10 Essential Must-Have's for Your Small Business

 

Starting your business is one of the most exciting times in your life! From setting up your LLC to leasing office space to buying business cards. The jitters of starting a new business never gets old. But starting a business comes with challenges. 

Luckily, there are tools that can make these challenges a little less challenges. This is why I've compiled a list of essential must-have's that could make running your business a little less tedious and overwhelming.

*There are some affiliate links below that I may receive a commission from for purchases made through these links. However, these are all products that I highly recommend or may have used myself and can verify them as excellent products.

 

The first essential must have is a computer.

1. Macbook Air 

I absolutely love my Macbook Air. I've had it close to 10 years and its extremely reliable, has amazing RAM, and STILL works after 9 years with no viruses and no major problems. The Macbook Air is the ideal laptop for on the go entrepreneurs who need a lightweight computer that has all of the functionality of the Pro.

If you're just starting out, the Air is the perfect computer to get you started. 

 

2. HP Office Jet Pro

This printer is absolutely amazing. It's an all-in-one printer with scanning, copying, faxing and wireless printing capabilities. You can print right from your phone or from your computer with a click of a button. 

You also get 6 months FREE of HP Instant ink which is an ink delivery service that monitors your printing and ships you new ink when you're low. This printer is perfect for the startup entrepreneur or small business owner looking for a mid tier priced printer.

 

3. 18" Neewer Ring Light Kit

Every solopreneur is in need of this high quality ring light. Not only is this sturdy and multifaceted but it also has 240  LED bulbs with a wide dimming range from 1%-100%. It has a special LED SMD design, its lightweight and easily portable. There is absolutely no ultraviolet and infrared light radiation, it has low heat output, and environmental protection.

This light has literally created perfect lighting for my Tiktok videos as well as Instagram Reels and is perfect for when I go live. This ring light has a hot shoe adapter that's compatible with most DSLR cameras,  iPhone 13 Pro Max 13 Pro 13, 13 mini Samsung Galaxy S22 Huawei and other smart phones.

If you're a beauty influencer, makeup artist, photographer, influencer, vlogger, etc. then this is the perfect ring light. I absolutely love mine.

 

4. Blue Yeti Microphone

If you're an entrepreneur planning on recording videos for courses or YouTube videos or if you're going to do any podcasting, then this Blue Yeti is the perfect addition to your recording collection. I bought mine years ago and it's absolutely amazing, gives a crisp, clear sound and catches the eye on video.

Not only does this microphone add a beautiful aesthetic to your desk, but it improves your sound and stream with fun vocal effects, HD samples, and studio tools like EQ, limiter and noise removal. This microphone has USB connectivity and can alter, morph and transform your voice to excite and entertain your stream audience. 

 

5. Thermal Label Printer

If you plan on shipping packages in high volume, a Thermal Label Printer is a MUST. Not only will you save money on ink, but you can easily print labels right from your phone or computer. You can use this with eBay, Amazon, Shopify, Esty, UPS, USPS, etc. With this desktop label printer, you can finish your label printing at home without ink or ribbon. It has simplified the process of printing labels, and it can be a useful assistant to help you save time and money.

 

6. SmallRig Universal Phone Video Rig Kit

This SmallRig Phone kit was specially designed for vlogging and live streaming, and supports both handheld shooting and tripod shooting. It's perfect for when you're sitting down at a desk and need a tabletop phone stand. What makes this absolutely perfect is that it already has lighting and microphone attached. So it's the perfect all-in-one phone stand. You only need one fixture. 

The phone cage is compatible with most smart phones such as for iPhone 12, 12 pro max, for Huawei for Samsung, etc. with a width range from 62mm to 86mm. 

7. Fantom External Hard Drive

Having an external hard drive is an essential must have because, as a creative entrepreneur, your work needs to be protected at all costs. This hard drive is aluminum, with an on/off switch and boasts hard drive storage capabilities from 2 Terrabytes (TB) all the way up to 20 Terrabytes (TB). The Fantom Drive GFORCE 3 Pro 7200RPM external hard drive is formatted for Windows and can easily be formatted for Mac. 

This hard drive is fanless hard-bodied aluminum and provides protection for drives and doubles as a heat sink to keep temperatures cool and operation quiet. Definitely on the MUST HAVE list for new business owners.

8. The Business Burn Book

The Business Burn Book is your business reference guide with everything in it to help you lay the foundation for a successful business. From filing trademarks, to legalizing your business to finding suppliers for your business. Most businesses don't last more than 3 to 5 years in business. This Business Bible will help you avoid costly mistakes and pitfalls most business owners fall into.

Not only is this a reference guide, but it has tons of resources and a business glossary as well. This is the only Small Business Guide you will need.

9. Square Terminal

If you plan on accepting payments in person, then your square reader is going to be your BFF. Not only can you accept payments in person, but you can also send the receipt to your customers via text message, which they can view at their convenience. 

With this reader, you can accept all major credit and debit cards and pay one low rate with no hidden fees and no long-term contracts. This reader allows you to process chip cards and you can have access to your funds within one business day. This can be used cordlessly or anywhere in your store.

10. Raven Pro Document Scanner

The Raven Pro Document Scanner is an essential to your small business because it is not only touch screen but has a high speed color duplex feed and you can wirelessly scan to the cloud or you can use ethernet cables. Integrated cloud services include Raven Cloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, Box, SharePoint, OneDrive, OneNote, Quickbooks Online. 

All of your scanned documents produce searchable PDFs with OCR to detect printed or handwritten text. After purchase, you even get Free Raven Cloud subscription included for unlimited secure cloud storage. This is extremely handy when it comes to tax time. All your documents in one place and they're searchable.

No more sifting through endless trails of paper. This document scanner is a life and space saver.

 

BONUS: BOSS UP BUSINESS BUNDLE

 

If you're a creative entrepreneur who offers digital products or services, then the Boss Up Business Bundle is a great way to get started on your entrepreneurial journey with the right courses to start making you money right away.

 

Starting and operating small business can be daunting and challenging. I hope my list of suggestions has given you some enlightenment to the tools that can make your journey just a tad bit easier.

I wish you the best of luck in your entrepreneurial journey!