By Stacey Vogler
Starting and running a small business day to day can be a lot like juggling…while on a tightrope, in the air. It takes a lot to start a business and keep it successfully running, so anything or anyone that can help along the way makes a huge difference. Don’t be afraid to look for help in the not-so-obvious places, either. For example, utilizing apps on your phone or tablet can help save time and even money. Check out a few of our favorites that are ideal for small business owners.
Evernote. Forgetful? You’ll never forget anything important again with Evernote. This app syncs between all your devices, including iPhone and iPad and allows you to write notes, lists, organize documents, articles and photos and discuss your work with others, all within the app. A free version of the app lets you upload 60MB of data per month, but upgraded versions with additional features are available for a fee.
Dropbox. Do you work with big files often? Dropbox is the perfect way to store and share files on the cloud. Use it for videos, documents, photos and plenty of other types of files. You can easily share files and documents with others without having to attach it to an email. It’s one of the most popular platforms of its types, with almost 400 million users.
Mailbox. If you receive a lot of email and struggle with keeping it all straight, this is the ideal app for you. Mailbox, an email management app, is owned and developed by Dropbox. Use this app to quickly move messages to your trash, archive them into lists or delay reading them until later. Best of all, it supports a wide variety of email platforms and is free.
My Minutes. As a small business owner, you’ve got a lot on your plate. Make sure you don’t spend too much time on unimportant tasks with the use of a time management app. My Minutes allows you to cap time spent on certain tasks (the app lets you know when you’re finished!) while setting goals of time spent on others. My Minutes is $2.99 and is available for iPhone.
KanbanFlow. If you’re working with a group of people, a project management app can help things run smoothly and according to plan. KabanFlow allows all users to upload documents, assign tasks and schedule due dates. The basic version is free, works on most smartphones, PCs and Macs, and the premium version, with added features, is $5 a month.
Asana. Asana is another great project management app that is ideal for small businesses with clients and colleagues working in multiple locations. It’s a platform that allows the team to assign tasks to one another, include due dates, followers and details as well as start conversations with one another. You can even comment on tasks and start conversations, nearly eliminating the need for lengthy back and forth emails on projects.
Polaris Office. Find yourself needing to edit and manage Microsoft Office or PDF files while on the go? This app is a great option. It allows you to create and edit documents, spreadsheets, slide show presentations and PDF files from anywhere.
Google Drive. As a small business owner, you are probably already aware of how great Google Drive is, and are using it within your office. (Hint, hint: if you’re not, it’s time to get on it!) The app takes it a step further and allows you to access all of those files stored on Google Drive from your phone or tablet, so they’re always close by.
Keeper® Password Manager and Digital Vault. The days of having one password for everything should be long gone – everything that requires a password should have its own unique one. But that can mean keeping track of them all is a job in itself! Try Keeper password manager or other security apps – having an app focusing solely on security is a must-have for all small businesses. Keeper provides protection against hackers and allows you to store passwords, login info, credit card information, bank information, photos, important files and documents and much more.
Don’t be afraid to give all these apps and more a try – if they make your day-to-day life easier, they’re more than worth it!
Stacey Vogler is the U.S. managing director of Protect your Bubble by Assurant. Protect Your Bubble helps protect the things in life that matter a lot, like phones, tablets and travel plans. Stay connected at @PYBUSA.
