TSN #10 - Tools That Replace Contractors: Streamlining Your Solo Operation

Hey! 👋

This and the next issue are going to be all about tools that give you superpowers.

With the number of new tools coming out, it makes sense to do a cleanup of your personal tech stack. If this is something you want to do over the summer, read on! ☀️

TSN’s subscriber base is continuously growing, and I thank you for that! As always, if you know someone who could benefit from this, I would be very grateful!

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My 5 most valuable tools of recent months

To move the needle and get things done, you can essentially hire freelancers or do it yourself. If you are all about moving forward fast, you will only have the latter option available, with some learning curve included.

The good news is that in today’s world of micro SaaS and AI tools, you can actually get a lot done in relatively high quality quickly. Below are my 5 favourite tools to save you time, money, and the headache of managing contractors.

1/ Gamma.app: Forget Keynote/Slides, Generate Your Presentations

What it replaces: Hours spent in Apple Keynote whenever you want to build a deck that you will probably use only once but requires a build from the ground up.

Key benefits:

• Uses prompts to generate content (including graphs/graphics etc.)

• Thousands of good looking design templates

• Edits are made using prompts - love it

You can get started for free, up to 15 slides. My pro tip is to write your outline and slide content ideas in Apple notes & then just paste it into the prompt.

2/ Claude 3.5 + GPT4: Your Research Team

What it replaces: Juniors doing research for you or hours spent with bad google results. Also, if used well you can easily turn your research into a white-paper or memo to share with others.

Key benefits:

• Claude 3.5 Sonnet is great for research and white papers, it does not have internet connection, but can formulate prompts for chat GPT4 to do research on its behalf

• GPT4 searches the internet and then you just paste the results back to Claude

• Turns research into shareable white papers quickly

Initially, I completely switched to Claude 3.5 after discovering it, but the lack of internet connectivity led me to find an effective way to use both. Whenever I need internet data, I prompt Claude to write a prompt for GPT-4, which has internet access.

3/ UnicornPlatform: Simplifying Idea Testing

What it replaces: Teams of freelancers for testing basic ideas. Enables you as an entrepreneur to move forward independently.

Key benefits:

• Enables quick creation of landing pages or directories

• Allows you to launch now, or over the weekend

• No coding knowledge required and no need to source freelancers

Let’s say you want to try building a directory, or a simple service MVP website. This is the go to tool. In order to launch quickly you will build using templates and you’ll do everything on your own. No need to wait for freelancers to get back to you, very powerful in today’s fast age. Try it here.

4/ Beacons.ai: All-in-One Online Presence

What it replaces: Heavy personal websites, which are difficult in terms of customisation or sales of services. Again, it allows entrepreneurs to move forward quickly and independently.

Key benefits:

• Creates versatile link-in-bio pages

• Generates simple landing pages and personal pages

• Allows for quick service/shop/content sales setup

Perfect for consolidating your online presence and starting simple e-commerce, which does not have to be around a physical product, but can be a service or content.

5/ Opus.pro: Taking Care of All Video Editing Needs

What it replaces: This might be the best way for you to start with video. I struggled to find a simple enough editor that would take a video I recorded and cut it into LinkedIn or Instagram clips based on content quality. Finally, I found one, and it's amazing.

Key benefits:

• Upload a video of yourself & it will generate clips based on content

• Automatically adds subtitles & allows you to customise design

• Helps repurpose content for various platforms and for various lengths

If you haven’t done online video yet, this is a great way to start with just one tool. You can use Quicktime on your Mac to record a video clip and then just upload it to Opus.pro, wait couple of minutes and you can start sharing.

The Efficiency Boost:

These tools aren't just about cutting costs; they're about increasing your capabilities as someone who is starting out or considering a solo-preneur journey. They allow you to produce high-quality work in areas that might be outside your primary skillset, giving you more control over your projects and timelines.

Remember, while these tools are powerful, they're not magic bullets. Your creativity, strategic thinking, and personal touch are still crucial to your success. The outcome in many cases will be only as good as your prompt. Use these tools to enhance your work, not replace your unique value.

Coming Up Next:

In our next issue, we'll flip the script and discuss tools I've stopped using and why. It's not always about adding new tools—sometimes, it's about knowing when to let go. Stay tuned for insights on refining your toolkit for maximum efficiency.

Enjoy the summer days!

- Slavo

P.S.: If you’re looking for some more inspiration, click the link below: