Running a Business
Accounting • Project Management • Contracts • Pricing • Payroll • Taxes • Commerce • Forms • Surveys •
Web Management • File Sharing • Communication • Resources
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ps. Resources with a “diamond” are ones we personally use and highly recommend!
🔸 used by Kelly 🔹 used by Marlo
Accounting
WAVE 🇨🇦
Accounting (Free)
Canadian-made online software for managing small business finances. Includes accounting, invoicing, receipts scanning, personal finance, unlimited bank connections, estimates/quotes, recurring invoices and accountant-approved reports.
MOMENTEO 🇨🇦
Accounting (Free)
Canadian-made online quote and invoicing software for freelancers. Keep track of your work done, expenses and travels in a beautiful calendar and let the free software generate your accounting.
ACTIF 🇨🇦
Accounting (Some Free)
Canadian-made cloud software for accounting, bookkeeping and business management . Accessible either through a web browser or on mobile via Android and iOS apps.
ACCOUNTEDGE
Accounting (One-time Fee)
Designed to meet the needs of small business and is compliant with Canadian sales taxes and payroll requirements. Desktop version lets you store your data and requires a one-time fee. Interface is in English but the program allows you to customize invoices into the language of your choice.
FRESHBOOKS 🇨🇦
Accounting (Subscription)
Canadian-made entry-level solution for service-based businesses to create and track projects, timesheets, invoices, and expenses. Offers iPhone and iPad apps for receipt scanning and expense tracking. The interface is in English but invoices can be sent in both English and French.
QUICKBOOKS ONLINE 🇨🇦
Accounting (Subscription)
Accounting software for self-employed/small business owners that don’t have any accounting training. A variety of different solutions for monthly subscription fees. Also offer iPad and iPhone apps with additional features.
INVOICELY
Invoice Generator (Free)
Free, unlimited online invoice generator. Customizable business reports, online payment integration, tracking for time, expenses & mileage. Mobile apps available for iOS and Android devices.
SLIMVOICE
Invoice Generator (Free)
Create and send unlimited PDFs using a modern invoice design for free. Ability to track and process payments, 1% processor fee when accepting cards.
Greenback
Squarespace Transaction Syncing
Scrap your spreadsheets! Greenback automatically syncs your Squarespace transactions, including fees, refunds and reimbursements to your accounting program. Greenback automatically fetches your Squarespace transactions and itemizes your sales, fees, refunds and reimbursements. Export your Squarespace transactions to your preferred accounting program.
Tax Preparation Toolkit 🇨🇦
Free Resources
Get your free small business tax preparation toolkit delivered right to your inbox. Important tax filing deadlines in 2021 for self-employed Canadians, and small business owners (and what happens if you missed them). Commonly missed business expense deductions, tax write-offs and credits for small business owners and self-employed Canadians. A printable checklist to ensure you don't miss any key tax documents.
FBC
Accounting, Payroll & Tax Services
FBC offers free initial consultations to help business owners just like you. We review taxes, write offs, government programs and much more - all to ensure your business and your finances are operating as efficiently as possible.
Project Management
HONEYBOOK 🔹
CRM (Subscription)
Online platform to automate proposals, contracts, invoicing, reporting, track projects, send notifications, automate payments and send out customer inquiry forms. Links to Quickbooks.
BONSAI 🔸
CRM (Subscription)
Online platform to handle proposals, contracts, invoices, expenses, recurring payments, and task tracking for creative businesses and freelancers.
DUBSADO
CRM (Subscription)
Online platform to create contract templates, send and electronically sign contracts, invoice, manage clients, schedule workflow tasks and track reporting.
MONDAY.com 🔹
CRM (Free Trial & Subscription)
Award-winning, visually intuitive online tool for planning, tracking, collaborating, editorial and blogging planning, competitor analysis, the management of marketing projects, onboarding processes, creative requests and more. Optional integrations include DropBox, Excel, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Integromat, Slack, Trello, Pipedrive, Jira, Mailchimp, and even more through Zapier.
CLICKUP
CRM (Free or Subscription)
Online platform to share files, access with permissions, collect approval, feedback, or customer information, make checklists, subtasks, and task templates, and create Gantt charts, calendars, and timelines to visualize tasks. Offers native integrations with Slack, G Suite, Dropbox, and many more tools, as well as over 1,000+ integrations through Zapier.
VOGSY
CRM (Free or Subscription)
Online platform to automate project management workflows and admin tasks. Built for Google Workspace and uses an intuitive Google Material Design interface. VOGSY generates and sends quotes and invoices to clients, suggests resources while you’re planning hours, creates project budgets, optionally pre-fills timesheets, and produces real-time financial reporting across projects and agencies. Offers integration with QuickBooks and Xero.
Willowspace 🇨🇦
CRM (Subscription)
Managing clients can be simple, seamless & beautiful Lead capture forms, beautiful proposals, flexible invoicing, easy upsells, and client portals you’ll actually want to use — WillowSpace is a client management platform built with design in mind.
17Hats
CRM (Free & Subscription)
The Client Relationship Manager you deserve. For free. For life. Too good to be true? We don’t think so. With 17hats, all your Contacts, Leads, and Clients are stored, organized, and accessed from one place.
Hubspot CRM
CRM (Free)
Start growing today with HubSpot’s free tools.Get access to all of HubSpot's free CRM, marketing, sales, and customer service tools.
Basecamp
Project Management (Some Free)
Real-time communication tool that helps teams stay on the same page; it’s less for traditional project management tasks. To-do-lists, calendaring, due dates and file-sharing, A way for teams to keep track of priorities & actions.
Project.co
Project Management (Subscription)
Working with your clients feels like an afterthought in most other project management software. Project.co was built for working with clients. This means your team and your clients team can chat, share files, and get work done, in the same place.
Toggl
Time Tracking (Free)
Track time across the web app, desktop app, mobile app, or browser extension - with one click! All your entries will sync automatically. Turn your calendar events into time entries with just one tap.
Hubstaff
Time Tracking (Free)
Clean, lightweight apps for desktop, web, mobile, and Chrome. Time tracking, GPS, project budgeting, detailed reporting, invoicing and mobile time tracking.
Up Next 🔹
Time Management (Free)
Up Next is a macOS menu bar app that shows your next meeting at a glance. Even better, it's integrated with Google Meet so you can join meetings with ⌘J, or join directly into presenter mode with ⇧⌘J. Up Next is a great tool to stay on top of your day and meetings.
ASANA 🔹🔸
Plan & Organize (Free & Subscription)
Web and mobile application designed to help individuals and teams organize, track, and manage work. Keep remote and distributed teams, and your entire organization, focused on their goals, projects, and tasks.
TRELLO
Plan & Organize (Free & Subscription)
Collaborate, manage projects, and reach new productivity peaks. Offers task assignments, timelines, productivity metrics, calendars, and more.
EVERNOTE
Plan & Organize (Free & Subscription)
An app designed for note taking, organizing, task management, and archiving. Allows users to create notes, which can be text, drawings, photographs, audio, or saved web content.
NOTION
Productivity (Free for 1 User)
Notion is an application that provides components such as notes, databases, kanban boards, wikis, calendars and reminders. Users can connect these components to create their own systems for knowledge management, note taking, data management, project management, among others.
MIRO
Productivity (Free for 1 User)
Online collaborative white boarding platform that empowers distributed teams to work effectively together, from brainstorming with digital sticky notes to planning and managing agile workflows.
ZAPIER 🔹
Task Automation (Free for 100 tasks)
Online tool for Integration and task automation. Integrates with over 2,000 apps that include tasks such as adding subscribers to your email list or adding items from a Facebook conversation into your calendar. No coding knowledge is required. Zapier asks you simple questions about what you want to do, and as you answer the prompts, the app sets up the tasks for you.
Parabola
Task Automation (Free for 3 tasks)
Automate any manual task you usually do in a spreadsheet. Connect your data, arrange your steps, and forget about hiring that developer.
MAKE 🔹
Task Automation (Free for 1,000 tasks)
Connect apps and automate workflows in a few clicks. Move data between apps without effort so you can focus on growing your business.
SCHEDULICITY
Scheduler (Subscription)
Owned by Squarespace this tool is extremely in-depth and detailed when it comes to scheduling and automating calls and events. It can be more difficult to use than Calendly.
CALENDLY*
Scheduler (Free or Subscription)
User-friendly calendar tool, to allow your clients to book a call or schedule a meeting without emailing back and forth.
DOODLE POLL 🔹
$6.95/month (Free Trial)
Online calendar tool for time management, and coordinating meetings. Email threads trying to book a large number of appointments can quickly become confusing. No more emailing back and forth endlessly.
Acuity
Scheduler (Subscription)
Owned by Squarespace this online scheduling software allows clients to view real-time availability, self-book, and pay online.
Legalities & Contracts
CONTRACTS MARKET 🇨🇦🔹
Legal Contracts
Online shop offering a range of affordable, customizable, lawyer-approved contract templates designed specifically for Canadian creative business owners.
LAWDEPOT 🇨🇦
Legal Contracts
The leading publisher of do-it-yourself legal documents, forms, and contracts. Over 150 document templates suitable for use all across Canada. Whether you’re interested in protecting your estate, lending money, managing a rental property, or setting up a business.
RGD AGREEMENT GUIDELINEs 🇨🇦
Contract Guidelines (Free)
General guidelines on what a written agreement in Canada between designer and client should include such as fees, services to be performed, and method of compensation.
DOCRACY
Contracts (Free)
A free, open collection of legal documents and contracts socially curated by the communities that use them. Our mission is to make these documents freely available for everyone, while in the process making them easier to customize and use.
Wethos
Scopes, Invoices, Payments (Free)
The burden of running a business on top of getting work done can mean less time to pursue an opportunity. That’s why we built Wethos: an all-in-one platform that streamlines operations from pricing to payments and unlocks earning potential for talent at the top of their game.
Money Management
PRICING CREATIVITY 🇨🇦
Pricing
Written by Canadian, Blair Ens. Teaches you how to price for the value you create. You may charge 50% more before you’ve finished this guide. Read this book, embrace the mindset, live by the 5 Rules (and master the sixth), and refer to the 20+ tips for specific scenarios and let me know what your bottom line looks like in the months ahead.
THE ACADEMY 🇨🇦
Pricing
Canadian-based Clover aWend Crow teaches freelancers to expand their business savvy and provide clients with an exceptional experience with every touchpoint, from first inquiry to onboarding to post-project client relationship building.
PRICING FOR CREATIVES
Pricing
Learn everything you need to know about pricing for profit as a creative entrepreneur. Double / triple sales in 18 months or less. Take control of spending (even if you love nice things). Make a profit that supports your needs and wants. Start taking a salary and 3+ weeks off every year.
MINT🔸
Money Management (Free or Subscription)
Great app to download and understand where you are spending your money and how to manage your spending
HUMI 🇨🇦
Payroll + HR
Canadian | Easy to Use Payroll for Canadian Businesses. Integrated HR platform that makes managing employees easier.
PAYROLL DEDUCTION CALCULATOR 🇨🇦
Government of Canada
Use the Payroll Deductions Online Calculator (PDOC) to calculate federal, provincial (except for Quebec), and territorial payroll deductions. It will confirm the deductions you include on your official statement of earnings.
SMALL BUSINESS FINANCE 🇨🇦
Resources by CPA Canada
Resources to help you manage the finances of your small business and provide you with the tools you need because of the pandemic. This free comprehensive series will help you navigate through the pandemic and help you in managing and planning for the future of your business.
ONLINE TAX CALCULATOR
Ernst & Young
Calculate your annual federal and provincial combined tax rate with this easy online tool. EY’s tax calculators & rate tables help simplify the tax process by making it easy to figure out how much tax you pay.
T2125 FORM 🇨🇦
Self Employed Tax Deductions
The T2125 is a downloadable form from the Canadian Revenue Agency that will provide you with the majority of answers on what expenses you can claim as part of your business operations.
Finding Freedom Planner 🇨🇦
Financial Fortune Teller
Is the Finding Freedom planner for you? Have you been nervous about your finances? Dreaming up some BIG financial goals? Struggling to pay off debt? LOVE a good budget? Looking to grow your money mindset? Eager to start making changes with your finances?
Then yes yes yes yes - this planner was MADE for you!
EMELY MERCHENA SPREADSHEETS
Automated Tracking & Projecting
Notion Form to track revenue, identify net profit, calculate billable time, determine your availability, manage subscriptions, visualize your income.
EMELY MERCHENA SPREASHEETS
Automated Tracking & Projecting
Google Sheet to track revenue, identify net profit, calculate billable time, determine your availability, manage subscriptions, visualize your income.
Payment Processing
SQUARE
Credit Card Processing (Free)
A web application that allows you to accept credit cards for your online or in-person store. Connect your invoices as well to allow customers to have the option to pay with a credit card.
STRIPE🔸
Credit Card Processing (Free)
Millions of businesses of all sizes—from startups to large enterprises—use Stripe’s software and APIs to accept payments, send payouts, and manage their businesses online.
ELAVAN
Credit Card Processing (Free)
Keep customers coming back and streamline operations with our stress-free payment solutions. Whether in-store, online or on the go, enjoy fast and secure processing of debit, credit, and more
PayPal 🔹🔸
Payment Processing
PayPal is the faster, safer way to send money, make an online payment, receive money or set up a merchant account.
Apple Pay 🔹
Payment Processing
Apple Pay is easy and works with the Apple devices you use every day. You can make contactless, secure purchases in stores, in apps and on the web.
Gumroad 🔸
Online Shop
A service for creators to sell their work. We host their files, process their payments, and deliver their files to their customers.
Thrivecart
Payment Processing
Software that helps you to promote and take payments for physical products, digital products, subscriptions and services to your customer. But its features go way beyond just taking payments.
Shopify Lite 🇨🇦
Payment Processing
For anyone who wants to sell products without maintaining an online store. This inexpensive plan allows anyone the chance to sell products online within minutes – and you don’t even need your own website to get started.
SendOwl
Payment Processing
Allows you to sell digital goods online anywhere by just pasting a link. It connects with the payment provider so you get paid and it automatically delivers files to the buyers once payment has completed.
Convert Calculator
Web Calculator Form
Create a powerful calculator form for your website. Boost sales and engagement. Create a website calculator (e.g. instant quote) form for your website. Let your customers turn the knobs and calculate their price, ROI or savings. All within one easy-to-use calculator form.
Forms & Surveys
INTERCEPTUM 🇨🇦
Forms & Surveys (Free)
Canadian-made online survey tool that allows you to send via web link, email, Twitter or Facebook. In addition you can invite website visitors to participate based on number of pages viewed or the amount of time they spend on your site. Data is stored in Canada and you can collect responses in both English and French.
GOOGLE FORMS 🔹🔸
Forms & Surveys (Free)
Easy to create surveys and forms. Select from multiple question types, drag-and-drop to reorder questions and customize values as easily as pasting a list. Add images, videos, and custom logic to give people who respond a great experience.
JITSUTECH 🇨🇦
Forms & Surveys (Subscription)
Canadian hosted software for building surveys, quizzes, forms and polls. Empowered by a team of Canadian researchers, evaluators and IT specialist who offer ticket and phone support.
SURVTAPP 🇨🇦
Forms & Surveys (Free)
Create custom surveys on multiple devices. Data can be collected on the web or offline via their dedicated mobile app. Head office is located in Toronto, ON.
QUESTIONPRO
Forms & Surveys (Free)
Affordable software that offers the power and capabilities of high-end solutions. Deploy via email, website embeds, mobile devices, and tablets.
TELLWUT 🇨🇦
Forms & Surveys (Free Trial)
Canadian-based company that offers device responsive survey capabilities and multimedia options to engage your audience. Tools include options such as piping, branding, and conditions. Real-time reporting link makes it easy to track results.
SurveyMonkey
Forms & Surveys (Some Free)
Probably the most well known name in survey tools. In the free version you get: 10 questions, 100 respondents, 15 question types, Light theme customization and templates. The system is well designed, pretty easy to use, and you can embed surveys. The stinker: no exporting your data.
Typeform
Forms & Surveys (Some Free)
wins the championship belt for creative survey creation. The free version, nicknamed the CORE plan, has a ton to offer, including: Unlimited questions, Unlimited answers, Data export, Custom design themes or choose from templates, Basic reporting. To create a survey that feels like you, use your brand guidelines or other visuals like images, GIFs, videos, and more.
SoGoSurvey
Forms & Surveys (Free)
As far as free survey tools go, you won’t find another that delivers so much value. Some of the tasks you can complete with the free SoGoSurvey account plan:Unlimited surveys, Unlimited questions, 24 unique question types, Three skip logic/page branching feebies, Ability to embed surveys into emails and web pages, Up to 200 respondents per year, Data export functionality (Word documents and CSV). If you’re a free user and you encounter a problem, you’re entitled to 24/7 email customer service.
Platoforms
PDF to Online Forms (Some Free)
Make and convert PDF into fillable forms online. Gather data and be notified instantly. Send forms anytime, anywhere. Features include: PDF to Webform, Online PDF form with original design, master forms (fill once, create multiples), fill out PDF in multiple steps, invitations to complete pre-filled forms, and other add-ons.
JotForm
PDF to Online Forms (Some Free)
In just minutes, create a fillable PDF form that can be used anywhere, regardless of device or internet access. Add fillable form fields, such as blank text areas, checkboxes, and multiple-choice questions. Email forms or embed on website so users can fill it out on their laptops, desktops, cell phones, or tablets. Insert a signature field to sign with ease.
GoFormz
PDF to Online Forms (Free Trial)
Simply upload your existing form, or use one of our Starter Forms. Add images, sketches, maps, calculations and more. Automate workflows, trigger event-based actions, leverage real-time reporting, and Cloud storage. Make your forms "smart" with automated calculations, conditional logic, and more.
Website Hosting & Management
SQUARESPACE 🔹🔸
Website CMS (Subscription)
Fully customizable website templates. Squarespace is our go-to when it comes to getting your website up and running.
SHOPIFY 🔸
Website CMS (Subscription)
Amazing e-commerce focussed website building platform. Easy to use program to get your online shop up and running.
WIX
Website CMS (Subscription)
Templated cloud-based web development services. It allows users to create HTML5 websites and mobile sites through the use of online drag and drop tools.
SHOWIT
Website Builder
A drag-and-drop website platform that provides total creative freedom over the layout and design of your website, all without a single line of code.
WORDPRESS
Website CMS (Subscription)
A content management system (CMS) that allows you to host and build websites. WordPress contains plugin architecture and a template system, so you can customize any website to fit your business, blog, portfolio, or online store.
WEBFLOW
Website CMS (Free & Subscription)
Build and manage powerful, content-driven websites with completely custom content structures. Webflow empowers web designers to build professional, responsive, and custom websites in a completely visual canvas with no code.
Readymag.com
Website CMS (Free & Subscription)
Create whatever you need: landing pages, company websites, editorials, portfolios— the format doesn’t matter, just design. For website owners with very basic needs. Content creation and editing options are easy to follow and you have full control over what shows up on your site, where it goes, and how it looks and works
GODADDY 🔹🔸
Domain Names & Website Hosting
Great place to search domain availability and purchase domains if you are not sure which website platform you will be using yet.
CIRA 🇨🇦
Domain Registration
Canadian Tool Manage .CA domains on behalf of all Canadians. Also a great tool for How to choose a domain name and more they walk you through the process of selecting and registering a domain name.
Document Sharing
DROPBOX 🔹🔸
File Hosting (Subscription)
Online platform for storing, sharing and backing up files, photos, videos, and other files. Browser based access with a desktop app for easy integration and access.
WETRANSFER 🔹🔸
Files Sharing (Free)
WeTransfer is an internet-based computer file transfer service based in the Netherlands. Simplest way to send your files around the world. Share large files up to 2GB for free.
Google Docs 🔹🔸
File Sharing (Free)
Online word processor included as part of the free, web-based Google Docs Editors suite offered by Google which also includes Google Sheets, Google Slides, Google Drawings, Google Forms, Google Sites, and Google Keep.
Communication
GOOGLE MEET
Video Conference (Free)
Google Meet is a video-communication service developed by Google. It is one of two apps that constitute the replacement for Google Hangouts, the other being Google Chat. Now, anyone with a Google Account can create an online meeting room.
ZOOM 🔹🔸
Video Conference (Free & Subscription)
It provides videotelephony and online chat services through a cloud-based peer-to-peer software platform and is used for teleconferencing, telecommuting, distance education, and social relations.
LOOM 🔸
Email Video (Free)
Loom is such a helpful tool when it comes to answering client questions that you may need to use visuals with. Record and share video messages of your screen, cam, or both. Faster than typing an email or meeting live.
Slack 🔹🔸
Communication (Free)
Messaging app for business that connects people to the information they need. By bringing people together to work as one unified team. Features persistent chat rooms organized by topic, private groups, and direct messaging.
Marco Polo 🔹
Communication (Free)
An app designed to keep teams in touch by allowing them to send each other video and text messages. Free, unlimited, and ad-free. Videos don't disappear, and can be stored forever. Group or 1:1 conversations
Voxer
Communication (Free)
Deliver better customer service with real-time voice messaging. You can hear messages as people speak, or listen later at your convenience. Use instant voice communication alongside text, photos, video, gifs, and share your location.
Google Voice
Communication (Subscription)
Smart voice calling on all your devices. Great for a business phone number. Simple navigation, voicemail transcription, forward calls to any device and have spam calls silently blocked.
BigMarker
Online Event Hosting (Subsciption)
Video platform for webinars, summits & virtual conferences. Run in the cloud through your web browser, so attending a webinar is easier than ever. No downloads required.
Crowdcast
Online Event Hosting (Subscription)
The platform you need to host easy and engaging live video events. Run live events with ease. Your landing page, ticketing, event, and recording unified under one single URL with no annoying software downloads.
Livestorm
Online Event Hosting (Free & Subscription)
Amazing for live events, product demos and sales. Software works on any browser without any restrictions on the size of your webinar. It can also be accessed from any device, including PCs, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. Customer engagement with activities like polling, Q&A sessions, and the use of up-votes.
Livewebinar
Online Hosted Events (Free & Subsription)
Host webinars, share screens, stream live videos, record your screen, social media broadcasting, and more. Helps you stream live on all social media platforms like Facebook, Youtube, Vimeo, etc. You can even connect it and work from all devices, including Smart TVs, PCs, and mobile phones.
Webinar Solutions 🇨🇦
Online Event Production
Canadian Webinar Solutions provides expert webinar production services. Schedule events with a trusted webinar service provider and set up an easy to use registration page. We will develop a logistics plan to make sure all required elements are in place. On the day of the webinar, staff take care of running and monitoring the webinar to ensure that everything is functioning correctly, allowing you to focus your attention on the presentation itself.
Markup.io
Digital Markup Tool
The leading visual commenting platform for images, PDFs and live websites. It’s the perfect companion in your creative process to make your life easier.
Other Resources
Clean My Mac 🔹🔸
Performance
The most user-friendly problem fixer for Mac. Delete system junk, unwanted apps and malware, and tune your Mac for maximum speed. For a slow computer, use immediately.
Malwarebytes 🔹
Malware Protection
Protect yourself from online attacks that threaten your identity, your files, your system, and your financial well-being.
Carbonite
Automated File Backup
Start protecting your critical files and photos today with a solution that backs up and restores automatically. Cloud backup solutions for personal and small business files and data.
Mac Doc 🇨🇦🔹
New & Used Mac Equipment
Supporting the Mac community since 1985! Purchase or rent equipment. Mac computers, monitors, software, thunderbolts, USBs, and more.
Mac Medics 🇨🇦🔹
Mac Support
A boutique Toronto-based Apple Certified Consultancy that has been providing custom support & technology solutions to small business and home users for over 20 years. Specialize in Email and Backup solutions, Device and System Management, Server and Team Communication solutions, advanced Wireless and Wired Networking design and Security auditing. Onsite and remote support.
Email Signature Generator 🔹🔸
Hubspot Tool
This handy tool helps you create a professional looking email signature with logos, profile images, social media links and more. You can use Squarespace’s image library to create links to your images if you don’t have Google Drive or Dropbox.
Diffchecker
Track Changes
Diffchecker is a free online tool that will compare text to find the difference between two text files. Just paste your files and click “Find Difference”.
ScribeHow
Auto-Generate Steps
Turn any process into a step-by-step guide automatically. Simply record any process using the ScribeHow recorder. Once complete a step-by-step guide is automatically generated.