App bloat is one of the problems that startups and solopreneurs struggle with, so here’s a process for cutting out the bloat.

When building an app toolkit to run your business, it helps to step back and consider what is really needed. Solopreneurs typically already have some tools even before they start a business. Even if it’s just some spreadsheets, a couple of cell phone apps, and Gmail, this is your first system for managing your business. Warts and all, it’s doing something already: it’s running your business.

Business Apps and Everything Else

Your starting system is what we are going to take a closer look at. As you were starting your business, you probably had that Apple jingle clanking in your head: “There’s an app for that!” So, you probably downloaded tons of apps already. You have a whole collection. Some of them are old favorites, some are dual-purpose fun and business, and some are just things you tried out for a little while.

The problem is that when you run a business, you should do everything you can to keep your business separate from your personal/fun life. So, the first thing we need to do is create a mental barrier between business and personal.

Consider all the apps that you use for your business. This is your starting system. We’re going to consider each app. Is it ideal? Is there something better? Is it really that bad? Think of these apps as your starting point, square one, the baseline for running your business.

Trimming the Fat

Now, grab a pen and a sheet of paper and write down all the apps. One good way to do this is to think of everything that you use to make a single sale. Add all online accounts, subscriptions, social media accounts, advertising services, VPNs, online banks, and licenses. Also include apps that you use with physical devices (for your printers, car, scanners, etc.). As you write your list, you’ll probably notice it’s a bit longer than you thought.

This is fine.

Now that you have a nice long list, let’s start by crossing out some of the items that are more wants than needs. You’re running a business here, not an app store. You’ll be surprised how many apps you can cross out.

I’ve done this process with small business owners, and here are some of the things that typically fall off the list:

• Social media accounts – no, it’s not necessary to be on every platform

• Graphic design software – Do you really need that Adobe subscription?

• Duplicate apps – you’d be surprised how many times people pay for overlapping tools

• Microsoft Office – like Adobe, it’s great but also expensive

• Security software – Ignore the scare tactics companies like Symantec use to upsell these

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) – Salesforce is awesome… and expensive

You get the idea. Give some serious thought to each app and cross out what you don’t need. You might also surprise yourself by how many you can cross out too. Cross out as many as you can.

What you want is to simplify your system to just the bare minimum of what you need to run your business. The reason is that as you use more apps, you also make your system more complex, leaving more places for interoperability issues and security holes.

I’ve helped people with everything from ransomware recovery to crippling lawsuits. I can assure you, it’s all expensive to fix. As a startup or solopreneur, you want to put as much daylight as possible between those things and your business. Simplicity is your greatest asset in dealing with all of those. This is true for part-time solopreneurs and businesses with hundreds of employees.

P.S. I’m not knocking Adobe, Microsoft, or any of the other brand-name apps. They make very good products that have established reputations, but they are not the best place to start for solopreneurs with meager budgets. They are also typically much more than you need and add more complexity. But most importantly, they are expensive.

Replacing Apps

As you were working through this process you may have come across some apps that aren’t working well for you. This is normal too. Those are the next set of apps to scratch off the list. However, you’ll need to use a different colored pen for those apps because you need to replace them.

You’ll need to do some research to find the best fit for you. Don’t immediately turn to YouTube for quick reviews – personally, I dislike YouTube because it is very distracting. Many of the reviews are paid for, and even the ones that aren’t, come from people who only know one or two alternatives. The info simply isn’t as good as it could be.

Instead, read some written reviews from reputable online sources. Those tend to be more accurate. Because they are written, I feel the authors put more effort into backing up what they write. A written review also requires more thoughtful analysis. It is intended to be more permanent and so it has to stand up to greater scrutiny.

Another good source is to ask other small business owners what they use. I have a whole collection of owner interviews on my Business Owner Stories site where I ask them about what they use. In addition to my blog articles, you can also use the interviews to reach out to them directly. For example, if they have a great-looking online store, you may want to ask them how they did it.

Replacing your apps is a more involved process. I always advise that you should only replace one app at a time. Let the new app gel with your system before you switch out another app. Consider the app you switched out. Was it really that bad? Should you switch back? If you don’t, will you be able to grow with your business using the new app?

Another important thing to ask of every app, and really for any change to make to your business processes: does it increase sales? You want to always keep this question at the top of your mind. If a new tool causes a loss of business, then what else are you gaining with it? It could be greater opportunity or growth elsewhere in your business, so that should be considered too. However, if it has more downsides, then you should carefully consider if it was a good thing to switch it out.

Cost should be a driving factor when you are starting out, and that includes the cost of the apps themselves. I’ve written a downloadable guide called the Solopreneur Stack. It’s a free download and I highly recommend you check it out if you have a limited budget:

A New, Agile, and Svelte List of Apps for Running Your Business

We have now separated our business apps from our personal apps, and we’ve trimmed it down to just the essentials, and we’ve replaced the apps we wanted to switch out. This is now your new business management system. While I’m a big proponent of using the least expensive apps, as I describe in my Solopreneur Stack, I also know that everyone has different systems that work for them.

Some of you may have already subscribed to a QuickBooks or Microsoft license. Maybe you’ve started to use it already and are now comfortable with it. More power to you. If you are using the apps and they are meeting your needs, then you are doing it right. The important thing is to use the apps, to make use of your investment.

This is why it’s important to regularly re-evaluate the apps that make up your system. This isn’t just for startups and solopreneurs. This should be something all businesses do no matter how large they are. Most importantly, you should never allow bad apps to impact your bottom line. Not every app is ideal for everyone. Every business is different, so find what apps work for you and continue to fine-tune your list as you continue to grow your business.