If you’re thinking about starting a side hustle or freelance business, then you need help to do it right. By help, I mean good old, glorious technology. Okay, maybe not so old.

Deciding to quit your 9-5 and start freelancing online is probably the best financial decision you’ll make. However, it’s not as easy as it seems. Running any kind of business is challenging and freelancing is no different. That’s why it’s best to get a head start on your journey by leveraging powerful tools that will make your life so much better.

In today’s post, we’ll look at five essential software or apps you need to get started with your side hustle or freelance business. There are a lot of apps and software that you’ll use along the way, but these five are the ones you need right from the start:

Google Drive
Trello
Quickbooks
Canva
Zoom

We’ll break down what they are and how they will help you grow your business.

Google Drive

First on the list is Google Drive. An absolutely indispensable marvel of modern technology. Honestly, I don’t know what we did before Google.

For those of you who may have just emerged from a war bunker and missed the last three decades of life on Earth, Google Drive is Google’s cloud service. It allows you to store and share files in the cloud at the click of a button. This means that you can access your content from any device, anywhere.

Not only can you store and share your files easily, but you can use Drive to create content using Google Docs, Sheets and Presentation. You can also create simple websites with Google Sites and forms using Google Forms. All this can be done from Google Drive. It’s like your entire office on your laptop.

I personally use Google Drive for everything I do. It truly is the greatest invention since the internet itself and it’s completely free.

Trello

If you’re not flying solo, then Trello is essential for keeping your team on track and improving productivity.

Trello is a great tool for freelancers to manage their projects and tasks. You can use it to set up different boards for different projects, add cards for all the tasks in each project, and add specific details to each card.

If you’re more of a visual learner, like me, then you can use labels to color-code cards, insert images to add visual cues and use power-ups to automate repetitive tasks. You can even share it as you work and publish your board to interact with your community.

Another cool aspect is Trello's template feature. You can create template boards and duplicate them whenever you need to do similar projects. You only need to change the board title or project name, saving time.

As a freelancer or business owner, there are so many things you have to deal with every minute of the day. Trello is the tool that keeps you and your team organized and on track, so you can be more productive - that means more money coming in and more time to do the things you love.

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QuickBooks

Unless you’re an accountant, there’s no way you’re going to keep accurate financial records without some help. That’s where QuickBooks come in handy. It’s a great tool for tracking income and expenses, creating invoices, managing taxes and so much more.

Creating spreadsheets and storing receipts can be confusing when organizing your business finances. QuickBooks makes easy work of this. It helps you separate business and personal expenses, track mileage and estimate quarterly taxes.

For me, the best thing about QuickBooks is that you can use it to create, send, and track invoices. You can create an invoice from scratch or use a previous quote. You can also customize it to match your company’s branding. How awesome is that? It’s like your own personal accountant at the touch of a button.

Canva

A crucial component of doing business online is getting your brand seen. This includes the visual aspect of your brand. When it comes to marketing, your content MUST be visually attractive to your prospective customers or clients. That’s why you need Canva.

Canva is a free online design tool that anyone can use without prior graphic design knowledge or skills. You can use it to create professional-looking designs and logos for your business. Your logo is often the first thing potential clients notice about your business. Canva can help you create a unique logo and design your business brand.

Social media posts? Sorted. Canva has thousands of templates that you can use to create eye-catching social media posts for Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and platforms you haven’t even heard of yet. Canva isn’t just limited to images. You can create awesome videos for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram Reels or home movies in case you want to be the next Quentin Tarantino.

Canva is free to use, but there are some paid features that you can access for more advanced customization. After using it for a few years now, I can safely say that it’s an invaluable piece of software if you’re serious about taking your business to the next level.

Zoom

So picture this, you have clients from all over the world and you need to have a meeting. You can’t travel to meet each other over drinks in London, so you have to do it over the internet using webcams. Enter Zoom.

Zoom is a free video-conferencing app that will definitely help with your side hustle or freelance business. It allows you to connect with clients and customers from anywhere in the world. This means expanding your reach and growing your business beyond your local area.

You can host virtual meetings, webinars and conferences with up to 1000 attendees. This makes it easy to communicate with clients in real-time without travelling to meet in person. Zoom’s array of features can help you run your business more efficiently. For example, you can use Zoom to share your screen, making it ideal for giving presentations or product demonstrations.

You can also record your webinars and share them with clients or customers who couldn't attend live. This lets you provide value to your clients while also saving you time and effort. And let’s face it, time is something that we need more of when conducting business.

In Conclusion

Taking the leap to start a side hustle or freelance business is your path to freedom, but you can’t do it alone. Do yourself a favour and use the software tools mentioned in this article to give you an edge in the market. Good luck and all the best.

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Meet The Writer!

Greetings. My name is Edwin Kannemeyer (or just Ed or Edi). I’m a freelance writer, living the write-life to the fullest. Currently, I lay my pen down in the self-improvement niche, with a focus on working parents. Helping people work from home and live happy, fulfilling lives is my goal as a writer. I would love to hear from you, so get in touch with me on LinkedIn or edikannemeyer@gmail.com

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5 Essential Software/Apps You Need To Start A Side Hustle Or Freelance Business