Rhonda’s 21 Must-Have Apps for Small Business Travel

Rhonda teamed up with Marriott and Visa to create the Small Business Smart Travel Guide, on which this blog post is based.

Traveling for your small business is crucial for growth. But it can also be stressful.

As the owner of a publishing company and as a public speaker, I’m out there every month meeting with clients and distributors or attending industry events, such as the America’s SBDC Conference. Fortunately, technology makes it easy for me to prepare for meetings, work efficiently while I’m away, and manage my business on the road.

These 21 apps have helped me be a Smart Small Business Traveler. 

Build your intelligence

• Dwellr: Local stats in the palm of your hand. Learn important demographic in-formation about the town you’re headed to.
• LocalEats: Impress your clients with knowledge of the local flavors. Research by type, ratings, and reviews. Make reservations. Schedule a taxi.
• Refresh: Get a quick, thorough profile on contacts delivered to your phone right before your meeting.

Transit

• TripIt: A shareable master itinerary that keeps your flight, hotel, and car rental information in one easy-to-access location.
• Uber: From simple to lux, reserve a ride from the airport or hire a town car to impress your new client.
• Waze: Waze updates in real time to help direct you around accidents and get you to your meeting on time.
• GateGuru: Store travel and flight stats. Get food and amenity information about the airport you’re in.
• TaxiMagic: Request a taxi anytime. Real-time tracking and pickup information on hand.

Mobile manager

• Asana: On-the-go project management keeps you on top of projects. Get things done without hundreds of emails back and forth.
• Hootsuite: Manage your social media accounts in one place, keep up with followers, and bulk upload or schedule posts.
• LinkedIn: Connect with a new contact immediately so you remember their name when you return to the office.

Efficient workflow

• Dropbox: What beats carrying 35 folders and three binders of photos to your meet-ing? Storing them in the cloud. Access from any device.
• Evernote: When your fresh perspectives give you great inspiration, jot it down for use later.
• QuickBooks: Invoices, time tracking, bill pay, payroll, and receipt storage all in one place.
• Expensify: Change the way you and your team log travel expenses, request approval, and integrate into accounting.
• FreshBooks: Log billable hours, input expenses, send invoices, and track outstanding balances.

Loyalty benefits

• AwardWallet: Easily track all your rewards. Receive alerts you when your miles or points are about to run out.
• Marriott: Travel is easier for rewards members. Remote check-in and check-out, easy rewards tracking, and local area guides.
• Visa SavingsEdge: Save money while traveling. Find participating merchants and the latest nearby offers.

For the road

• NextIssue: All of your magazines at the tip of your fingers.
• You Are Your Own Gym: Simple, no-gear-needed workouts. Go to the gym, the park, or stay in your hotel room.

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Recognized as one of the foremost experts on small business, Rhonda Abrams writes USA Today’s small business column and is the author of 19 books on entrepreneurship. Rhonda’s books have been translated into over 30 languages, and adopted by more than 1,000 business schools. Her books include the bestselling business plan guide in the U.S.: Successful Business Plan: Secrets & Strategies.