Which of the latest “smart devices” do you actually plan to use in your business and why?
The following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.
1. iPhone
Honestly, out of all the smart devices out there (I own many as a tech geek), the only one I actually use day in and day out is my iPhone. It handles all the basics — email, Basecamp and calls. The other stuff is interesting but rarely gets used for business.
– Patrick Conley, Automation Heroes
2. Mobile Apps of Key Tools
My company operates virtually, so our bench of online tools is crucial for completing our work day in and day out. All the tools we use have corresponding mobile apps that make it easy to work from anywhere. I just spent six months traveling through Southeast Asia, and I loved the ability to check on tasks and approve documents right from my smartphone.
– Laura Roeder, LKR Social Media
3. FitBit
One of the challenges of working for a startup is the daily grind. It’s easy to get lost in the weeds and focus only on work, which can be detrimental to your health. We use FitBit in order to help encourage our team stay in shape. Even something as small as tracking steps creates a competitive push to get healthier!
– Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches
4. Tablets
Smartphones are convenient and helpful in a business. But a tablet PC is even more user-friendly. It allows the employee the ability to view and respond to things on a grander and easier scale because of the larger screen size.
– Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance
5. Samsung Galaxy
We live in an always-on world, and I don’t know what I’d do without my mobile phone. It allows me to get more work done because I can do it anywhere, anytime.
– Andy Karuza, Brandbuddee
6. Voice Recorder
Surprise your co-workers. Show them how you can manage and remember everything. The voice recorder is what works best for me. Throughout the day as people ask me questions or I make commitments to my co-workers and customers, I simply speak into my recorder and make a quick note. Before the day is over, I listen to all my recorded messages.
– Russ Oja, Seattle Windows and Construction, LLC
7. Microsoft Surface
We hung our Microsoft Surface on the wall. It displays our key metrics. This keeps the entire team focused on what is important.
– Adam Lieb, Duxter