Disclaimer & Transparency: We are not your CPA and some links below are affiliates.
Transparency & Professional Use
We have curated this list based on the tools we trust and use for our own clients. However, please note that this information is for educational purposes only. Accessing these resources does not create a client relationship, and they should not be used as a substitute for professional advice specific to your financial situation.
Affiliate Disclosure: We believe in full transparency. Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you sign up (at no additional cost to you). We only recommend products we have vetted and believe will add value to your business.
Our clients routinely ask us for recommendation for financial tools and resources they can use to support their business.
The following is a list of our favorites. We use them in our own business and routinely help clients use these tools.
*Tools and resources with a star (*) are partners and included with our monthly services.
🚀 Starting Your Business
Apply for Your Employer Identification Number (EIN) with the IRS. Always do this directly through the IRS. It is 100% free. Never pay a third-party website to file this for you.
Form a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or Other Entity with Your Secretary of State or Simply Use CorpNet*. If you need to form an LLC or Corporation, we prefer CorpNet over LegalZoom. They are faster, have better support, and don’t upsell you as aggressively.
Get a Registered Agent Address with a Local Mailbox Service or with CorpNet*. Don’t want to use your home address on public business filings? Use a Registered Agent service to keep your personal address private.
Banking for Your Business
Open a Free Online Business Bank Accounts with Relay*. Our favorite bank for modern business owners. It allows you to open multiple “envelope” accounts for free (great for Profit First) and gives us read-only access to do your bookkeeping without nagging you for 2FA codes.
Open a Business Checking Account with Chase Bank. If you need a physical branch for cash deposits or want a “Big Bank” relationship for future lending, Chase is the gold standard.
Open a Local (Branson Area) Business Checking Account with Arvest Bank. Sometimes you need a handshake. If you are local to the Branson area, ask for Katie Adams. She takes excellent care of our clients.
Open a High-Interest Online Savings Account with Live Oak Bank. Don’t let your surplus cash sit idle. We recommend Live Oak for their high-yield business savings accounts.
Smart Financial Books for Small Business Owners
Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits by Greg Crabtree. If you want to understand what your accountant is actually looking at, read this. It explains the “Power of One” and why you need to pay yourself a market-rate salary.
Profit First by Mike Michalowicz. Stop looking at your bank balance and assuming that money is yours to spend. This book teaches a cash management system that ensures you always have money for taxes and profit.
Credit Cards for Your Business
Open a Business Credit Card or Line of Credit with American Express. Excellent for cash flow management and high-value travel rewards if you pay your balance off monthly.
Open a Business Credit Card with Chase. These pair perfectly with a Chase checking account for instant transfers. Great cash-back options.
Open a Business Credit Card for Creators with Karat. A specialized card built specifically for Creators and Influencers. They understand the “Creator Economy” business model better than traditional banks.
Bookkeeping & Invoicing
Track Your Business Finances (Connect Your Banks and Cards) with Quickbooks Online* The industry standard. We recommend QBO because it integrates with almost every other app on this list and allows for seamless invoicing and bank feeds.
Send Your Clients Invoices with Quickbooks Online* Get paid faster. We help clients set this up so invoices have a “Pay Now” button, allowing customers to pay via credit card or ACH instantly.
Payroll for Your Business
Run Payroll and More HR Things with Gusto (Affiliate Link)*. The easiest payroll software on the market for small businesses. It handles your tax filings and W2s automatically so you don’t get IRS notices. Sign up and run payroll to earn a $100 Visa gift card.
Run a Reasonable Compensation Report with RC Reports*. Crucial for S-Corp owners. We use this tool to calculate your “Reasonable Compensation” to defend your salary number in case of an IRS audit.
Estimate & Pay Your Taxes
Pay Your Federal Income Taxes with IRS Direct Pay. The safest way to pay your estimated federal taxes. It gives you an immediate confirmation number. Avoid mailing checks if possible.
Calculate Your Payroll Tax Savings from an S Corp Election with our S-Corp Tax Savings Calculator for Content Creators
Retirement Accounts & Guidance for Your Business
Open a Solo 401k, Simple IRA, or SEP-IRA with Ascensus. A great platform for setting up a Solo 401k, Simple IRA, or SEP-IRA. They offer access to Vanguard funds without the high fees.
Open a One-Person SEP-IRA with Vanguard Small Business. Perfect for a simple, low-fee One-Person SEP-IRA. Keep your investment costs low so your money grows faster.
Get Financial Planning Guidance from Advisor Mark Zoril of PlanVision. If you need financial planning but hate high “Assets Under Management” fees, Mark is a breath of fresh air. He offers guidance for a flat fee (a few hundred dollars the first year, then ~$8/month).
Insurance & Health Sharing for Your Business
Insure Your Business with Hartford Insurance. A solid choice for General Liability and Business Owners Policies (BOP).
Work with a Local Insurance Agent: Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance (Marty Whited). For local service in Missouri, Marty is our go-to contact for business insurance needs.
Join the Health Sharing Community at Medi-Share – popular health-sharing alternative for self-employed individuals who want a Christian-based approach to healthcare costs.
Marketing & Team Tools for Your Business
Use the Small Business Suite of Tools at Google Workspace. Essential. It gives you a professional email address (@yourcompany.com), shared drives for documents, Gemini AI, and secure calendar tools.
Secure Your Business Passwords with 1Password. Stop texting passwords to your employees! This is the secure way to share access to bank accounts and software across your team.
Sign Important Documents with PandaDoc. Great for sending legally binding contracts and getting e-signatures quickly.
Start Communicating with Your Team on Slack. Moves internal communication out of your inbox. We use this to keep client channels and team chats organized.
Send New Client Proposals with Ignition – If you run an agency or service business, use this to send proposals. It collects payment information before work starts, eliminating accounts receivable issues.
Email Your Leads and Customers with Kit. The best tool for building an email list and sending newsletters. Essential for creators and digital businesses.
Create an Email Switchboard with Help Scout. If you have a support team, this manages your “support@domain.com” inbox so no customer email falls through the cracks.
Start Booking Clients on Calendly. Stop the “when are you free?” email tag. Send a link and let clients book a time that works for both of you.