Entrepreneurs need all the resources they can to make it big. Working on a project takes a lot of time and effort, so it's great to have tools that can help you out as you go. Saving time and resources is vital for any budding entrepreneur.
Here are the top six tools that can help you out in your entrepreneurial project.
1. Kickstarter
Kickstarter is a platform where entrepreneurs can sign up and secure crowdfunding for their entrepreneurial ventures. The platform allows creative projects of any kind, including technology, films, and art.
By using Kickstarter, you can bring your project to life by securing funding from people interested in your idea. These people might back a project for various reasons, such as:
- Supporting a friend's venture
- To support an idea they have long admired.
- They might be inspired by someone's project or idea and decide to back it.
- People might be excited that they will receive handsome profits or rewards once the project blows up.
While adding a project, entrepreneurs can add a funding goal, which is the amount of money needed to complete the project. Kickstarter works on an all-or-nothing payment model, which means the entrepreneur will only receive the funds once their project reaches the funding goal.
Kickstarter collects a five percent fee from the funds that are collected for creators. It uses Stripe as its payment processor, and Stripe also collects three to five percent as its payment processing fee.
2. GitHub
GitHub is a code-sharing, social networking, and publishing service for programmers. Although the website is mainly used for code, it can also manage other files such as Word documents or Final Cut projects. You can think of it as a filing system for every draft of a document.
Git is a distributed version control system, in which you copy the whole repository in your system if you want to make changes to a project. You then change your local copy and check in your copy to the central server.
While GitHub is a Git repository hosting service, it adds many of its own features. It provides access control and several collaboration features, such as essential task management tools and wikis.
Forking is a flagship functionality of GitHub, wherein one user can copy a repository from one account to another. Using this function, you can modify a project to which you don't have write access in your own account.
You can send a pull request to the original owner to merge your modified and original repo. These features and functions make GitHub a powerful tool for entrepreneurs who want to use the internet to make it big.
3. Entrepreneur
Entrepreneur carries news stories about entrepreneurship, business, and small business management. The publication has a published list of 500 top franchised companies.
Its website includes features, contests, spin-offs, and other publications. A podcast named Masters of Scale introduces a counterintuitive business theory in every episode and proves it with conversations with successful entrepreneurs throughout the episode.
The website also has a separate section for women, which it has purely dedicated to female entrepreneurs.
If you need any information, knowledge, or guidance related to your project, you should definitely check out this website. It provides valuable information regarding entrepreneurship.
4. Fundable
Fundable is another crowdfunding platform for small businesses. It allows entrepreneurs to raise capital by engaging a large number of backers quickly.
You start by creating your company profile, providing your company and product overview, and mentioning your funding goals. The Fundable team will verify your profile, ensuring that you are a good fit for the platform.
You can offer rewards such as pre-ordering a new product or service or providing equity in exchange for support. It is free for anyone to create a profile.
If you want to start raising funds, you need to pay Fundable $179 per month. There is no service fee of any kind. Whatever money you raise is all yours. You pay a flat $179 fee per month for the fundraising.
Fundable has an all-or-nothing policy, which means that you, as an entrepreneur, will only get paid if you can collect the total amount of money you asked for. The funds will then directly get transferred to your bank account.
5. Khan Academy
Khan Academy offers a host of online tools to educate entrepreneurs. It provides videos, practice exercises, progress tracking, and teaching tools such as coding lessons.
The website is based on an online education model, and you can learn a variety of things here. Khan Academy is free to use for all its users.
Each course is video-based, offering classroom teaching style in which you can see a recording of drawings on an electronic blackboard. A narrator describes the drawing and the information relating to the drawing.
It's an excellent resource to pick up some extra skills. Khan Academy teaches you the basics, and you can learn from the beginning before building from the ground up. You can fill the gaps that you think you have in your learning.
6. Inc.
Inc. is exclusively dedicated to managers and owners of growing private companies. It aims to deliver real-time solutions for modern company builders. Inc. has a list of 5000 privately listed companies on which they provide a deep understanding of the entrepreneurial landscape.
The company hosts an annual Inc. 5000 Conference and Awards Ceremony, which allows the Inc. 5000 alumni, honorees, and other growth-minded entrepreneurs to network and learn. The website provides inspiration and practical advice from those who have done it before.
It has a great variety of topics, and you can find information on the following here:
- Startup
- Grow
- Lead
- Innovate
- Technology
- Money
These categories are further divided into several sub-categories, and you can find a lot of helpful information here. You can use this website to learn about various Startup or business-related topics and implement that information in your personal work.
Having the Right Tools Can Lead to Success
You can use these tools to your advantage right away. Each of the tools can help you grow on your entrepreneurial journey. Having the right tools is essential for growing your project, and can even lead to success later on.