These are the tools I use to run my business, which consists of various digital assets including a newsletter, social media, and SaaS apps.
My content system is ever-evolving. While everyone has a unique system for creating content, especially across various platforms, Justin Welsh's courses, Content OS, and LinkedIn OS gave me a huge kickstart in getting good systems in place.
I do a lot of my writing verbally using AudioPen to get a first draft out. I love it because aside from being much faster than typing, I can do it on walks which is where most of my good ideas appear.
I organize my content writing schedule and distribution in Google Sheets, and I write in Google Docs. I use Readwise to organize and tag highlights, Kindle highlights, and web pages for future reference in content I plan to write.
My SaaS apps are hosted either on Render.com or Vercel, and all use Stripe.
Postmark is my go-to for sending emails, and Softr is my favorite tool for building no-code apps.
Crisp.chat serves as my go-to on-site messaging communication app.
For affiliate programs, I use FirstPromoter, though I have used Tapfiliate in the past and liked it too.
For growth inspiration, I read every issue of Growth in Reverse from beginning to end. Exploding Topics is an excellent resource for discovering trends.
My newsletter, the SaaS bootstrapper, is published on beehiiv — hands down the best newsletter publishing platform, in my opinion. And while I use beehiiv, I bought Mastering Convertkit and it changed the way I think about, and approach email marketing.
IndieHackers should be everyone's first stop for finding like-minded people and sharing and reading each other's stories.
MicroConf has two annual conferences that I go to every chance I can pull it off. They also have a Slack community that is highly recommended.
SmallBets is a course and community accessed with a single lifetime fee that comes with access to countless live courses, and a very active Discord community.
I'm also a member of Trends.VC, which puts out the most amazing in-depth reports about everything related to online pursuits.
If you're early on, The Mom Test is invaluable for learning how to ask customers the right questions.
When I recommend one book for people at any stage of their SaaS journey, it's $100M Offers by Alex Hormozi. Then the follow-up $100M Leads.
Dotcom Secrets, Expert Secrets, Traffic Secrets are all no-fluff gems.
For artistic inspiration, Steal Like an Artist is a great, quick read. Show Your Work! by the same author helped me understand the what and why behind building in public.
For general life inspiration, I love everything Derek Sivers writes: Anything You Want, Hell Yeah or No, How to Live.
The Mind Illuminated changed the game for me when it comes to meditation.