Favorite Things: 2015 Edition

Now’s the time of year when everyone’s doing their “Best Of” lists, so I thought I’d join the fray and do one of my own. Here’s my list of favorite apps and programs in 2015.

(P.S. I’d really rather do a list of favorite TV shows, but you can leave a comment and ask me for that if you want it. 🙂 )

Periscope – Periscope was a game changer for me. I’ve done videos before when other people have asked me, but I never did my own. Never created my own video courses, nada. I’m comfortable doing public speaking, but I wasn’t comfortable on camera. Periscope provided an easy way to slide into video. Because of this app, I’ve made new friends and business connections, made sales, and learned a ton from watching other people’s broadcasts. If you’re not on it yet, but are curious, you can check out my post on how to use Periscope. (Free)

Two Dots – The only game I play right now (sorry Words With Friends). Everyone needs a brain break, right? If anyone has tips on how to pass level 476, HELP! (Free)

Slack – I love Slack. I used it on a short term project with a client and fell head over heels. But, Slack isn’t useful alone, so my use of it was short lived. I’m happy that by year end, I’m now using it with a few clients and communities. Slack is a great free tool for communications, file sharing and more, all in one place. I installed the app on my phone so I can keep on top of things even when I’m not at a computer. (Free)

17hats – 17hats cropped up in late 2014 and I became a customer in January of this year through an awesome deal they offered. 17hats is a bunch of common (and important) systems all rolled into one. Even with keeping the CRM I am in love with (Contactually), I saved over $100 a month trimming various other services I was using. I don’t even use all the features of 17hats and I still find it to be a fantastic value. Quotes, contracts, invoices, time tracking, forms and more for one great price. If you’re a solopreneur looking to dip your toes into several different systems, 17hats is one to consider. (Free trial)

Freshbooks – I was a Freshbooks customer for over five years before I joined 17hats. Even though I left, I never had Freshbooks complaints. It’s simple and easy to use. This year, they have added new *features* this year that I think are worth noting. In addition to making invoicing faster and improving mobile invoices, they’ve beefed up expense tracking, added the ability for clients to make deposits and pretty soon, they’ll have a card reader of their own. (Free trial)