These are the people and programs I recommend every small business owner use. Not sponsored, just honest recommendations from one entrepreneur to another.

BANKING | CHASE

Chase is not only the best bank but also in my top five favorite businesses of all time. They have top-notch customer service, and their online banking capabilities make my accounting tasks super breezy. They also have all the best credit card rewards (airline cards are overrated). Contact Dean to help you. Dean Escoto | (877) 425-8100

BUSINESS + MINDSET COACHING | NICK EGAN

I have a successful business because of Nick. We worked together for two and a half years, and he helped me reach financial and lifestyle goals that I did not think were possible. He has a talent for unlocking people's highest potential. Stop going to your spouse or golf buddies for business advice. nickeganphd@gmail.com

EXECUTIVE COACHING | ANDREW TOMLINSON

Andrew is the epitome of a selfless mentor. He is a business owner and has achieved personal success for himself (hard to find in the coaching world), and his approach stays entirely focused on YOU and how he can help. He works under the coaching group Vistage and is exceptionally networked. tomlinson@vistagechair.com

ACCOUNTING FIRM & CPA | NUMBERWISE

Every business owner I talk to loathes their CPA because they make costly mistakes, never file on time, and nickel and dime everything. I am super happy with him and his team. He doesn't screw up the books; he is super professional and responsive, and I prefer his monthly flat rate over an unexpected hourly bill. He can help most small service-based businesses and bundles filing, bookkeeping, and payroll tasks. asmith@numberwise.net

COMMERCIAL OFFICE SPACE | KIVA COWORK, FUNK ZONE, SANTA BARBARA

We have a small private office at the Kiva building, plus access to the main coworking spaces at three locations across town. I value the positive environment, staff, and amenities. Our team consistently gives feedback that Kiva is one of the best benefits of their job. Contact Dan to ask about available offices. dan@kivasb.com

MY FAVORITE SOFTWARE RESOURCES

• Proposal Software | Proposify
  I prefer this option over DocuSign

• Payroll Software | Gusto
  If you have a team of three or more, you should use Gusto for Payroll because it's so simple. You can use my link for $100 off – https://gusto.com/d/christina5962

• Invoicing | Stripe
  Stripe lets you set up automatic payment processing. Less time chasing payments, more time helping your clients.

• Spelling and Grammar Check | Grammarly
  Imagine a browser extension that checks as you type. It even helps you rephrase sentences.

• Team Messaging | Slack
  You can add it to your phone and have your team use it as they would text. You can turn it off when you are done work, and the search options are powerful to go back to old messages. Plus, text threads keep conversations separated. And it’s free.

• Project Management Tool | Asana
  We set up each client with their own dashboard, and every task and process lives in Asana. Everything lives in Asana! Asana is my life. And it’s free.

• Call Scheduling | Calendly
  A call scheduling program will save you and your clients or prospects so much time and take care of calendar blocking and sending out reminders.

The items on this list have been a bedrock for Clever Punch’s success! Have any tips or tricks that have helped your success? I’d love to hear them – let me know.