Because I share in your success, I wanted to share some of my most valuable resources (and people!) that help my business and my clients’ businesses run smoothly! Enjoy!
Web and Marketing Resources
WordPress – Probably THE BEST free, open-source, scalable, and community updated and supported CMS you can find. I design all new websites in WordPress.
Tiger Technologies – The ONLY web hosting company I recommend. Tigertech.net provides superb and personalized support for all of their customers. If you’re a client of mine who chooses Tigertech.net as your host, I’ll never charge or deduct time should I ever have to contact them with a hosting or email issue.
iContact – An easy-to use, highly powerful email marketing tool. Create stunning email newsletters, autoresponder email campaigns, and automatically post your news to your Facebook page and Twitter account.
Elegant Themes – a library of over 50 beautiful and powerful themes for WordPress. I hold an Elegant Themes developer license, so if you purchase a full web design package from me – I can install one of their themes for you. You won’t have to pay a yearly subscription (for those who purchase a 14-hour web package or greater from me).
PayPal - the standard way to accept payments and credit card transactions over the web for your products or services.
E-Junkie – a robust shopping cart tool which allows you to securely sell digital downloads, manage a shopping cart, add affiliate links to your products, and provide a great user experience for your customers.
Productivity
Box.net – store and share documents “in the cloud” with your clients. Embed all file types into your web site, and provide an alternative to only “downloading” documents.
EchoSign – a MUST HAVE resource if you use agreement forms that you or your customers need to sign. EchoSign delivers a digital signature method for agreements, then sends signers an electroncally signed pdf for their records.
Google Docs – Do away with Microsoft Office and create and store your documents, spreadsheets, and presentations here. Embed your documents into web sites, and use web-enabled fill-in forms to populate spreadsheets in Google Docs.
Evernote – a note-taking application and service with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and extensive sharing capabilities. Sync notes on the web, with your iPad or iPhone, and keep all of your notes and ideas stored in organized notebook folders.
Coaching and Communication
Skype – Point to Point communication with anyone in the world with a Skype account. Use a headset and a web camera to speak to and see who you are calling in real time. Call land-line and cell phone numbers with Skype credits or a subscription plan.
Free Conference Calling – Invite up to 1000 attendees to a conference call or teleseminar. Hold a teleconference or class over the phone, with tools like auto-muting, raising hands for questions, caller announce, etc. Record calls to share your conferences after they’re completed.
Appointy.com – an online scheduling tool for anyone who runs a service-based business requiring scheduling and appointment booking. It includes options for Facebook sharing and sign-on, as well as auto-timezone recognition, custom email responses and more!
AnyMeeting – a FREE and robust webinar solution for Mac and PC. Invite up to 200 participants, share your screen or an application, integrate a chat box, and store and record your video/audio webinar for future sharing or subscription service options!
Video Production and Sharing
The Kodak Zi8 Camera – one of the hottest and affordable new HD-enabled pocket video cameras on the market. Records in high definition HD, and has an external microphone port, plus an easy pop-out USB cable. Automatically launches iPhoto on your Mac for video and still picture downloading.
iMovie - part of Apple’s iLife suite of products. Easily mix audio, video, photos and music by dragging-and-dropping.
Screenflow – Record everything you do on your computer screen to video, integrate the system sound, your headset mic, and your built-in web cam on your Mac for awesome videos for all of those teachable moments. (Mac only – PC users may use Camtasia)
Learning
Try Audible Now and Get A FREE Audiobook!
If you are like me, audiobooks are almost like taking an online class or pre-recorded seminar. The price for an audible subscription is well worth it, and MUCH cheaper than many other self-development or professional development seminars or workshops!
The WordPress Classroom – Matt Wolfe’s The WordPress Classroom is a comprehensive learning tool with clear and concise video-based instruction for almost all of your WordPress learning. I’m STILL a subscriber and I value the insights from Matt that anyone can learn – no matter your technical level with WordPress.
The School of Coaching Mastery - home of the 28-hour Free Coach Training Program, Coach 100, and training to become a Master Coach. Julia Stewart has raised the bar when it comes to coach training.
Social Networking
HootSuite - post your thoughts in a few easy clicks to ALL of your social networking sites! Search Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook for relevant news and information.
Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn – Three necessities for social networking!
Virtual Assistance
Urban Admin – Sheryl Snitkin provides Virtual Assistance and administrative support to small businesses and soloprenuers. Let her take care of your day-to-day administration so you can get down to YOUR BUSINESS.
AngCo – Angie Glotzbach is a Social Media and Internet Marketing virtual assistant. Angie can help you with all things social media, such as managing and creating facebook and twitter campaigns, internet marketing, presentations, and email marketing.
Blue Ox Solutions – Chris Oxenreider is a Unix Systems Administrator who has never met a technology he couldn’t face. If you need high-end server, security, and systems administration for ANY reason, his support is priceless!
Leadership and Inspiration
Brendon Burchard – a new rising star in the world of online marketing of products and services on the Internet.
Thomas Leonard – known as the founder of the modern coaching movement. Thomas died suddenly in 2003, but his legacy still lives on in the realm of coaching.
TED Talks – a world of learning and ideas, with visionary authors, artists, teachers, and forward thinkers.
Shikshantar – The Peoples’ Institute for Rethinking Education and Development
The World Café – a process for leading collaborative dialogue and knowledge-sharing, particularly for larger groups.
Appreciative Inquiry Commons – A worldwide portal devoted to the fullest sharing of academic resources and practical tools on Appreciative Inquiry.
Permaculture Principles - Permaculture is a design system based on ethics and design principles which can be used to establish, design, manage and improve all efforts made by individuals, households and communities towards a sustainable future.
