The Tools That Keep My Agency Running (and My Brain Sane)
There’s this misconception that if you’re “good at social media,” you’re naturally organized.
Couldn’t be me.
When I first started Sater Creative, it was sticky notes, random Google Docs, and voice notes in my car on the way to content days. Nothing lived in one place. Everything felt urgent. My brain constantly felt like 37 tabs were open and music was playing from one of them.
Over time, I did not just build a business. I built a tool stack that lets me actually live my life while running it.
Are we perfect with our systems? Definitely not. But we are a lot better than we used to be, and that is the part I want to share.
Today I want to walk you through those tools. Not as some Pinterest-perfect “Here’s my system” moment, but as another business owner who needed real help, not more aesthetic dashboards.
1. Project Management: A Home for Every Client
For us, that “home” is a project management platform (think ClickUp, Teamwork, Asana style).
Every client has:
A space for their strategy
A content calendar
Task lists for my team (approvals, captions, reels, graphics, emails)
Due dates that keep us on track instead of in panic mode
This is what keeps me from waking up at 3 a.m. thinking, “Did we ever post that campaign for [client]?!”
If you’re a small business owner, you don’t need something super complicated. You just need:
A place where tasks live
A way to assign responsibility
A way to see what is due this week
If your “system” is still in your head, you’re not alone, but you will eventually hit a wall. Mine hit me around client number four.
2. Content Creation & Storage: No More “Where Is That Photo?”
Between content shoots, UGC, and random behind the scenes videos, we collect a lot of content.
Here’s what has saved me:
A central cloud folder for each client
Subfolders for: raw photos, edited photos, reels, stories, logos and brand assets
Clear naming (date plus shoot type)
It sounds basic, but when you’re building content for multiple brands, clarity is everything. Chaos is expensive.
If you run your own social, create one master folder for your business. Start labeling things properly from today forward. You will thank yourself in six months.
3. Scheduling Tools: Buy Your Future Self Some Peace
I am a big believer that your content should work even when you are off your phone.
Scheduling tools are how we:
Load a full month of posts
Get client approvals
Keep consistency going, even when life is lifing
The magic is not the software itself. It is the permission it gives you to step away, knowing your business is still showing up online.
If you are doing your own social media, even scheduling one or two posts ahead can shift you from “I’m always behind” to “I’m actually on top of this.”
4. Communication: Less Chaos, More Clarity
Between my team, clients, and collaborators, communication can either:
Build trust
Or drain the soul out of your week
We use a combo of:
Email for formal stuff, contracts, proposals
A messaging platform for quick questions and check ins with my team
Project comments so feedback lives with the content
If you’re working with contractors, freelancers, or even a small team, choose one main place for work conversations. “Text me, DM me, email me” is a recipe for missed details and frustration.
5. AI & Templates: The Quiet Backbone
Yes, I use AI. No, it does not replace my brain.
What it does do is:
Help brainstorm ideas when I’m drained
Turn rough thoughts into bullet points
Speed up repetitive tasks, like variations of similar captions or email outlines
On top of that, templates for proposals, onboarding, shot lists, and briefs have given me so much of my time back.
If you feel like you’re rewriting the same email 10 times a month, that is your cue to turn it into a template.
6. The Real Point of All These Tools
Tools do not build your business. You do.
But tools protect your energy so you can keep building.
As a founder, you are not just the marketer. You are:
The decision maker
The creative
The problem solver
The person who still has to reply to the “Just checking in on this 🙂” emails
The right tools do not make you less human. They make it possible for your humanness to still exist after work.
And just to be clear, we are still refining our systems behind the scenes too. This is not a perfection story. It is a progress story.
If you’re feeling underwater and want help mapping a simple system for your marketing, that is literally what we do every day at Sater Creative. You don’t need the fanciest setup. You just need one that actually supports the way you work.
