Our Thinking

In episode #3 of What’s In Your Tech Stack?, I talked to Stephanie Allen about the platforms she uses to grow her business – and how essential process and people are to making it work.

Stephanie had many excellent points – see link in comments – but I really like the cheat sheet she used to prepare.

Here’s why:

It’s clear.
Stephanie lists everything she’s using, and she also outlines what purpose each platform serves.

It’s connected.
Instead of a list, she notes dependencies and how the information flows.

It’s simple.
Stephanie can make observations and decisions based on this bird’s eye view of her stack.

Whether you’re just starting out or super established, it’s worth doing a snapshot like this. As you do, make sure to get input from others in your organization to complete the picture.

We do these a lot for our clients. Once complete, ask yourself the following questions:

✅ Are we getting full value from the platforms we are using?
✅ Are there any gaps that we can track or automate?
✅ Is there any overlap that we can consolidate?
✅ What is our overall spend?
✅ What platforms or subscription tiers do we anticipate needing in the future? Can we start planning for that now?

Doing an exercise like this every 9-12 months will ensure you can adapt and see the forest for the trees.