Entrepreneurs including small business owners have different needs compared to other working professionals. We don’t just need day planners; we need room to grow! That’s why we compiled this list of the 5 best small business planners for 2023. We looked at a number of factors including:
- Flexibility
- Ability to plan short-, medium-, and long-term goals
- Room for to-do lists
- Different calendar options including daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly
- Room to journal and/or take notes
- Originality and uniqueness
- Fun! (Because work should be creative, not a routine of drudgery…)
These are all physical books, not apps or online calendars – but that’s simply a personal choice. We like a solid book we can open and play with and put our hands on. Choices in our list of the 5 best small business planners for 2023 also tended to have special (and useful!) features not found in other planners.
So, without further ado…
The 5 Best Small Business Planners for 2023
Not all the small business planners below meet all the factors mentioned above. But flexibility is top of the list – and not all planners can be all things to all people! Finding the right business planner is a personal choice based on your own needs, workflow, and personality. That’s why we’ve selected several planners that are distinctly different from each other. With so many to choose from, we hope this list will narrow that field a bit so that you can find the small business planner that works best for you.
The Self Journal by Best Self
Described as a 13-week goal planner “backed by science and success psychology,” the Self Journal aims to help you plan long-term goals while ensuring you get the most out of your day.
We’re not sure you’ll live a “more fulfilled life” as it also claims, but this simple-but-sleek hardcover journal comes in a variety of colors – and that’s fun! It also helps you prioritize and focus on the most important tasks.
One of the advantages – or drawbacks, depending on how you look at it – is that it really does only last 13 weeks. At $32, it’s a little pricey for three months of planning. But Best Self does offer discounts for subscriptions or buying four at once (one for each quarter – maybe a different color for each?).
Overall, a high-quality and hyper-focused goal planner for those who want to keep goals firmly in mind makes this one of the 5 best small business planners for 2023.
The Self Journal by Best Self, $32 + 15% off with subscription or 25% off with purchase of four (that’s $96 and free shipping)
Learn more: https://bestself.co/products/self-journal
Conquer Your Year Planner
Conquer Your Year is “not your average day planner” according to its website. It tantalizingly teases the secrets of “stretching time.” Indeed, it looks more like a workbook than a day planner. But that’s what makes this planner so unique. It helps you hone in and focus on your business goals, but it also helps with work/life balance by incorporating time and space for things like your relationships and “adventure.”
To show how dedicated it is to keeping you on track, the Conquer Your Year planner also comes with a free workshop in which the planner’s developer, Natalie MacNeil, shows you how to use this decidedly different planner in your own day-to-day life.
If you like a looser and more holistic approach (not to mention a workshop on how to use it), this could be the planner for you. Besides, at just $17 (Barnes & Noble price), you don’t have much to lose!
Conquer Your Year Planner, $17 (Barnes & Noble price)
Learn more: http://conqueryouryear.com/
My PA Planner
Dubbed the “All-in-One Business, Productivity and Goal setting Journal for Entrepreneurs & Business owners,” My PA Planner is quickly becoming one of the most popular for those looking for the best small business planner. It features both daily and weekly planning, but with room to do long-term goal planning as well including Life & Vision planning, monthly social media plan (a particularly unique feature!), and “Successful Habit Tracker. ” Plus, it offers a free app with reminders, recommendations, and inspiration.
Despite the decidedly business look (gold-embossed black cover), it also encourages health and wellness with a tracker, Gratitude Journal, and “Idea and Inspiration Vault.” My PA Planner likely appeals to those who appreciate the traditional approach to small business planners, but with room to do more such as life/work balance planning.
Although My PA Planner is published by a U.K. company, it ships to U.S. customers from Las Vegas, so no need to worry about international shipping or customs fees. The website warns that because it was mentioned by The Independent (a U.K. newspaper) as one of its best planners, you should order early. Not sure if or how that will affect U.S. customers – or if it’s just plain marketing – but a heads up in any case.
My PA Planner, $45
Learn More: https://www.mypaplanner.com/2023-business-planner/2023-business-planner
The Flagship Day Planner by Day Designer
The Flagship Day Planner by Day Designer is firmly in the “traditional, but beautiful” category. With a heavy-duty cover, it is beautifully designed in a wide variety of colors and prints including floral, striped, and solid colors bound with large coil binding. Inside, the pages are equally exquisite with basic planning features such as daily schedule, to-do lists, and notes. But it also adds those extras that so many planners have including a quote, a daily prompt, and even a spot to write gratitudes.
This planner comes in a choice of Original or Mini size – though personally, we wouldn’t choose anything other than the full-size version of this daily planner. Day Designer also offers other small business planners including weekly and undated planners for even more flexibility.
Style beautifully coupled with functionality makes Day Designer one of the 5 best small business planners out there!
The Flagship Day Planner by Day Designer, Original Size, $68
Learn More: https://daydesigner.com/pages/daily-planners
Hatch Notebook by Two Tumbleweeds Co.
And now for something completely different. The Hatch Notebook by Two Tumbleweeds takes away the calendar for this idea-hatching journal. Calling itself the “notebook for makers,” the Hatch Notebook is a “system to brainstorm, keep track of your ideas, evaluate their merits, decide which ones to pursue, and then plan and execute.” It’s broken into three parts: Conceive, Incubate, and Hatch to help you develop your ideas from inception to execution. Includes space to plan and dotted pages for freestyle journaling.
Although not suitable for day planning, the Hatch Notebook is handy for those who want to develop ideas over the long term. It could also easily be used in conjunction with a daily planner. Either way, its focus on free thinking space makes this one of the 5 best small business planners for 2023.
Hatch Notebook by Two Tumbleweeds Co., $25
Learn More: https://www.twotumbleweeds.co/hatch
Bonus Idea: Hire a Virtual Assistant
Any one of the 5 best small business planners above is great for planning your day/week/year. But what they can’t do is directly help you reach those goals. A virtual assistant can.
The best way to find extra minutes and hours in your day is to offload as many of your administrative tasks as possible. A virtual assistant will:
- Turn your recorded notes into written documents
- Edit and proof business letters, proposal, applications, and more
- Invoicing and billing
Find out more on our sister site: Elite Office Solutions Virtual Assistant Services for small business.
Elite Marketing + Promotions’ team can help you with your marketing tasks as well including:
- Social media management
- Blog writing
- Logo and branding
…and many other marketing services.
Do you have big plans for 2023? Contact Elite Marketing + Promotions to learn how we can help you and your small business meet your business and marketing goals!
All prices quoted in the 5 Best Small Business Planners for 2023 are correct as of when we visited their web pages. Please follow the links provided for current pricing.