The founder life? We're wearing 50-11 hats and running on equal parts adrenaline and intuition.
We know that what we do is not easy.
We're ready to roll up our sleeves and put the work in.
Buuuuut we also aren't subject matter experts in everything that we need to know to make every move we make go harder and farther.
That's the part I've seen and heard and discussed so many times over the past few months.
Fellow founders, I need you to know this...
It is NOT your job to know ALL of the things to run your business.
You're doing what you've been put here to do: help people, make something better, to own your time (and earn with ease).
You're not supposed to be a tech expert, a systems expert, a marketing genius, a financial guru and everything else in between. It's literally impossible so let's stop stressing ourselves out with this notion—and then feeling shame for not knowing all the things for our business' sake.
Instead, let's reset.
And let's do so starting with the tools we can use to create more ease in how we do what we do.
Yes, there are WAY too many tools out there claiming to save you time, grow your audience, automate your business, and fix your whole life (OK Iyanla, we get it.).
The part that's missing, though?
If we don't know what actually works for us and how we move as founders/entrepreneurs, then we're just adding noise to our already buzzing minds.
So let's make this simple.
Based on how you move through the world and how you direct your business, you likely fall into one of four founder archetypes:
Each has their own energy, strengths, struggles, and (yes) tech needs.
So read on if you want to figure out your type and explore what tech tools align with you best (so you can ditch the rest).
You are... a big-picture thinker, idea machine, and spiritual creative. You're always three steps ahead and 10 ideas deep. You can ideate and dream for forever and a day.
Your struggle? Following through. You have endless notebooks and voice memos, but execution often lags behind the initial spark of inspiration.
The Right Tech Tools for You:
Notion – Capture ideas, plan launches, and connect the dots all in one workspace.
Otter.ai – Record your brainstorms and transcribe them into organized content.
Airtable – Turn scattered ideas into structured plans with intuitive database views.
Quick Win Tip: This is a lot to tackle for an idea generator like yourself, so break down your ideas into bite-sized chunks. Set a weekly date with yourself to revisit one idea and then do one small action that will support that idea's fruition.
Systems love structure, but they don’t have to be rigid 😉
You are... a heart-centered, client-first founder. Relationships and trust are your magic. Your brand is you.
Your struggle? Avoiding tech because it feels impersonal and inhuman—despite you knowing how much it may actually serve you. So then you find yourself doing everything manually to keep it "authentic."
The Right Tech Tools for You:
Dubsado – Automate client onboarding while keeping your touchpoints warm and invoices (and revenue) tracked.
Flodesk – Send gorgeous, soulful email campaigns without needing a design degree.
Canva – Create brand visuals and social content that feel like you.
Quick Win Tip: Use Dubsado's many canned emails to personalize one and set it up for an automated follow-up to new clients — so that it feels like a personal note from you. It'll save you time while deepening initial connections and first impressions during onboarding.
You are... a doer, executor, and momentum master. You love launching, iterating, and getting things done.
Your struggle? Juggling too many tools and tasks, often without enough automation to support your hustle.
The Right Tech Tools for You:
Zapier – Automate repetitive tasks between tools and free up brainspace.
Calendly – Let people book with you instantly—no back-and-forth needed.
Trello – Visual task management that keeps your momentum visible and flowing.
Quick Win Tip: Pick one recurring task (like lead capture or meeting scheduling) and automate it THIS week. You hear that? It's your future self thanking you already 😏
You are... a systems-lover who thrives on data, optimization, and long-term vision. You like knowing what’s working and what needs a tune-up.
Your struggle: Getting stuck in the planning phase. You sometimes over-analyze before taking action.
The Right Tech Tools for You:
HubSpot – A powerful relationship manager, sales and marketing system that tracks every touchpoint and automates follow-ups so that your business does the following up for you.
Hive – Plan, prioritize, and execute tasks across all areas of your business. (And if you need an expert setup, here's who you want.)
HotJar – Get the accurate numbers you need to see—and the real user behavior behind them.
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Quick Win Tip: Choose one progress goal (e.g. 100 website visitors, 10 form submissions, 5 consultations booked, etc.) to focus on weekly. Track it, tweak it, and let that clarity fuel your next move.
Speaking of "the strategist" founder type, meet Joanne Giles, founder and systems engineer of All Things Content.
Joanne had a problem.
She was in that pivotal growth space: trying to scale beyond six figures while staying connected to the hundreds of people she'd met through years of business-building. She knew she needed a better way to house all her contacts, track who was re-engaging with her site or emails, and document the evolving relationships from "new connection" to "excited client."
She was especially motivated to get things in place ahead of a major milestone: sponsoring a national conference where her ideal clients would be front and center at her workshop.
We walked Joanne through a personalized HubSpot demo and showed her how it could give her the visibility and control she was craving. From contact behavior tracking to customizable pipelines, Joanne saw how the platform could support her before, during, and long after the conference.
Now? She uses HubSpot daily and lights up when she sees email open notifications or tracks where her leads are coming from. It’s not just a tool anymore—it’s her behind-the-scenes business partner. With her systems now working for her, Joanne is not only nurturing the list she already has—she's beyond ready to make the most of the new connections she knows she'll gain at the conference.
Hear it from her:
Now that you know your founder type and the tools that match your strengths,—and what it feels like to have the right tech working for you—here’s a simple place to begin:
Pick One Goal – What’s the area causing the most friction right now?Follow-up? Scheduling time to connect? Project organization?
Choose One Tool – Select one from your list above that directly addresses that goal.
Test for One Week – Commit to exploring how that tool can support your workflow. Set it up simply, and track what shifts (the good and the bad).
Stack Strategically – Once that tool feels second nature, you can add another. No need to do it all at once.
You don’t need a dozen tools.
You just need the right tools, in the right order, at the right time.
Every founder is different.
The "best" tool is the one you’ll actually use—the one that fits your natural energy and builds with you, not against you.
Start with just one shift.
One tool.
One workflow tweak that supports who you already are.