Behind the Scenes

The Tools That Keep Coastal VA Solutions Running

I get asked a lot how I keep a solo compliance business organised. Here's an honest look at what I actually use, and when, across a typical day.

First Thing — Getting My Bearings

Before anything else, I open ClickUp and check what's actually due today, across every client project, register and milestone. Then it's a scan through Outlook (Microsoft 365) for anything that came in overnight. Nothing starts until I know exactly where the day needs to go.

Client Work — Where GoHighLevel Does the Heavy Lifting

GoHighLevel, accessed through Totally Unleashed's white-label platform, is the hub for almost everything client-facing: records, pipeline, document storage, automations, and increasingly, the systems I build for clients themselves. Teams handles video calls when a conversation needs a face rather than an inbox, and WhatsApp catches the quick, informal back-and-forth that doesn't need a full email.

Building the Documentation

This is where the actual compliance documents, registers and systems get built. Word, through Microsoft 365, handles the bulk of it, policies, procedures, registers and client-facing documents, and Google Workspace comes into play when a client already works there, so I meet them in their own system rather than asking them to switch. Adobe fills in the gaps for polishing and finalising documents before they go to a client.

Content & Social Media

Social media runs on a different set of tools entirely. Canva handles the on-brand graphics, presentations and templates, I pull ready-made templates for reels, carousels and static posts from Viral Marketing Stars rather than designing every post from scratch, and Hola.ai gives me a starting point for captions and content ideas. Nothing goes out until I've reviewed and personalised it myself, AI is a tool here, not a replacement for judgement.

Keeping the Business Itself in Order

Behind the client-facing and content work sits the business admin: QuickBooks handles invoicing and keeps the books straight, and Zoho rounds out the back-end systems that keep everything else on track.

The Infrastructure Nobody Sees

A few things run quietly in the background: VentraIP hosts the domain this website sits on and is also where I purchase my Microsoft 365 license, so I've got Australian-based support on hand whenever I need it. Real ICT keeps the technical and device side of the business secure and supported, and Claude helps with business writing, research and drafting, always reviewed before it goes anywhere near a client.

Closing the Day

Last stop is always back in ClickUp, closing out what's done and setting tomorrow's priorities before I log off. A small habit, but it's the difference between finishing a day and actually feeling finished.

The Tools, All in One Place

No learning curve, no onboarding headaches. Filter by category or see everything at once.

This Is the Same Kind of System I Build for You

If your business runs on scattered folders and sticky notes instead of something like this, that's exactly the gap I close, whether it's your compliance documentation or your own GoHighLevel systems.

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A Quick Note on Links

A few of the tools mentioned on this page are ones I have an affiliate relationship with. If you sign up through one of these links, I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. I only ever recommend tools I actually use and rely on myself.