New approach to business: Apps that help in everyday tasks

When it comes to staying on top of business, smartphones and tablets have definitely made a difference.

From keeping you connected to your customers and clients to keeping notes organized to making mobile hotspots, apps have changed the way business is conducted.

So what are some of the apps being used right here, right now by successful entrepreneurs and community leaders?

One that might surprise you (or maybe not!) is Notepad. This is a pretty simple app that allows you to keep a quick note and then save it or transfer it to someone else via text message or, in the case of Lake Superior Community Partnership's Amy Clickner, other means.

"I use Notepad a lot," says Clickner. "I am able to take notes anywhere, anytime and then email them, print them later, etc."

One app that has made business not only easier to conduct for Marquette Soo Bahk Do Academy owner Carl Vonck, but cheaper as well is Mobile Hotspot. This app allows Vonck to connect his computer to the Internet by using his Droid Incredible 2 as a modem.

"Without Mobile Hotspot, we would have no Internet at the studio and would not be able to process payments electronically or take attendance," says Vonck. "For my martial arts academy, I didn't want to get a hard line phone and an Internet account. Mobile Hotspot has been a great option for me."

Erin Monigold, the owner of Social Vision Marketing, likes to keep notes, too, though she chooses to use Evernote to help keep herself and her ideas organized. She uses it on both her iPhone and her iPad.

"The regular Notes app on my iPhone is good for short lists, but I find that Evernote is so much more convenient," she says. "Plus you have the ability to add style, bullet points, search through notes and more.

"I also purchased the smart notebook by Moleskine around Christmastime. It's compatible with Evernote and you can scan your notes to be added. It's super cool."

Both Clickner and Monigold were quick to point out LinkedIn as a useful app, and an extension of that popular networking site is CardMunch. The app, developed by LinkedIn, allows users to take a photo of a business card, upload it to CardMunch and add it to a virtual business card booklet.

"The app scans the information, adds that person to a list of contacts, and even gives you the link for that person's LinkedIn account," says Monigold. "It also keeps your photo of the card. You can add notes about where you met that person, too. It's much more convenient than keeping a huge stack of cards sitting on your desk."

Another app to consider, especially for the self-employed business folks out there, is Shoeboxed. This app allows you to keep your receipts and expenses digitized and organized without the hassle of having to keep them all until tax time, risking fading ink or damaged receipts.

There are many apps out there that make business and organization easier, and the question begs: What are you using and how has it helped?

Sam Eggleston is the managing editor of U.P. Second Wave. He was born and raised in the Upper Peninsula. Currently he uses an iPhone and an iPad to keep himself in touch with the world. He can be reached via email.