RR#085 Why Your Tech Stack Might Be Your Biggest Roadblock
Ever found yourself down the rabbit hole of tech tools, looking for that perfect software, app, or platform that’ll help you get unstuck and unlock new levels of productivity and efficiency?
Yeah, me too.
When I was looking for a community platform, I experimented with Mighty Networks, Slack, Facebook Groups, Kajabi Community, Circle, Discord, Discourse, and others.
Shopping for the perfect CRM, I tried Pipedrive, Hubspot, Salesforce, Zoho, Keap, Streak, Close, and others.
Hunting for the best platform to publish social media content, I’ve used Buffer, HypeFury, Taplio, Zoho Social, Hootsuite, and more.
For project and task management, I’ve leveraged Monday, ClickUp, Asana, Zoho Projects, Todoist, Trello, and plenty other I’ve forgotten.
Some of this experimentation was productive, but most of it was a complete waste of money and time.
I’m not here to tell you your tech stack doesn’t matter. It does.
Having the right tech stack for your business is like having the right toolbox for a job. If you need a screwdriver and all you have is a wrench, you’re kind of screwed.
And the perfect tech solution for your business can be the difference between having a screwdriver and having a drill. You can get the same job done faster, better, and with less effort.
But, based on my experience and that of the 100+ founders I’ve coached, I tend to believe that the overwhelming amount of attention we give to tech and tooling is a distraction from bigger and more complex decisions we should be making as entrepreneurs.
The difference between Asana and Monday for project or task management? Hardly enough to affect the projected deadline of your next project.
The difference between Close and Pipedrive for your CRM? Not enough to change the outcome of your next sales call.
The difference between Hootsuite and Buffer? None if your content is resonating with your next ideal client.
Here are a few strategies that helped me cut down on wasted time with tech and tooling, maximizing the benefits of my tech stack:
The person with the fewest tools wins.
When you’re building an online business, it’s not always about how good each tool is individually. What’s usually more important is how it integrates with the other tools in your tech stack. That’s why “all-in-one” platforms like Kajabi are oftentimes a better choice than cobbling together all the “best in class” tools individually.
Tech and tools only solve tactical problems.
If you’re having trouble finding the right tool for your business, consider whether you are trying to solve a strategy or behavioral problem with a tactical solution. A CRM won’t make up for the fact that you don’t have a sales process. A social media scheduler won’t fix content that isn’t converting. And a project management tool won’t fix your unwillingness to use processes and systems.
Better isn’t always better.
I’ve changed my default answer to recommendations for a new tools and software solutions to ‘no,’ even if the tool is obviously better. The case to change has to be overwhelming, obvious, and something I’ll commit to, otherwise it’s a no. Why? While there may be better solutions than what I’m currently using, the amount of time and effort to switch usually outweighs the improvements you get with a marginally better option. And all that effort comes at the expense of something else that could’ve had a bigger impact.
So, where have I landed on my tech stack? Which tools do I use for what?
That’s a question that came up recently in an “Ask Me Anything” thread I had on social media. So, I recorded a video answering it.
Watch full video
