(Simple, Affordable & Beginner-Friendly)
When I decided to launch my consulting business this year, I knew I’d need a handful of digital tools to keep everything organized.
I’ve started businesses before and helped many others build their online presence, but setting up your own systems is still a little daunting and there is no “out-of-the-box” solution that works for everyone.
My goal isn’t to use the most powerful tools, it’s to use the simplest tools that I’ll actually stick with. Less tech overhead means more energy for real work.
Lucky for me, I love testing tools. After a few months of experimenting, I landed on a setup that feels flexible, affordable, and sustainable — built specifically for how I work.
If you’re a freelancer, creative, or small business owner feeling overwhelmed by all the software options out there, I hope sharing my simple setup gives you a calmer place to start.
Website + Domain
The first thing I needed was a home base online, a simple website to anchor my small business.
Not every business needs a full website right away. Some can start with a Facebook page, Google Business Profile, Etsy shop, or even just an email address. It really depends on what you sell, where your audience spends time, and your budget.
Because my work is digital strategy and websites are already one of my skillsets, building my own just made sense. I chose WordPress because it’s familiar, flexible, and affordable. And anyone can start for free, which is great when you’re bootstrapping.
I’ve owned amberladley.com since 2012, so using my name as my domain was an easy decision and keeps things simple.
If you’re unsure where to start with domains or WordPress, I’m always happy to answer questions.
Total Cost: Domain renewal + privacy protection = $42.18/yr; WordPress.com Premium plan = $123.46 for three years (~$41.15/yr)
Monthly average cost: $7
Scheduling / Appointment Booking
I love a clean, organized calendar, so making it easy for potential clients to book time with me was a high priority when setting up my business.
I tested a few options, including Acuity Scheduling, but it ended up being more than I needed — both in cost and features. Eventually I switched to Calendly, and so far it’s been a great fit.
When I launched my website, I wanted a simple call to action. Since I prefer starting with a quick phone chat (with a few pre-screen questions), Calendly made that effortless. I set my availability, added a few questions, and now people can book a time without any back-and-forth emails.
It saves me time and makes the process feel easy for everyone. Schedule a free intro call with me to see Calendly in action.
Monthly Cost: Calendly subscription = $12/month ($120/year if paid in full); you can start for free. See all Calendly plans.
Project Management
This one is a doozy. There are so many project management tools out there.
I tested Monday, Asana, Freedcamp, Trello… and honestly, they were all too much. Too many features, too many notifications, too much setup. I knew myself well enough to admit: if a system feels complicated, I won’t use it.
What I really needed was something simple. Something already part of my daily routine.
So I stepped back and thought about what I naturally reach for.
My go-to for quick notes is the Notes app on my iPhone. It’s fast, convenient, and searchable. My go-to for file storage and sharing is Google Drive.
Aha! & there it was. Now I keep a “Freelance 2026” folder in Notes with a note for each client or project. At the top of each file, I paste a link to that project’s Google Drive folder so everything connects.
If I have a quick thought while I’m out or offline, I jot it down in Notes. Later, I move anything important into the right document in Drive.
Simple. No extra software to manage.
I use Google Workspace for email and access to Docs, Sheets, and Drive, and inside Drive I keep just two main folders: one for my business and one for client work. It’s clean, easy to navigate, and works with how my brain already operates.
I’ll share a deeper look at my folder structure in a future post.
Total Cost: Google Workspace (custom email address included) = $84/year; Monthly cost: $7
Creating Visual Content
I’ve been working with digital images since the late ’90s, when Photoshop was the industry standard. It was powerful, but complicated, and expensive.
These days, I use Canva for creating any visual content: website graphics, flyers, presentations, social posts, etc. It’s easy to use, affordable, and fast, which means I spend less time designing and more time actually running my business.
I love it so much that I’m now building workshops to help others feel confident using it too.
Interested in Canva workshops? Add your name to this list and I’ll keep you updated.
Total Cost: Canva Business plan = $200/year (+ tax)
Monthly average cost: $17; Upgrade is only necessary to use Canva’s premium features. You can start an account and create designs for free (& without a credit card!). View Canva’s plans and pricing.
Email Marketing
Again, the options are endless.
For years, Mailchimp was my go-to. It was simple to set up and made it easy to design one clean email and reuse it for future campaigns.
Recently, I tested a handful of other tools too: Flodesk, Kit (formerly ConvertKit), Substack, and even the built-in WordPress option, just to see what felt right.
Right now, I’ve landed on Kit. I love how it handles different opt-ins and how seamlessly it connects with my WordPress site. Everything runs smoothly in the background, so I can focus on writing instead of managing tech.
Want to get on my newsletter list and see Kit in action? Sign up below.
Total Cost: Kit Newsletter Plan = $0 (100% free; no credit card required). At some point I would like to upgrade and Kit’s pricing seems reasonable.
From Idea to Launch
That’s it. No complicated tech stack or expensive software, just a handful of tools that work together for me (& costs less than $50/month!).
If you’re just getting started, remember: you don’t need everything. You just need enough to begin. Start simple. You can always add more later.
Lastly, if you and your business would like some guidance with these kinds of things, I’d be happy to help you! Check out my Strategy & Support Partnership to learn more.