The pandemic has changed the way we live and work, maybe forever. Remote work is now a thoroughly tried, tested and legitimized business practice, with many start-ups able to found their business without the commitment of an office lease.
With many an entrepreneur now operating from home or nomadically, technology has replaced much of the hardware afforded by an office. This article will examine some of the best iOS apps that remote entrepreneurs should consider downloading.
Notion
Notion could be described as an all-in-one app for work and productivity. It does so many things that the app is hard to categorize. With Notion, you can make notes, you can markup blog posts, create checklists, make databases, collaborate – the list goes on!
You can create different dashboards for different channels or elements of your business. For example, you could have a dashboard dedicated to your YouTube channel and another for social media. These can then have their own to-do lists and projects. For more information on using Notion for productivity, please see this YouTube video.
Author
In a world of remote work, security is vital. Data is the new oil, and clients will expect you to keep theirs secure.
There is SMS-based or app-based authentication. SMS-based is regarded as less secure. However, app-based authentication can be an issue, as not all apps will sync with all your devices. This lack of synchronization could mean that if you lose your mobile phone, you’ll be in for a long day trying to reset passwords and contact different companies.
The app is free and can sync to different devices. Just be sure to use a secure (complex) password.
Moneypenny
Having a dedicated virtual receptionist as part of your business is a great idea for two reasons. Firstly, you can ensure that you never miss a business call, and secondly, you can significantly improve your customer service.
If you work from your spare room or a campervan, taking phone calls might not always be convenient. What’s more, your productivity will undoubtedly take a hit if you constantly stop to answer the phone. Moneypenny provide a dedicated, US or UK-based receptionist who will answer your calls, exactly like they are based in your office (if you have one).
The app that comes with the service is also great, with a functionality that is similar to an expensive office phone system. You can also choose a toll-free landline number to receive and take phone calls with, even if your business phone is just your mobile.
Tide
Pomodoro timers are very popular these days, and they can be beneficial if you are working remotely. Pomodoro timers, separate your working day into 25 minute “sprints”, followed by a period of 5 minutes rest.
Pomodoro apps can be a great way to start the day, helping prevent procrastination. Select a task and crack on with it for 25 minutes. When the sprint is over, quickly check emails and your to-do list, have a stretch or a bathroom break, before doing another sprint.Tide is free and easy to use.
Adobe Scan
A fantastic app for entrepreneurs working on the road, Adobe Scan allows you to scan documents, without having to invest in any hardware.
When you open the app, you will see a photo screen. To scan something you simply take a picture of it. Once you have scanned the document, you can give it a specific file name and file it away as a pdf inside a specific folder.
The app can also be used to scan receipts, which is great when you need to track your expenses. You can also quickly edit and erase parts of the image and resize it easily.
Anchor
Anchor is an app produced by Spotify. If you want an efficient and effective way to create and distribute a podcast, then the Anchor app for the iPhone is a great option.
You can create intros that you can save and reuse on each podcast episode. You can use it directly with your phone, without necessarily having an external microphone. You can also collaborate with other Anchor users, meaning that you can interview guests and co-host episodes easily.
The app will also automatically upload your podcast to a number of hosting platforms, including Spotify and Google Podcasts.
QuickBooks
Accounting and bookkeeping are necessary if you run a business. Apps such as QuickBooks make it easy to record and categorize expenses. You can link your bank accounts to the app so that each time specific payments go out of your account – for example, a monthly subscription – it gets recorded and categorized in the app.
The mileage feature is also convenient. Whenever you are driving, you can set the app to track your mileage and you can then easily categorize each trip to dictate whether or not it is recorded as a business expense. Receipts can be photographed and categorised too, meaning that you don’t have to keep the hard copy of each receipt you have that relates to a business expense.
