Behind the Scenes: Tools I Trust and Use

Platforms That Help Me Create, Organize & Grow

As a solopreneur and creative, I rely on a small handful of tools that help me plan, build, earn, and stay mostly sane.

This isn’t a giant list of trendy apps. Just the ones I use, trust, and often recommend to clients, collaborators, and my own community.

Some of these are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to use them at no extra cost to you. I only share what I’ve personally tested and truly believe in.

For Selling Digital Products

  • Gumroad: The platform I use to sell my planners, starter kits, and templates. It’s beginner-friendly, clean, and built for creators like us. Try Gumroad here.
  • Payhip: Another great option for selling ebooks, digital downloads, or memberships, especially if you want built-in VAT support and simple setup. Explore Payhip here.

For Designing Content and Products

  • Canva Pro: My daily go-to for creating everything from lead magnets to pin graphics to product mockups. Design with Canva Pro.
  • PlaceIt: A super easy way to create product mockups, logo animations, and promo videos, and no design skills needed. Try PlaceIt for your brand visuals.

Website & Tech Stack

  • GeneratePress: The theme I use for fast, clean, and flexible WordPress sites. Lightweight but powerful, and easy for non-coders. Lifetime support included. Check out GeneratePress here.
  • CustomGPT: An easy way to build your own branded AI chatbot. Great for customer service, content assistants, or niche guidance bots. Explore CustomGPT.

Video Creation & Editing

  • Descript: An all-in-one tool for editing audio and video by editing the transcript. Great for podcasts, YouTube videos, and short-form content. Explore Descript.
  • CapCut: My favorite free tool for editing social video (Reels, TikToks, etc.). Simple, intuitive, and powerful for short-form video creators. Download CapCut.
  • Syllaby.io: AI-powered tool for planning YouTube, Reels, or TikToks, invaluable if you feel stuck or camera-shy. Check out Syllaby.
Create engaging videos in seconds with Syllaby

Productivity & Focus

  • Flown: Part coworking, part deep focus tool. It’s great when I need accountability or to structure deep work time. Especially helpful if you work from home. Try Flown.
  • From Stuck to Focused Kit: This is my 5-day planning system, which helps you reset your week and finish what matters. It includes a planner, habit tracker, and more. Get the productivity kit.
  • AI Side Hustle Kit: A step-by-step starter for earning with AI. It includes tools, platforms, and low-pressure ways to start monetizing your knowledge. Check out the AI Side Hustle Kit.
  • AI Side Hustle Workbook (Paperback): Prefer to brainstorm on paper? This physical version of the AI Side Hustle Kit is designed to help you explore and plan AI-powered income streams in a grounded, distraction-free way. Available exclusively on Amazon.
From Stuck to Focused- Your Weekly Planner for Getting Things Done Thumbnail
ai-workbook-for-digital-creators-129-pages
AI Side Hustle Starter Kit – digital launch workbook bundle for creators and freelancers. Includes planners, prompts, and trackers

Finances & Admin

  • QuickBooks Self-Employed: I use this to track expenses, invoice clients, and keep tax time less chaotic. It is tailored for freelancers and small business owners. Explore QuickBooks SE.

Email Marketing & Funnels

  • MailerLite: The platform I use to send newsletters, build automations, and manage subscribers for smaller lists. Clean, visual, and easy to scale. Get started with MailerLite.
  • Kit (formerly ConvertKit): A powerful, creator-first email platform built for growing your audience and selling digital products. Strong automations and landing pages, plus new commerce features, and it’s ideal for larger lists. Explore Kit for email and product sales.

Getting Paid, Especially Internationally

  • Wise: My go-to for receiving and sending payments across borders. With low fees and real exchange rates, Wise keeps payments simple and affordable. Get started with Wise.
  • Payoneer: A solid option for managing payouts from global platforms (like Amazon, Upwork, or affiliate networks). It’s reliable, widely accepted, and works well for creators earning in multiple currencies. Sign up for Payoneer.
Platforms That Help Me Create, Organize and Grow

Anna is a solopreneur, writer, and creative entrepreneur who left her 9–5 after paying off over $40,000 in debt to pursue a more intentional life. She founded The Writer Entrepreneur to empower others to build debt-free, freedom-driven lives through smart planning, goal-setting, and online income streams. She has been featured on HuffPost, YouQueen & Fitnancials among others. Learn more about Anna HERE.