What happens after a viral product launch? Jean Wu faced this question after her business Que raised over half a million dollars through its Kickstarter launch.
The success of the brand’s collapsible water bottle inspired Jean and co-founder Kevin Shen to streamline their business. Since their launch, both have focused on optimizing their workflow processes using a range of applications and services.
Jean then shares the four tools she uses to simplify her workflow and how they have allowed her to focus on building the brand.
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Four apps to improve your workflow
After going viral, Jean and Kevin used tools and services to help them optimize their business operations and give them time to focus on their growth strategies. These are their recommendations.
1. ShipStation
No matter where you are in your professional journey, the first tool Jean recommends using is Navigation station. This software will help you manage all the different shipping partners you will work with to fulfill orders. “It’s great, we’ve been using it for eight years now. You can ship with multiple carriers like USPS, UPS, FedEx, and even DHL for international packages,” says Jean.
Using a platform like ShipStation is essential to reaching your customers where they are. You shouldn’t spend your time wondering how you’re going to get your product into the hands of your customers after it goes viral. Instead, focus on finding a tool like ShipStation that can organize the shipping process for you.
2. Zoho
Once orders begin, Jean suggests finding software to make accounting easier. “We are using Zoho for accounting and all our administrative tasks: it’s an excellent all-in-one service, which allows you to invoice your client, do CRM (customer relationship management) and track your inventory,” explains Jean.
Finding a service like Zoho will help you organize all your administrative tasks in one place, so you won’t have to worry about forgetting an invoice or misplacing a purchase order. Services like Zoho can keep you from being too overwhelmed by the financial aspects of owning a business.
3. Bench
Bookkeeping is a complex task that requires multiple software programs to perfect. “I highly recommend Bench to track your expenses and profits, so you have a better idea of how your business is operating,” says Jean.
Running a business requires continuous work and it’s easy to forget to check your income and annual reports. At the end of the year, Bench creates a business statement, so you can see a detailed report of your profit or loss and move forward with a clear and concise plan for the new year’s budget.
4. Taste
Managing payroll for all your employees is one of the most difficult tasks as a founder, and to maintain these relationships you need to pay people on time and accurately. “We are using Enthusiasm for payroll and human resources, and they are wonderful,” says Jean.
Spending money up front on a system that pays your employees accurately and timely is essential to growing a business post-viral. Without the hard work of dedicated employees, your business will not succeed.
“The most amazing thing is that all these services communicate with each other and work together. You can use their APIs, and they’re all integrated,” says Jean. Using these tools will help you create a more unified and agile system to help your business run smoothly and efficiently. The Shopify App Store has a suite of apps that integrate directly with your store, allowing you to manage your business needs in one place.
To learn more about the tools and services Jean’s team uses to grow the business and how Que approaches its product expansion, listen to the full Shopify Masters episode.