If you hustle hard, you need the right tool kit in your arsenal to help you fire on all cylinders. Whether it’s to impress investors to back your idea, or technology that can track your business, every entrepreneur should consider adding these items to their workflow. As they say, work smarter—not harder—and use these products to help launch and fund your startup.
- Investment Tools
Have you thought about how to fund your business idea? The chances of you having enough capital on hand are pretty slim. Consider using some strategic investment tools as a means to start generating some cash and minimize the loan you’ll need to take out. There are free options available to you, such as Acorns, which selects an investment portfolio based on your risk comfortability and allows you to effortlessly make contributions by rounding up on designated transactions.
If you feel confident enough to play the stock market yourself, even better. Savvy day traders can make a serious killing when investing strategically, such as 24-year-old Tim Grittani, who invested his life savings of $1,500 and grew his portfolio to over $1 million in three years’ time. It’ll take patience and you won’t get rich overnight, but with the right strategy in place, you can make enough money through investments to fund your startup.
- Impressive Stationary
Another common method entrepreneurs use to launch their startup is by heading to a venture capitalist firm and pitching their idea to a group of angel investors who provide capital in exchange for equity or convertible debt. If you want to impress these affluent individuals, you should go in dressed to the nines, complete with a premium set of stationary. You’d be surprised by just how much sway a positive impression can have. Turn heads with luxury writing instruments and customized stationary offered by Vistaprint to let these investors know that you mean business.
- Moleskin Journals
Entrepreneurs have so many ideas, it can be difficult to keep up with them all. Jotting down your fleeting thoughts throughout the day is paramount. It doesn’t matter whether that thought it a fully-fledged business plan, or just three words that might make a good company name—write it down. Keep a Moleskine journal on your person at all times so you can quickly and conveniently put pen to paper and let your creativity flow. As an added bonus, these trendy, Italian-made leather journals will make you even more debonair.
- Top-of-the-Line Technology
Do you have the tools needed to fuel your success? From smartphones to mobile hotspots, hands-free Bluetooth headphones to cutting edge business laptops, it’s imperative that you step in tune with the times and take advantage of the latest technological innovations. A tablet with built-in 3G can allow you to conduct business while you’re on the go, while a smart watch can alert you to emails, meetings, and in-coming phone calls (which you can answer using those headphones, freeing your hands up to tend to other tasks before you). These products might seem costly upfront, but the money you invest now could be well worth it once your productivity and efficiency double thereafter.
- Protective Eyewear
After investing in some new technology, you should consider purchasing some protective eyewear. Being your own boss and business-owner means you’re most likely tasked with staring at digital screens into the wee hours of the night. Long hours spent staring at bright screens can lead to severe eyestrain, which may cause headaches, tired eyes, and various forms of fatigue. It’s not for your vision, either, and maintaining 20/20 eyesight. Many companies offer both prescription and non-prescription protective lenses to boost your vision and make screen time more comfortable.
- Messenger Bag
Entrepreneurs should be constantly shuffling around town, attending meetings and hopping on every networking opportunity available. This means you’ll need a reliable bag to stash each of your essential items in as you travel throughout the city. Those old school, boxy briefcases are not what you’re after; grab a stylish, cross-body leather messenger bag which can keep your belongings neat and organized while making you look urbane.
If you want to be the next Zuckerberg, you have to first start with the basics. You’ll need to make many actionable changes on your way to success, but picking up these essential tools is a great place to begin.
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