When I say ‘tech stack’ I’m referring to all of the tech tools I use in my business. These tools range from payment processors to email marketing tools, and I want to share my top tools that I use in my education consulting business with you! 

Before we jump into this, I want to note that the stage of your business will influence what makes sense for your tech stack. Honestly, to get started you may not need many tools, but as you grow and scale you're going to have to intentionally add to your tech stack in order to ensure that your business continues to run smoothly. 

Project Management Tool - Regardless of the services you provide, once you start building your team, you’re going to want to have a project management tool. When I say project management, I mean a tool that allows you to keep track of ongoing projects within your business. Having a project management tool is vital because it’ll ensure you and your team can keep track of the to-do’s and progress of the work you’ve assigned to that team member. Here are a few examples of project management tools:

• Asana → This is the tool my team and I use 😊

• Trello

• Click Up

Accounting Tool - When I say accounting software, I mean a tool that allows you to generate reports of your expenses and your revenue. No matter what stage you’re in in your business, you are going to need something like this. When I first started my business, I used an app called Hurdlr, and as my business grew and I began working with an accountant, I transitioned into QuickBooks. Here are a few examples of accounting tools:

If your revenue is $0-$100k:

• Hurdlr 

• Wave

If your revenue is $100k+:

• Quickbooks

Once you hit that $100k+ revenue stage in your business, I would definitely recommend you use Quickbooks and start working with an accountant because you're going to need P&L (profit & loss) statements. You're going to need to be able to run reports and forecast your revenue. Now I know this can be overwhelming, but I’m telling you this now so that you can start preparing because when you start making six-figures, these structures are already going to need to be in place. 

Systems/Operations Tools - You’ve probably heard me talk about how vital having a tight operational system is when it comes to growing your business, so I won’t say it again but…👀 One tool that my team uses constantly is Zapier. Zapier is used to connect other tools to each other and create automations. 

For example, when someone enrolls and Get LaunchED Consulting™️, there is a ‘Zap’ that automatically enrolls them into the Teachable course. Basically, Zapier connects our payment tool/processor to Teachable. The process looks a little something like this:

1. Client Enrolls in Get LaunchED Consulting™️by making a payment through SamCart

2. Zapier recognizes that a payment has been made

3. Zapier then pulls the email address from the SamCart purchase and enrolls that email address into the Get LaunchED Consulting™️ Teachable course

So that's an example of an automation or a Zap. That automation makes it so that anyone can enroll in our program at any time and receive access to the course right away. They don’t have to wait for our team to log into SamCart, notice that an order was made, and then manually enroll them into the Teachable course. 

I also want to mention Loom in this portion, not because it creates automations or anything, but because it helps us create SOP’s (Standard Operating Procedures) which keep our operations running smoothly. Our team mainly uses Loom to record any tasks that we may need to delegate, or just need help with for a period of time. We then take those loom videos and create SOP’s, so that going forward, anyone can review that SOP and do the task/procedure within it. 

I also use Loom to screen record content for the Get LaunchED Consulting™️ Program!

Email Marketing Tools - When I say email marketing tools, I mean a software that allows you to efficiently and quickly send emails to your email list. Again, where you are in your business will determine how sophisticated you want your email marketing tool to be, but if you are planning on keeping an email list (which I highly recommend you do), you’re going to need an email marketing tool. Here are a few examples of email marketing tools:

• Convertkit → This is the tool my team and I use 😊

• MailerLite

• MailChimp 

CRM Tools - CRM stands for Client Relationship Management, and this is basically a tool that will house all of your client information. If you want to know your clients birthday and email addresses you can collect that information here. This is also a great way to keep a “client file” with any contracts they have signed or proposals that you have sent. 

Our team uses Dubsado, and there’s also an automation element to that program as well. Let me give you an example. In Dubsado you can create a ‘lead capture form’, where basically, if someone is interested in your services they'll complete this form. You can then set up a review system where, if the potential client completes the form and answers all of the questions with answers that ensure you want to work with them, it can automatically send them a proposal and invoice. Once they pay the invoice, it'll send them the contract. And so you can automate that entire workflow within Dubsado itself, so that way you're not manually sending all of those separate emails, and following up and searching for the client’s proposal and contract. It’s all in one place. 

So those are a few tools that I would recommend adding to your tech stack, and here's the thing, when I first started in my business I made 20K. When I was making 20K I had an email address. That was it. It wasn't even a domain email address, it was my personal email address. I didn't have any of these tools when I started. 

I just say that to say, you don’t need all of these tools to get started. This desire to “have everything ready before I start” is one of the ways that I've seen educators get in their own way of starting their education consulting business. You don't need to have all the tools and all the answers, you just need to start!

If you are ready to invest in coaching to help you grow your consulting business to six-figures and beyond, click here to apply for your invite to special training on how to build a six-figure consulting business!