Productive or frustrating?

Tools we use can get in the way of we are trying to do.

Use what you know and move forward. I had to relearn this in many ways.

When I launched Rising Authors a year ago, I was relying on basic tools and investing a lot of personal time to manage all the operational aspects.

As the project expanded and became more complex, I turned to one of my favorite applications for help: Notion. It’s a versatile tool with extensive capabilities.

However, as I began utilizing it with my clients, several challenges arose.

Many authors I worked with were unfamiliar with Notion, struggling with its navigation and functionality.

After multiple attempts to train them, I had an important realization: there just wasn't enough time for this.

I recognized that I shouldn’t burden my clients with another tool and more tasks—they came to me seeking simplicity, not additional frustration.

Consequently, I reached out to many of them via email, inquiring about the three to five tools they primarily use:

Gmail/Apple Mail
Google Docs
Google Drive
WhatsApp (Text)
Slack
Work-related management programs like Asana and Monday

Notably, Notion was absent from their lists.

To address this, I hired a part-time operations manager to help set up a system.

Behind the scenes, we use Trello, but client-facing interactions are streamlined through a Google Drive folder organized in the simplest manner possible. This setup enables everyone to keep track efficiently.

Now, both returning and new authors work with us without tension or resistance.

They're familiar with the tools and can immediately focus on tasks without spending time learning unnecessary new software.

Simple moves like this are everything for maintaining Rising Authors marketing, and community.

What are some of your favorite tools that you use?