It is easier today to bootstrap a startup than it was a decade ago. Web hosting used to be reserved for big corporations or people who use Benjamins for napkins. Now, anyone from your high school geometry teacher to your newborn child can have their own basic website for little to no cost whatsoever.
The question is not whether a tool exists that can meet business needs, but rather choosing the right tool for the job. Factored into these decisions are cost, time commitment, and learning curve. With stiff competition just around the corner, failing to adopt the right tools to run your business can spell trouble. That’s why the folks at BestVendor is here to help.
BestVendor is a New York based startup striving to be the Yelp of business essentials. Utilizing the power of social recommendations, they are helping businesses make faster and more consistent purchasing decisions. Dubbed a “give-to-get” community, you would need to provide reviews of products you use in your business. In return, you gain access to products other companies in your industry are using, including peers in your social network.
Currently, the startup is in private beta, but they have already released their results from a survey they conducted with over 550 startups asking them what tools they depend on every day. For infographic junkies, BestVendor has compiled their results in a comprehensive infographic which you can view here.
For the list-loving folks out there, The Next Web provides a handy top ten list:
- Google Analytics (Web Analytics)
- Gmail (Email)
- Quickbooks (Accounting)
- American Express (Company Credit Card)
- Salesforce.com (CRM)
- Dropbox (Storage)
- Evernote (Note-taking)
- Basecamp (Project Management)
- MailChimp (Email Marketing)
- Amazon Web Service (Web Hosting)
What business/software tools do you depend on to run your business?
