Tools for running a business online

A few days ago I came across a recently published list of 270+ tools and apps for running a business online. Whether you are a small business owner, entrepreneur, or solopreneur you are bound to find something useful in this list.  It is broken down into categories covering topics such as accounting & billing, calendars & scheduling, collaboration, contact management, online meetings, project management, and virtual offices among many others.

Although no list like this can be exhaustive (we currently use some tools not on this list) – there were plenty here I have never come across before. If you’re looking to be more mobile and increase your ability to work where and when you want I encourage you to give this list a gander and consider which ones might be able to improve your business and workflow.

Tools like these were previously only available to organizations with large budgets. Thanks to them becoming more affordable small businesses can now truly work from anywhere.

TAO Podcast (Mobile Work Tip) – Using Threaded Discussion Boards

Email has become a primary form of business communication. I believe one of the reasons it is so popular is that it is the most accepted and widespread method of asynchronous communication. But email is so pervasive and convenient that it can be easy to overlook other options and spiral into email overload.

When we talk about asynchronous communication we mean that all parties involved do not need to be present and available at the same time. Examples include e-mail, discussion boards, and text messaging over cell phones. Direct communication, where all parties involved in the communication are present at the same time, is what we refer to as synchronous communication. Examples include a telephone conversation, a company board meeting, chat rooms, and instant messaging.

In this Mobile Work Audio Tip Phil talks about some benefits of asynchronous communication and the use of discussion boards and threaded discussions.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:04 — 1.9MB)

Send email, text messages, and reminders with your voice

If there is one thing I’ve learned 17-months into fatherhood, it’s that I no longer seem to be able to keep a thought in my head! Between running a busines, working with clients, the endless list of things to do around the house, and frolicking with my little boy – my brain is often full.  So I realized that if I don’t write things down immediately – within seconds – whooosh – it’s gone.

The problem is that many times when I think of these things I am driving, on line at a store, or somewhere else where it’s just not practical to write down my reminders.  My savior and solution has come through exploring some new services available that let you use your cellphone to easily send yourself a reminder, or send emails and text messages to others all with just your voice! Read more

Hannah, Gustav, Ike, Chicken Little, and The Boy Who Cried ‘Wolf’

We’re mid-way through the 5th Annual National Preparedness month and the 2008 Hurricane Season is starting to reach maturity. Living in South Florida puts you in a heightened sense of awareness around storm season. So far this year we have been very fortunate; but I have been following the news around the last few named storms and just this morning on the news they were saying that 20,000 people did not evacuate Galveston, TX even though the language of the evacuation order said, ‘Leave or face certain death.’

I also watched reports of Ike making landfall in Texas and a rain drenched reporter was showing a street full of businesses and pointing out that only about 1 in 15 had boarded up their windows.

It’s that fundamental human impulse that says, ‘I’ll play the odds’ or ‘it won’t happen to ME’ that leads some people to defy these types of warnings and shirk common sense preparation. Unfortunately,  it happens to people just like YOU and the annoyance of something as mundane as boarding up some windows can mean the difference between a storm being an inconvenience and a catastrophe. Read more

For Sun Microsystems, Open Work is Working

I came across this video the other day while I was looking for some statistics on the benefits and cost savings of virtual teams. It’s about Sun Microsystems 10-year old Open Work program. Started in 1998, this work from anywhere initiative has made them more flexible, increased productivity, and saved money.

In this video you’ll hear from Dave Douglas, vice president of eco-responsibility and Sun’s “Chief Green Evangelist”, and find out how the project operates and why it’s been a success.

You also get an interesting peak into what one of their “drop-in” locations is like and how employees use a special Java ID card to log onto any system to access their work and be productive. Read more

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