Everything I use + love to run my small business(es)

Hi hi!

Randi here! I’m the owner and founder of Kay + Co — I’ve been running this company since 2017 and have worked with over 300 groups, and have also started 3 other companies in the last few years, some bach party-related and some not!

One question I get a lot in my Instagram messages and via email is about everything I do on a day-to-day basis to run this business AND what tools I use for automations, emails, etc — so I’m doing a round-up below of my essentials!

An important note: A huge factor in being a small business owner (if this is you, you know!) is staying balanced and being sure to check in with your own mental and physical health. I struggled with this a lot in the beginning (as we all do) and never really took a break from being “on” a business owner. In the last two years, I’ve spent a lot of time figuring out what’s important and what’s not, and now my mental health is in a much better place (most days). I’m sharing below some of the non-negotiables that I consider to be business essentials because they keep me healthy and able to run my business as the best version of myself.

Without further ado, let’s jump in!

INSTAGRAM THINGS

Instagram link in bio:

I cannot sing the praises of Stan.Store enough — it has been such a gamechanger for me! This is the link that potential customers click on through my Instagram bio (which is where we get about 50% of our traffic from) and I LOVE how straightforward it is for the customer. I used to link to our website on Instagram and I feel like that was probably a little overwhelming for people to find what they were looking for — now I can create a box for each “pillar” of our business and customers can easily find what they’re looking for. If you are going to do ONE thing from this list, Stan.Store should be it! Get a free trial of Stan.store here.

A lot of people selling digital courses and things like that use Stan, but it can definitely be for way more than that — it’s just so easy to look at, so even if you’re an online shop, an influencer, or whatever, I think Stan would be a fit!

Instagram DM automations:

You may have noticed that on Instagram, I’m asking you to comment something like “secrets” or “freebie” and then you automatically get a DM from me with a certain link or form. This automation is through an app called Manychat, which is endorsed by Meta so it’s legit! This app has been a GAMECHANGER for my business and is so much better than the link in bio option for users to get what they need right away. It’s relatively easy to set up and you can send links to basically anything. There are also more robust automations like collecting emails, etc but I mostly use it for sending links. Get Manychat.

Content creation:

I use this microphone to film videos + this phone holder thing (selfie stick?) if I’m not holding my phone. I do not use an Instagram scheduler!

EMAIL THINGS

Emails like welcome flows + newsletters:

My email newsletter is through Flodesk; I’ve used a number of other email systems and have found Flodesk to be the easiest by far to use. It’s not going to be the best option for a shop selling physical products, especially if you want to link to Shopify (Klaviyo is probably best for that), but in terms of delivering my freebies, sending welcome flows and newsletters, and collecting emails as leads, Flodesk is great. Take 50% off your first year of Flodesk here.

Inquiry forms + emails for booking confirmations, proposals, invoices, + other:

Dubsado has SAVED US in the last two years as we’ve experienced some rapid growth — when a potential customer sends an inquiry about their date to us, it goes into Dubsado and immediately makes them into a “project,” so that we can send responses, a proposal for services, a contract, invoices, and every other form you can think of. Most of these emails are automated so that they go out at a certain time based on when a client’s project is; for example, a request for a grocery list would go out two weeks before the date of service.

Disclaimer: Dubsado definitely has a learning curve; I actually took an entire course on getting it set up (which was very, very worth it). There are a number of people on Instagram who specialize in Dubsado, but my course was from Charlotte Issac + she made it relatively painless! Take 20% off your first month or year of Dubsado here.

mental health + WELLNESS

The one thing I eat every single day:

Ever since I started paying a little more attention to what I eat (rather than just rushing around and eating yuck snacks because I’m too busy), I’ve felt SO much better both physically and mentally, plus I feel more confident because I’m taking care of myself. The absolute thing that I will NOT miss every day is a Blender Bomb — it’s a little bite-sized snack made of a bunch of superfoods so it’s super nutrient-dense and just makes me feel really good! It’s also a Charleston-based, woman-owned company, so we love that :)

I typically put my “bomb” on top of yogurt OR in a smoothie, but it can also be eaten on its own, which usually ends up happening on days where I’m running out the door to meet clients on set-up days. Regardless, super yummy and way, way cheaper than getting a smoothie at a local coffee shop! Take 20% off your order at The Bomb Co with code KAYANDCO.

My workout routine:

I’ve tried for years to get into a good routine of working out and just really couldn’t do it — I always felt like I was just way too busy (even though I spent a few hours a day just looking at my phone). I finally said enough is enough and signed up for an unlimited membership at Barre3, and y’all, it’s been so amazing. Doesn’t need to be Barre3, but highly recommend looking into some type of class in your area, or just commit to a few weekly walks!

PRODUCTS

Amazon: Products I use + love in my small business(es)

That’s all for now, but I’ll be updating this periodically!

xo, Randi