Top Apps for On-the-Go Founders Busy entrepreneurs have little time to devote to learning about the coolest and helpful apps. Here, we do the legwork for you.
By Erica Bell and Katie Finnegan Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
When you're starting a business, your phone never leaves your side.
Whether you're emailing, texting, tweeting or just checking your calendar, a smartphone is a founder's best friend. But, with so many apps coming out left and right, it's easy to miss out on the really useful ones.
We've picked out a few of our favorite apps that always keep us one step ahead:
Travel made simple:
Uber -- When you're constantly rushing from one meeting to another, you don't always have time for public transportation, and getting a cab during rush hour in New York City is pretty much impossible. We love Uber when we're in a hurry. Simply request a car in the app and you'll be picked up within minutes. It's the easiest way to travel in style.
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HopStop -- If you do have the time for public transportation, you don't want to risk getting lost on your way to meet with your investors. HopStop will tell you the best way to get where you need to be and it will even account for service delays.
Kayak, Hotel Tonight, Airbnb -- Based in NYC, we find ourselves flying out West from time to time. The Kayak app is a great way to organize all your travel information. Use it to book flights and hotels, rent a car and have your itinerary constantly at your side. Though let's face it, when you're building a business from scratch, you can't let an opportunity pass you by and last minute trips become common place. So if we arrive in town without an itinerary, we turn to Hotel Tonight for last minute hotel deals or Airbnb for affordable lodging at local residences.
Here to help:
Dropbox, Echosign -- As a startup founder, it's rare to find yourself far away from your laptop and wifi. But in the off chance that you need to access a file on-the-go, Dropbox makes sure you can get a hold of important documents anytime, anywhere. With Dropbox, upload documents to shared folders, or save them in your own private folder so all your information is always backed up. You can rest easy knowing that you can reach your files with the touch of a button. Need a signature? No problem. Echosign is an easy tool that allows you to upload files for an electronic John Hancock.
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Pocket -- As founders, we're often crunched for time and have to stay focused on the important things. Pocket is a fantastic app for keeping track of the things you want to read when you have some free time in your schedule. If you happen upon an interesting article in your Twitter feed, but just don't have the time for it, save it to Pocket and you can come back to it when the time is right for you.
American Express -- We also keep our finances just a click away. The American Express app makes keeping track of finances simple. You can schedule payments and check your balance quickly and easily. It's instrumental for small-business owners.
Digital diversions:
Twitter, Instagram, New York Times, Women's Wear Daily -- When you're getting your business off the ground, it's easy to get caught up in it and fall behind on the news. A quick scroll through your Twitter or Instagram feed is an easy way to catch up on the world and your social circle. We also keep our iPhone newsstands stocked with our favorite publications. Add all your magazine and paper subscriptions, from the New York Times to Women's Wear Daily, and you'll be able to stay up-to-date, on the go.
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Ness, Seamless Web -- When you have a chance to go out for dinner, it's a shame wasting precious time figuring out where to go. That's why we love Ness. It learns your tastes based on your ratings of restaurants and recommends new places for you to try. The more you use it, the more accurate your recommendations will be. It's also helpful for planning business lunches because you can search for casual or upscale dining and make reservations within the app. Glued to your computer? Look no further than the Seamless Web app, for quick and seamless delivery to your office or doorstep.
Hukkster -- And of course, there's our all-time favorite app, Hukkster. It's impossible to stay on top of sale emails from stores when you're getting your company off the ground. With our app, you can browse your favorite stores from your iPhone or iPad, hukk the items you love, and get notified when they go on sale. You can even buy from your phone when the price is within your reach and never miss a sale again.
What apps help fuel your busy entrepreneurial life the best? Let us know in the comments section.
