TECH THAT WORKS: 7 Tools We Use To Stay Sane And Scale, With Sharon DeKoning It's Time For Success: The Business Insights podcast

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TECH THAT WORKS: 7 Tools We Use to Stay Sane and Scale, with Sharon DeKoning

1d ago 20:39

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Get ready to simplify your everyday business tasks! Sharon de Koning dives into the seven powerhouse tools that help streamline business operations and drive growth, from accounting and HR to communication and AI-driven productivity. She explains why QuickBooks Online is her go-to cloud-based accounting software, how DEXT eliminates the headache of manual receipt management, and the many ways ChatGPT supercharges content creation and brainstorming. Sharon shares real-life examples of how these tools have improved efficiency and reduced admin time for her team at It’s Time Promotions, offering insights that can benefit businesses of any size.

Sharon also highlights the behind-the-scenes tech keeping her team connected and organized. From Google Workspace for collaborative documents and financial dashboards to FileMaker, which powers their custom-built operations platform, each tool is chosen for its ability to simplify processes and scale with the business. She discusses the game-changing benefits of VoIP phone systems for multi-location support and Humi, an all-in-one HR solution that keeps employee management streamlined and stress-free. Whether you're looking to enhance your workflows or just curious about what tech other entrepreneurs swear by, this episode is packed with practical, tested recommendations.

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Contact Sharon DeKoning | It's Time Promotions:

Transcript
Sharon DeKoning: [00:00:16] Hi everyone, and welcome back to It's Time for Success: The Business Insights Podcast. I'm your host, Sharon DeKoning, and today I'm going solo for this episode. I believe a lot of entrepreneurs and business owners will relate to our topic today, which is tools and platforms. Like I said in a past episode, fail, learn, build, running a business can feel like total chaos at times. Most of us don't start out with all the answers, we dive in head first and figure things out as we go. These are the tools and platforms we found after we took that leap. The ones that helped us get organized, somewhat sane, and actually grow our business. So if you're in the thick of it, this episode is for you. Some of these tools might be helpful. For today's episode, I started with a list of 12 powerful tools that we use daily, but after narrowing it down to the game changers, I've got seven top platforms to share with you. These aren't just random apps, we actually use them every day at It's Time Promotions and they make a huge impact on how we operate, grow and stay ahead of the game.

Sharon DeKoning: [00:01:18] The list we are going to be reviewing today are QuickBooks Online, which is a cloud-based accounting software. We're going to talk about Dext, which is an automated receipt and expense management app. ChatGPT, AI powered writing and idea assistant. Google Workspace, cloud-based collaboration and productivity tools. FileMaker, custom app builder for business workflows. VoIP, phones that run over the internet. Humi, all in one HR platform for businesses. We're going to talk first on QuickBooks Online, and I love QuickBooks Online. We call it QBO, I think everybody calls it QBO. It's a cloud-based accounting software. Cloud-based simply means you can access the software you have chosen, in our case which is QBO, from any device with internet. Nothing is no longer stored on just one computer. Huge win. Since QuickBooks Online is cloud-based, our whole team can log in from anywhere, any location and work at the same time. At It's Time Promotions, different staff can create invoices, take payments and manage customer info no matter which location we're at. We can control what each person sees or does. Team members only have access to what they need, so the admin will go in and delegate who sees what on QBO or what they're able to change. Our bookkeeper works from home, which helps her stay focused and not distracted by the hustle at the office or being pulled in different directions, so that's a win as well. She used to work in the office, which was great, loved having her around, but we often pulled her when we got busy, so it's nice to know that she's doing what she's supposed to be doing, and it's efficient.

Sharon DeKoning: [00:03:05] One of my favorite features about QBO is the year-end accounting process. With QuickBooks Online, or any of the online accounting software, we don't have to worry about downloading files or preparing manually for tax season. Those days are over. When it comes time for the accountant, they just log in with their special account access and handle everything seamlessly. We keep working like usual, we don't even notice they're doing year-end tasks. There's no delay, no disruptions, just smooth sailing. This saves us time, reduces stress, and keeps things moving. For any growing business, a cloud-based system like QBO offers the flexibility and efficiency needed to scale smoothly. There are other platforms out there, such as ZERO, which is popular for small to midsize businesses, especially for its user friendly interface and real time collaboration. Sage Business Cloud Accounting, great for scalability and strong reporting tools often used for growing businesses. And Wave, which is a free cloud-based option ideal for freelancers and very small businesses with basic accounting needs. My suggestion to you is talk to your accountant, see which one they feel you should be exploring and reviewing. Work with them on that. Second is Dext. So, this is a question I have for you. Do your gas receipts stay in your truck or your wallet? What about when you pick up parts? Do you ever get those month-end calls from your bookkeeper asking for receipts? If so, Dext is for you.

Sharon DeKoning: [00:04:40] It's a digital tool that makes bookkeeping easy by automatically capturing, categorizing, and syncing receipts. It talks to QBO, or your online accounting software, and it just goes over there. It's amazing. So write it down, Dext. No more lost paperwork, no more manual data entry, and best of all, no more filing. All your bills get uploaded straight into QBO or whichever platform you prefer, it's stored and saved there. In fact, Dext integrates with over 30 accounting software platforms. It's definitely worth checking if it connects with yours. What does Dext give to you? This is often what I think about and it's huge. There's less room for error, it's got faster bookkeeping, there's no lost receipts and it saves time because I'm not getting those phone calls at the end of the month. Easier CRA audit readiness. Like I say, if you haven't had it done, you will have it done, so it's just nice. You don't have to go look for those receipts in your filing cabinet. And of course it reduces admin workload. Those are five of the ones that really jump out at me of how De...

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