Best Apps for Entrepreneurs on the Go

admin — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 03:58:49 +0000

I found this article today to be pretty good. Check it out below, most of these apps are so common now

A few weeks back I wrote a popular post about the best apps for job seekers that was very well received. I promised I’d share the top apps I use to make my life as an entrepreneur easier. It wasn’t easy, as I have over 100 apps on my iPad and Android (don’t judge me). It might seem like overkill, but it’s important as a small business owner to be able to do business anywhere, any time, with anyone. And to do that, I need the apps to be on both devices since I’m never without one or the other. You never want to miss an opportunity to turn a contact or chance meeting into a client.

Here are some of the apps I use to keep my business humming along.

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My Finances:

Square- Let’s start with the obvious. I need to be able to take a payment anywhere, any time and the days of those bulky POS (the S stands for SALES…get your mind out the gutter) terminals. Square allow me to insert a little square dongle (hence the name) into my device and with the click of an app and swipe of a card, I can process credit card payments on the spot. It only costs me 2.75% per swipe and my money is transferred into my bank account within a day or two. There are no other fees and even the dongle is free. Easy breezy. And I just heard they came out with a device for cabbies that they’re testing in New York. Go Square!

Paypal- OK I know some folks don’t like Paypal, but honestly, I’ve been with them since the very beginning. They now have an app where I can just log in, send a payment request to someone and they get an email letting them know to make a payment. I use the standard service and I don’t pay any monthly fees. They charge you on a sliding scale 2.2 – 2.9% plus 30 cents each transaction. I can even create invoices. But what I like about Paypal is that I can process higher priced services like consulting fees and the like without a cap on transaction amounts. Plus some people just prefer to pay via Paypal.

Intuit Online Payroll- Yes! You can even process your payroll via an app. Intuit let’s you set up your account online (a tedious but well worth it process) and you download the app to your device. Then you can process payroll for your employees. The app is free but the service is $39 per month. Right now they are offering a 30 day free trial. They also offer the GoPayment service that is similar to Square. But if you have employees and you’re always on the go, Intuit Online Payroll keeps you current and professional.

And for honorable mentions, the banks and investment brokerages I use all have apps so I can access information about my money at all times. I also use Mint.com (there’s an app for that!) and XE Mobile Currency (which is a foreign currency converter). It comes in handy when you’re traveling abroad and need to do a quick on the spot currency conversion.

Productivity:

eFax Mobile- I have been using eFax since the beginning of time. I love being able to access my faxes (albeit rare) via email instead of relying on a bulky machine and phone line. eFax has an app where you can view all of your faxes from your devices. You can send, view and sign faxes with eFax Mobile.I can opt to store them in my eFax account or move them over to my Dropbox. The app is free, but the service carries a fee. If you get minimal faxes, then the Plus subscription would suit you. You get 150 faxed pages per month for $16.95 per month. The Pro subscription comes with 200 faxed pages and it’s $19.95 per month.

USPS Mobile- I hate standing in line at the post office. With this app, I’m able to determine postage and buy postage without having to endure those long lines. I can also schedule pickups, track packages and scan packages. I can say it’s been a life saver for me. The only thing it can’t do is check my P.O. Box. LOL

Qrafter- Speaking of scanning, I use this app to both read and create scannable QR codes. I simply use the camera on my device to capture the image and I’m all set. There is a basic and a Pro version. The Pro version costs $2.99.

Printback by Xerox Mobile- I don’t care what they say. There is some comfort in knowing that you’ll be able to print anywhere as long as you have that app. This app is free and supports most Microsoft Office and PDF documents. The best part is you’re not running around looking for a computer to stick your flash drive in or looking to connect or download software to connect to your laptop. You simply choose your document (usually from a Dropbox folder), determine the size you need, then let the app do the rest.

DocuSign- How many times have you had a deal delayed because you have to wait until you received the documents (or send them to a client) to sign and get started? DocuSign takes care of all of that. I keep a standard version of all my contracts and agreements in Dropbox (that name keeps coming up quite often, doesn’t it?) for easy access. Once the documents are updated and ready to execute, I log into DocuSign to get the required signatures…without having to use a printer. You can sign a Word, JPEG or PDF document. The only thing I don’t like is I have to use my finger. I’m waiting on a stylus type instrument to make it easier to sign.

QuickOffice Pro- This is a life saver! If ever I need to edit a word, excel or powerpoint document on the go, this app is my saving grace. Now, I did opt for the paid Pro version, which was $14.95, but because you can only view PDFs on it and not edit, I had to supplement it with another new find (which I’ll talk about next). You can create, edit and share all Microsoft documents with this app. And you don’t lose any formatting! I have not regretted buying the pro version.

OnLive Desktop (powered by Microsoft)- I like that this also allow you to edit and work on Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents. OnLive opens up to look just like your Windows desktop with the icons for each program on the ‘desktop’. You can open documents you’ve stored in the system in any of the programs to edit in real time just like you would on your PC. Don’t believe me? Check it out. It also allows you to store documents, so Dropbox may be repetitive. Both QuickOffice and OnLive Desktop can be synced with your Dropbox account.

Dropbox- OK, if you haven’t heard of Dropbox by now, where the heck have you been? I keep my important documents in Dropbox to use from any device at any time. I have a free account but you can opt for a paid account. My basic account has 2GB of storage. The more people you invite or refer to Dropbox, the more chances you have to earn additional storage space. You can instantly send a document right from your smart phone or tablet after an impromptu meeting and it gets delivered right to their inbox. It’s a must have for easy access and quick retrieval.

Credit Lines vs. Credit Cards

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:34:23 +0000

Both lines of credit and borrowing money on your credit cards can be effective ways to finance small business operations. Both are revolving, and charge interest only on outstanding balances. And both have predetermined borrowing limits. However, there are big differences in terms of cost, convenience, and risk.

The major difference is that credit lines usually have lower interest rates and higher available limits. Commercial lines of credit are therefore more cost-effective than credit cards. But that’s not to say that credit cards don’t have advantages — especially in terms of convenience.

Instead of asking your bank to transfer funds from your credit line to your checking account — to write a check for office supplies, for example — you can just whip out your plastic and charge it. Another credit card plus is record-keeping. Monthly statements are a handy way to track expenses for general record-keeping and tax purposes.

Credit cards also frequently come with perks like air miles, travel insurance, warranty extensions, and discounts on rental cars, hotels, and gas. If these extras are valuable to you and your company, credit cards make a lot of sense.

Additionally, credit cards offer grace periods on purchases, usually 25 days. That means you can avoid interest charges altogether if you pay your balance in full each month.

Fortunately, credit lines and credit cards aren’t mutually exclusive. You will certainly want to obtain at least one credit card for business expenses. But you may also want a line of credit for larger purchases and to draw upon during periods of irregular cash flow.

Guide to Building Business Credit

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:02:20 +0000

Building good business credit is the key to financial health. Without it, you’ll have a hard time opening a trade account at a supplier like Office Depot or receiving a business credit card or traditional bank loan. But all that changes once you’ve established a solid credit rating. Get started now.

STEP 1: GET YOUR PERSONAL CREDIT IN ORDER

Without good personal credit, it is very difficult to establish good business credit. Why? Because until your business becomes established, lenders will look closely at your personal character and trustworthiness before extending credit to your new company. You need to think about getting your personal credit in tip-top condition even before starting your business.

Open Checking and Trade Accounts

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:00:55 +0000

Why is business credit so important? It’s the main way companies evaluate whether they want to do business with you – and on what terms. Companies rely on your creditworthiness to make critical decisions, including whether:

to sell to you
to lend you money
to lease the equipment you need to grow your business
to help you carry more inventory
to give you favorable financing rates and terms