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Director of Operations | Fall'20
“All things are difficult before they are easy.” — Chinese Proverb
There are a whole host of tools available to begin building your business no matter what stage you are at. In this module you will learn about the resources available to begin your journey as an entrepreneur. This collection will offer tools for the different stages of product development.
Even though some of these tools may have a learning curve, after some online tutorials and some tinkering around they are all manageable on an individual level.
2. Design & Development
3. Payment Processors & Subscriptions
4. Tools for Workflow
Shopify
Shopify is an ecommerce platform that allows you to start, grow, and manage a business. Through their software platform you can create and customize an online store, sell in multiple places (including web, mobile, social media, online marketplaces, brick-and-mortar locations, and pop-up shops), and manage products, inventory, payments, and shipping. Although you give up some creative freedom when it comes to design, Shopify is an extremely powerful tool that can help you kick start your business.
Wordpress
Wordpress is one of the most popular content management systems on the web hosting millions of sites to date. Through their platform, which was popularized by bloggers, you can create an online store, website, or other platform utilizing their rich variety of plugins. Wordpress is a stable of online development that powers over 37.6% of all the websites on the Internet so it's a safe bet when looking for a website builder.
Webflow
Webflow is an online software that enables people to build websites from scratch using powerful design features. In fact the website you are reading this on currently was designed in webflow. It is an extremely responsive web design tool, CMS platform, and hosting service which combines many of the best aspects of the other services. Although it does have a small learning curve, the tutorials provided by webflow are some of the best around and will make you a pro in no time.
Case Study: Pipcorn
Started by Jeff Martin and his sister Jen, Pipcorn sells heirloom popcorn snacks. They power their store through shopify and are able to distribute all over the world. Their company was featured on Shark Tank and currently sell their product online and nationwide in Whole Foods.
Adobe Suite
These tools are the industry standard for design, photo editing, video editing, and a whole host of other services. Although they do take some time to learn and even more to master, these tools will well equip anyone to design for their online business and craft wonderful digital products.
Figma
Figma is a vector graphics editor and prototyping tool which is primarily web-based. It allows users to create powerful designs all in the comfort of their brower collaboratively. It is free to use for students by using their USC email. It is similar to Adobe design products but is more user friendly and widely used by UI/UX designers. To learn more about Figma visit our design module.
Bubble
Bubble is a no-code app building platform designed to help you build software and applications without programming. Bubble helps generate code underneath your design. It is an extremely powerful tool that helps less experienced founders build the product of their dreams. Bubble much like webflow offers a rich library of learning tools to get you started and is free to use.
Case Study: Visualize Value
Visualize Value is a company that sells digital products made with Figma. Hosted and sold through a shopify store VV has created a plethora of rich designs and useful tools for any budding entrepreneur or person interested in design.
Stripe
Stripe is an extremely interesting company that offers payment solutions for everyone from fortune 500 companies to small internet businesses. They have plugins on most popular web hosting platforms and are extremely easily integratable into most websites. They offer many financial services and products all tailored towards internet businesses and even offer point of sale solutions. Their products are a must have for any e-commerce platform who wants to simplify their checkout process.
Substack
Substack is a platform that enables its users to quickly create an email list and monetize it. Users can build a following through their newsletter and offer services such as writing fiction, journalism, or other literary products to their viewers. It is a frictionless platform that lets you focus on the writing over website design and monetization.
Podia
Everything you need to sell online courses, webinars, downloads, and memberships without worrying about the tech. Podia is a platform that enables creators and people with unique skill sets to share their talents with the world. Whether it is through education, digital products, or subscriptions Podia has you covered.
Case Study: Matt Taibbi
Matt Taibbi is a prolific writer and journalist formerly at the Rolling Stone. His pieces have exposed corrupt practices on Wall Street and Capitol Hill. Recently he moved his operations to Substack to become an independent journalist and has seen massive success on the platform. He has written books such as Hate Inc., Griftopia, and The Business Secrets of Drug Dealing (which is exclusively available on his Substack that I would highly recommend)
Zapier
Zapier allows you to connect many of these online tools together to optimize your workflow. It moves information between applications you use automatically so you can focus on the work that matters to you instead of technical tinkering.
Buffer
Buffer is a social media management tool that allows you to create organized social media campaigns across multiple platforms. It seamlessly integrates with all of the major social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Snapchat to offer individual users the power of a whole digital marketing team. It is a must have tool for any social media entrepreneur.
Product Management Tools
These are some popular product and task management softwares. They allow you to work visually and collaboratively ensuring you and your team are on the same page. Absolute must haves for anyone looking to stay organized in projects between all of these tools and platforms.
Hopefully these tools have given you an introduction to the wide ranging capabilities of modern software products. Whether you want to sell your clothing brand, write your next book, or teach something you are passionate about, the internet offers a plethora of new ways for you to moinitize your passion. In the coming modules you will learn how to utilize these tools, formulate a business plan, and get started on your entrepreneurial journey.