I was watching a video today about using the right tools and decided to take the opportunity to talk about my whiteboard. It’s the one tool not called a ‘computer’ that I couldn’t live without.

Before I go on, Iet’s talk about the furniture in my room. There’s the desk. That was free from craigslist. Then there’s the bureau — also free from craigslist. The bed frame cost me about $50, and my bookshelf about $40 (also from craigslist. That Craig’s got a great list).

My whiteboard, the only other substantial thing in my room, cost me a cumbersome ride on the F train and around $75. It’s by far the most valuable thing in my room.

Now, why was it worth over 75% more than the rest of my bedroom combined? Quite simply, it’s the best tool for helping you get started on almost any project. It is the figurative “blank slate” come to life. It’s perfect for that idea you’ve been thinking through for days now and finally need to dump.

Actually, once you dump it on the board, you realize there are major gaps missing in your idea. You erase the whole thing, start again fresh. (Rinse, repeat, and you get the idea.)

A whiteboard is every early entrepreneur’s best friend. There are numerous different people you need to contact, things you’ve got to learn, and places you need to go. The whiteboard is a great place for all of this and more. Over the past few months, here are the different ways I’ve found myself using my whiteboard:

1. Task lists

This is the most obvious. My whiteboard currently has a few different task lists going on at once. A list of half baked post ideas for the Enter Venture blog are in the upper right corner. There’s a few technical topics I’ve committed to learning on the left, and a few people I need to email are listed just above my computer in the lower right corner.

On paper, you check or cross off your tasks and end up a book full of squiggles and lines. Whiteboards let you erase your tasks completely. This is somehow more gratifying, I think.

2. Blog Schedule

I’ve tried to keep a fairly consistent posting schedule with Enter Venture as well as keep variety in my posts. Creating calendars on the go has helped with this immensely. I don’t need to map out my blog’s calendar for 3 months. I certainly don’t have 3 months worth of ideas figured out, but a 2 week calendar is perfect for my needs.

I can quickly visualize when I’ll be at an event, whether I’ve added a book lately, or when Vik will be posting.

3. Idea Prototyping

Like any early entrepreneur, I’ve always got a few different ideas floating in my head. When I originally envisioned Enter Venture it was going to be a more comprehensive site with a wider range of social networking features. Prototyping these ideas on the white board made me realize I didn’t have a clear picture of what it was I wanted to create. I kept whittling down features until I was looking at a blog. Here you have it.

4. Doodling

Whiteboards are not only a great tool — your friends will love it! You’ll be the ‘it’ destination for various doodles and messages. People will enter your room and leave having felt like they left a mark, an impression.

Let them do it with a whiteboard. I’ve seen people try to do this with markers and a wall. It wasn’t pretty.

5. A fresh start.

This is the most important. Like any truly great tool, a whiteboard gives you the ultimate in flexibility. For a week, my whiteboard will have a series of screen shots on it. The next week, it has a calendar. Changing your frame of reference will help keep you and your ideas fresh.

In fact, I’m going to clean my board now. I could use a few new ideas for my next post…

Posted in Blogging, Entrepreneur, How To, Tools Comments