Sometimes freelancing feels like juggling twelve different jobs at once: designer, researcher, project manager, bookkeeper, even HR (have you actually taken a day OOO lately?). And honestly? Without the right tools, it can get messy fast.

I’ve always loved processes and systems. Over years of trial and error, I’ve slowly cultivated a tech stack that feels supportive instead of overwhelming. Here’s a peek at what’s working for me right now:

• CRM & Client Onboarding: Notion (so much of my business lives here now)
• Contracts: PandaDoc
• Research: ChatGPT + Mobbin (for competitor app audits)
• Moodboarding: Pinterest (and this gem of an article on why research exploration matters)
• Design: Figma for apps/websites + Illustrator/Adobe for packaging, brand, etc.
• Client feedback: Markup.io
• Project management: Notion + Notion Calendar
• Daily planning & tasks: Sunsama (psst  here’s a referral link for a free month)
• Client offboarding: Notion form
• Invoicing & bookkeeping: QuickBooks (+ amazing support from People First Finance)

Here’s the thing:

The tools themselves don’t make us better freelancers. But when our systems are designed to support us, they create the space we need for mental clarity, creative energy, and time to actually focus on the parts of business we love.

And now…we have something new to consider: AI tools.

They’re not just a shiny distraction, they’re becoming part of our everyday stack. That’s exactly what we explored in the AI for Independents workshop: how to use tools like ChatGPT in ways that enhance your independent work without overwhelming you. If you missed it, you can still catch the replay here. Plus, as part of the workshop price, custom GPT expert Nicole Cloutier shared her time-saving resources on training GPTs for brand voice, proposals, and marketing. It was like pulling back the curtain on what’s really possible when you make these tools your own.