Weapons of Choice

Six tools to help you consolidate, engage and sell from anywhere in the world

Among the endless choices of SaaS business tools I have access to in 2023, few have proven to be truly invaluable since their inception. In the process of selecting the right armoury for battle, I’ve found that a good starting point is recognising your individual business needs, specifically as they relate to the value received by your customer, client or colleague.

And so here is my list of remote business needs, as a solo operator:

• Collaboration

• Communication

• Workspace

• Document management

• Productivity Insights

A few variables for you to consider when making your list:

• Depending on the structure of your work (whether you’re an employee, contractor, entrepreneur etc) some needs carry more weight than others.

• You will often find an overlap of utility, as providers attempt to cover two or three needs within one platform.

• Design is crucial. While output is typically identical, we respond differently to different designs, so make sure you find a workflow experience that matches your pace.

Now that we know what we need help with, let’s go shopping.

---

Similar Web

Ever been interested in how your competitors acquire their customers? What part of the world do these customers come from? What are they typing into Google to find your competitors? What about which social channels their customers are coming from?

Similar Web will also tell you what your competitors’ customers are generally interested in i.e. News Media, Sports, Arts etc. Built for the B2B world, this market analysis tool delivers exceptional insights into web traffic, key search trends and user journeys.

A web traffic report on Substack

Google Workspace

I live in a suitcase, moving frequently from country to country, home to home. There is no place for me to physically store, manage and share documents. Google Workspace gives me instant and secure access to files across all my services and interests i.e. photography, nomad consultation, trip planning etc, from any device, anywhere in the world. Additionally, communication and organization tools like Gmail, Calendar, and Meet, enable seamless virtual meetings, scheduling and email management.

A must-have.

Excel

Old school? Perhaps. But that doesn’t diminish its value. What I love most about Excel is its versatile and dynamic nature, which enables me to organize and analyze data with ease. Being a legacy solution, Excel has always been a safe space for me to manipulate, extrapolate and visualize data effectively. Today, given its cloud-based collaboration features, remote workers can enhance their experience by collaborating with colleagues in real time from anywhere in the world.

Canva

Among the Unicorns of Unicorns, you often hear the phrase ‘regeneration of value’ being used. Simply put, this applies to tools that create unprecedented value for their users. Canva, for me, is the epitome of this concept. In 2023, if you’re an entrepreneur, self-employed, contractor or freelancer, you should be neck deep in Canva. Whether you’re selling, marketing or just sharing, Canva houses a solution to make your life instantly easier.

Loom

At its core, a screen recording tool, Loom is an effective way to share a presentation, provide visual updates on a project or even perform a sales pitch. With Loom's customizable recording options, you can effortlessly create professional-looking videos that effectively convey your message. Changes in work culture due to the Covid Pandemic, have made Loom a game changer for remote teams; in many instances, replacing team meetings altogether.

Click Up

Being a recent convert, I’ve found Click Up to be an incredibly user-friendly project and task management tool.

Its intuitive interface allows you to tailor the tool to your specific needs, ensuring seamless collaboration and communication among team members. While designed for multiple users, even as a solo operator, Click Up will keep you accountable to weekly milestones by helping you segregate, time-track and manage individual tasks.

Slack

A non-negotiable in the communication space.

On top of its seamless collaboration and connectivity services, Slack's integrations with various apps and services enable easy file sharing, task management, and even video conferencing, making it a one-stop solution for all your communication needs.

By opening the platform to a wide range of online communities, Slack recognises the diversity and needs of individual users. A worthy feature for all travellers.

---

Although this isn’t the definitive list of online solutions for your remote business, by utilizing the features offered by these specific tools, you can foster collaboration, streamline workflows and boost productivity with ease. Moreover, most of these products are available on a freemium or free trial, so there’s no excuse for taking a knife to a gunfight.