4 Must-Have Types of Digital Tools for New Solopreneurs

In case you haven't been keeping up with the latest economic news, the US recently achieved its so-called soft landing, avoiding recession and seeing continued growth. That doesn't mean, however, that the pandemic and its economic upheaval didn't leave a lasting mark on the US economy. In fact, it wrought quite a few changes that seem to now be permanent features of the economic landscape.

For one, it made remote and hybrid work not only acceptable but an absolute necessity for any business that wants to attract top talent. For another, it drove an explosion in the adoption of AI and automation technologies. But for the average worker, it did something far more profound—it created a record wave of entrepreneurship.

The thing is, however, if you dig down beneath the topline entrepreneurship data, you'll find another interesting tidbit. It's that the majority of the new businesses in the US—a full eight in ten—consist of an owner and zero employees. In other words, what we're really seeing is a wave of solopreneurships taking root. As a solopreneur myself, that's something I can immediately identify with. And as a dedicated technology evangelist, I thought it would be helpful to help others wishing to take the solopreneurship plunge increase their odds of success. With that in mind, here are four types of digital tools every solopreneur should have in their arsenal before launching a solo business.

1. A Unified Communications Tool

One of the biggest challenges associated with running a solo business is that you never have enough bandwidth to do your actual revenue-generating work while keeping in touch with clients and potential clients. As it turns out, though, there's a solution for that. It's called a Unified Communications as a Service (UcaaS) platform.

They're cloud-based solutions that put multichannel communications tools like voice, video, SMS, Email, and chat into a single interface. This eliminates the time you'd otherwise waste switching from app to app, trying to make sure you don't leave a customer hanging when they reach out to you. Plus, there's a UcaaS platform for virtually every communication style. And due to intense market competition, you won't go bankrupt by subscribing to the one you want. Personally, I use NextivaONE, but that might be overkill for someone who's just starting out. For a great entry-level option with room to grow, check out 8x8, too.

2. Accounting Software

If there's one thing you can't afford to do wrong as a solopreneur, it's keeping track of your business's finances. This is because new solopreneurs often struggle with setting prices and understanding operating costs. Without rock-solid accounting data to guide your decisions, you run the risk of operating at a loss without even realizing you're doing it.

The good news here is that many of today's best accounting software providers have products and subscriptions aimed at solopreneurs—and they're quite inexpensive. There are even some, like the solution offered by Wave Accounting, that don't cost anything at all for just the essentials. However, other options, like the one from FreshBooks, might be a better fit with its beginner-friendly tools and interface.

3. A Document Management Solution

Next is a digital tool type that advisory articles like this one often skip over. However, it's one that you will certainly miss if you don't have it: a document management solution. The reason is simple. As a solopreneur, you're responsible for managing every aspect of every client project. That includes the intake of customer data, documents, and other assets. Plus, you have to keep them organized and available at a moment's notice. You'd be shocked at how much of your time this single task will take up.

To avoid wasting your precious time, you can choose and adopt a document management solution that suits your needs. If you do the kind of work that only requires basic client data collection, you might use something like a combination of Dropbox for file sharing and Google Forms for information intake. However, if you're offering something like legal/accounting services or web design, where client information exchange is more important, sensitive, and/or intense, check out a solution like Gatheroo instead.

4. Project Management Software

Another digital tool you won't want to live without as a solopreneur is project management software. It's the only way you'll be capable of keeping track of multiple jobs at once without getting your wires crossed. Here again, you won't have any difficulty finding a solution that fits your specific line of work and preferred workflow.

For starters, you could opt for a solution like ClickUp. It's infinitely adaptable, and you can configure it to support virtually any kind of project or task. Or, you can go with a tried-and-true solution like Trello, which you may already be familiar with if you've worked for a mid-sized to large business in the past decade. It even has a free tier, which might be perfect for you as you begin your solopreneurship journey.

Let Your Solopreneur Adventure Begin

If you arm yourself with the right tools and assistive technologies before you launch your solo venture, you stand a better chance of having a rewarding experience, both professionally and financially. Plus, you'll have an easier time managing your workload and avoiding burnout, which is an all-too-common way for solo businesses to come to an end. I can't tell you how much I wish someone had tipped me off to how much easier running a one-man operation could be with the above tools. So, enjoy the benefit of my experience, and best of luck as you begin your solopreneur adventure!