The Holidays are right around the corner and it is sometimes a challenge to find great gifts for your favorite entrepreneur. We came up with a list of some of our top gadgets, tools, gizmos, and items that would be helpful for any entrepreneur.
1. Coffee
We entrepreneurs tend to survive on caffeine. Bags of coffee or gift certificates to coffee shops make the perfect stocking stuffers. One of my favorite kinds of coffee is the Bridge Street Blend, which comes from a fellow Think Entrepreneurship subscriber in Omaha, Nebraska. Thanks BJ Beans Coffee!
2. Gym Membership
It is important to be active and exercise throughout the entrepreneurial journey. Owning a business can be a stressful and constant battle. Entrepreneurs need to schedule time into their day to go out for a run or hit the gym. Find a local gym in your area and help your fellow entrepreneur friend out with the initiation fee or a few months membership. I was gifted a membership to the Ridge Athletic Club in my home town and it has been great!
3. IdeaPaint
All I have to say is this stuff is awesome. Pick up a kit and turn your whole conference room or office into a giant whiteboard. They even have a clear version so the walls can be painted with any color of house paint you choose prior to adding the clear coat of IdeaPaint. The company was founded by John Goscha in 2002, a college freshman at the time. Below is a short video showing you how great this product really is.
4. Retro Phone Handset
If you like using traditional phones check out the Retro Handsets that can be hooked up to any 3.5mm jack on a smart phone. You can rest the phone on your shoulder and avoid cell phone radiation as well.
5. Motivational Signs
We all have our ups and downs as entrepreneurs and need lots of inspiration to keep going. Being persistant and sticking with it are keys to building a successful business. These signs can be personalized with any quote or saying you choose by clicking here. Some of the favorite quotes I have hanging up are: “Nothing Happens Until Someone Sells Something” – “Take Risks” – and “Follow Your Passion.” Think Entrepreneurship is actually a sister company of the place (SignsoftheMountains) that makes these!
6. Apple TV
Apple TV's are a great tool for the conference or office. They make it easy to wirelessly present powerpoints, videos, and pictures. You can also mirror your computer screen on a television. Under $100 and super convenient to have. They can be found in the apple store. http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/apple_tv
7. Keurig Coffee Maker
Making coffee in the morning can sometimes be a pain. One thing I hate is making a full pot of coffee when only a few people will be drinking it. The Keurig Coffee Maker allows you to easily make just one cup at a time. This is one of the most convenient tools we have in the office.
8. Books, Audio Books, or Magazine Subcriptions
As entrepreneurs, we are always learning and figuring out new things. It's important to read because it helps entrepreneurs come up with new ideas. It's also an excellent way to get motivated. Here is a list I made with my Top 10 Books for Entrepreneurs. If they don't like to read, look into getting some audio books from Audible. In addition, subscriptions to Inc Magazine or Entrepreneur Magazine would make good gifts.
9. Mole Skin Notepads
Entrepreneurs are constantly coming up with new ideas and need a way to write them down on the go. Small notepads from Molskine are perfect for stuffing in your pocket or purse. The next time you are out grabbing drinks you'll have a place to keep track of everything.
10. Tool-Set for the Office
You can never go wrong gifting tools. Head down to your local hardware store and pick up a tool-set with screwdrivers, wrenches, bits, and so on. That way they'll be able to hang up new artwork, fix the office chair, or at least pretend they are handy…
11. Professional Camera and Video Camera
Having a professional Camera and Video Camera around the office is extremely handy. We have a Nikon D-5100 and Canon HFS 200. Showing off your products with videos and good photos is becoming more and more important. Gifting a camera will put a smile on any entrepreneur's face! Here is a post I did with some tips on setting up a basic entrepreneur photo studio. If your friend is making a start in video work, be sure to give them a gimbel, as a stabilizer can greatly improve your videos making them look more professional!
12. Smart Phone
Smart phones enable you to take your business where-ever you go. This can be both good and bad, but I've found having the ability to check email and manage my site on mobile applications to be a life saver. Head down to your local retailer and pick up a new smart phone for your favorite entrepreneur.
13. Macbook, iPad, or iPhone
These are all big ticket items, but the entrepreneur who receives it will be the most thankful person on the planet. I run all Mac computers since switching from PC a few years ago and have been happy I did. While PC's are good machines, I've found Macs are easier to use, have fewer problems, look cool, and are less of a headache to own. You can find them at www.apple.com. Some people may not use IOS so the best alternative and that offers portability as entrepreneurs are always on the move discovering new and exsiting opportunities is to look into the smallest gaming laptops as you can be reassured they have the components to pretty much handle anything.
14. WoodWick Candle
These are some of the coolest candles I've ever had. The Redwood scent is my favorite. The Woodwick Candles have an actual wood wick which makes them crackle like a real fire.
15. Smoothie Maker
Help your entrepreneur friend stay healthy by making it easy for him or her to make a smoothie in the morning. The particular Hamilton Blender I prefer has a spout on it which makes it super easy to pour the smoothie.
16. Quickbooks or other helpful Business Software
Software is expensive and it seems like we always need a new version or one more program. Quickbooks has been the most helpful tool for keeping track of the books and making tax season a breeze. I recently started using the Mac version, which I wrote a review about. Check out the Quickbooks for Mac review here.
17. Airline Ticket
We all need vacations to get away from things for a bit. Send an entrepreneur on a vacation and let them relax for a while! Or, buy them admission to a seminar they want to check out and send them on their way!
18. Lighting Kit / Green Screen
Lighting kits and Green Screens are surprisingly affordable and super helpful in making photos and videos look professional. Here is a post I did about Having Fun with a Green Screen.
19. Business Card Holders and Office Supplies
Business card holders, sticky notes, staplers, and other office supplies make great stocking stuffers.
20. Web Tools for Entrepreneurs
Check out our RESOURCES PAGE for even more ideas. Help an entrepreneur get set up with email marketing, a blog, a shopping cart, 800 number, and other business building tools.
Lastly, if you love being an entrepreneur and want to help support Think Entrepreneurship check out the Think Entrepreneurship shirt we sell.
Other notable gift ideas:
External Hard Drive, Professional Dress Clothes, Gift certificates to Google Adwords, iTunes, Pandora, etc., 6 Pack of Good Beer or a Bottle of Wine.
Please note that using any of the affiliate links in the post to purchase a product will help support our cause to promote entrepreneurship. Thanks for your help!
Here’s another good one, good for Christmas or whatever time of the year
Thanks Ross, Great list!