June 13, 2024
Recently, Noah Kagan posed an interesting question on Twitter asking solopreneurs about their most essential tools.
As I was writing my response, I realized just how many tools I rely on daily.
Here’s my complete stack breakdown:
Why I’m Sharing This
Before diving in, it’s worth noting that this stack has evolved over years of trial and error.
Each tool earned its place by solving specific problems in my workflow.
While it might seem like a lot, each serves a distinct purpose that makes my work possible and more efficient.
Monthly Subscription Tools
These are the services I pay for month after month. They form the backbone of my daily operations:
- 1Password – My digital vault for all passwords, secure notes, and documents. Essential for managing countless logins securely.
- Loom – Quick screen recordings and video messages. Perfect for explaining things to team members or clients without scheduling a meeting.
- Canva – My go-to for creating social media graphics, presentations, and basic design work. Makes me look like I have a designer on staff.
- Superhuman – Email client that helps me reach inbox zero faster. The keyboard shortcuts and AI features save hours each week. While it’s one of the pricier tools, the time saved makes it worth every penny.
- Notion – My second brain. Where I keep all my notes, documents, and project management. The backbone of my personal organization.
- Google – Can’t escape the Google ecosystem. Using Drive, Docs, and Sheets for collaboration and cloud storage.
- Dropbox – Additional cloud storage for larger files and backup. Great for sharing heavy files with clients. While there’s some overlap with Google Drive, Dropbox’s sharing features and sync reliability make it indispensable.
- Descript – Makes editing podcasts and videos feel like editing a document. A game-changer for content creation. The ability to edit video by editing text has revolutionized my content workflow.
- Riverside – High-quality remote recording platform. Essential for podcast recording and professional video interviews. The local recording feature ensures I never lose quality due to internet issues.
One-Time Purchase Tools
These tools required an upfront investment but continue to deliver value without subscription fees:
- Cleanshot – The best screenshot tool for Mac. Perfect for capturing, annotating, and sharing screens quickly. The scrolling capture and instant cloud sharing features make it superior to built-in screenshot tools.
- Things3 – Beautiful task manager that keeps me organized without overwhelming me. Simple but powerful. Its design philosophy of being powerful yet unobtrusive helps me stay focused on actual work rather than task management.
- Magnet – Window management tool that lets me arrange my workspace perfectly. Small investment, huge productivity boost. Essential for maintaining an organized screen when working with multiple applications.
The Cost vs. Value Equation
Looking at these tools, it’s natural to consider the total cost.
However, I’ve found that the right tools pay for themselves many times over in terms of:
- Time saved
- Professional polish added to my work
- Reduced stress and cognitive load
- Improved client communication
- Better organization and workflow
How I Evaluate New Tools
When considering adding a new tool to my stack, I ask myself:
- Does it solve a specific, recurring problem?
- Is it significantly better than free alternatives?
- Will it integrate well with my existing workflow?
- Is the learning curve worth the potential benefit?
The Reality Check
Holy crap.. when you see them all listed like that…
It’s eye-opening to see all these tools laid out in one place. Each one serves a specific purpose in my workflow, but seeing them all together really puts into perspective how many different tools it takes to run a modern solopreneur operation.
Final Thoughts
While this might seem like tool overload to some, each piece of software serves a specific purpose in my daily operations.
The key isn’t having every possible tool, but rather finding the right combination that supports your specific workflow and business needs.
This stack continues to evolve as new tools emerge and my needs change.
What works today might need adjustment tomorrow, and that’s okay.
The goal is to have a system that supports your work rather than becoming work itself.