Running the Haus of Franzen Inter-Galactic Empire requires an arsenal of tools . . . as well as French Press coffee, sparkling lime-flavored H20, and home-cooked meals prepared by attractive paramours. In frilly aprons.

I can’t dole out hottie houseslaves (and mine is taken) but I CAN point you towards the digital tools that keep my business afloat.

Deal? Deal.

TIME = MONEY

:: FRECKLE
The difference between a passionate hobby and a legitimate business? Diligent, detailed, systematic time-tracking and billing.

One of my rockstar clients (Amy Hoy) co-created Freckle, a time-management program with lots of fancy features . . . and a friendly, inviting aesthetic. I’m a fanatical convert.

Monthly memberships start at $12 (or, try it free for 30 days). Believe me, the system pays for itself.

:: 1SHOPPINGCART

My favorite digital product distribution system, bar none. Their customer support team is highly-accessible and clued-in — they’ve never failed me. And it syncs up beautifully with PayPal, for effortless individual and mass payments.

Lock down a 30-day trial (with unlimited phone support, to help you get cozy with all the bells & whistles) for $3.95. No brainer.

DESIGN, FOR NON-DESIGNERS

:: iWORK PAGES
See those purdy header images at the top of each blog post? Pages. And the colored dividers between post sections? Pages. And pretty much everything else that I spew into the universe? Pages.

For funzies and free time, I also dig Be Funky, Kuler and Picnik.

EMAILZ & TRAFFIC JAMS

:: GOOGLE APPS FOR BUSINESS
If you’re still using @hotmail.com or @yahoo.com or (heavens to Betsy!) @aol.com for your email . . . honey-bear, we need to have a heart-to-heart. Setting up a slick email address (with a domain under your dominion) adds a serious layer of credibility to your electronic missives.

I use Google Apps for Business for my (various) email accounts, and I obsessively categorize incoming messages into alphabetized buckets, labeled by client name. Google Docs rock my house, too.

:: GOOGLE ANALYTICS

I’ll be honest: I don’t track my website & blog traffic as frenetically as I . . . should? But thrice a month, it’s useful to log in and scope out my most trafficky articles and inbound links. Google Analytics is free, robust & useful.

CONVO CAPTURING & FILE -SWAPPING

:: SKYPE & ECAMM

I record all of my client consultation calls and brainstorming sessions via Skype & eCamm, and then share them swiftly (and privately) with . . .

DROPBOX

Lots of storage space. Attractive user experience. And it’s super-easy to “invite” folks to view private folders and download docs, audio files, images & videos.

:: 4SHARED

To distribute hefty audio & video files to multiple customers, I dig 4Shared. It’s not exactly “pretty,” but it’s functional and frugal. You can direct customers to multi-file download pages (where they can download files individually) or group files into tidy .zip files.

:: EFAX

Fax machines may seem as antiquated as carrier pigeons, but occasionally, someone might need a tax form or non-disclosure agreement faxed over, on the speedy. eFax allows you to send PDFs to fax lines . . . through the Internet. Magic? Pretty much.

BITS & PIECES

:: BIT.LY

A nice URL shortener, so you can cram long-ass links into Twitter. Create a (free) account, and you can customize your shortlinks, like a fancy Duke.

:: PANDORA
I cannot, shall not, will not work without a constant stream of energizing music. S’just how I roll.
I recently upgraded to Pandora One. No commercials, unlimited listening, customized background skins, AND the sweet, sweet knowledge that I’m NOT gouging the music industry? Consider me a customer for life!

:: AMAZON WISHLIST

I’ve curated a public Amazon Wishlist . . . and not JUST because I really, really like presents. It acts as a digital inspiration wall, full of trinkets and treasures that feel me with rapture.

Two clever features: the Universal Wish List button allows you to add items to your Wish List, even if they aren’t in the Amazon database. So, you can chuck indie gems from Etsy, Shana Logic and Smashing Darling onto your Amazing Wish List, and keep it all convened.

And! You can “hide” your mailing address, so that creepy stalkers can send you tokens of admiration through the Internet — without discovering the location of your abode! Everybody wins!

TOOLGASM!

Which tools & apps add pleasure & pizazz to your workday? Do tell.