Nothing makes me roll my eyes more Reader than when everyone suddenly jumps on the bandwagon for a certain tool because everyone and their mother is talking about it that week. I'm looking at you Notion. 👀

Not every tool is going to be a fit for you.

Whether it’s because of the way you think or work, the way your team is built, your budget, or how your clients work with you, the most talked about tools out there might not be for you.

That’s why there are so many tools out there — because everyone's needs are different.

If a tool is the talk of the town and it's making you feel FOMO, think about this before you grab it:

• Is this something your current tech stack is missing
• Or is this potentially the one to replace a tool you currently have

In those cases yessss please do test it out and see if it fits your needs.

Otherwise, put those blinders on.

I’ve seen too many people try out the hottest new tool, buy templates and move their entire business over to it without actually testing to see if it actually hits all the boxes they need it to.

Lemme back it up a little and say this.

I don’t know one person who hasn’t fallen to shiny object syndrome in their business. Heck, I've done it... recently.

Whether you found an insane deal on AppSumo or it’s a new platform everyone and their mother is gushing about (Moxie, Notion, Butter, the list goes on), we’ve all done it.

But how often is it that what you just signed up for is actually worth it?

The tech you use for your business can make or break it — from operations to client experience to financially.

When it comes to your tech stack (aka the tools you use in your business) what are you actually using and should you keep using them?

Here’s 5 indicators it’s time to do a tech stack audit:

1. You don’t actually use the tool(s) you have and default to something else (ie. a sticky note)
2. Your business is growing beyond the capabilities of your current tools
3. You have a team now and the functionality of it with a team is subpar
4. You keep having to compensate for features that are lacking or not there at all
5. You’re wondering why your non-contractor expenses are so high but have no idea what you’re actually spending money on

Once you find a new tool you want to try out, ask yourself these 6 questions before diving in:

1. Is it worth the money being spent (especially for tools with ongoing payments)
2. Is there another tool I currently have that could replace this one (even if I need to upgrade)
3. Do I need to upgrade or downgrade my plan on a current tool to fix my problem
4. Do I need to add this to my tech stack so I can do X, Y, Z
5. Is this a tool that will grow with my business or is it a placeholder for when X happens

While you can’t account for every eventuality or shift in your business, you can make smarter decisions based on those answers.

Happy auditing!

Til next time,

Liz