Building A Business With Simpler Tools

Many small business owners feel an unspoken pressure to grow bigger, faster and more successfully than they perhaps ever intended. Success is often measured by turnover, office space or the number of people on the payroll. I felt that pressure too, usually in the form of a simple question: “How many staff have you got?” People often seemed surprised when I told them I was a solopreneur managing every aspect of the business myself.

Feeling into what that meant for me ended up being one of the most valuable lessons I learned in business. And it had nothing to do with marketing, websites or software. It was discovering that I didn’t have to build my business the way everyone expected me to.

For a while I did have staff, believing that this next step would propel me greater heights. But I soon realised that the larger the business became, the more I drifted from the part of the work I loved the most. Instead of being creative and focused on design and manufacturing, I found myself dealing with admin, payroll and staff issues. I had become the CEO of my business when what I really wanted was to remain a craftsperson.

So I made a conscious decision to simplify. Rather than growing through more people, I chose to grow through better systems. I invested time in creating efficient workflows, embracing technology, and finding tools that allowed me to run the business myself without overwhelm. It definitely was not always easy but it meant I could stay connected to the heart of the business while still serving customers well. Of course, there comes a point where many businesses can’t grow without a team. But I felt most alive when I was close to the work itself, using technology to support me rather than building a larger organisation.

So what were some of the tools I used and could you use them in your business? Certainly! All of these are free and can be simplified by choosing slightly different routes depending on where you are at.

Trello

A vital part of staying on top of my business as Nourish Soaps grew and grew was being able to track customer orders and information. With the business growing fast and sometimes my feeling overwhelmed with it all, Trello became a life saver. I found it super useful for tracking client orders, ingredient quantities and and as a central point for all my client info. I really enjoy seeing things laid out visually and thus Trello was the perfect fit.

You Could Also Try

You need a system to centralise the day to day operations of your business and this can be done in a variety of ways.

• A Paper Planner
• A White Board
• Sticky Notes
• Notion
• Any system you will actually return to

Zoho

Accounting is another business aspect that can be done by you with just a small amount of time a week. When your business gets bigger you can always switch to using an accountant but doing it yourself is very simple.

Although I tried many accounting systems, one of the systems I relied on and found great to use was Zoho Books – a simple and low cost/Free accounting system that helped me track my income and expenses. If you are starting your business, even a simple spreadsheet will do but keeping track is important.

What You Could Use

Tracking your accounts is a great habit to get into but whether you do it in an online account system or not is up to you!

Some other great options are:

• A Notebook
• My Simple Income Tracker (PDF)
• A Spreadsheet

WordPress/Canva

These are two of the builders I used to create my websites for Nourish Natural Soaps. You really don’t need anything fancy but a website presence is vital if you are going to grow your brand. Out of these two Canva is the simplest and whereas WordPress has a steeper learning curve. Each one has plenty of resources and can be learned even if you know nothing about web design.

Other Gentle Options

• A Google Business Profile
• Square Space
• One of my Build Gently Foundation template sites

Buffer

I try to keep a gentle social media presence, sharing real thoughts and learning moments with my followers. When I had Nourish Soaps there was always a lot to share and educate my customers about. What they reacted to the most however, was me sharing things about myself. This inspired me to be more transparent and less ‘salesy’ with what I post on Facebook and Instagram.

A tool that makes all of that simple (and it has a free version) is Buffer. With Buffer you can brainstorm, plan and schedule all your social media posts which allows you to batch write your content.

-A Notebook
-Facebook Planner

Simple Options You Can Try

Over the 20 years that I have run small businesses, I have consistently found that if I have the right systems in place, I function better. As a solopreneur especially, I came to rely on those systems to help me grow and stay on top of things. The key though is to start small and allow it to grow with you. Technology should not be a hindrance or an overwhelming aspect of your business, rather you can use it to support every facet of what you do.

Takeaway

The goal isn’t to have the latest software or the most complicated systems. The goal is to create a business that feels calm, organised and sustainable. Choose the simplest tools that help you do your work well, and don’t be afraid to outgrow them over time. Your systems should support your business—not become another thing you have to manage.