the small biz tools
we can't live without
the CC resources
From our small biz to yours, we’ve had a lot of trials and errors as we’ve launched and grown The Collective Co. Lucky for you we’ve learned along the way and are excited to round up our favorite tools. That’s right, the ones we’re actually using and investing in for our business every day! We’ve experimented with what’s worked and what hasn’t and below you’ll find our honest, tried and true recommendations to help your small business thrive plus discounts and deals just for you!
tools & resources
tools & resources
tools & resources tools & resources
canva pro
design & branding | 30 day free trial
Canva Pro is one of our absolute favorite tools — here at The CC we use Canva Pro every day for all things design. From creating web and printed content to designs for marketing, social media and more, Canva Pro is a must for our small business. Pssst, did we mention our founder has a Masters in Graphic Design and this is her number one tool of choice, not only for herself but for the CC Team and collaborators, because it is just that easy to use! Click the link to get started and try Canva Pro FREE for 30 days. We promise you’ll be creating beautiful designs in no time!
01flodesk
email marketing | 50% off your subscription
You may have heard us talk about this before but the key to our email marketing game is by far, Flodesk. We’ve been using it here at The CC for years now and what we love about it most are the pre-templated designs that look so professional. Add in easy tools and integrations that keep us on brand. We’re also huge fans of creating workflows for our various audiences! Creating and sending emails can now be one of the easiest tasks on your to-do list! Email marketing just got easier and more beautiful!
02gusto
payroll | get $100 when you run your first payroll
Payroll was one of the things we dreaded getting set up in our business but if you’re ready for payroll, Gusto makes it so simple! This was the number one tool recommended to us by our accountant and other small business owners that we confided with — it truly makes handling our payroll a breeze. The setup was so much easier than we anticipated and the chat and help features are wonderful for when you do have questions! Gusto files everything for you and you can track employee hours, offer company time-off policies and more. You can even get contractors easily set up and paid as well. Gusto is one of those tools that truly just makes small-biz ownership easier and we’re grateful for it!
03todoist
organization + task management | two months free
We have a small but mighty team here at The CC and we know first hand how hard running a small business is. We handle pretty much everything in-house from our marketing, social media, website design, day-to-day operations, finances and so much more. There are always tasks on our list! Enter Todoist — an incredible organization tool that helps us keep track of all of our to-do’s! You can create lists for multiple projects, delegate tasks, create deadlines, track progress, prioritize items, invite collaborators and so much more. Save your headspace and feel super organized by getting all of the things out of your head and onto your list where you can check them off!
04quickbooks
finances | 30% off
When The CC was created one of the first things we did was meet with an accountant. She got us set up on QuickBooks pronto and we haven’t looked back! And, we promise, our dislike of math and all things finances is UP there! But, if we can do it, so can you! We couldn't recommend QuickBooks enough! It offers comprehensive features so you can spend less time crunching those numbers and more time managing all of those other small biz tasks. But, if you do love a good spreadsheet QuickBooks has all of the tools you’ll need – from automating accounting work, managing cash flow and (eek) preparing for tax time, QuickBooks can do it all and has become a trusted tool for our business! If you’re ready to level up and feel like a entrePROneur give QuickBooks a try!
05shift
organization + productivity
As you know, we are obsessed with productivity here at The CC and we are confident that this tool is going to blow your mind! Shift is a desktop app that streamlines all of your tools and apps into one place. If you have a thousand tabs open all the time, are tired of logging in and out of accounts, need to be logged into and checking multiple emails, and want a place where work and life priorities can co-exist, just go click the link right now! Shift has ALL of your apps available in one place, beautifully put together making you more focused and productive. It is a workstation that you get to create with all of your favorite things at your fingertips and we wish we had found it sooner. We promise you’ll love it as much as we do and if you can’t wait to try it out, go download it now and thank us later!
06
OUR FAVORITES
what’s on our bookshelf
Here's the secret sauce for your small business growth: the incredible power of books. These aren't just words on paper; they're your direct ticket to expert insights and game-changing strategies. By diving into the wisdom of authors who've conquered the business battlefield, you're fast-tracking your success journey.
But it's not just about gaining know-how; reading enhances critical thinking, vocabulary, and creativity – all crucial for business brilliance. So, make reading a must on your growth roadmap. Each page you turn is a step closer to achieving your business dreams. We’ve included some of our fun must-reads too! Click below for the books we’ve read to help us level-up!
listen + subscribe
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Analytics can seem like a big and scary monster to unleash, but taking the time to understand what all of the terms and numbers mean isn’t as bad as you think! This resource covers how to interpret the data for three main marketing sources: your website, your social media, and your email list.