Websites and apps that can help your business

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As entrepreneurs, we are always looking for the latest developments in technology to make our lives easier. So we thought we would share some of the apps that have helped us with our entrepreneurial adventures.

Keep in mind, we are not security experts and therefore not recommending these for top-secret intelligence files. But perhaps one of these websites might be of interest to you and your business.

Dropbox: We use it and love it. You can store all your documents on the web and access them from anywhere (including their nifty app for phones) and you never have to worry about your server or hard drive crashing. Even if you don’t quite feel comfortable putting your files in the cloud, you could use it for photos you’d like to keep around for eternity. You can also easily invite others to view your files, such as employees who may not work next to you. There are some drawbacks when it comes to the same file being opened by two people, but it’s still a gem.

Toggl: Interesting program to help you keep track of your time. Where did the day go? Now you know. It sits right on your desktop and has an easy-to-use timer feature that you can start and stop as you need to throughout the day. You can even add projects and details to assist you with your billing. You can also add employees or contractors to the program and watch what they do all day long. It comes with an app for the iPhone and supposedly downloads the information to an Excel file or Quickbooks (we haven’t tried it yet). The mobile app isn’t as easy as the desktop version to use but it is still helpful when you want an easy way to enter minutes of your day while on the road. We’re still in the honeymoon stage with this one but loving it so far.

FreeConference.com: It always amazes us how many individuals say they don’t have a conference line. Sure you do! Just sign up online at and it really is free. What’s the catch? They do not provide toll free conference call in numbers. But you get a report of the call that includes who was on it and for how long. Not bad for free.

Doodle: Ever need to find out from multiple people what their availability is? Maybe you’re trying to schedule a conference call using your FreeConference.com account? With Doodle, you just enter the various dates and times you are available. Doodle gives you a URL that the recipients visit to select the times that work for them. You have the option of pasting a URL into your personal email message to the group or Doodle will send out an email on your behalf. Once everyone has responded, you will receive a summary of availability and be able to easily schedule your meeting. This is a great time-saver.

Crossloop:  This website allows you to share screens with another person. Once you and the other person download the software, you’ll get a code that you enter on your end from the other person’s desktop. Through the magic of technology, your two computers are linked with 128-bit encryption and you are able to see the other website.

Privnote: If you’ve ever wanted to send a secure note to another person, this website claims to do so securely and privately. From their website, you type your note. Privnote then gives you a link to your note that you copy and paste into an email (or instant message) and send it to the person you want to read the note. Once the note is read, it self-destructs and cannot be read again. You can even receive a notice from the website letting you know the note was read. After 30 days, all unread notes self-destruct. It’s like the stuff James Bond movies are made of.

There are plenty of websites and apps out there to make our businesses run smoother and by tomorrow thousands more will have been created. We’d love to hear what apps or websites you’ve found useful for your business.