Budding business owners should go virtual wherever and whenever possible. In a fledgling startup, the last thing you need to worry about is excessive infrastructure or expensive overhead. It's already a difficult enough task to generate income and garner clients. Why spend that precious revenue on something as useless as an office space?
Your ego might try to get the best of you, telling you that your business needs that fancy schmancy corner office with a city view. But unless your ego has a few hundred thousand dollars to cough up for rent and amenities, kindly tell it to shut up.
Plain and simple: The vast majority of startups -- and more established businesses for that matter -- don't need a whole lot. In the last several years there have been a multitude of virtual business services that have become essential to millions of business owners. But in a world of apps and redundant SaaS, which programs and services are best for your business? I asked a panel of successful young entrepreneurs what virtual tools they use to stay lean, effective and productive.
1. Cloud Computing is Essential
- Shama Kabani
Company Name: MarketingZen
Twitter: @Shama
Facebook: Shama Kabani:
2. "Virtual" Doesn't Mean "Alone"
- Natalie MacNeil
Company Name: Imaginarius
Twitter: @NatalieMacneil
Facebook: Natalie MacNeil
3. Project Management is Essential
- Devesh Dwivedi
Company Name: BreakingThe9to5Jail.com
Twitter: @Break9to5Jail
Facebook: BreakingThe9toJail
4. Know the "Must-Haves"
- Louis Lautman
Company Name: Young Entrepreneur Society
Twitter: @louislautman
Facebook: LouisLautman
5. Take Advantage of Subscription Services
- Matt Mickiewicz
Company Name: 99designs
Twitter: @sitepointmatt
6. Keep Your Systems Simple
- Kent Healy
Company Name: DontGetBurnedBlog.com
Twitter: @Kent_Healy
Facebook: Kent Healy
7. Utilize an Online Fax Service
- Ashley Bodi
Company Name: Business Beware
Twitter: @BusinessBeware
Facebook: Ashley Bodi
8. Make Use of Virtual Offices
- Kris Ruby
Company Name: Ruby Media Group LLC
Twitter: @sparklingruby
Facebook: Kris Ruby
9. Outsource Your Engineering to oDesk -- For Cheap!
- Eric Bahn
Company Name: Beat the GMAT
Twitter: @beatthegmat
Facebook: Beat The GMAT
10. Reduce, Reuse & Recycle
- Elizabeth Saunders
Company Name: Real Life E®
Twitter: @RealLifeE
Facebook: Time Coaching
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