7 tools successful startups can’t live without
By Michelle Murcia, CEO of Book+Street
Where many startups go wrong is by having a great vision but lacking the tools necessary to make that vision a reality in a streamlined and cost-effective manner. Some early-stage companies have established processes, while other are bootstrapping piling receipts in an office drawer. The ladder is a perfect example of a company working harder than they genuinely have too. Here are the top 7 tools we use to help build Startups and make their lives easier.
7. Asana
Asana is an interactive and intuitive task management software. With Asana companies and teams alike can assign, collaborate and accomplish a task in both list or board view. It allows users to create assignments that have due dates and it also has Google calendar integration functionality to keep your team on task. It is $7.50 per user for 5, 10, 15 & $11.99 per user for 20-225+ billed monthly or annually. Overall if you and your firm are looking for a task management solution. Check out Asana.
6. Phone.com
For small companies that need to list a customer service or point of contact number look no further than Phone.com. Phone.com allows users to set up a business telephone and voice mail that has incoming calls routed directly to their cell phone, so you never miss a call!
5. T-Sheets
For a company in need of a time tracking solution T-Sheets may be for you. It has a litany of settings and parameters like job-costing, PTO, break, overtime and GPS settings. On top of that, it integrates with QuickBooks online making labor allocations and expense entries a breeze.
4. Expensify
Tired of having to keep track of every receipt? Download Expensify! It’s it allows employees and owner to submit invoices on the mobile application and even administers reimbursement through the platform. Expensify also dumps the information into QuickBooks online eliminating the need to reenter expense totals making expense accounting as easy as matching digital receipts.
3. Gusto
It’s payday! Gusto offers payroll services are reasonable rates. Pay your employees quickly through ACH, Gusto handles all the tax filings and it also dumps your payroll data into QuickBooks online easily.
2. Justworks
Everybody loves to get paid, but sometimes you need more than just a payroll service. Justworks is also a PEO. (See the link for more in-depth info on PEO benefits https://www.employersresource.com/payroll/payroll-administration/). In short, a PEO offers a startup the ability to offer their employees insurance and other benefits. PEO’s are typically able to get lower rates than if a startup were to seek them on their own and also serve as the employer of record, reducing the small companies’ liabilities. Justworks is a little more expensive, but has a ton of benefits over payroll alone.
1. QuickBooks Online
It is always important to do your accounting by the Book (no pun intended)! Good accounting systems and procedures are still our #1 recommended starting point for any startup business. QuickBooks online allow users the ability to customize their chart of accounts and integrates with about every back-office solution on the market. Plus, it on the cloud, making accounting heaven one Wifi ping away.
Michelle Murcia is Founder and CEO of Book+Street. Let Book+StreetTM get started with all of your finance + accounting needs. We’ll get you set up on all these systems and more, and help you start off right – right from the start!
