Resources To Grow Your Business & Be A More Conscious Consumer
DOWN TO BUSINESS
Tech Tools
My favorite place to buy domain names and host websites* (whether you’re using WordPress, Squarespace, or Wix) because they have really responsive customer service (yes, real people on the phone) and good branded email address packages.
Dubsado offers a sleek, simple interface to manage your entire client workflow (from initial call to final invoice). One of my favorite features is the scheduler that allows for paid OR free sessions. Get 20% off your first month or year using this link* or the code AshleeSang.
Manage clients, proposals, workflows, automated emails, invoices, scheduling, and more! This CRM made me feel way more professional in my business. This is especially useful for project-based creatives. Get 30% off using this link* or the code AshleeSang.
When I was ready to level-up my email marketing game with an automated welcome funnel, Mailchimp’s free version just wasn’t cutting it anymore. Compared to Mailchimp and ConvertKit, MailerLite had the best free plan and was the most intuitive to create sign-up forms, landing pages, and newsletters. This link* gives you a free 30-day trial of their premium features.
I’ve tried a few project management apps, bullet journaling, spreadsheets, and more to keep all my ideas and to-do’s under wraps. Notion is the catch-all that works perfectly for my brain. I keep mine super simple, but you can make yours fancy if you’d like! Totally free* (with some paid upgrades available).
When I launched my podcast, I had a few different hosting options, but I went with Podbean* because of the combination of features, pricing, and their reputation for good customer service. If you’re shopping around for where the heck to host that podcast you KNOW is inside you, you can try Podbean for free for a month*.
Communities, Courses, Programs, and Templates
If you’ve been wanting to do marketing differently and learn both the art and science of connecting to humans through your business, I highly recommend Alt Marketing School’s certification program*. Plus, they offer “marketing for good scholarships” to enroll at a huge discount.
Read about my personal experience with the program.
We could all use Ashley Kang’s CEO Day Course*. She’s SO thorough while leaving tons of space for flexibility as you create the CEO Day that will serve your life AND business, rather than following a prescriptive formula. This is perfect if you want a CEO Day, but don’t know how or where to start. She packages up all of her strategies and frameworks* from her 1:1 work into any easy-to-follow process that allows you to get a birds-eye view of your business and manage your time during the rest of your week.
(PS: Get to know the human behind the course via our podcast episode together!)
This community of thoughtful marketers and business owners* from around the world is all about intentional connections and transparent offers. There’s education, networking, resources, and more.
The Green Marketing Academy™* is a Green Marketing Certification program (plus some mini-course options!) for marketing professionals and their teams as they makes moves toward big impact with a small footprint.
GMA even has an Impact Hub full of templates, tools, and vetted resources as you continue to go green in your business. And of course, there’s an awesome community of alumni and collaborators as well!
(PS: Get to know the human behind the academy via our podcast episode together!)
Guesting on podcasts is such a fun marketing medium, but I know how daunting it can feel to get started. A service like Podmatch* can be a great way to facilitate and accelerate those relationships!
It’s always so impressive when service providers find a way to package up parts of their brain and methodology to sell as products. Sarah Cook has nailed this process. If you run a health or wellness business, her copywriting templates* are totally on point. They match the most common scenarios wellness entrepreneurs face using proven copywriting formulas AND prompts/examples so you can customize as needed. [Psst she does done-for-you VIP days* too!]
Created by Social Entrepreneur Coach Kat Luckock, these self-paced mini-courses prepare you to grow your business and your impact.
Your Client-Attracting Social Impact Story (Mini-Course)* covers everything you need to develop and share your story as a social entrepreneur in order to attract and connect with your ideal customers. Bonus: you can bundle it with my Power To The Persona Guided Template at checkout!
Making Money Whilst Doing Good* is for service-based social entrepreneurs who want to make consistent money through values-aligned sales mindset and strategy.
I was inspired to create my Messages That Matter Intensive from Jordan of Systems Saved Me*. She is the OG VIP Day evangelist and has since branched out to other business-building, life-first coaching.
(PS: Get to know the human behind the business via our podcast episode together!)
What started as a co-working travel company* has since evolved to include online communities. I took an amazing trip to Peru and highly recommend.
LET'S GET PERSONAL
Brands Worth Supporting When You Shop
We invested in a high-interest CD through Ally Bank* after researching their ethics and comparing their interest rates. It’s been a good experience so far and they have lots of other tools and options besides CDs (which definitely aren’t a good option if you think you’ll need to access that money anytime in the near future).
BLK + GRN* is a marketplace that vets for all-natural products by all Black makers. (Love that intersection of values!) Use my link or the code AshleeSang for 10% off your order.
You know you’ve reached the peak of adulthood when you get excited about cleaning products. But seriously, this is the ONLY product I use to clean my entire house*. The founders are health fanatics and I trust their formula to actually be nontoxic. Get $10 off with my link!
An easy, vetted one-stop-shop for all things eco-friendly, fair trade, organic, etc*. You’re able to search by your personal values and they do all the research for you.
I’ve been using Fetch* for any purchases too. It’s annoying because you have to snap photos of receipts (paper or email), but I’ve gotten some free gift cards and it’s worth the couple seconds each time I buy something. It works when I buy literally anything from anywhere. (Whereas lots of other apps have affiliated partnerships and only work with certain places.) You can really try to play the game by seeing what stores and brands have bonuses, but I never do. (Referral code PJGNDF for 1000 extra “points”.)
***Also not sure about the ethics of the company itself. But their offerings of redeemable prizes vary from donating to charity to cash cards and gift cards to common retailers.
Fair Trade cotton, organic, and affordable. Checks all the boxes for me and our household! This was one of the first sustainable brands I bought from YEARS ago and I keep coming back to them for basics. Use my link* to get 15% off your first purchase.
Honestly, I can’t speak to the ethos of Rakuten itself, but I use their browser extension for ANY online purchase I make. As long as the brand/site is a partner, you get cash back rebates at no cost to you. I thrift locally as much as I’m able, but I’ve made back over $300 since I started using the extension for stuff I had to buy anyway. My link gets you a hefty $30 back* when you spend $30 on any purchases with their partner brands.
For all things non-toxic—and borderline luxury—skincare, makeup, hair care, and even wellness, The Detox Market* has you covered. They curate tons of pre-vetted personal care brands you can trust.
This has long been my favorite online thrifting experience and it’s become the biggest consignment store on the internet. They have great filtering capabilities to narrow down their huge range of brands, styles, and sizes. Use my link* to get $10 off your first order.
One of the best and easiest money decisions I made in the past few years was to open a high-yield savings account to dump surplus money I don’t need on the daily. The best interest rate to ethics combo I found was with Wealthfront*.
(Also trusted by Kara, who I trust tons!) I get 5% back on my money every month…which is a LOT more than the .01% my “normal” checking account offers.
This page shares affiliate links (marked with *). Buying via my link doesn’t add any costs to you (but you might get a discount!), and gives me a bit of passive income. Whether you use my link or not, I want you to have the resources you need and want to thrive!
Looking for more purposeful marketing resources?
Turn confusion into clarity with these downloadables or via tips on the blog!