My Go-To Toolkit - The Online Business Tools I Use *ALMOST* Every Day

Inside My Online Business Tech Stack

Image created by yours truly with ChatGPT

If there's one thing I've learned after spending over 17 years in this online space (yep, since my "WordPress Chick" days!), it's that having the right online business tools can make all the difference.

But let's be real – the sheer number of software, apps, and plugins out there can be totally overwhelming, right?

I love my tools. I mean, I really love geeking out on software that makes life easier, more creative, and more efficient. But I also know that when you're starting out, or even when you're trying to simplify, less can often be more.

Today, I wanted to pull back the curtain and give you a genuine, off-the-cuff walkthrough of the favorite software and creator tools I use almost every day to run my business, create content, and maintain my sanity. Think of this as a peek into my digital command center!

Now, before we dive in, a quick reminder, especially if you're new to all this: you absolutely DO NOT need every tool I'm about to mention. Seriously. When you're just getting started, the bare minimum can be incredibly powerful. I often say that you can launch and grow with Substack and a solid email marketing strategy – and you can even do both right on Substack when you’re getting started.

However, for those of you curious about my current tech stack or seeking a new solution to a particular problem, let's dive into it. I’m just going to go through my own processes, sharing what I like, maybe what I don’t like as much anymore, and why some tools have become absolute staples.

NOTE: This video was edited using Descript’s new AI editor - not just for some components, but almost the entire video. I recorded it in Tella and did a little editing there, but couldn’t do much more because of that. Let me know if there’s something you’d like to see more in-depth.

My Daily Digital Command Center: Organizing the Chaos

First, how do I keep track of all these links and apps?

• Speed Dial (Chrome Extension): My desktop looks like a command center thanks to this handy-dandy Chrome extension. All those little cards you see on my screen when I share it? That's Speed Dial. It provides me with quick visual access to all my most frequently used sites and tools. I’ve debated bailing on Chrome, but this extension is one reason I stick around.

• Kiwi for Gmail: I live in email, and Kiwi for Gmail has been my hub for managing multiple Gmail accounts and my Google Workspace. All my domain emails are routed here, and I appreciate having easy access to Google Calendar, Drive, Docs, and more, all in one interface. It’s a bit of a resource hog, which has me considering alternatives like Notion Mail, but for now, its convenience wins.

The Heart of My Operations: Notion, My "Everything Hub"

If there’s one tool that has truly revolutionized how I organize my business and my brain, it's Notion. And trust me, it was a journey!

• Notion (and Notion Calendar): I use Notion every single day. It took me a while to get into it because my brain doesn't naturally think in databases – I'm a visual thinker. But where it clicked for me was realizing I could work with ChatGPT to build out my Notion spaces.

  • I've got my "Big Vision Dashboard" (which I've dedicated a whole video to – check it out here). My YouTube Content Hub, SEO trackers, a money values board, Substack planning… You name it. ChatGPT even helps me create images and CSV files to import directly into Notion boards, and get this - it even provided the code for formulas, such as my client deliverables tracker with visual progress bars! It’s become my headquarters for daily to-dos and priorities.

  • Notion Calendar now syncs beautifully with my Google Calendar, which is another win.

My AI Sidekicks: ChatGPT & Gemini

AI is now an integral part of my workflow. These are my two main go-tos:

• ChatGPT: I work extensively with ChatGPT projects for ideation, brainstorming, and even helping structure content for Notion. It’s like having an incredibly smart assistant to bounce ideas off and get things organized.

• Gemini: More recently, I’ve started using Gemini specifically for my YouTube SEO. Since Gemini is owned by Google (which owns YouTube), I figure there might be a bit of an edge there for understanding what the platform wants. I upload transcripts, and we work through keywords, titles, hashtags, and timestamps. It's been fantastic.
  

Building Cool Stuff (Without Code!): Lovable

This one is SO exciting, and I’ll definitely dive deeper in another video.

• Lovable (Vibe Coding): If you’ve ever wanted to create an app or a unique tool for your business without learning to code, Lovable is it. It's an AI that uses "Vibe Coding." I'm working on a few projects, including a lead generation quiz based on business and money archetypes. The best part? I can map the quiz results directly into Kit (my email service provider) to send customized follow-up emails! I'm also building a "Course Dashboard" app to solve the problem of clunky course platform navigation – think a beautiful, centralized syllabus for any course. It’s incredibly powerful.

Content Creation & Visual Magic: The Daily Drivers

These are the tools that help me share my words and visuals with the world.

• Descript: Hands down, I use Descript almost every day, especially since relaunching my YouTube channel. Video editing by striking through text? Yes, please! It’s made the video process so much more manageable and even enjoyable. I might even use it for podcasting if I pick that up again.

• Substack: I’m in Substack daily – writing, engaging, planning, and editing my newsletters. (Side note: I currently have three newsletters that are all getting merged soon – stay tuned for that announcement!). If you're looking for an organic place to build community and publish, I highly recommend it. Need help getting started? I created a visual guide because, honestly, the setup felt a bit janky even for me! You can get The Visual Guide to Substack here.

• Canva: What would we do without Canva? I use it for all my newsletter images, social graphics, and even a little hack to get images looking right in Substack (which has limited image formatting).

• InstaDoodle: This is what I used to create those sketch animations for my YouTube intro and outro! It’s fun for adding a unique touch.

Utilities, Browsers, and Other Handy Helpers

• Browsers (Chrome & Firefox): Chrome is my primary browser, but I use Firefox to log into a separate YouTube account (my personal Gmail account, as my G Suite email couldn't be used for a channel way back when).

• CleanShot X (Mac): My absolute go-to for quick screenshots and annotations.

• Apple Passwords: Simple, integrated password management.

• Notes Underground: A fantastic Substack community tool for finding people to follow and engage with their Notes.

• Kit (Email Marketing): My trusty email service provider. Essential.

• Dropbox: For file storage and sharing, still a regular for me.

• Gamma: This AI presentation tool is gorgeous! You can create beautiful slides, web-based navigations, or PDFs. I’m even thinking of using it as a PDF generator.

• Raindrop.io: A fantastic FREE tool for curating and bookmarking tools, articles, and anything else I find online. I use this daily.

The "Maybe" Pile & Past Friends

• Photoshop: I was about to cancel it, but I got 60 days free, and I still haven't opened it much. Its days might be numbered for me.

• WordPress (with Kadence Theme): My website is built on WordPress using the Kadence theme, but I'm not devoting as much attention to my main site these days, as I'm focusing on Substack and YouTube. A refresh is coming, though!

• Claude (AI): I canceled my subscription but might bring it back, as different AI models have different strengths.

• Vectorize.ai: Turns images into scalable vectors. Handy!

• AI Thumbnail: Tested this, but the image generator wasn’t replacing the default images with my face (after uploading 20+ photos of me to train it). I’m watching this one.

• Riverside & Captivate: Used these for podcasting. If I restart my podcast, I might stick with Descript for recording. I still have Captivate because of a lifetime deal.

My Core Daily Software Stack

So, if I had to boil it down to what’s open and getting used nearly every single day, it would be: my browsers (Chrome and Firefox), AI tools (ChatGPT and Gemini), Kiwi for Gmail, Notion, Descript, Substack, Kit, and Raindrop.io. Those are the workhorses.

Start Simple, Grow From There

Whew!

That was a lot, right?

Again, you don't need all of this to start or succeed. The online business landscape has a lower barrier to entry than ever before. As I mentioned in my "3 Platforms I'd Use If I Were Starting Today" video, you can make incredible progress with just a few key choices.

The beauty of the online space lies in the abundance of productivity and digital marketing tools available. The key is to find what works for your brain, your workflow, and your business goals.

What are your can't-live-without solopreneur tools or favorite pieces of software? I’d love to hear about them! Drop a comment below – I'm always curious to learn what others are using and loving.