Catersource | Fall 2024

Five Tech Tools to Transform Your Tech Stack TECH TALK

time spent on clients, projects, office time, and more so that you know exactly how much you need to be charging or paying your team. Pro Tip: This is also a great solution for tracking tasks that should be automated. For example: If it takes you 25 office hours to send invoices, manually reconcile invoices, or send contracts, you need to begin automating! 3. PAYMENT PLATFORMS It’s 2024—you must allow your current and future clients to pay online; opt for a payment platform that is easy for you to use, is affordable, and won’t significantly cut your profits. When looking for the right platform, you’ll want to find a tool that integrates invoicing, contracts, and proposals. Steer clear of platforms that have several extra features that you won’t use anytime soon—when that introductory promo fades away, you will be left with hefty bills on a platform that you aren’t actually using. Pro tip: Check out Rock Paper Coin, which is made to be simple, affordable, and exactly what you need to book clients and get paid. That’s it!

By Nora Sheils We have all heard it before: running a business involves juggling multiple tasks, but still so many pros are not using the right tech to make it all easier. Take it from us— automating your business can make all the difference, and with new tools jumping on the scene every day, it’s easier than ever to find solutions that truly work for you. Here are five tried-and-true tech tools that can streamline your operations and boost efficiency. 1. COLLABORATIVE COMMUNICATION TOOLS Email threads are nice, but sometimes you just need to have a good chat with your team. Tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams are a perfect opportunity to collaborate and have conversations about specific projects or clients that everyone can reference again later; it’s a tool that you can use on the go on your phone, and one that can upload files, pictures, and videos. Pro tip: You can always upgrade your Slack account if you need to, or if you want to connect it to the other apps and programs you use (the ultimate automation tech stack!), but the free version is perfect for most small business owners and their teams!

Automating your business can make all the difference, and with new

tools jumping on the scene every day, it’s easier than ever to find solutions that truly work for you.

4. ROBUST PASSWORD MANAGERS

If it feels like every week someone is reporting on another data leak, it’s because they are. Trust us, we know changing your password often or remembering a 30-digit passcode is incredibly frustrating, but it’s for your own good. We see far too many times how many small business owners get their emails—or worse,

2. INTUITIVE TIME MANAGEMENT APPS

It’s amazing how much time you don’t know a task takes you or your team to complete— which means you might not even be billing correctly for it. Use an app like Toggl or Clockify to track

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SPECIAL EVENTS FALL 2024

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