Resources

Here are some of the tools, services, and recommended reading that can help you run your business online. I use them all and highly recommend them. Disclaimer: most of these links are affiliate links, which means that when you purchase a product or service through one of these links, I get a small commission. However, that does not influence my recommendations in any way. I only recommend things I would use myself. Purchasing through these links just helps support this site.

Domain Name Registration

Need a domain for your website? Namecheap is my favorite domain registrar. It’s easy, inexpensive, and the Namecheap guys don’t try to sell me stuff I don’t need. You can register a domain for less than $10. Go to namecheap.com to sign up.

Website Hosting

To host my websites, I use and love Hostgator. Their customer service is excellent, and I’ve never had a problem with down time. You can also host your email through them at no extra charge. Plans start at about $8/month.

Bonus: Use the coupon “HOSTGATOR” to get your first month for just a penny!

Email Newsletter Services

Aweber is a great choice for managing email lists and sending e-newsletters.

Mailchimp is a really fun, effective option for email marketing. Mailchimp is free to use for up to 500 subscribers, and it works flawlessly. If you’ve got over 500 subscribers, there are monthly package plans that start at just $30/month, as well as a pay-as-you-go option.

Computer Backups

If you’ve ever had a computer hard drive crash, then you can appreciate the importance of regular backups. I use Mozy, because it makes backing up a breeze. I tell Mozy how often to back up my computer and what files to back up, then just set it and forget it. It’s that easy. Plans start at just $4.95/month. Click here for peace of mind with Mozy.

Bookkeeping/Accounting

I use Freshbooks for my time tracking and invoicing. It’s web-based, and so easy to use. Track your time, invoice your clients, manage your expenses, all with Freshbooks. Perfect for teams, freelancers, and service providers. Prices start at $19/month. Free 30-day trial.

Wordpress Themes

The Thesis Theme for Wordpress is my framework of choice for websites and blogs. It’s flexible, highly customizable, and future-proof. Many of the sites I create are built on Thesis, including this one. It simply rocks. Thesis Wordpress Theme.

Virtual Machines

I work on a Mac but occasionally have to run Windows to check browser compatibility for a design or to log into a website that only runs on Internet Explorer (yes, they’re still out there). Rather than have two computers, I have VMWare Fusion on my iMac, which allows me to run Windows flawlessly through a virtual machine. I’ve tried other products, but really like VMware Fusion 2.0 Mac the best.