vision into legacy, and recalibrating workflows in light of the growing influence of AI.   Inside Retail spoke to eight founders to uncover the tools that keep them educated, punctual, effective and inspired as they work to scale their respective businesses. Espresso portable monitor “As a founder who travels frequently for work, this portable monitor has been a total gamechanger. It runs off my laptop’s power – no need for a separate power source – and it’s ultra-slim, lightweight and even has a touchscreen. It slides right into my laptop case and makes it so much easier to stay productive, whether I’m at the airport or working from a café.” — Mia Plecic, founder of Slickhair Superhuman “I religiously use Superhuman [email app] to manage my emails. As your business scales, so does your inbox, and it becomes an almost impossible and painful task. Their organisational and AI features allow me to stay on top of my inbox and make emails (mostly) productive. Almost every day, I manage to hit Inbox Zero, which surprises most people.” — Phillip de Winter, co-founder of Nala Asana “Asana is my secret weapon for keeping our design projects at Skin Control running seamlessly. It helps track progress, feedback and revisions in one place, ensuring our team stays aligned and efficient. With everything organised in one place, we can bring our creative visions and projects to life smoothly from concept to completion, which is critical within the fast-paced retail landscape.” — Michael Porter, co-founder of Skin Control Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh “This book really shaped the way I view customer service, hence why it is now one of our core values as a business. It reminded me just how crucial it is to build genuine, human connections. The answers you’re looking for are with your customers, and it’s really all about understanding what they want and shaping your products and services to fit that – that’s where success lies.” — Stacey Hollands, founder of Lust Minerals ChatGPT  “It might sound obvious, but ChatGPT is easily my most-used tool, day to day. I’m constantly on the move and thinking at a million miles an hour, so it’s the place where I brain dump all my messy thoughts and half-formed ideas. It helps me turn rough drafts into refined comms or strategies, fast – which means I can spend more time on the things AI can’t do as well, like coming up with new products and creative campaigns, and leading the team.” — Rachael Wilde, founder of tbh skincare Podcasts “Podcasts have been a huge part of my business journey. If you’re looking for inspiration and growth, The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett dives into success stories and mindset shifts from top leaders, while How I Built This by Guy Raz uncovers the journeys behind the world’s biggest brands, offering powerful insights on resilience and innovation” — Priscilla Hajiantoni, founder of Bangn Body Shoe Dog by Phil Knight “I love the book Shoe Dog by Phil Knight. It’s full of reminders that building a business is not linear or glamorous. It’s gritty, honest and inspiring. I revisit it when I need some perspective or to be reminded that we are in this for the long game.” — Sammy Leo, founder of Breeze Balm LinkedIn “LinkedIn is a tool I genuinely lean on, I always leave feeling inspired. It’s where I tap into real-time trends, insights and analytics, while also being surrounded by like-minded people. From industry leaders to practical resources, it definitely helps me learn, grow and stay ahead. I love that it can be a space of transparency, celebration and open sharing.” — Lil McAvaney, founder of Summer Skin