The Best Project Management Tools for Small Businesses
Photo by Christina Woc
Juggling multiple, long-term projects and organizing everything in a clear way can get tough as an entrepreneur - especially when you’re a solopreneur, trying to communicate to others virtually, or juggling your own projects and client projects. You need programs that work well with your business but are also intuitive, reliable, and easy to use.
Well, we feel you! Here at Vow + Vast we’ve been through this struggle and are still navigating all the ins and outs of the latest and greatest programs. All of this practice has made us pros at these project management tools, so we’ve brought three of our favorites together in one place so you can decide for yourself what works best for your mind and business.
Trello: Creative Based
Photo courtesy of Trello
If you’ve been with us for a while, you know Trello is our favorite program to use. Easy to learn and integrate with other apps, Trello is the perfect way to creatively organize all of your pieces in one place, especially if you’re working in a design or product based market. With Trello, you can categorize cards into lists and add attachments, links, notes, checklists, due dates and so much more. Additionally, add team members to your board and collaborate directly in the comments of each card (we use this with our team members here at V+V!). Automations and power-ups also allow you to tailor your boards further with calendars and Google Drive syncing.
Trello is super visual, so if you’re someone who needs everything laid out in a way that almost feels physical, this should be your go to. To learn more about Trello head to our guide Get to Know Trello: A 101 Guide to How Trello is a Game-Changer. Or, if you’d like a more one-on-one experience, schedule a Trello Workshop with our expert and HBIC Kristen!
Asana: Service Based
Photo courtesy of Asana
Asana is like Trello’s slightly more complicated cousin. Trello’s easy-to-use board keeps things simple, straightforward and fun, while Asana’s program offers a wider set of features. From lists, boards, timelines, and calendars, you can pick and choose how your project is organized and flip from option to option as you go. This is particularly helpful for entrepreneurs working in the service industry, as you might need a more comprehensive program to collect all those non-tangible elements.
If you’re looking for an open-ended program that you can customize from the beginning, Asana is the way to go. For more info, check out Bossitude Media’s guide to Asana.
Airtable: The best of both worlds
Photo courtesy of Airtable
If you’ve always loved the look of spreadsheets, Airtable is the perfect program to give you that style with a boost. Airtable easily navigates the spreadsheet space with checklists, attachments, filters, equations and more, all organized in a simple, stacked format. And when you need more visuals, just change the views to a Kaban board or calendar! We personally recommend using Airtable for social media and blog tracking as an easy way to keep track of everything.
For those looking for a visual and data based experience, Airtable is for you! Check out this article from The Entrepreneur’s Toolbox for more info.
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Whichever platform you like to use, it’s important to take the time to customize your program specifically to your needs and wants. You’ll be successful in any of these programs, but productivity and stress-management will come when you’re working with a tool you understand and feel comfortable with!
