Podcast Summary: The Side Hustle Show, Episode 642: 50+ Tools and Apps to Work Smarter and Get More Out Of Your Side Hustle

Release Date: November 21, 2024

In Episode 642 of The Side Hustle Show, host Nick Loper teams up with Nikayla Matthews Okome, host of the award-winning Side Hustle Pro podcast, to delve into an extensive list of over 50 tools and applications designed to enhance productivity, streamline operations, and maximize the efficiency of side hustlers. The episode is meticulously structured into various categories, each focusing on different aspects of managing and growing an online business.

1. Introduction

Nick Loper kicks off the episode by introducing the concept of "Tool Talk," aimed at uncovering the essential tools and apps that empower side hustlers to work smarter. To provide diverse perspectives, he welcomes Nikayla Matthews Okome, highlighting her expertise and experience in scaling side hustles into profitable ventures.

Nick (00:01): "These are 50 plus tools and apps to work smarter and get more out of your side Hustle."

2. Website Tools

a. WordPress and Themes

Both Nick and Nikayla emphasize the importance of having a solid website as the cornerstone of an online business. They advocate for using WordPress due to its flexibility, extensive plugin ecosystem, and cost-effectiveness. Nick specifically mentions using the GeneratePress theme for its lightweight nature and customizability.

Nick (01:30): "WordPress of course has the advantage of being free, open source GeneratePress, pretty affordable, premium theme, lightweight, loads fast, customizable..."

b. Hosting Platforms

WPX Hosting is highlighted by Nick as the preferred hosting service for Side Hustle Nation, praised for its exceptional customer support and reliability. Nikayla shares her positive experience with SiteGround, recommended by her web designer, for its performance updates and user-friendly interface.

Nick (03:13): "The hosting platform that Side Hustle Nation has been on for over 10 years at this point is WPX. WPX hosting. Amazing customer support..."

c. Domain Registration

They discuss various domain registrars, with Nick favoring GoDaddy and Pork Bun for their straightforward interfaces, while Nikayla expresses some frustration with GoDaddy's upselling tactics.

d. Page Builders

Nick utilizes Beaver Builder for its WYSIWYG capabilities, allowing for easy drag-and-drop website editing. In contrast, Nikayla prefers Elementor, managed by her website designer, for its user-friendliness and seamless integration.

Nikayla (07:03): "Elementor is really easy and straightforward to go in and do any kind of edits."

e. Link Management

The duo recommends Pretty Link, a WordPress plugin that simplifies creating memorable affiliate links, enhancing both aesthetics and tracking.

3. Marketing Tools

a. Email Marketing: ActiveCampaign vs ConvertKit

A significant focus is placed on email marketing tools. Nick shares his transition from ActiveCampaign to ConvertKit, highlighting ConvertKit’s superior features for automation, segmentation, and tagging.

Nick (07:47): "So the next category that we've got is marketing tools. And one big shift for me that we talked about this year was a shift from ActiveCampaign to ConvertKit."

Nikayla concurs, praising ConvertKit for its customization capabilities and its alignment with top marketers like James Clear and Tim Ferriss.

Nikayla (09:10): "I started out with Mailchimp like most people, early marketers. And then it switched over to ConvertKit when I got way more serious about tagging people..."

b. Landing Page Builders: Leadpages

Leadpages is lauded for its effectiveness in building landing pages that significantly grow email lists. Both hosts share success stories of tripling their subscriber bases using Leadpages.

Nick (12:00): "Within three months, you know, I tripled the size of my email list. Within 12 months it was like 10 or 12x..."

c. Quiz Builders: Interact

Interact is introduced as a versatile quiz builder that enhances user engagement and gathers valuable first-party data. Nick discusses its use in creating personalized content recommendations, while Nikayla shares her experience with quizzes tailored to identify the right side hustle for individuals.

Nick (13:24): "A couple different quizzes that are live right now. One is on the homepage of Side Hustle Nation."

d. Lead Generation: Group Leads

Group Leads, a Facebook Group lead generation tool, is highlighted for its ability to automatically collect and funnel new group members into ConvertKit, thereby expanding the email list effortlessly.

Nikayla (19:54): "I need to implement that. So yeah, that's one I haven't been using. So yes, definitely want to test that out myself. Group Leads."

4. Affiliate Tools

a. Lasso

Lasso is recommended for managing affiliate links efficiently. It offers product displays that enhance conversion rates, validating the investment through increased affiliate earnings.

Nick (22:21): "It's one of these length management by looking around where you're like, well, what is everybody else doing?"

b. Affluent

Affluent is discussed as a tool for tracking affiliate income across various networks, providing daily snapshots and simplifying month-end reporting.

Nick (70:45): "I've been using a tool called Affluent, which pulls in data from Impact, from Commission Junction, from Racketam..."

5. SEO Tools

a. Ahrefs and SEMrush

Ahrefs is endorsed as a leading keyword research tool essential for content ranking on Google. Nikayla mentions transitioning from basic plugins like Yoast to more advanced tools like Ahrefs for comprehensive SEO strategies. SEMrush is also acknowledged as a valuable tool for keyword research and competitor analysis.

Nick (25:50): "Ahrefs is the leading keyword research tool and has been for a long time."

b. Frase

Frase is introduced as a niche tool that assists in content creation by analyzing top-performing articles and optimizing existing content through detailed insights.

Nick (26:57): "You can input a new content idea. Hey, this is the article that I want to write..."

6. Productivity Tools

a. Gmail Organization and SaneBox

Both hosts emphasize the significance of organizing emails efficiently. Nick shares his extensive use of Gmail with advanced filtering, while Nikayla discusses her strategy of separating inboxes and utilizing saved templates.

Nick (29:03): "If you email me nick@sidehustlenation.com, it'll come into that Gmail inbox and you've got all these filters set up..."

SaneBox is mentioned by Nick as an effective tool for intelligently filtering important emails from less crucial ones, reducing inbox clutter.

b. Nudgemail

Nudgemail is highlighted as an innovative Gmail add-on that helps users resurface important emails at designated times by simply forwarding them to a specific address.

Nick (31:14): "I also use that for my VA. So my VA has a sub email under side Hustle Pro."

c. Clipboard Management: Clip and CopyClip

Nick introduces Clip for PC users and mentions CopyClip as a Mac alternative, tools that save multiple clipboard entries for easy retrieval.

Nikayla (32:27): "Maybe I'm scared for someone to keep track of what I copied."

d. Keyboard Shortcuts: Magical

Magical is recommended for creating custom keyboard shortcuts, streamlining repetitive tasks by automating frequently typed phrases or links.

Nick (32:57): "If I hit SSS or something like that, I'll... type W HTTP you know, www.site."

e. Email Templates and Journaling

Nikayla and Nick discuss the use of Gmail templates to expedite communication, especially for repetitive tasks like responding to guests or sponsors. Additionally, Nick introduces his personal productivity tool, the Three Question Journal, which aids in daily reflection and goal setting.

Nick (35:02): "Every night it is going to ask you what'd you get done today... what you're grateful for... how you're going to win tomorrow."

Nikayla (36:00): "I started this back in 2016. It's called the Go Getter Action Plan..."

7. Team Collaboration Tools

a. Password Managers: LastPass

LastPass is discussed as an essential tool for secure password sharing among team members, despite some concerns about security breaches.

Nick (50:21): "Lastly, password breaches have been a little concerning."

b. Automation: Make.com vs Zapier

Nick introduces Make.com (formerly Integromat) as his preferred automation tool over Zapier due to its cost-effectiveness and robust integration capabilities.

Nick (51:06): "Make.com, formerly Integromat, this is an automation tool that connects different apps and services..."

c. Project Management: Asana

While Nick finds Asana invaluable for managing complex tasks and team responsibilities, Nikayla shares her reservation, preferring simpler tools like Slack for communication.

Nick (53:50): "As the team has grown... Asana has been really helpful for keeping track of tasks and deadlines..."

d. Virtual Assistants and Agencies

Nick praises OkayVA, his virtual assistant service, for providing reliable support on recurring tasks. Nikayla echoes the importance of finding dependable virtual assistance through referrals.

Nick (55:02): "I have a virtual assistant service called Okay, Relax..."

8. Podcasting Tools

a. Recording: Riverside

Riverside.fm is recommended for recording remote interviews, praised for its high-quality audio and video capture, along with automatic backups.

Nick (58:58): "Riverside fm is a browser-based recording tool that allows for remote interviews..."

b. Audio Editing: Audacity and Descript

Nick shares his use of Audacity for audio editing and Descript for its innovative approach to editing video by manipulating text transcripts.

Nick (61:24): "Descript has something similar called Overdub... you'll edit video by editing text."

c. Hosting Platforms: Megaphone and Libsyn

Nick discusses his shift to Megaphone, a Spotify-powered host offering dynamic ad insertion, while Nikayla mentions her use of Acast, highlighting its seamless integration for independent podcasters.

Nick (64:50): "Megaphone is the new media host for the show. It's Spotify-powered and allows for dynamic ad insertion..."

d. Transcription and Editing Services

The necessity of transcription tools like Descript for creating show notes and optimizing content is emphasized, facilitating quicker content turnaround and higher efficiency.

9. Graphics and Video Tools

a. Canva and Etsy Templates

Canva is a staple for creating diverse graphics, from YouTube thumbnails to social media posts. Both hosts appreciate its user-friendly interface and extensive library. Additionally, Nikayla mentions purchasing Canva templates from Etsy for specialized designs.

Nick (41:15): "Canva is super easy to use and they've added on all these kind of cool photo editing, image enhancement features..."

b. Screen Recording: Screen Pal

Screen Pal is preferred over Loom for its reliability in creating tutorials, demos, and internal process videos, despite Loom's transcription capabilities.

Nick (42:08): "Screen Pal... an alternative to Loom. It's really affordable and useful for daily tasks."

c. Pictory

Pictory.ai is introduced as a game-changer for video production, allowing users to convert scripts and voiceovers into visually engaging videos with stock footage and captions, significantly reducing editing time.

Nick (44:30): "It's called Pictory. Upload your script, and it pulls in hundreds of stock footage clips to create visually compelling videos."

d. Stock Photos: Pexels

Pexels is recommended for free stock photography, complementing the graphic needs of various content types.

Nick (49:39): "Pexels is where we're sourcing a lot of the images. It's great for free stock photography."

10. Money Tools

a. Bookkeeping: Kick

Nick introduces Kick.co, a bookkeeping solution that syncs with various accounts, providing real-time financial snapshots and saving significant costs compared to traditional methods.

Nick (66:15): "Kick syncs with all your different accounts and gives you a real-time picture of your income and expenses..."

b. Personal Finance: Monarch

Monarch is highlighted as a personal net worth dashboard, offering monthly income and expense tracking with an aesthetically pleasing interface, allowing Nick and his wife to monitor their finances collaboratively.

Nick (69:09): "Monarch is your personal net worth dashboard... helps me feel more on top of it."

c. Affiliate Income Tracking: Affluent

Affluent is discussed as a tool for aggregating affiliate earnings from multiple networks, though Nick notes its limitations with certain integrations like ThriveCart or SamCart.

Nick (70:45): "Affluent pulls in data from various affiliate networks and provides a daily snapshot of your earnings..."

11. Social Media Management

Both hosts touch upon tools for managing social media presence. Later is recommended by Nikayla for scheduling posts across platforms, while Nick briefly mentions Buffer for LinkedIn management.

Nikayla (71:35): "I like using a tool called Later to schedule out posts across different social media channels..."

12. Conclusion

Nick and Nikayla wrap up the episode by reflecting on their journeys from managing their operations manually to integrating sophisticated tools as their businesses expanded. They emphasize that while the plethora of tools may seem overwhelming initially, each serves a crucial role in optimizing different facets of a side hustle. The hosts encourage listeners to explore these tools to find the best fit for their unique needs, ultimately making their side hustles more efficient and scalable.

Nick (71:55): "We'll add those in to the list. Well, what you excited about these days? What kind of projects have you got going on?"

Nikayla (72:12): "I'm excited about this Riverside Video podcasting course... also Podcast Moguls, which is my course and Mastermind group..."

The episode concludes with directions to the show notes for links to all mentioned resources, ensuring listeners can easily access and implement the tools discussed.

Notable Quotes:

• Nick (00:01): "These are 50 plus tools and apps to work smarter and get more out of your side Hustle."

• Nikayla (07:03): "Elementor is really easy and straightforward to go in and do any kind of edits."

• Nick (09:10): "...ConvertKit makes it really easy to send follow up reminder emails to tag people and make sure the right people are getting that."

• Nikayla (12:59): "I love LeadPages and it's fun... showing that you made this much revenue from your lead page last year."

• Nick (25:50): "Ahrefs is the leading keyword research tool and has been for a long time."

• Nick (35:02): "Every night it is going to ask you what'd you get done today... what you're grateful for... how you're going to win tomorrow."

• Nick (44:30): "Pictory... it takes hours and hours of, you know, a video editor's time."

This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for side hustlers seeking to enhance their business operations through the strategic use of various tools and applications, providing actionable insights and real-world experiences from seasoned entrepreneurs.