resources
which tools do i actually use to run my business?
People ask what I use often enough that it needed a page. Not everything that exists, just what I reach for most weeks.
Some are AI, some are not. I answer the same questions about each one: what I use it for, what I don't like about it, who I'd recommend it to, and whether I actually pay for it.
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Getting the word out beehiiv
My newsletter lives here. I just wish I had read the pricing page before I built everything.
Best for Anyone running a newsletter who wants it findable, not just delivered.
Free tier is enough
What I actually think → 7 questions inside -
Making things Canva
Still the fastest way to finish a graphic, even though I use it less every year.
Best for Anyone doing marketing work most weeks.
I pay for this
What I actually think → 7 questions inside -
Thinking and writing ChatGPT
I keep it for two jobs: images, and making my writing sound like me.
Best for Beginners who want a forgiving place to learn, and anyone making images.
Free tier is enough
What I actually think → 7 questions inside -
Thinking and writing Claude
I run almost the entire business on this one.
Best for Owners who want one tool doing five jobs, and who will spend twenty minutes setting it up.
I pay for this
What I actually think → 7 questions inside -
Running the business Granola
It remembers every conversation so I don't have to.
Best for Anyone taking a lot of meetings, or writing proposals from what people actually said.
I pay for this
What I actually think → 7 questions inside -
Making things Manus
It builds the whole thing without much help from me. It just eats credits doing it.
Best for Anyone making something visual who would rather not micromanage it.
I pay for this
What I actually think → 7 questions inside -
Running the business Wispr Flow
It types what I actually said, rambling and all.
Best for Anyone who thinks out loud faster than they type, or needs to dictate somewhere quiet.
Free tier is enough
What I actually think → 7 questions inside
Nothing in that one yet.
All of them at once
| Tool | What I use it for | What it costs | Would I pay for it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| beehiiv | My weekly newsletter. | Free up to 2,500 subscribers. Automations need a paid plan. | Not yet. Eventually. |
| Canva | Anything visual. | Free plan. I pay for Pro. | Yes, and I have since 2018. |
| ChatGPT | Images, and my brand voice. | Free tier. Plus is about $20/month. | Yes, but you may not need to. |
| Claude | Nearly everything. | Free tier. Paid from about $20/month. | Yes. Absolutely. |
| Granola | Anything I'll need to remember. | Free plan. Business is $14/user/month. | Yes. $14 a month. |
| Manus | Spinning something up start to finish. | $20/month on the plan I'm on. Credit-based. | Yes. Twenty dollars a month. |
| Wispr Flow | Talking instead of typing. | Free plan is 2,000 words a week on desktop. It has been enough for me. | No. Haven't needed to. |
Prices change faster than I update pages. Check before you buy.