Five Essential Tools for Startups – Plus One BONUS Resource I Absolutely Love

You’ve Got a Vision, Now Get the Right Tools to Bring It to Life

Starting and running your own business is exciting. You’ve got the ideas, ambition, and drive to be successful. But like most entrepreneurs, you’re overwhelmed by the speed at which you need to learn everything.

There are a lot of people in the same boat. Many startups flounder because they don’t have the right resources early enough. Everything from branding to bookkeeping is on your plate and those tasks pile up and your momentum slows. You need structure and strategy. Without it, you’re on the path to burnout and your vision turning into a mirage.

There’s good news. You don’t need to figure it all out alone.
I’ve been there. I’ve found some powerful tools along the way that help organize the chaos. These are some of the resources that helped me, along with other founders, to get organized, look more professional, and create a path to success.

I am going to guide you through five tools every startup should at least try. Plus there is one bonus resource that I love.

Tool #1: Adobe Creative Cloud Pro – $60/month

Problem it solves: Branding, Design, and Visual Content Creation

High quality imagery matters. But, hiring a designer can be expensive. Adobe Creative Cloud Pro gives you access to a lot powerful applications to create your own high quality visuals. On top of that, they include extremely useful business tools such as Adobe Sign and Adobe Acrobat.

Whether you’re using their templates to create logos, social media graphics, or pitch decks, Adobe acts like a creative Swiss Army knife.

Tool #2: Adobe Express Learn – Included with Creative Cloud Pro

Problem it solves: Educating yourself on Branding Basics and Brand Development

Looking for a starting point, try Adobe Express Learn. This educational hub offers free courses like:

The Fundamentals of Starting a Brand
Evoking Emotion Through Color
Expanding Your Brand
Logo Guides

Tool #3: HubSpot Academy – Free

Problem it solves: Learn Marketing and Sales

HubSpot Academy has free courses and certifications in marketing and sales.
Some Classes:

How to create a content strategy
How to build marketing funnels
How to close sales more effectively
How to understand your customers

These classes are legit and they’re created by people who’ve done the work.

Tool #4: SBA.gov – Free

Problem it solves: Not Having Experience

The Small Business Administration (SBA) website is a treasure trove. Whether you’re still in planning mode or looking to grow, SBA.gov offers:

Access to Retired Executives for Advice
Step-by-step guides
Funding options
Legal checklists
Business plan templates

It’s like having several mentors for your business and they do it for free. You don’t even have to sign up for a webinar to take advantage of all the knowledge and resources they provide.

Tool #5: Wave Accounting – Free or $170/year

Problem it solves: Bookkeeping without Breaking the Bank

The Most Cost Effective Way to Keep up with Your Books :

Send professional invoices
Track income and expenses
Manage receipts
Run basic reports

QuickBooks is the industry standard for most small businesses, but they cost a lot when you’re a startup. Wave is a really compelling choice when you’re on a tight budget.

BONUS RESOURCE: Adobe Express – Included with Creative Cloud Pro

Problem it solves: Fast and Beautiful Design Templates for People Who Aren’t Designers

This is the one I tell everyone about. It’s similar to Canva, but integrated with Adobe’s ecosystem. With Adobe Express, you can:

Design everything from social media posts to pricing guides
Use templates to stay on-brand
Schedule your posts

I love this tool. You can create your own branding and apply it to the templates you choose, which allows you to take advantage of the templates, while staying on brand. Also, the scheduling feature is very helpful. There are a lot of third-party scheduling software, but if you’re already paying for Adobe, why pay for another app?

So, What’s the Plan?

1. Start with the right tools
2. Apply what you learn
3. Be Consistent

What Happens If You Don’t Get This Right?

Without the right tools you could:

Look unprofessional
Get overwhelmed
Lose time and money
Burn out early

Don’t let your hard work go to waste.

Moving Forward

Start today by picking one of the tools above. Explore it, and then try the next one.
You don’t need to know everything right away, but the sooner you begin, the sooner you will build confidence and competence.