator

Marketing is one of the most important aspects when starting a new business. And almost always, marketing requires some amount of writing. If you’re struggling to come up with engaging content or create marketing strategies, check out the Content Idea Generator from Portent to help you brainstorm and devise a plan.

10. Triad

One of the biggest and unexpected pains when creating a new business is build out, which can take months and requires multiple vendors. The longer it takes you to build a physical business, the longer until you begin making revenue. Triad is a build out, fixture and equipment solution, cutting out vendors and building out a space in a day to a day and a half. Not only do they provide literally everything you’ll need, from banners to pens, but they also provide advice on how to avoid potential setbacks and ways to optimize space.