List of tools and resources for makers and designers. The Toolbox from Mad & Dusty.

Finding the right tools for your small business can be tough! Dusty and I have come across some great resources as we build our business. Welcome to our toolbox! This is a list of tools that have made our lives as makers and designers a whole lot easier! Consider us your encouraging wingwoman/wingman as you break into the freelance dance. We will be constantly updating as we find new things, so check back soon!

(Are we missing the best thing ever? Have a suggestion? Leave a comment below!)

Graphic Design

What Font Is for when you're wondering, "What font is that?"
A list of Stock Photos that Don't Suck
Pinterest for collaborating with clients.
Adobe Creative Cloud for everything, because you kinda have to these days.
Canva for when you don't want to use Adobe.

Email Marketing

Mailchimp for intelligent email marketing and easy to design newsletters.

Websites + Portfolios

Squarespace for building something beautiful.
Squarespace Template Comparison Chart for when you want to build something beautiful, but you're not sure what it should look like.

Writing and Blogging

Hemingway Editor for keeping your writing clear and kicking passive voice to the curb. Unless, that's your thing.
Headline Analyzer for writing better, clickable headlines.

Social Media

Buffer for scheduling out social posts easily.
Latergramme for scheduled reminders for Instagram posts.
This Editorial Calendar template for Makers.

Project Management

Trello for managing a small to medium workload.
Asana for when you have a large or heavy workflow.
Google Calendar for giving yourself time to work and time to not.

Ecommerce

Etsy for small batch makers looking to be part of a community.
Squarespace for when you need simple, beautiful ecommerce.
Shopify for when you need both POS and ecommerce. They get a high five for allowing you to sell on Facebook and Pinterest too!