WELCOME TO THE BUSINESS BETCH RESOURCE PAGE
On this page I reveal the essentials for creating a monetizable blog as well the tools that keep my business running. Everything on this page has been tested by me, Business Betch.
Everything you need to start your online business
DISCLAIMER:
Some of the resources I refer below, I may receive a commission for which is what keeps this site running (Yep! This site doesn’t run on unicorns, rainbows, and magic..it’s a sh*t ton of work). All of my suggestions are based on my opinion and personal experience as I have used all of these products. I cannot guarantee that you’ll have the same experience as I have had. You don’t need to purchase any of these items I have linked below but these are the tools that I use on a daily basis or have used in the past. No BS here.
Favorite Tools
BLUEHOST – WEBSITE HOSTING
Bluehost is one of the best hosting platforms I have ever used to host my websites. Their customer service team is phenomenal and has helped me through a couple of newbie blogging mistakes! They also have 1-click WordPress installation which makes setting up your website much easier and faster!
Bluehost is offering an exclusive discount for readers of Business Betch at $3.95/month.
ELEMENTOR – WORDPRESS PAGE BUILDER
Elementor is a free WordPress page builder that lets you create beautiful websites in the easiest and quickest way possible.
Elementor replaces your basic run-of-the mill WordPress editor with a live front end editor. This allows you to create complex layouts visually as you design your website live! You no longer have to switch between the editor and preview mode!
Elementor is free for the basic version, the PRO version however it’s about $49/ year for one website (Business Betch users will get PRO for $49!) which is definitely worth it!
WordPress Themes
ASTRA – WORDPRESS THEME
We already covered the Genesis Framework and using Genesis themes but if you want something that is a little more visual, then I would suggest using a page builder theme like Astra. I used the Astra theme when building a website for a client and all I have to say is WOW! This theme is seriously AMAZING!
Astra’s visual theme customizer is extremely easy to use and is blog newbie friendly! When used in conjunction with the Elementor page builder plugin, you can easily have your site up and running within a day! ( Seriously!)
ENVATO MARKET / THEME FOREST
An online marketplace where you can buy anything from advanced WordPress themes and plugins to Photoshop actions and video footage.
RESTORED 316 DESIGNS – WEBSITE THEME
Perfect for someone who wants a more feminine style theme. I am currently using a Restored 316 Designs theme in addition to Elementor Page Builder.
Restored 316 Designs themes work perfectly with both the Genesis Framework and Elementor.
LEADPAGES
Leadpages is an amazing platform that can help you create high converting build websites, landing pages, pop-ups, and alert bars to connect with your audience in a matter of minutes. The best part, there is unlimited publishing & conversion-optimized templates! Other platforms tend to put a limit on the amount of landing pages you can make!
Creative / Design
CANVA – GRAPHIC DESIGN
Canva makes graphic design EASY.
There are plenty of pre-made templates with a drag and drop editor that is extremely easy to use.
Canva has a free version which works great. However, I use the PRO version (it’s totally worth it and you can try it for 30 days).
The PRO version allows me to maintain my brands visual identity. I have unlimited access to templates and TONS stock photos and visuals! (Yearly per month subscription costs less than buying 2 fancy Starbucks drinks per month!)
PicMoNKEY – GRAPHIC DESIGN
- Picmonkey is perfect for both graphic design and photo editing.
- It’s a great alternative to the steep monthly price of Adobe Creative Suite.
- There is a 7 day trial where you can Picmonkey for free. After the 7 day free trial, for the basic package, it is $5.99 (billed annually) – $7.99 ( billed monthly). For the pro version, it is $9.99 (billed annually) – $12.99 (billed monthly)
- Click HERE to try Picmonkey
Logo Design
99Designs – GRAPHIC DESIGN
Perfect for graphic design projects and logos.
You can submit your project proposal and have a series of graphic designers compete and submit their designs to you!
Or you can look over various graphic designer profiles and reviews and make your selection that way.
Click HERE to try 99Designs
CANVA – LOGO DESIGN TOOL
Canva has an amazing logo design tool that uses artificial intelligence to generate custom logos in minutes. Canva’s logo maker also includes easy to use customizable templates which allow you to create a branding kit for a consistent look.
Click HERE to check out Canva’s Logo Design Tool
Photo Editing
123PRESETS:
- Ever wonder how influencers have professional looking photos that seem to have a consistent color theme? Their secret is 123Presets!
- 123Presets is a MUST for any blogger or small business! I used to spend HOURS editing my photos and they would never look the way I wanted them to. Once I started using 123Presets, I was able to edit my photos within 1 click saving me A LOT of time and makes my photos look professional and keep a consistent color scheme.
- I have used 123Presets for everything from social media posts, blog posts, blog pages, to product photos for online shops and so much more!
- The presets I use on a daily basis are: Bright & Airy, Light & Airy
- Readers of Business Betch will receive a HUGE discount on presets by 123Presets by clicking on the banner
PHOTOSHOP & LIGHTROOM
- Photoshop and Lightroom are the most powerful photo editing programs on the market today. A dedicated photo editing program can make your images look professional. Photoshop & Lightroom are jam packed with all the editing tools you need. Photoshop is a great program for powerful edits to individual photos that require additional retouching and fine-tuning. Lightroom is a great tool for bulk image editing and for photos that don’t require individual edits. While there is a learning curve with these two programs, there are plenty of Youtube tutorials that can have you editing like a pro in no time!
- Adobe has a great photo editing package that comes with both Photoshop and Lightroom for $9.99/ month annually, or $119.88 / year. I honestly think that’s a great deal for everything that Photoshop can do.
- Click HERE to check out Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan
LUMINAR
- Luminar uses artificial intelligence for a faster photo editing process, it’s easy to use and more suited for beginner photographers who may need to professionally edit their photos but don’t need all the bells and whistles that Adobe Photoshop & Lightroom have.
- Additionally, Luminar doesn’t require you to pay a monthly subscription fee, it is a one time fee and the software is yours FOREVER.
- Click HERE to check out LUMINAR
Email Marketing Platform
AWEBER
- An amazing email marketing platform that a huge library of pre-built templates for creating landing pages and marketing emails.
- Aweber can also help you create automated campaigns and assign triggers and flows that deliver emails to a targeted audience.
- The platform is extremely easy to use! You’ll be sending out professional looking emails to your audience in no time!
- Click HERE to check out AWEBER
Photography & Vlogging Supplies
CAMERAS
I own the Sony A5100 camera and love it. This is also what a majority of beauty bloggers use.
Click HERE to check out the SONY A5100
Other great cameras are:
Canon Rebel (more budget friendly)
Sony A6400 (if you have no budget)
MARBLE PHOTOGRAPHY BACKGROUND
A double sided paper backdrop with marble print on both sides which is perfect for flat lay photography!
A lot of beauty influencers use these to take photos of makeup, etc.
Click HERE to check out a variety of photography backgrounds
A double sided paper backdrop with marble print on both sides which is perfect for flat lay photography!
A lot of beauty influencers use these to take photos of makeup, etc.
Click HERE to check out a variety of photography backgrounds
ACRYLIC BOARD
White and black acrylic boards are also another perfect option for flat lay / product photography.
Each acrylic board has a shiny side and a matte side.
PHONE TRIPOD STAND / SELFIE STICK
Amazing for taking videos and even using as a selfie stick!
This tripod stand can extend to 67″!
This tripod stand can extend to 67″!
Lighting
NEWEER RING LIGHT
- Most beauty bloggers use a ring light especially for 3 point lighting set-ups.
- For example, usually a ring light is placed in the center and a softbox is placed on both the right and left sides.
- Click HERE to get this ring light!
LED GENARAY 7100T
One of the BRIGHTEST lights I have ever owned. This AMAZING LED light features:
Swappable rechargeable batteries ( one less wire to trip over!)
Swappable rechargeable batteries ( one less wire to trip over!)
Magnetic diffuser
Carrying case
Adjustable color / brightness dials !
Click HERE to check out the Genaray 7100T
Click HERE to check out the Genaray 7100T
SOFTBOX LIGHT
Perfect for providing soft lighting with any type of project.
These types of lights fill dark spaces and reduce the amount of shadows in photos or videos.
These types of lights fill dark spaces and reduce the amount of shadows in photos or videos.
For a budget friendly lighting option, you could combine these 2 softboxes with a ring light for 3 point lighting
LIGHTING KIT
Lighting kits range anywhere from $35 to a couple thousand dollars. Some kits may include umbrella lights, softbox lights, in addition to a backdrop and stands.
(2) x Silver Umbrella Reflector Softboxes
(2) x 32″ White Premium Soft Umbrella
(1) x Carrying bag
(1) x 77″ – 78″ Wide Background Support System + (1) x 5×10″ 3 Color Backdrop (Black/White/Green)
(4) x 77″ Light Stand + (4) x Light heads
(1) x Adjustable phone stand / Selfie Stick
Lighting kits range anywhere from $35 to a couple thousand dollars. Some kits may include umbrella lights, softbox lights, in addition to a backdrop and stands.
(2) x Silver Umbrella Reflector Softboxes
(2) x 32″ White Premium Soft Umbrella
(1) x Carrying bag
(1) x 77″ – 78″ Wide Background Support System + (1) x 5×10″ 3 Color Backdrop (Black/White/Green)
(4) x 77″ Light Stand + (4) x Light heads
(1) x Adjustable phone stand / Selfie Stick
Hiring Help
Wearing multiple hats can become exhausting. You will reach a point in time where you will need to hire someone and guess what? It’s actually not as expensive as you think! There are multiple options when it comes to outsourcing some of your work!
FIVERR
- Fiverr is a platform that provides access to a freelancers for pretty much anything you might need help with.
- From graphic design to virtual assistants.
- Click HERE to try Fiverr
ONLINEJOBS.PH
- Onlinejobs.ph is a freelance platform similar to Fiverr except all freelancers are from the Philippines. This platform is perfect for those looking to save money when outsourcing jobs or projects, hiring virtual assistants, or freelancers with specialized skills.
Legal
LEGALZOOM
Legal Zoom is always a great resource. I have used them for a couple of smaller legal matters that needed to be done fast. But I wish I would have used them when I initially set up my business (could have saved A LOT of time).
Legalzoom can help you establish your business entity (LLC, Corporation, S-Corp,etc.), protect your brand Trademark, Copyright, IP), create contracts, and so much more!
Accounting / financials
INTUIT QUICKBOOKS
- Covers all the bases of accounting, most accountants actually use Quickbooks.
- Pretty much has all the bells and whistles
- The lowest plan starts at $5/ month for their Self-Employed / Freelancer plan
- Business Betch readers get 55% off a monthly subscription price for Quickbooks online accounting software for the first 3 months of service!
Security
LASTPASS – PASSWORD MANAGER
LastPass has been a life saver for me. Not only does LastPass securely store my passwords, but it suggests strong passwords when I create a new login.
LastPass also allows you to share your passwords securely – this is important especially if you hire someone to help you with your online business!
LastPass also allows you to share your passwords securely – this is important especially if you hire someone to help you with your online business!
LIVEDRIVE – Protect Your Files
What if your computer all of a sudden stopped working and you lost EVERYTHING? All that work…all those files… everything gone. This is why it’s important to always backup everything!
Livedrive can save the day! It provides unlimited online backup storage for your computer. So if your computer poops out completely, no stress – everything is safe! Additionally, you can also access computer files remotely!
What if your computer all of a sudden stopped working and you lost EVERYTHING? All that work…all those files… everything gone. This is why it’s important to always backup everything!
Livedrive can save the day! It provides unlimited online backup storage for your computer. So if your computer poops out completely, no stress – everything is safe! Additionally, you can also access computer files remotely!
Click HERE to check out LIVEDRIVE
Supplies
AMAZON BUSINESS
We all know that starting a business can be expensive. Amazon Business has business-only pricing and also offers discounts when purchasing in bulk. (you must be a verified business to get an Amazon Business account).
Click HERE to Check Out Amazon for Business
We all know that starting a business can be expensive. Amazon Business has business-only pricing and also offers discounts when purchasing in bulk. (you must be a verified business to get an Amazon Business account).
Click HERE to Check Out Amazon for Business
Other Helpful Tools
GRAMMARLY
- Grammarly is like a second set of eyes when it comes to grammar and punctuation. It’s free and can be added to your Chrome browser.
- It offers context-specific suggestions as you type which is perfect not only for writing a blog post but when you are about to publish a post on Facebook, write an email, etc.
- The premium version comes with the following features:
- Advanced checks for punctuation, grammar, context, and sentence structure.
- Vocabulary enhancement suggestions
- Genre-specific writing style checks
- Plagiarism detector that checks more than 16 billion web pages
TRELLO
Trello is great tool for bloggers as it provides an overview of what you need to do to get sh*t done.
Slack, Google Drive, Calendar, etc. can be integrated with Trello! With Trello, there are three main components: Boards, Lists, and cards.
For example: I named one of my boards “Blog Editorial”. I created the following lists under my Blog Editorial board: Post Ideas, Research / Outline, In Process, Edit, Graphic / SEO, Complete. Each card represents a blog post idea. I include a small description with due dates to each card. I move my card as I make progress with writing my blog post. This is just one of the many ways you can use Trello.
EVERNOTE
- Almost like a notebook where you can add multiple subjects.
- You can sync notes with your desktop / the Iphone app.
- I use this to jot down any ideas for future blog posts.
- I’ve also written a couple of blog posts with Evernote while I was on the elliptical!
- Click HERE to go to Evernote
And.. Because Your Mental Health Is Important As An Entrepreneur
TALKSPACE
Your mental health is extremely important as an entrepreneur and should be a priority as there are endless highs and lows when starting a business. Society puts a stigma on getting therapy and taking care of your mental health…and that’s pretty messed up. Ignore that sh*t.
Your business relies on you and your health. If you don’t take care of yourself, you may become less productive, you can end up dealing with anxiety, depression, or even have trouble sleeping.
As an entrepreneur you may deal with imposter syndrome, and self limiting beliefs, fear of failure, etc. These things can be tough to overcome and can almost paralyze you from reaching your goals.
Therapy is an investment in YOU and your health!
It’s time to take control and kick some major a$$ with your biz!
It’s time to take control and kick some major a$$ with your biz!
