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Hi! I’m Kate, the face behind KateFi.com—a blog all about making life easier and more affordable.
Let’s be honest — no one is reading your 14-page business plan. Not investors. Not your future self. And definitely not your customers.
What you do need? Tools that get you making money, building your brand, and automating the stuff that would otherwise burn you out.
Here are 7 tools I wish I had when I first started my online business — the ones that actually move the needle (and none of them require a business degree).
1. Canva – To Look Like You Know What You’re Doing
You don’t need a designer. You need Canva. This free tool helps you create:
- Social media graphics
- Lead magnets
- Blog banners
- Pinterest pins
👉 See how I use Canva to flip digital products
2. ConvertKit or MailerLite – To Capture and Email Your Audience
Before you even make a dollar, you should be collecting emails. A simple opt-in form and automated email sequence will keep your leads warm without lifting a finger.
Use a freebie like:
- “Free checklist”
- “Get my exact Pinterest strategy”
- “$100/week Side Hustle Guide”
3. Link-in-Bio Tool – To Monetize Your Instagram
Stop sending people to one boring landing page. Use a free tool like Later’s Linkin.bio or Beacons to direct followers to:
- Your affiliate links
- Your lead magnets
- Your content
👉 This is how I turned IG into $1,000/month
4. Pinterest Scheduler – For Passive Traffic While You Sleep
Manual pinning? Hard pass. Use Tailwind or Pinterest’s native scheduler to queue 1–2 weeks of content in a nap time window.
Pinterest = long-term traffic. It’s my favorite free traffic tool of all time.
👉 I earned $500 in a week just pinning affiliate links
5. Google Docs – For Everything Content Related
From blog outlines to product copy to autoresponder drafts — Google Docs is the foundation of my business. Use it for:
- Drafting offers
- Collaboration
- Keeping everything in one place
Bonus: It autosaves. So when your toddler dumps juice on your laptop, you’re safe.
6. ChatGPT – To Speed Up Literally Everything
Research. Writing. Brainstorming. ChatGPT is my 24/7 assistant who never takes breaks and doesn’t charge by the hour.
I use it to:
- Draft email sequences
- Outline blog posts
- Name digital products
- Brainstorm offers
If you’re not using AI in your hustle, you’re working too hard.
7. Gumroad or Stan Store – To Sell Something. Anything.
You don’t need a full website. Just a way to take payments and deliver value. Gumroad and Stan both let you sell:
- Templates
- Guides
- Ebooks
- Services
Keep it simple. Add your link to your bio and boom — you’re in business.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need a business plan. You need action. You need offers. You need eyeballs. And these 7 tools will get you there way faster than any Google Doc titled “Q3 Objectives.”
Start messy. Get paid. Optimize later.
Related Posts You’ll Love:
- How I Turned My Instagram Into a $1,000-a-Month Side Hustle (Without Selling Anything)
- 10 Remote Side Hustles That Pay $100+ a Day (Even If You’re Clueless)
- What I’d Do If I Had to Make $500 by Friday (Step-by-Step Plan)
