PAT BERRY — TRADE COMPANION
CHAPTER 17: Choose a small tech stack
Starter worksheet for review — October 19, 2026

Choose the fewest tools that let you keep your promises. A notebook, calendar, and clear email process can be a better starting point than five disconnected subscriptions.

1. Choose one tool for contacts, one for scheduling, and one place for approved drafts and resources.
2. Create a test contact using your own address. Check capture, confirmation, delivery, and next task.
3. Record who owns each account, how to export data, and what happens if a tool stops working. Add automation after the manual path works.

Trade application
Check permissions, team access, procurement needs, and data handling before inviting colleagues.

Starter stack audit
Job to do:
_______________________________________________________

Chosen tool:
_______________________________________________________

Account owner:
_______________________________________________________

Current plan:
_______________________________________________________

Monthly cost:
_______________________________________________________

Data stored:
_______________________________________________________

Export tested:
_______________________________________________________

Manual fallback:
_______________________________________________________

Review date:
_______________________________________________________

Use verified facts. Personalize examples. Keep private customer records in your own secure system.