13 FREE Resources Every Digital Nomad Business Needs in 2022
You’ve finally done it — chosen the digital nomad life for your business. But that decision comes with its own set of challenges. Having successfully navigated the digital nomad waters for the past 6+ years, here’s a list of the top 13 free resources to keep your remote business running smoothly.
1. Project Management App - Flock, Asana, or Trello
flock.com | asana.com | trello.com
Our team has enjoyed using Flock for communication and project management. It's a multipurpose tool that allows us to keep all our projects organized and moving forward. It’s similar to Slack, but with more robust features. We've also used Asana and Trello, and think they're great too. Check out each one's features to see which one would work best for you or your team.
Flock, Credit: Flock
2. Financial & Time Tracking App - Zipbooks
Since most of your employees are working remotely, it's important to have a reliable finance and time tracking app to track all the work that's getting done. Our personal favorite is Zipbooks. In one simple app we can: send estimates & invoices to our clients, receive credit card payments, keep track of our business income & expenses, AND track our team's hours. Plus, if numbers aren't your cup-o-tea, you can hire one of their Zipbooks-trained bookkeepers to help you out! Using this app has been LIFE CHANGING for our finances. Even if you're just starting out and you don't have a team, you NEED this. Trust me.
Zipbooks, Credit: Zipbooks
3. Signing Official Contacts - Dropbox Sign (HelloSign)
When you can't pass those documents across the table, you'll need a secure digital option to sign contracts. Dropbox Sign (previously HelloSign) is your best bet – it's super easy-to-use and will help you speed up the process of closing a new client contract. Cha-ching!
HelloSign, Credit: Dropbox Sign (previously HelloSign)
4. Cloud Storing & Sharing Files - DropBox or Google Drive
dropbox.com | google.com/drive
It's extremely important to have all of your files stored on the cloud, so files can be easily shared between employees or with your clients and to keep them safe in case something happens to your computer. You've probably heard of these popular file storage sites – DropBox & Google Drive. They're reliable and affordable, which will give you the peace of mind you need when you accidentally drop your laptop into the Amazon river (yikes, I know.. but you never know!) You can also sync them to your computer, making it super easy to work directly from your Dropbox or Dive folders & files.
Dropbox, Credit: PC Mag
5. Group Video Chat - Zoom or UberConference
zoom.us/meetings | uberconference.com
Think of all the time you’ve lost dealing with buggy video conference software. We’ve tried them all and both Zoom and uberconference have been the most reliable. As digital nomads, our team is spread around the world, so it’s crazy important to have a reliable meeting option. Zoom’s free plan can host up to 100 participants, it has a dial-in option and works great on mobile. UberConference’s free plan allows up to 10 participants (which is usually more than enough), & we love that you can set a custom domain for your calls!
Zoom, Credit: Zoom Blog
6. Social Media Planning - Later App
Social media can be a lot to manage, especially since posting at different times of day can make a huge difference on the engagement of your posts. To easily schedule and ensure posts are made at the optimal times, we recommend using Later. They’re “linkin.bio” feature is also a HUGE timesaver.
Later, Credit: Later’s Twitter
7. Online Graphic Design - Canva
Quality design programs like the Adobe Creative Suite can be costly to purchase, especially as you're still growing your business. Although we highly recommend investing in your craft, if you need something to get you off the ground, Canva can serve as a great affordable starting point. This online platform has plenty of tools and templates to help you kickoff some nice designs. We often use it to create design templates that our clients can easily edit themselves.
Alternatively, you could consider using another similar platform: Kittl.
Canva, Credit: Jeff Bullas Blog
8. Vision Boards - Pinterest & Milanote
You’ve probably used Pinterest before. It’s a great place to gather and arrange inspiration images and mood boards. Another amazing tool for this is Milanote – which gives you much more creative freedom for arranging your boards into beautiful shareable masterpieces.
Pinterest, Credit: Graphic Mama
Milanote, Credit: Milanote.com
9. Compressing Files - SmallPDF or TinyPNG
As a remote designer, you're going to be sending proofs back and forth all the time. To avoid wasting time loading large files, it's good practice to compress your images whenever possible. Two of our favorite tools for this are SmallPDF and TinyPNG.
SmallPDF, Credit: SmallPDF
10. Sharing Large Files - WeTransfer
That being said, once you've decided on a final design, you'll need to send your full-res files over to your team or client. In those instances, WeTransfer is your best bet to send large files quickly and reliably.
WeTransfer, Credit: GetApp
11. Email Marketing - MailChimp, ConvertKit, or MailJet
mailchimp | convertkit.com | mailjet.com
Email design can be daunting, but thankfully there are tools out there that make it easy. MaiChimp is one of the better known options so it's widely supported and has pretty much anything you need. ConvertKit doesn't have a free version but it's REALLY user friendly. MailJet is also a great free alternative to check out. Whichever tool you choose, make sure to keep an eye on your analytics, so you can keep track of how your emails performed.
MailChimp, Credit: Zapier
12. Calendar Planning - Google Calendar & Reminders
A good calendar platform can make all of the difference with your digital nomad business. We recommend Google Calendar to easily schedule meetings and reminders. It also syncs perfectly with your Gmail and many other tools.
Google Calendar, Credit: Dotto Tech
13. Appointments - Acuity
Ever wish you had a personal assistant to help schedule your meetings? Well now you can! Acuity is an incredibly powerful free tool you can use to help schedule appointments based on your availability. You can even set up different kinds of appointments and pair them with a price if needed. Pro tip: This app is now available on Squarespace plans!
Acuity, Credit: Zapier
BONUS: Try PhotoAiD if you’re looking for a way to get official photos for your passport, ID, and other documents while on the go!