I use Obsidian to manage my entire business, and I barely need other apps

Running a business often means handling projects, deadlines, client information, brainstorming ideas, and keeping important documents easily accessible. The author found it cumbersome to manage such tasks with separate apps and opted for a different approach. They began utilizing Obsidian as the central hub for their business operations.

To achieve this, the author created a dedicated home note in Obsidian, acting as their personalized business headquarters. By employing Obsidian’s native callouts, internal links, and embedded notes, they organized their workspace into distinct sections, such as ongoing projects, important business notes, and daily priorities. This setup allowed the author to access various aspects of their business with a single click.

Obsidian Bases emerged as a game-changer for the author, enabling them to create structured databases within their vault. They utilized properties like project name, client, priority, deadline, and status to maintain order. Additionally, Bases supports Kanban boards, making the tracking of complex projects more convenient. For instance, an author working on a Swami Jewels website could break the project into smaller tasks and arrange them as cards in different columns – To Do, In Progress, Review, and Completed.

The author also used Obsidian for managing client details, project requirements, meeting notes, and important conversations, reducing the need for a dedicated CRM solution. They organized client information within a Clients folder, with each client having their own note containing essential data and ongoing projects. Bases was employed to create a structured client directory, which allowed the author to filter clients based on project status, priority, or upcoming deadlines.

For brainstorming sessions and planning complex projects, the author switched from Miro to Obsidian Canvas. This infinite whiteboard enables arranging notes, images, and cards to visualize ideas effectively. Moreover, the author leveraged Obsidian’s Templates feature combined with the AutoMover plugin to automate repetitive tasks, like creating client profiles, project briefs, meeting notes, software reviews, and weekly reviews. Customized templates and AutoMover ensured consistent organization and streamlined workflow.

While Obsidian doesn’t replace specialized accounting, communication, or invoicing software, the author found it remarkably close to fulfilling their everyday business management needs, thanks to its customized dashboard, Bases, Canvas, client management capabilities, and a set of templates.