Pandora's box will be expanded every week as we work through the different modules. (So make sure to check back!)

Tools.

Levels:
Hobby - If you're just starting out, this is a really good place to start. These tools will get the job done.
Amateur - This is a mid step that's usually more affordable than professional level tools, but gives you more control than the hobby level tools.
Professional - If you want to go big and have plenty of room to scale, these tools are your best friends. 

Alternative apps, softwares, and programs are ones I haven't necessarily looked into as deeply, but I encourage you to investigate and do your research so you can find what works best for you.

Money Management

Money Manager
​
Price: FREE (paid ad-free option)
Level: Hobby
What it is; App (for your phone)
What it's for; Tracking your money

Pros;
  • User friendly - great starter app
  • Easy to organize
  • Visual depictions make it easy to understand your income and spending patterns
  • Free
  • Easy to upkeep since it's on your phone (you can update every time you make a purchase or sale)
Cons;
  • Ads in the free version
Alternative Apps; Search "Money Management" or "Money Tracking" in GooglePlay/Apple Store for similar app options. 
Wave Financial 
​
Price: FREE
Level: Amateur
What it is; Software
What it's for; Tracking business money

Pros;
  • Payroll and invoicing options
  • Free! (except for transaction fees if you use payments, but let's face it, transaction fees are inescapable)
  • Accountant friendly
  • Fairly straight-forward
Cons;
  • No upgrades available if you decide you want more functionality
  • Limited support
Alternatives for Wave Financial; 
​Zip Books, AND CO, Freshbooks, Xero, HoneyBook
QuickBooks

Price: $$ (monthly plans)
Level: Professional
What it is; Software (phone, tablet, computer)
What it's for; Tracking business money

Pros;
  • Different plan options based on what you need
  • Literally track EVERYTHING to do with money
  • Payroll options
  • Free onboarding call to teach you the software
  • Can add multiple users (useful when you hire an accountant or book keeper)
Cons;
  • Monthly subscription costs
  • Can be overwhelming if you're just starting
Alternatives for QuickBooks; 
​FreshBooks, Xero

Extra Resources on Money;

Time Management & Organization

Google + Google Workspace
​
Price: FREE / $$ (monthly plans for Workspace)
Level: ALL Levels
What it is; Software, Productivity Tool
What it's for; Organization and Collaboration

Tools Included;
  • Google Calendar - scheduling
  • Google Tasks - to-do lists
  • Gmail - email platform
  • Google Drive - online file storage
  • Google Meet - online meetings
  • Google Docs/Sheets/Forms ​- create documents

Pros;
  • Probably the BEST online organizational tool
  • User friendly
  • Extremely versatile and compatible with other systems
  • Can upgrade to Workspace with options to add additional users (for staff)
  • Workspace also gives you an email address @yourdomain.com for professionalism
Notion
​
Price: FREE
Level: Amateur/Professional
What it is; Software, Productivity Tool
What it's for; Organization and Collaboration

Pros;
  • Includes task management tools, notes, and versatile ways of storing information and documents
  • Great alternative to Google Workspace
  • User friendly
  • Extremely detailed task managing abilities
  • Easy to navigate
  • Great for working in teams
  • Platform is really well designed and simplifies access to information
  • Each staff member has their own credentials for access

Cons;
  • Slightly complicated to link to other apps (although it's doable... with some apps at least)
​

Scheduling Meetings

Calend.ly​

​Price: FREE / $$ (paid upgrade)
Level: ALL Levels
What it is; Platform
What it's for; Scheduling Meetings

Pros;
  • User friendly
  • Compatible with Google and Zoom
  • Free option
  • Input your availability, make the link available and have meetings automatically added to your calendar
Cons;
  • Free version is limited 
Alternatives for Calend.ly; 
Acuity Scheduling
Zoom Meetings

Price: FREE / $$ (paid upgrade)
Level: ALL Levels
What it is; Software
What it's for; Online Meetings 

Pros;
  • User friendly
  • Compatible with Google and Calend.ly, versatile software
  • Free option
  • You can schedule ahead of time and record your meetings
Cons;
  • Free version has limitations
​
Alternatives for Zoom; 
Google Meet, Skype

Want to link all your apps together?

Zapier is an app that allows you to link 5000+ apps together and automate things between them. This means if you update something in one app, Zapier will automatically update it where you tell it to in other apps. This can be really useful once you start using a lot of different apps to run your business where not all of them are automatically compatible. 

(I'm just starting to use this app, so I'll post my honest review once I'm a little more familiar with it)

Extra Resource;
​Rhythms vs. Schedules Explained

These are just a few short videos by Kai Northcott on TikTok clearly explaining rhythms versus schedules. This is the best explanation I've found so far.

Branding

Canva

​Price: FREE / $$ (pro upgrade)
Level: Hobby/Amateur
What it is; Online Design Software
What it's for; Design and brand consistency

Pros;
  • User friendly
  • Fast and convenient
  • Loads of templates and stock images
  • Can create animated content
  • User rights (everything on there is free for you to use for commercial use)
  • Online storage
  • Can create multiple users and brands per account
Cons;
  • Pay for Pro (added stock content and versatility)
  • Can sometimes be difficult to create design that stands out
Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator

​Price: $$$ (Monthly Subscription)
Level: Professional
What it is; Design Software
What it's for; Photo-editing and design creation

Pros;
  • Your imagination is the limit! If you can think it, you can create it
  • High end and professional results
  • Can be used for more than just design (art making, photo editing, planning paintings, etc.)
  • Control over every little detail
Cons;
  • Monthly subscription is a lot if you don't use it often
  • Big learning curb, definitely not programs you can use intuitively - software requires user knowledge
  • Time consuming
Tailor Brands

​Price: FREE to try, $$ for copyright
Level: Hobby
What it is; Online Logo Generator
What it's for; Design and brand consistency

Pros;
  • Easy and quick
  • Decent logos for the price
  • Great if you just need a last minute logo and aren't too picky
Cons;
  • Not super original

Copyright Tracking

Pixsy will track your images and notify you if anyone is using them without permission. It will also guide you towards how to take legal action if necessary. 

Books.

These are all books I have read myself, they're a great way for you to dive deeper into the topics that spark your interest.
I have included what module each book is best fits to keep things nice a clear.
The Soul Sourced Entrepreneur
By Christine Kane

Topic: Entrepreneurship, Business

This is a great overview on what it means to run a business from the soul. Artist's are not your average "business (wo)man", so their businesses shouldn't be designed in the same way as corporate businesses. They should be designed in a soul-centered way. 

Module: Welcome to Artrepreneur Accelerator
Secrets of the Millionaire Mind
By T. Harv Eker

Topic: Money Mindset

This book is a great starting point to helping you understand your relationship with money and the steps you need to take to shift your mindset. It's simple, easy to read and understand, and to the point. 

Module: Money Magic
Rich Dad Poor Dad
By Robert T. Kiyosaki

Topic: Money Mindset
​
A total classic, gage where your thoughts and patterns with money sit on a scale from poor to rich. It's a super clear breakdown on what thoughts differentiate the lower, middle and upper class and how you can shift where you are on that scale.

Module: Money Magic
The Energy of Money
By Maria Nemeth

Topic: Money Mindset

This is probably my favorite money book. It digs and finds all the little nuances in where you're still holding on to limiting beliefs around money. There are loads of journal exercises included that really help you dissect and analyze where you're at.
​

Module: Money Magic
Soul Modes
​By Carlie Maree

Topic: Working With Your Modes

Although this book is targeted at women, everyone could learn a thing or two from this book. The focus is identifying how you flow through life and how to design your life to work with your flow rather than against it. My "seasons" metaphor is an adaptation of the ideas presented in this book. 

Module: Get Sh*t Done! 
Fried
By Joan Borysenko, Ph. D.

Topic: Burnout

Learn to identify burnout, get the tools you need to overcome it, and of course, all the prevention measures to avoid burning yourself out again. This is the science of why we burn out, exactly what is burnout, and everything you need to get through it.
​

Module: Get Sh*t Done!
Find Your Artistic Voice
By Lisa Congdon

Topic: Finding Your "Style" and "Message"

This book helps you look at your artistic practice and figure out exactly what you're trying to say through your art. It is designed to help you find where you fit in the art scene and exactly what makes you authentically unique. 
​

Module: Creating Your Authentic Artist Self
Big Magic
By Elizabeth Gilbert

Topic: Authenticity

Follow your inner calling and intuition, become authentically yourself, overcome your fears and follow your creative calling. This book is all about getting you to step into the highest version of yourself and the magic that unfolds when you do so. 
​

Module: Creating Your Authentic Artist Self

Next Update to Pandora's Box: June 29th, 2022

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