In 2021, it is possible to build a business right from your smartphone as long as you have a good connection and the right tools. Smartphones have been greatly improved in the last decade, which has made it possible to do most of the stuff that required a computer a couple of years back.

The capabilities that smartphones have gained in recent years is one of the reasons why it is possible to run and monitor your business right from your phone. The increasing use of mobile apps is another reason for the increase in reliability on mobile devices over PCs. According to a study by Furry Analytics, phone users use mobile apps 90% of the time. The details of this study are shown below. 

In this article, we will share with you everything you need to know if you intend to run your business from your phone. We shall look at some examples of businesses that can be operated on mobile phones, the best apps you need to do this, and the tips you can use to run your business from a mobile device successfully. 

Let’s dive in!

Examples of businesses you can do right from your phone

There are hundreds of businesses that you can entirely run using your phone without the need for a computer. Here are some examples of businesses that you can start today with just your smartphone;

• Dropshipping products on eBay and other eCommerce platforms that allow this business model
• Social media marketing for other businesses.
• Testing mobile apps for developers and getting paid for that
• Stock trading
• Tech support for individuals and companies

The apps you need to run your business on the phone

1. Social networking apps

No business can be successful without customers or clients. If you are to run a business from your phone, you need apps that can enable you to get new customers and also interact with the previous ones. You may have to download a couple of social media apps based on where you think your customers are.

For instance, if you are running a B2B business, you will need apps like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. For those running B2C businesses, the most likely apps you will need are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. The choice of the apps you download should largely depend on the platforms you expect your customers to be using.

If you are running paid ads on these platforms, you will most likely need some other complementary apps to improve your experience while managing the Ads. For instance, those running Facebook Ads will need Facebook Business Suite and the Ads Manager app to manage them effectively. With these, you can easily follow your Ads' performance and also respond to potential customers that are engaging with them.

2. Todoist

Todoist is a productivity app that lets you create a to-do list of all your business tasks and share it with your team if necessary. With this app, everyone on your team will have an idea of what tasks need to be handled and the person responsible for each. But even if you are running the business alone, it is crucial to have this app for purposes of planning and to be more productive.

This app also has Siri (macOS and iOS users), and Amazon echo integration, making it easier to add reminders through voice commands. Todoist is available on macOS, iOS, Android, browser, and windows, so no matter the device your team members are using, you will all be able to communicate.

3. Wallet app

One of the first things that you need to monitor about your business are your expenses and income. While running your business from the phone, you may have to pay for internet and some of the apps to access all features.  The Wallet App is one of the most reliable apps that you can use to track your expenditure and income. You can also visualize your expenditure and income through graphs and pie charts within this app.

So, if you want to improve your financial discipline while running your business on a mobile phone, this is the app you need. It is available for both iOS and Android. You can also sync your inputs to keep a record of all your financial transactions even when you switch devices.

4. Adobe Spark Post

This app is useful for editing photos and videos that you can later post on your social platforms. The app has easy-to-use drag and drop features that make editing photos and videos very seamless. It also has thousands of templates that you can use to get started editing, so you won't have to start from scratch. It also has a bunch of png icons in its store that you can choose from in case you want to add some icons to the images or videos you are editing.

Adobe spark post gives you the option of sizing images and videos to a size that suits the social media platform you intend to post the photo or video. For instance, if you choose Instagram in the sizing option, the image will automatically be cropped into a square format that suits the Instagram news feed.

5. Evernote

This is one of the most reliable note-taking apps for smartphones. Besides taking notes, you can also store audio recordings, documents, images, and content clipped from the web all in one place. If you are using an Android phone, I would recommend using this app because it is the best all-around note-taking app for Android.

iOS users can use the default notes app on the iPhone since it has almost every feature available in Evernote. However, if you keep switching between iOS and Android, Evernote is a better alternative since it makes it easy to sync notes from previous devices.

6. A VPN

One of the things you don't have to take lightly while working from your phone is your security and privacy. Using a VPN service is a secure and private way of browsing the internet without worrying about being tracked by anyone as you use your phone. Some of the reliable VPNs you can try out include; NordVPN, ExpressVPN, SurfVPN, etc.

7. Google drive app

Using Google Drive is one of the most effective and convenient ways to create and share documents and any other kinds of files. This app is available for iOS and Android. The app itself is free, but Google gives you up to 15GB of free storage space, including your Gmail messages and media. If you need more than 15GB, you will have to subscribe for more storage starting from $1 a month.

Within Google Drive, you can share files and edit documents with your team, which is an effective collaboration feature that anyone running a business from their phone needs.

8. PayPal

Running any business online will require you to use a secure and reliable payment method, and no platform beats PayPal at this. You can use the PayPal app to monitor your income and send money to anyone worldwide. If PayPal is not available in your country, you can use other alternatives like Payoneer, Stripe, or Skrill.

Tips for running a successful business with your smartphone

1. Start by downloading the apps you need

After zeroing down on a viable business idea, the next step is to get all the apps and tools you need to run the business. You can use the list of apps we shared above to choose the ones that are relevant for your business. The list we shared is not exhaustive, so you will have to look for apps based on the kind of online business you intend to do.

2. Get a reliable smartphone.

You may not need to get the highest-end smartphones to run a successful online business, but you need one that can handle all the day-to-day tasks you through at it. I would recommend getting a smartphone that runs the latest iOS or Android version to avoid getting into issues where some of the apps you need do not support the OS you are using.

It would also be best to get a phone with a relatively big screen that can easily enable you to create and consume content without straining your eyes. The phone you get should also have a relatively good battery that can last at least a day with heavy usage. The good news is you can get a smartphone with these kinds of features for even less than $500. You can opt to buy a used one from eBay or Amazon if you don't have a big budget.

3. If possible, get a separate phone for work.

It is easy to get distracted if you choose to work from your phone because there is a lot you can do with these devices. Having a different phone for your personal stuff and one for work will help you stay focused whenever it is work time. For better results, you can even choose to put your personal phone far away if you're going to focus on working.

For those using Android devices, it is possible to create another user account on your phone, so you may need to buy a second phone. You can always switch between your device's personal and business profiles, but the idea is not to have apps that can potentially waste your time whenever you want to focus on work.

4. Take advantage of voice technology to be more productive.

You can use voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, or Google assistant to do a couple of tasks much faster than having to toggle through the phone manually. For instance, it is much quicker to respond to emails and other forms of messages by simply speaking out your reply instead of typing every word. You can also use voice assistants for tasks like setting reminders, opening apps or checking the weather.

5. Optimize your home screen

The way you arrange apps on your home screen has a significant impact on your productivity. It is best to pin the business apps you use the most on your device's dock. You should also remove all the apps that will likely destruct you from the home screen. Both Android and iOS (from iOS 14) have the option of having a few of your most useful apps on the home screen and then keep the rest in the app library.

You should also consider using Widgets to help you view some of the information within the app without necessarily having to open it. Not having to open an app to view some of the basic information is very convenient and will save you a lot of time while using your phone.

6. Plan your day ahead of time

One of the ways to avoid being distracted is by planning for your day before getting started. Consider using the calendar and remainders apps to plan and set reminders for tasks you will have to execute each day. You also need to make sure you follow your plan to the dot and avoid making adjustments just for the sake of convenience.

7. Take regular breaks

It is not a healthy idea to spend the entire day staring at the screen of your phone. Using your smartphone constantly for long hours could lead to eye strain, anxiety, fatigue, and depression.  Taking some time to refresh your mind is necessary if you want to be more productive.

It is also recommended to put your phone aside at least 30 minutes before going to bed. Using your phone while in bed can affect your sleep, which in the end may hurt your productivity the next day.

Final thoughts

If you were thinking of starting a business from your phone, there has never been a better time to do so. Smartphones in 2021 are greatly advanced and can do almost any kind of task that a computer can do. As we have seen above, getting the best out of your phone will require you to get the apps that suit the kind of business you need to do. 

So, if you have a smartphone in your hands, you have the power to start a business right now. Most of the businesses that can be operated on your phone require very little capital to get started. All you need is to have the skill and the discipline to get started and stay focused.

- Mobile Advisor