Helpful Resources for Budding Soul-preneurs
Deblank for Branding Colors + Font Recs, FREE
This AI tool will generate unique color schemes, font recommendations, and image collages and then make them come to life on inspiring mockups. Just type in a short description of what your brand or company offers and voila!
Squarespace for Website Building, $16/month
Squarespace may not be the cheapest website option out there but it is one of the best. Not only is the interface easy to use but the available templates are plug-and-play meaning with very little tech skills, you can have an elegant and professional-looking site for a fraction of the cost it would take you to have one built by a professional. And if you need help, they have great customer service, and free tutorials online, or you can hire a tutor (like me :)!) Use my code NICONE20 when signing up for an annual plan, and you’ll save 20%.
Substack for Newsletters, FREE
I used to recommend Flodesk but their rates have gotten out of control. Substack, on the other hand, is free to use. They get paid when YOU get paid meaning they won’t take a fee until you start earning money through paid subscribers. But the cool thing is that you don’t ever have to offer paid subscriptions, you can simply make all your newsletters free to everyone - and never pay a dime. Substack doesn’t allow you to automate funnels (yet) but for free it’s a really great tool. Read more about why I made the switch from Flodesk here.
Canva for graphic design, FREE
Canva is a great tool if you have no desire to learn Photoshop. Not only are there templates for literally everything you could imagine when it comes to graphic design but it’s free to use. However, if you want access to premium photos or templates, you’ll have to sign up for the premium membership. They do offer a free monthly trial and I’ve actually done that a few times (with time in between), so you may be able to avoid the premium membership for a while. When you join with my code and create a design we'll both get to choose a premium photo, icon, or illustration.
Unsplash for High Quality Photos, FREE
If you need high-quality photos for your website, marketing materials, graphic designs, social media, or advertisements, you can use Unsplash. They suggest that you credit the photographer if you use the photo, but it isn’t required. In other words, all the photos are in the public domain so you don’t have to worry about being sued for copyright infringement. I mostly use the site when I write a blog and need an eye-catching photo to accompany the post.
Social Media Inspiration, FREE
Download my FREE social media bingo game here for a month’s worth of posting inspiration. My suggestion to my clients who are just getting started is to pick 1 (at most 2) platforms that you already use to start promoting your business. I use LinkedIn for my main promotion and Instagram occasionally (although I mostly use IG for personal reasons). And then just show up consistently. It’s not SO important to have a strategy at the beginning. What is important is to show up regularly (at least once per day) and be authentically you. You can also ask ChatGPT for inspo :)
Accountable for Accounting and Invoicing, FREE, 20 EUR/month
If you are based in Germany/Europe, I definitely recommend you sign up with Accountable for invoicing and accounting. They make the whole Finanzamt dealings easy as pie. They even generate VAT reports that you can send directly through the app. You can also declare your taxes through the app and never have to mess with a Steuerberater or Elster. If you create an account with this link, you’ll benefit from 1 month of Accountable PRO and I’ll receive cashback. If you are US-based, I recommend FreshBooks.