What a crazy year it’s been! With the holiday season upon us, we know how challenging it can be to find the perfect gift for everyone important in your life. To help with your search, we’ve put together a list of gift ideas if you’re struggling with what to get that special entrepreneur in your life.
Books
We all know the typical entrepreneur – risk-taker, late-night grinder, and head-down worker. One item that will help them escape from the world but also keep them on track is the gift of books. Listed below are five of our favourite books that your entrepreneur can dive into.
Talking to Humans by Giff Constable
This award-winning book is the practical guide to understanding the details about consumer development- an essential for innovators. Talking to Humans takes you through the story of two entrepreneurs and the specifics behind consumer interviews, how to find your first 100 customers, and the importance of talking to potential consumers.
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
A book heavily recommended by The Forge itself, this book defines a new startup strategy to prevent failure. Written by Eric Ries, The Lean Startup method offers entrepreneurs a way to test their vision continuously and relies on rapid scientific experimentation.
The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick
In The Mom Test, Rob Fitzpatrick outlines how to get more results and more sales out of your efforts, even when you are being lied to. He outlines how entrepreneurs are spending way too much time developing unnecessary theories and features, and the proper way to get hands-on, unbiased results.
Designing for Growth by Jeanne Liedtka
An essential for entrepreneurs, Jeanne Liedtka and Tim Ogilvie educate readers in one of the hottest trends in business: “design thinking,” or the ability to turn abstract ideas into practical applications for maximal business growth in Designing for Growth.
The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek offers how to think with an “infinite game” mindset in this book, The Infinite Game. He explains how to not be persuaded by the quick reward, but rather to stick it out for the purpose of building stronger, more innovative, and inspiring organizations.
Office Supplies
We’ve all seen the classic depictions of entrepreneurs and their messy offices. To be fair the crimpled-up papers, barely working pens and spilled coffees are not too far off from what actually happens. For the sake of keeping your entrepreneur clean and organized, we’ve listed some useful office supplies below.
Calendar
Calendars are a great way to compile all the deadlines, dates, and assignments running through an entrepreneur’s head. A calendar will go a long way in terms of getting things done.
Charging Station
A charging station, or charging station dock, is another great way to keep things organized for an entrepreneur. With multiple devices, and limited outlets, a charging station will provide an easy way to keep things charged, while also avoiding wires all over the ground.
Sticky Notes
Sticky notes are great for keeping to-do lists, or reminders in plain sight. Stick them on your computer or on your desk, they are a great way for entrepreneurs to juggle all the things going on in their heads.
Headphones
Noise-cancelling headphones are a fantastic, underrated necessity for entrepreneurs. Especially if your entrepreneur is working in a crowded or busy environment, these will keep them focused on the task at hand.
Notebook
A decent notebook goes a long way for an entrepreneur. With ideas floating around everywhere, it is a great place to centralize those thoughts so they can be found later.
Subscriptions
We all know how busy an entrepreneur’s life is. We’ve listed 5 subscriptions below that will help make an entrepreneur’s life easy- whether that be in their personal life or propelling their business forward.
Prep’d Fresh
Spend less time cooking and more time grinding. With a Prep’d Fresh subscription, your entrepreneur can schedule weekly, ready-to-eat meals delivered fresh. This is great for any entrepreneur who is struggling with time for meals and is getting tired of frozen dinners and pizza.
Proto300
Proto3000 is a leading provider of end-to-end advanced manufacturing services and products that leverage world-class design tools, additive manufacturing processes, metrology technologies, high-performance materials, and part finishing automation to reduce product design cycles, enhance prototyping capabilities, improve production efficiency, and maximize supply-chain flexibility. It is great for any entrepreneur trying to produce mass amounts of their products.
HubSpot
HubSpot is an American developer and marketer of software products for inbound marketing, sales, and customer service. It is a perfect subscription for your entrepreneur looking to take the next step in a successful startup journey. With HubSpot, you can save 30%-90% on all the tools you need to increase leads, accelerate sales, and streamline your customer service.
Hockeystick
With a subscription from The Forge’s partner, Hockeystick, your entrepreneur can find funders fast, as well as any other funding needs for their startup. They can join thousands of entrepreneurs meeting investors and raising funding. Help your entrepreneur by getting their startup listed and getting free access to Hockeystick’s funder marketplace.
Stripe
Stripe is a payment infrastructure online that works to make things easier for all businesses. Your entrepreneur can use Stripe’s software and APIs to accept payments, send payouts, and manage their businesses online.
Destress
Its just as important in an entrepreneur’s life to destress and to relax. We’ve prepared 5 gifts you can give to your entrepreneur to help them settle back.
Stress ball
These are cheap, easy ways for an entrepreneur to relax and easy their worries. They can help distract from daily worries, and ease pressure- even if its just for a little bit.
Scented Candles
Scented candles can help you relax, feel calm, energized, and help your brain get into a more productive mindset. They are a perfect gift for entrepreneurs who need to settle their mind.
Bath bombs
Bath bombs are another great method of scent therapy. Certain scents will help you drift into relaxation with comforting scents and earthy aromas. As well, bathing in warm water opens your pores, leaving skin feeling glowing, fresh, and stress-free. Another perfect gift for hard working entrepreneurs.
Meditation App
We all know meditation is great for relaxing your mind and settling down. With apps like Headspace, your entrepreneur will have access to 500+ mediations on everything from stress-relief to wind-down exercises.
A Vacation
If you really want to outdo yourself this year- a vacation is just about everything an entrepreneur could want. Careless days by the beach, and relaxing weather, a vacation for your entrepreneur is the ultimate form of relaxation.
Priceless Gifts
The most important of them all, these priceless gifts listed below will go a long way in making this Christmas a special one for your entrepreneur.
Time
A truly priceless gift, giving your entrepreneur time and space to think and breathe will not only advance their innovation journey, but also help them breathe a bit.
Money
The value of money is obviously of great importance to anyone, but especially to entrepreneurs. Any money that can be reinvested into the business, tax-free, can be a special gift (and maybe even a favorite!).
Support
Volunteering your time, offering praise, or helping make decisions are all amazing gifts you can give to your entrepreneur. They are undoubtedly always in need of some sort of aid, but even offering so much as a “good job”, or “I am proud of you” is a certain way to push your entrepreneur further.