Today, in 5 minutes or less, you’ll learn:
- 🔧 The 12-tool tech stack that powers Portfolio Path (updated for 2025)
- 🎯 Which popular tools I dropped—and what I use instead
- đź’° How to save thousands by choosing the right tools from day one
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🧰 My Portfolio Career Tech Stack (March 2025)
When I started this newsletter, I felt overwhelmed by all the SaaS tools.
Then I realized something.
You don’t need hundreds of SaaS tools.
You just need a few that actually work.
Last year, I wrote about 10 tools I used to start Portfolio Path.
But a lot has changed since 2 years ago, so I’m publishing an updated list.
In this edition, I share 12 tools I use weekly in my portfolio career, why I chose them, and what I use them for exactly.
Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. I will never work with a brand that I don't personally use or believe in.
‍
Tool #1: Beehiiv
Beehiiv is our email service provider. It sent this newsletter you’re reading.
Why I chose Beehiiv
Two years ago, I was choosing between Beehiiv, Substack and Convertkit to start my newsletter. Ultimately, I picked Beehiiv for its focus on newsletters, growth features, affordable price point, automations, and open platform/API.
I’m still happy with Beehiiv — especially its flexible API/automations, which I use to integrate with the rest of my stack.
How I use Beehiiv today:
- Send weekly email newsletters
- Trigger automated email series like my 5-day minicourse
- Earn money through its ad network and boosts
- Store subscriber data, e.g. wait list, purchase list, etc.
- Setup automations via its API and webhooks
Try Beehiiv for free for 30 days, then get 20% off for 3 months.
Tool #2: Kajabi
Kajabi hosts our cohort-based course, community, and product pages.
Why I chose Kajabi
When I launched my cohort program last year, I was deciding between Kajabi, Teachable, or Circle:
- vs Teachable: IMO it’s a more versatile platform vs a similarly priced Teachable plan (with live video chat)
- vs Circle: Circle is missing a lot of Kajabi’s marketing/sales and automation features (its strengths), but it has a way better community product
In the end I chose Kajabi for its course UX, live video chat, checkout/payments, community, and sales/marketing features (landing pages, triggered emails, automations).
Overall, I’m glad I kept Kajabi. But I do want to eventually merge Kajabi/Webflow/Beehiiv.
How I use Kajabi today
- Deliver course videos/content for Part-Time Consulting Launchpad
- Host a private student community for the course
- Send automated emails based on user actions
- Handle course payments, offers, and checkout flows
- Host well-designed product landing pages
Try Kajabi for free for 14 days.
Tool #3: Webflow
Webflow is our website host.
Why I chose Webflow
A long time ago, I built my personal website on Wordpress. I regretted this choice as it got complex to maintain and grow (plugin hell).
Starting fresh, I chose Webflow to help me build beautiful website easily, manage a CMS, and access an API.
How I use Webflow today
- Create a stunning website using a template
- Execute website design changes myself as a non-designer
- Publish my newsletters and articles to the website via CMS
Tool #4: Make
Make is our automation platform.
Why I chose Make
I used to use Zapier, but migrated to Make because it offered more customizable workflows for lower cost.
How I use Make today
- Import newsletter content from Beehiiv to Webflow
- Update Beehiiv subscriber data based on Kajabi purchases or forms
- Update Beehiiv subscriber data based on Portfolio Career Type Quiz submissions
- Send updates on Beehiiv subscribers to Slack
Tool #5: TypingMind
TypingMind is our preferred AI UI for the LLMs.
Why I chose TypingMind
I was complaining about my disorganized Claude workflow when my AI consultant friend, Dan Cumberland, suggested checking out TypingMind.
Since, then I’ve been aggregating my chats, prompts, agents all in one place with TypingMind. Plus it was cheaper for me to buy a TypingMind license + Claude/OpenAI API credits.
How I use TypingMind today
- Interact with Claude and ChatGPT from one place
- Build and execute agents for product/content
- Manage my prompt library
Tool #6: Granola
Granola is our AI meeting notetaker.
Why I chose Granola
Previously, I was using Fathom. Great notetaker output, but I didn’t like the AI meeting bot and I didn’t know what to do with my raw meeting notes.
Granola helps turn my raw notes into structured notes and avoids the awkwardness of an AI meeting bot. I also subscribe to Lenny’s Newsletter, which offered a 1-year free Granola subscription.
How I use Granola today
- Take meeting notes across interfaces - Zoom, Gmeets, Kajabi Live, etc.
- Integrate with Notion to add notes directly to a database
Tool #7: Perplexity
Perplexity is our AI search engine.
Why I chose Perplexity
I have replaced most of my everyday Google searches with Perplexity for informational queries. My Lenny’s Newsletter subscription also offered a 1-year free Perplexity Pro subscription.
How I use Perplexity today
- Ask informational and research questions, e.g. “What is the 10-year Treasury - Fed Fund Rates yield spread?”
- Use Deep Research for market research reports
Tool #8: Notion
Notion is our team collaboration workspace.
Why I chose Notion
I was choosing between using Google Docs vs Notion + Google Docs. I decided on the latter because Notion is easier for templates, project management boards, published webpages, automations, and integrations.
How I use Notion today
- Manage tasks and projects with our growing team
- Publish cohort program resources - e.g. workbook, AI Prompt Library, and Portfolio Career Database on Notion
- Run our internal content calendar - use Notion Web Clipper to capture inspiration, brainstorm content using a content matrix database, and use Calendar View to plan content
- Create meeting notes, proposals, and deliverables for consulting and coaching clients
Tool #9: Canva
Canva is our visual design platform.
Why I chose Canva
It’s dead-simple to use to create and manage my visual assets. I love it.
How I use Canva today
- Create visual assets - e.g. logos, website graphics, social media graphics, newsletter thumbnails
- Create decks for our cohort program, events (e.g. community calls), and partnerships
- Manage key brand assets, e.g. logo, typography, color palette
Tool #10: Stripe
Stripe is our payments platform (aside from Kajabi Payments).
Why I chose Stripe
I’ve been using Stripe since 2016. can be a nightmare, but fortunately it Paymentsjust works.
How I use Stripe today
Accept payments from non-Kajabi sources like partnerships, consulting, and coaching clients.
Tool #11: Mercury Business Banking
Mercury is our business banking solution.
Why I chose Mercury
My previous SMB banking sucked. Mercury looked like they truly redesigned the banking experience from the ground up around the customer. Did I mention no opening fees and account minimums?
How I use Mercury today
- Issue a credit card and create accounts easily
- Get paid by clients and partners
- Integrate with Kick, my AI bookkeeper tool
- Automate my transfers using Profit First
Note: Customer service has been highly responsive whenever I’ve had an issue. I’ve been impressed.
Try Mercury and get $250 credit.
Tool #12: Kick
Kick is our AI bookkeeper and accounting app.
Why I chose Kick
Previously, I used Xero and hired a bookkeeper to help reconcile my transactions and match receipts with transactions. Since switching, I no longer need to retain my bookkeeper, which has reduced my monthly costs.
How I use Kick today
- Auto-match receipts with my transactions
- Auto-reconcile my bank account statements with transactions
- Auto-categorize my transactions
- Generate my financial statements (P&L, Balance Statement)
Summary
That’s a wrap. Here are the 12 tools we covered in this edition:
- Email & Newsletter: Beehiiv (picked over Kit/Substack)
- Course & Community: Kajabi (picked over Teachable/Circle)
- Website: Webflow (upgraded from WordPress)
- Automation: Make (formerly used Zapier)
- Design & Docs: Canva, Notion
- AI Suite: TypingMind, Granola, Perplexity
- Finance & Ops: Stripe, Mercury, Kick
If you have other tool use cases you’d like me to cover in the future, drop me a line. I’m always discovering, experimenting, and implementing new tools.
✨From Our Community
- RSVP for our April 10th Community Call - You spoke, we listened. Our next topic is Real-World Offers in response to your feedback!
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