• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

PlanningShop

Plan. Start. Grow.

  • Our Products
  • Instructors
  • Entrepreneurs
  • BizGear
  • Rhonda’s Blog
  • Book Rhonda
  • About PlanningShop
  • Search
  • Our Products
  • Instructors
  • Entrepreneurs
  • BizGear
  • Rhonda’s Blog
  • Book Rhonda
  • About PlanningShop
  • Search
Biz from phone

Run your Small Business from your Phone

August 15, 2018 //  by Rhonda Abrams

Once upon a time, if you wanted to start a small business, you needed a whole bunch of stuff. You needed an office or store, office equipment, staff, a website. Even when I started my own one-person business from my home, I needed an expensive computer and software, not to mention a printer, copier, and fax (it was a long time ago…).

That was the bad old days. Now, it’s possible to run many small businesses entirely from the one device you probably already have in your pocket—your smart phone. You can make sales, run payroll, manage your website, send invoices, process payments, do your marketing—all from the palm of your hand.

In the last few years, there have been an explosion of cloud-based, mobile apps (or mobile-versions of desktop software applications) that make it easy to stay on top of many, if not most of your business operations, right from your mobile phone. And that’s great for today’s small business owner, because you’re more likely than ever to be on the go: meeting customers, traveling to trade shows, balancing work life with family needs.

If you’re going to be putting sensitive data up in the cloud, especially on mobile devices, take a few steps to help protect that information. Be sure to research potential providers when it comes to security and privacy, looking at online reviews as well as recommendations from other small business owners.

There are a few other ‘must do’ steps to protect your data and devices if you’re going to run your business from a smart phone:
  1. Choose reputable companies. With so many new apps coming out, it’s very possible that the app you choose today could be gone tomorrow. Tend to go with providers who’ve been around for a long time. They’re more likely to both be there tomorrow and to have the resources for high-quality security.
  2. Use passwords. Use passwords not just for applications, but for your phone itself, and make sure everyone who uses a business app on their phone uses a password-protected device also. And use harder-to-break passwords, not just the name of your oldest child.
  3. Protect your devices. Since your business is now based on your phone, protect your phone. Keep an eye on it and treat it carefully. You might want to get a backup phone, just in case.
  4. Control access. Make sure that you, as the business owner, control who can access your data, and when an employee leaves, be sure to turn “off ” their access.
  5. Turn it off. You’re never leaving the office if you’re carrying your business in your pocket. But you need down time. So set aside some times every day that are device free.
I’ve spent time checking out some of the most useful apps for running your business on the go. Search for these at either the App Store or Google Play Store, download, and get to work wherever you are:

 

*** Money Management and Accounting: Send out invoices, track time, pay bills, run payroll, track mileage, and more.
  • QuickBooks Online
  • Xero
  • FreshBooks
  • Intuit Online Payroll
  • Harvest
  • Wave
  • Bill.com
  • Shoeboxed
  • Everlance
*** Payments: Receive payments instantly from customers.
  • Square
  • PayPal Here
  • QuickBooks GoPayment
*** Make Sales: Turn your phone into your storefront and make sales directly to customers.
  • Shopify
  • Etsy
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
*** Scheduling: Take bookings and appointments, accept upfront payments, send clients reminders, and more.
  • Square Appointments
  • HouseCall Pro
  • Acuity Scheduling
  • Timely
  • Eventbrite Organizer
*** Customer Relationship Management: Build, manage, and keep track of customers, prospects, and more.
  • Zoho CRM
  • Salesforce
  • Infusionsoft
  • Insightly CRM
  • Apptivo
  • Method CRM
*** Document Storage and Sharing: Store, share, and access your files from any device.
  • Google Drive
  • Zoho Docs
  • Dropbox
  • Box
  • Hightail Spaces
*** Communications: Communicate with customers and manage your team back home.
  • Skype
  • Google Hangouts
  • WhatsApp
  • Join.Me
  • Webex
*** Social Media Marketing: Manage and schedule all your social media activities.
  • WordPress
  • Hootsuite
  • Buffer
  • Crowdfire
*** Graphic Design: Edit photos, add text, create graphics, and designs for your social media campaigns.
  • Over
  • Canva
*** Travel: Get the most out of your investment in business travel, from rewards tracking, to booking, to finding a great place to eat.
  • Tripit
  • AwardWallet
  • Hopper
  • Kayak
  • LocalEats
*** Newsletters: Manage and monitor newsletter campaigns you’ve created in advance on your desktop.
  • MailChimp
  • Constant Contact
  • Emma
  • Aweber
*** Website: Work on your site, view activity, manage your online store, write and post blogs, and view traffic.
  • Weebly
  • Wix
  • Strikingly
  • Jimdo
*** Build Your Team: Find and recruit employees and hire independent contractors.
  • Indeed Employer
  • Zoho Recruit
  • Upwork
  • LinkedIn Recruiter
*** Project Management:  Stay on top of projects and get things done with your team.
  • Asana
  • Wrike
  • Basecamp
  • Teamwork
  • Wunderlist
  • Any.do

Copyright Rhonda Abrams, 2018

This article originally ran in USA Today on August 15, 2018

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

Category: Solution CenterTag: apps, cell phone, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, mobile, rhonda abrams, small business, small business apps, small business tips, success, USA Today

Previous Post: «Smallbiz Divorce Divorce-Proof Your Small Business
Next Post: Table: Median Revenue for Men- vs. Women-run Businesses Women Table»

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Rhonda's Blog via Email

Instagram @rhondaabrams

Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tip Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tips and the latest info. sent straight to your inbox! Link in profile~
.
.
#smallbusiness #newsletter #smallbizguru
What’s old is new again! How to stay in front of What’s old is new again! How to stay in front of your smallbiz customers, in my latest @usatoday column. Link in profile~
.
.
#smallbusiness #customer #digitalmarketing #smallbizguru
National Doughnut Day on Friday?? Great way to sta National Doughnut Day on Friday?? Great way to start the weekend!! Enjoy, and go find yourself some doughnuts 😋 🍩 
.
.
#smallbusiness #fridayfeeling #nationaldoughnutday
#smallbusiness #tuesdaythoughts #entrepreneur #ins #smallbusiness #tuesdaythoughts #entrepreneur #inspirationalquotes
“And I’m proud to be an American, where at lea “And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.” - Lee Greenwood -
.
.
#memorialday #neverforget
We're heading into a long weekend! Here's to some We're heading into a long weekend! Here's to some R&R, productivity . . . whatever your small business needs~
.
.
#smallbusiness #weekend #entrepreneur #fridayfeeling
Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tip Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tips and the latest info. sent straight to your inbox! Link in profile~
.
.
#smallbusiness #tips #entrepreneur #newsletter #smallbizguru
#smallbusiness #tuesdaythoughts #inspirationalquot #smallbusiness #tuesdaythoughts #inspirationalquotes
Here's to a great week, small business owners! . . Here's to a great week, small business owners!
.
.
#smallbusiness #smallbusinessowner #mondaymotivation
My Tweets
  • Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tip Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tips and the latest info. sent straight to your inbox! Link in profile~
.
.
#smallbusiness #newsletter #smallbizguru
    What’s old is new again! How to stay in front of What’s old is new again! How to stay in front of your smallbiz customers, in my latest @usatoday column. Link in profile~
.
.
#smallbusiness #customer #digitalmarketing #smallbizguru
    National Doughnut Day on Friday?? Great way to sta National Doughnut Day on Friday?? Great way to start the weekend!! Enjoy, and go find yourself some doughnuts 😋 🍩 
.
.
#smallbusiness #fridayfeeling #nationaldoughnutday
    #smallbusiness #tuesdaythoughts #entrepreneur #ins #smallbusiness #tuesdaythoughts #entrepreneur #inspirationalquotes
    “And I’m proud to be an American, where at lea “And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.” - Lee Greenwood -
.
.
#memorialday #neverforget
    We're heading into a long weekend! Here's to some We're heading into a long weekend! Here's to some R&R, productivity . . . whatever your small business needs~
.
.
#smallbusiness #weekend #entrepreneur #fridayfeeling
    Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tip Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tips and the latest info. sent straight to your inbox! Link in profile~
.
.
#smallbusiness #tips #entrepreneur #newsletter #smallbizguru
  • Footer

    Our Products
    Instructor Central

    Privacy Policy
    Contact Us

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

    Copyright © 2023 PlanningShop · All Rights Reserved · Site design by paulinaart

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. ACCEPT Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT