25.05.22
Gather Round’s Essential Tools for Freelancers
As a creative freelancer, the task of running a business is very, very real. Admin, finance management, recruitment, project management, sales, outreach and business development, we could go on. We haven’t even included your creative work!
We caught up with Gather Round members to find out exactly what tools they use to make running their business smooth and stress-free. Anything that makes a life a little bit easier hey?
Let’s collaborate, baby. Miro is the tool for remote teams and ever-spanning projects. Mind map strategy, plan campaigns, present complex ideas and map customer journeys; Miro is a one-stop-shop for a whole host of tasks. Every element of the programme is collaborative so it really does make for smoother working. Best of all, it’s free. Interior Experience Designer and Resi Member, Hari Milburn encourages all her clients to use it.
Not just for sending emojis across the room. Slack allows teams to work together and importantly, feel together when everyone is working remotely. It’s good for announcements and big ideas but also for small talk and everyday chatter. Hannah, Gather Round Community Manager uses it on the daily to communicate with all our members.
This video and animation collaboration platform allows teams to privately share video, image and media files and review them in a dynamic way. Comment on specific clips, draw directly onto video and exchange frame-specific feedback. Frame allows designers, filmmakers and animators to work together seamlessly and it’s got a hella fast upload speed. Chris Caswell, Motion Designer & Art Director and Gather Round OG Resi Member swears by it.
Noise-cancelling headphones
Praise be to noise-cancelling headphones. Protect your hearing, remove distracting outside noise and enjoy (insert calming audio or EDM mix here) in utter peace. By picking up low-frequency noise and er, cancelling it, these incredible inventions of the modern age mean you can simply concentrate on the task at hand. And, of course, listen to what you choose. Cigar Factory Resi Member Pete Hugh doesn’t leave home without them.
Let us all stand at the altar of Google Docs. No need to save your work, spellcheck yourself or worry about formatting. Really, all you need to do is get the work done. All singing, all dancing, Google Docs is as helpful as they come, whether you’re a writer, designer, producer or anything in between, you’re always going to need that blank sheet of paper and Google Docs is so much more than that. Illustrator and animator, and Resi member Angie Phillips gives it a thumbs up.
The project management tool to end them all. Asana allows teams to effectively manage projects from start to finish in an intuitive, easy-to-use format. Manage team roles, to-do lists and deadlines without having to call another meeting. Task templates mean your job only has to be done once. Daisy Dobson, Copywriter and Marketing Manager and Flexi Member uses Asana with several of her clients.
Music
A favourite amongst most of our members. Listening to music has been proven to improve cognitive performance and productivity levels whilst working and we all know it generally brings more joy. Graphic Designer and Resi member Joe Duhig swears by the Charlie Bones’ Do!! You!! radio show to kick start his day.
Not exactly a creative freelancer tool, but Window Swap provides a welcome distraction every now and again and allows you to travel the world from your desk. The site lets you peer out of other people’s windows so you can catch a glimpse of Toronto, Athens, Reykjavík and Philadelphia whilst you’re sipping your morning coffee.
From making remote collaboration a smoother process to improving communications team-wide, we hope you like Gather Round members essential freelancer’s tools.
Do you have any apps, programmes or rituals you couldn’t go a day without? Let us know on Instagram and we’ll add it to the list.
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