Bootstrapped Woman’s Favourite Tech Stack Tools for Women in Business

Running an online business requires the right tools. Over the years, I’ve experimented with countless platforms and software, and I’m excited to share my favourites (because we don’t gatekeep here!). Get a sneak peek at the tools that power my business! See real, behind-the-scenes screenshots of my favourite tech stack in action…

Showit: Website Design and Development

Showit is the only platform I design on these days. I’ve tried many complex and simple drag-and-drop platforms, but Showit outperforms all of them. It’s easy to use, prioritizes mobile design, offers incredible customizations and capabilities, and can be integrated with WordPress for blogging. In other words, it’s got all the power you need to create an SEO (search engine optimized) website so you can actually get found on Google! I’ve personally noticed that both my clients and I get more inquiries and bookings as a direct result. If you want to try it free for one month, you can use the code ‘bootstrapped’ – it’s totally worth it! Would you rather have your website designed for you?! Book a free 15-minute consultation with me!

Thrivecart: Course Hosting, Embeddable Shopping Carts, and Affiliate Management

Thrivecart makes selling online SUPER easy! If you have less than 20 products or want to host an online course, this is the software you need. The best part?! You only have to pay for it ONCE. That’s right. You get lifetime access to all its features when you sign up! It’s a powerhouse system that allows you to create sales pages, funnels, affiliate campaigns, embeddable carts (with one-click upsells), and customizable templates. I personally use it to host my course Unignorable on Instagram and use the embed feature so I can design my sales pages on Showit while allowing them to checkout via a custom Thrivecart shopping cart.

Sprout Studio: CRM for Invoices, Contracts, and Questionnaires

For all of my other custom services, like my branding and website design packages, I use Sprout Studio! For those of you who don’t know me well (yet!), I used this software when I offered photography another lifetime ago. While it’s built for photographers, it’s the perfect CRM system for any creative or coach. Not only is it cost-effective, but it’s also Canadian! As a Canadian entrepreneur, it’s always difficult to find tech that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg (because of the exchange rate).

I love that Sprout Studio is simple, sleek-looking, and customizable. Just add your branding, and you can create beautiful Booking Proposals that give your clients a simple one-stop area to review your quotes, pay invoices, sign contracts, and fill out questionnaires. My clients love how easy it is to start the process of working with me because of this amazing system! I also appreciate the fact that I can embed custom forms into website pages to capture leads. Want to see how it looks? Check out my contact form here or my client’s website here. Save 20% off when you sign up using my link here!

Convertbox: Pop-ups and Quiz

Looking to engage your website visitors but tired of ugly static popups? You may want to try Convertbox. It allows you to easily create any style of on-site message, from popups to slide-in notifications. I honestly haven’t even begun exploring all this tool can do! I used it to create my free brand personality quiz because I didn’t want to pay another monthly fee to host the quiz. The great thing about Convertbox is it is a one-time fee for lifetime access. It’s the same price you would pay if you hosted your quiz on a platform like Interact for a year and a half. Based on that information, you may have guessed it was created by the same team that operates Thrivecart! I love that it integrates with other tools, such as my email platform, Kit (formerly Convertkit). Go to my home page to see the pop-up in action, or visit the embedded quiz page here.

Kit (formerly Convertkit): Email Marketing

Email marketing is key to delivering value and building trust with your audience throughout their customer journey. Your website is a powerful tool to capture leads, but you also need a place to nurture those connections! I love Kit (formerly Convertkit) because it allows me to connect with women business owners like you!

I have multiple automated sequences and embeddable opt-in forms to ensure entrepreneurs have access to my freebies instantly while introducing them to who I am and what I’m all about. I’m not the kind of business owner who only cares about getting you into my space because I want to sell you something. My mission is to inspire as many women leaders as possible to grow their businesses because I want the world to be a better place. I love to educate, and using a platform like Kit has given me the ability to connect on a deeper level with so many amazing people! #womensupportingwomen

One of my favourite features of Kit is their customer service. As a bootstrapper, it feels so nice to be supported by a team of people who really care about your success. As easy as the platform is to use, it has powerhouse capabilities that sometimes require a little extra help. I’ve personally had the Kit team step in to fix my automations so that they were working as hard as I do!

Later: Social Media Scheduling

For anyone who loves a sustainable social media strategy, you are going to want to check out Later. Later is my secret weapon for staying organized on social media. I can visually plan my content, schedule posts in advance, and even track my performance. While I typically prefer to schedule my reels from the Instagram app (because trending audio is fun), I post all of my carousels and static posts from Later!

Google Sheets: Content Caption Tracking and Organization

For content caption organization, I keep things old school! I love a simple Google Sheet to keep my captions organized, making it super simple to repurpose content and give it a fresh look!

Loom: Video Hosting for Client Walkthroughs and Strategy Sessions

Instead of lengthy emails or scheduling extra calls, I use Loom to create quick and efficient video updates for my clients. It’s perfect for explaining website functions, providing feedback, and actionable next steps for my business therapy clients (so they can always refer back)!

Asana: Project Management, Business Planning and Brainstorming

Asana is my go-to tool for keeping branding and website design projects organized and on schedule. It helps me manage all the moving parts, ensuring a smooth and efficient process for both myself and my clients. I have used the paid option for Asana before, but for what I use it for, I didn’t think it was worth paying for the upgrade. I use the free version at the moment!

Notion: Brand Hub

Notion is a note-taking web application that I like to use as a brand hub and drafting area. It keeps everything organized in one place – from my brand strategy and content pillars to website copy and affiliate links. It’s my go-to for brainstorming, drafting content, and streamlining my branding.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a very small commission (at no extra cost to you) should you make a purchase through one of the links.