If you’re going to find time to enjoy happy hours, yoga sessions and baking all while killing it at the office, you better have a calendar to keep it all straight. But almost as important as the ability to keep you organized is how pretty it appears on your screen. These 10 apps are bold, beautiful and ready to keep all your important meetings and weekend adventures in check. We already showed you these 10 calendar apps, but we all know the app machine never stops and brand new ways of making life simple are always on the rise. So browse these 10 new calendars and find your ideal download for 2014.
1. Cal: You’d be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful calendar than this one. Seamlessly view everything from business meetings to family birthdays and even invite friends and clients along all from this useful app. (Free on iOS and Android)
2. Calvetica: Add events in just two quick taps and enjoy an uncluttered, minimalist interface. We’re big fans of how user-friendly this app is and give it major bonus points for the play on Helvetica. ($2.99 on iOS)
3. Tempo: The perfect tool for a busy business life, this app goes way beyond a calendar by helping you alert colleagues when you’re running late, checking your flight status for you and displaying the weather based on your current location. (Free on iOS)
4. TeuxDeux: This app aims to make mobile scheduling as simple as jotting a note on a piece of paper. Enter in your to-dos, shift them around to adhere to your schedule then take great satisfaction in checking them off as you “deux” them. (Free on iOS)
5. Peek: This minimalist calendar is all about ease. Not only does it beautifully toggle between showing your current schedule and helping you add items, it has smart additions like a gesture feature that knows when you’re shading the screen with a hand in bright sun and responds accordingly. ($2.99 on iOS and $4 on Android)
6. Chronos: This is the smartest calendar you’ll ever find. Use another app to schedule your life, then use this one to discover how you’re really spending your time. It runs in the background of your phone to help you meet your goals and keep track of how and where you spend your time. (Free on iOS and Android)
7. Sunrise: Totally integrated with outside tools like LinkedIn, Google Maps and Facebook, you can expect to see the faces of people you’re meeting with, birthdays of your friends and maps for meeting locations all within the same app. (Free on iOS and Android)
8. Awesome Note: It’s all in the name with this app. Awesome Note not only keeps track of it all, but helps you keep personal and professional life separate. Customizable themes make it the perfect fit for every style. ($3.99 on iOS)
9. SaiSuke: Get major perspective on your future with this app, which lets users see daily, weekly, monthly and even yearly calendar views. Manipulate colors and fonts to make it just perfect. ($9.99 on iOS)
10. Informant 3: This app syncs a variety of other mobile tools for a killer user experience. We told you about Pocket Informant with our list of original calendar apps and it’s only gotten better (and cheaper!) over time. ($9.99 on Android)
Do you use an app to stay on track? We’d love to hear about your smart calendar!
Getting the word out about your brand takes time, drive, and ingenuity. And it doesn't come easy for many entrepreneurs. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're chatting with Selfmade alum Taylor Morgan McPherson, founder of Sustainable Sparkle Bar, about ways in which she scored press as a solo startup brand and what she learned from Selfmade to take her brand marketing up a notch.
B + C: How did you know Sustainable Sparkle Bar was your business to start?
Glitter has always been my thing, so when I started my event company I decided to make it my niche. I started telling people I threw glitter-themed parties where people would get sparkled with glitter body art and makeup. Six months after that I applied to my first festival and to work with SUR restaurant in West Hollywood.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
I honestly can't say that I've had a specific strategy that I've followed when it comes to getting my business off the ground. I have a PR background so I was just constantly pitching new business and posting on social media.
B + C: What's the biggest challenge you face as a small business owner?
I would say creating a stable income and revenue stream. With a seasonal, event-based business it can be very up and down.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
The relationships I made and the push to start an email database.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I love what I do and I believe in myself 100%. Staying motivated isn't the hard part. Pushing myself to do the work and staying accountable is the hard part.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip? Do you use any apps that help you manage your business?
I keep multiple to-do lists, hand-written and digital. I also tell clients and partners that I will have something to them by a certain time or day so I have to stick to it.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Just do it, take the leap. And don't worry about what anyone else says to thinks.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Issa Rae, I'm so inspired by everything that she's created being a creative and a black woman. It's my dream to have my own show one day based on my life and where I give advice and talk about the world. She's doing it and making people laugh and giving people joy. And it's based in LA. Watching Insecure only further cemented my dreams of wanting to live in LA.
B + C: How did you hear about the Office Depot scholarship?
One of my friends that I met through Camp No Counselors saw an IG ad for it and nominated me.
B + C: What has receiving the scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start/grow your business?
It's completely helped me level up and take my business to another level. Selfmade helped me host my first virtual event and taught me how to set up my website to sell tickets to events and get RSVPs.
B + C: How have Office Depot services or products helped you accomplish more in your business?
I got new cards to send in all of my orders with my discount code on them. I also bought a really cool 4K camera that I now use for my social media.
Thanks Taylor! You really know how to sparkle. We love her colorful, creative vibe. You can follow Sustainable Sparkle Bar on Instagram @sustainablesparklebar.
Let Office Depot OfficeMax help you stand out in the crowd. From signs, posters & banners to promote your business, to marketing materials to keep your customers informed, Office Depot OfficeMax offers a full suite of business services & solutions to help you & your business get noticed.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.