This is list of tools and resources I use on a regular basis to run a freelance graphic design and branding business as well as a few websites for myself and clients. I like trying and using new tools and apps that make life easier. Bookmark this page as this list is continually updated.
Website Frameworks & Hosting
- Shopify – A goto web platform for starting a online store. Shopify makes it easy to setup a basic site and start taking orders immediately. You can add apps to your site as you grow and customize the site to your businesses needs.Shopify also offers a POS system so it is easy to integrate your ecommerce website with a brick and mortar store point of sale for easy inventory and customer tracking.
- WordPress – The most used content management system (CMS) online. Use by blogs, forums online stores of all sizes. A self hosted wordpress site is the way to go. Any functionality you want your site to have… best believe there is a plugin that is is quick and easy to install and probably free. At the very least giving you basic functionality for most people. This site is built using wordpress.
- Dreamhost – I love using and recommend Dreamhost for domain names and hosting WordPress websites. I’ve used a number of web hosts in the past — Dreamhosts ease of use and customer service is what keeps me happy and recommending them to friends.
- Bootstrap – The most popular HTML, CSS, and JS framework for developing responsive, mobile first projects on the web. This is a great framework if you are just starting out are trying to learn how to build websites. Or if you are a developer this is a great framework to quickly and easily build websites and apps. Many free themes and lots of additional resources available to help you out.
- Weebly – If you are looking for a basic site builder to get you up and going, the learning curve on a website builder like Weebly might be what you are looking for.
- Shoutem – A simple, affordable mobile app creator. Everything you need to start create amazing apps.
To Do Lists, Project Management & Communication
- Trello – A great at making lists. Breaking larger projects into step by step little itsy bits of tasks that I can actually focus on. Super simple UI to easily understand and get going. Lots more features as you dig a little deeper. Mobile apps available so you can easily sync lists to wherever device.
- Asana – With tasks, projects, conversations and dashboards, Asana enables teams to move work from start to finish. A easy way for teams to track their work — and get results.
- Workflowy – A notebook for lists. Use it to be more creative and productive.
- Basecamp – Basecamp organizes your projects, internal communications, and client work in one place so you have a central point of contact.
- InVision – Easy website and app clickable mockup creator. Transform static designs into clickable prototypes. Simply click and drag to add hotspots to your screens and transform your static designs into fully interactive prototypes with this free prototyping tool. Get feedback from clients and team members on details of the work in progress.
Invoicing & Time Tracking
- Harvest – What I use for time tracking, invoicing, estimates and generally the type of work I dislike most. It makes it all easy — setting auto reminders so I don’t have to makes it feel like I have a personal assistant.
- Freshbooks – Another favorite tool for time and service billing.
Marketing & Optimization Tools
- Mailchimp – Start an email list today. Seriously this is one of the most powerful medium for you to market to your clients. Having a powerful easy to use tool like Mailchimp is a great way to build your audience and contact them with permission for years.
- SEMrush – A powerful and versatile competitive intelligence suite for online marketing, from SEO and PPC to social media and video advertising research. I’ve only ever used the free version. Love seeing insights on competitors websites and how I or my clients compare.
Resources & Freebies
- Makerbook – A hand-picked directory of the best free resources for creatives.
- Free Stock Photography – 21 Amazing Sites With Breathtaking Free Stock Photos for use on your website or blog.
- Free Goods of the Week – From Creative Market, a platform for handcrafted, mousemade design content from independent creatives around the world. Fresh freebies available weekly.
- Branding Book & Style Guide Templates – UI8.net designed a beautiful collection of 5 different style guide templates! 75 fully customizable and easy to use pages, each with real wording. These templates are the perfect starting point for creating beautiful branding books.
How To Articles & Learning Resources
- Ecommerce University – Learn how to build, launch and grow an online business. Free tools and resources to accelerate your skills and success. Start generating more traffic and sales with free guides.
- Envato Tuts+ – Tons of really great free comprehensive how to content and tutorials. If you are liking what they have, you can go even deeper with a paid membership.
- Lynda.com – Just starting out? Lynda gives a really good, bitsize videos to build your knowledge base on thousands of very relevant skills and software. Great for businesses to get for employees for ongoing education.
- Codementor – live one on one expert developer mentor helping you in real time.
- SEO for Beginners – Everything you need to know to get your site to be found and rank well for Google.
- Butterick’s Practical Typography – if you learn and folÂlow these five tyÂpogÂraÂphy rules, you will be a betÂter tyÂpogÂraÂpher than 95% of proÂfesÂsional writÂers and 70% of proÂfesÂsional deÂsignÂers. (The rest of this book will raise you to the 99th perÂcentile in both categories.) All it takes is ten minÂutes—five minÂutes to read these rules once, then five minÂutes to read them again.
Money, Business & Legal
- F*ck You, Pay Me (video) – Mike Monteiro gives some valuable advice on how to get paid for the work that you do.
- The Dark Art of Pricing – Jessica Hische explains how to price design or other creative services.
- Double Your Freelancing – Freelancing Articles and In-Depth Guides
- AIGA Standard Form of Agreement for Design Services – This agreement allows you to create customized terms and conditions for different types of design engagements
Random Neat Things to Know About
- 10 Minute Mail – Temporary E-Mail. Free web-based addresses created in advance, with no registration required. Addresses expire after 10 minutes.
- Have I been pwned? – Check if you have an account that has been compromised in a data breach. Find out what service was compromised and leaked or personal information.
- Hype Machine – I’ve had this website open for years. A music site that features new music of all types everyday. It plays and works like a streaming radio station. I need to listen to music when I work and this is a great site for a constant stream of new legal music to listen to daily. Plus, you can heart your favorites, and go back to listen again.
- Papier – Free. Turn your Google Chrome homepage into a minimalist text editor — a blank page for you. How I use it: Short daily lists and goals of the projects I need to do that day or week. Sometimes I’ll put a positive quote, a new word or phrase I like or a quick note. I also like that when I open a new browser tab to procrastinate, my list is there staring me in the face.
- Built With – Find out what websites are Built With. Themes, frameworks plugins and more.
- CopyPasteCharacter.com – A web and iPhone application for copying the ‘hidden’ characters that comes with the computer’s typefaces, to be pasted into emails, tweets, text documents, forums and whatever else you might need to spice up with an extra â™”, ฿.
*This post contains affiliate links.