Five apps I couldn’t run my business without.
Look, I'm not really a tech person.
I don't have a fancy setup. I don't have a team. I run my business from my laptop and my phone, mostly from my home office, sometimes coffee shops and occasionally my couch.
But there are five apps that I genuinely could not operate without. Like, I'd have to close up shop.
Here they are.
1. Canva
I know, I know. Everyone says Canva. But hear me out.
Before Canva, I was either paying a designer for every single thing, or I was making content that looked like it was made in 2009. Neither was great.
Canva lets me make carousels, Reel covers, proposals, presentations and lead magnets that actually look like I know what I'm doing. And I'm not a designer. Not even a little bit.
The brand kit feature is the one I couldn't live without. All my colours, fonts and logos in one place. Every design I make looks consistent, even when I'm rushing.
If you're a small business owner and you're not using Canva, I genuinely want to know what you're doing instead.
2. Instagram
Obviously.
I mean, my entire business exists because of Instagram. Every client I've ever coached found me there. My whole community lives there.
But I don't just mean using Instagram as a place to post. I mean actually treating it like a business tool. Studying your insights. Knowing which posts bring in followers versus which ones convert them. Understanding that not every post has the same job.
Instagram is the app I'm in more than any other. It's where I learn, where I network, where I sell and where I build trust with people who've never met me in real life.
It's not perfect. The algorithm does my head in sometimes. But it works, and I've got the results to prove it.
3. Instagram Edits
This one is newer, and it is sooooo good.
Edits is Meta's free video editing app, built specifically for Reels. And honestly? It has made creating content so much easier.
Before Edits, I was using a paid app and spending way too long on the simplest cuts. Now I can edit a Reel on my phone in a few minutes, with captions, transitions and audio all in the one place.
The thing I love most is that it's designed for the format. Everything about it makes sense for Reels specifically, not just generic video editing.
If you're paying for a video editing app right now, please download Edits first. It's free and it's better than what most people are paying for.
4. Claude
Okay, this one might surprise you.
Claude is an AI assistant, and before you roll your eyes, let me tell you how I actually use it.
I don't use it to write my captions for me. My voice is my brand and no AI is going to replicate the specific chaos I've got going on. But I use it for everything around the edges.
Drafting coaching session emails after a call. Brainstorming content angles when my brain is fried. Writing proposals. Summarising research. Thinking through business decisions when I need a second opinion at 10pm and don't want to bother anyone.
It's like having a really smart assistant who knows my business, never judges me and is available whenever I need them.
If you haven't tried it yet, give it a go. The free version is genuinely useful.
5. Xero
The least sexy app on this list. And also the one that has saved me the most stress.
Xero is my accounting software, and if you're running a small business and you're still doing your invoicing in Word docs or chasing payments manually, please please please sort this out.
Xero does my invoices, tracks who's paid and who hasn't, connects to my bank and makes my accountant's life a lot easier. Which means my accountant charges me less. Which means Xero basically pays for itself.
I used to dread anything money-related in my business. Now I actually open Xero without a feeling of dread. That is genuinely life-changing.
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There's obviously a million apps out there and everyone's workflow is different. But these five are the ones I'd reinstall first if I had to start from scratch.
If you're a small business owner trying to get smarter about how you run things, start here.
And if you want help figuring out how to actually use Instagram to grow your business (not just post into the void), that's kind of my whole thing. Come say hi at @thesocialsandwich.
Cheers, Edwin