It’s that time of year again with the holidays right around the corner. We have put together a list of 30 gift ideas for the young entrepreneur in your life. When shopping for a small business owner think of how a gift can help them in their everyday battle with building their company. Every business owner goes through ups and downs so anything to give them an edge can make a great gift. Here is a list of 30 great gift ideas for new business owners:
1. Tablets
Tablets of all kinds are in demand for young business owners today. Their hectic on-the-go lifestyle helps keep them stay connected and productive 24/7. The iPad and newly released Kindle Fire are in most conversations but they do have very different feature sets and purposes. However, companies like Samsung, HP, and Motorola also offer very comparable and usually less expensive options to Apple’s iPad.
2. Laptop
Seems like a no-brainer but there are tons of people still sitting on a desktop or maybe even an ancient laptop that acts like a desktop. Laptops are huge for entrepreneurs. Remember one of the big reasons they are starting their business is flexibility. This does not mean being stuck in a room in front of a desktop day and night. Let them take their work to the beach, the coffee shop, or a friend’s house. Oh yeah, get them a MacBook.
3. Air Card
Not a must but still a fun gift. They work great and it’s not something a bootstrapping entrepreneur will probably invest in on their own so that makes it a really cool gift.
4. Luggage
Traveling can be a big part of being a new business owner. There are conferences to go to, clients to meet, and hopefully events to host and presentations to give. Maybe they can even travel as they please just because of their flexible schedule. Either way, good luggage is great to have for all types of trips and is a great gift for new business owners.
5. Coffee
Entrepreneurs run on coffee! Late nights and early mornings are common when hustling that start-up. Getting them an assortment of premium coffee or a Starbucks Card is another great option (this will also give them wifi access in Starbucks).
6. Vacation
Just about anyone would love this but an entrepreneur who is strapped for cash and finds it tough to even make it out of the basement will appreciate it even more. Give them a weekend at a ski resort or a beach. Make it simple but demand they put work aside for a couple of days to relax and have some fun.
7. Business Cards
Services like Vistaprint are awesome for getting some free business cards made up. But a really cool gift is hooking them up with someone to help design a really professional card that will make them stand out. The cost is usually $100-150 for a good amount of cards. Business cards can help out as a gift for new business owners.
8. More time in the day
While this may not be exactly possible even though just about any entrepreneur would want this wish. However, how about we focus on productivity and organization tools? Find out where your young entrepreneur struggles to be productive and invest in tools that can help them stay on top of things.
9. Whiteboard
A cool addition to any office is a whiteboard. Great for brainstorming ideas and building the next million-dollar company. Ideapaint is a good and fun option but even more cost-effective is going to a store like Home Depot or Lowes and finding a blank piece of tile or shower board. It’s 4′ x 8′, under $20, and works just as well as any whiteboard you’ll spend 10x as much on.
10. Books
Any entrepreneur will always appreciate a good book. Some recommendations are “Crush It” by Gary Vaynerchuk, “The 4-Hour Work Week” by Tim Ferris, anything by Seth Godin, and anything by Malcolm Gladwell. Think about how this new business owner gift could help organize their thoughts and learn more.
11. Comfortable Chair
Starting a business (especially online) will mean lots of time sitting at a desk doing work. A great chair is a must!
12. A Customer
You may not realize it but your young business owner has a product to sell! Dig into your book of contacts and find someone who is interested in their services. This can be especially practical for the very early stage entrepreneur as they just need more practice, referrals, and experience.
13. A Mentor
Again take out that book of contacts and find someone who has experience in their field and is willing to mentor your budding entrepreneur. Come to an agreement where they will have a phone call a week, meet with them or go over the business plan and numbers. Just a few simple meetings with someone who has done it before can go a long way in giving a new business owner confidence and ideas.
14. Smart Phone
If you know an entrepreneur who hasn’t upgraded their phone yet to either the iPhone or something with the Android platform on it you need to do it! In this hyper-connected world, anyone who is trying to build a business with outdated technology is falling behind their competitor. This is even a better idea if the person doesn’t have a laptop yet. This new business owner gift is more expensive but stresses the importance of connectivity in the business world.
15. Gym Membership
This is great for a few reasons:
- Working out relieves stress and will take your mind off work for a little while.
- Sitting at a desk day and night is not the healthiest lifestyle out there.
- It’s a good way to meet some people and be social in your community.
16. Magazine Subscription
Get them a subscription to Entrepreneur Mag, Inc. Mag, or Fast Company
17. Legal Fees
Starting a business means some legal fees. Help them out with forming an LLC or maybe they need another DBA for their various ventures. Sometimes even a simple meeting with a lawyer to go over all of their current paperwork can be very helpful to make sure everything is in order.
18. Logo Design
A logo is very important when it comes to branding. Get them a professional graphics designer who is creative and will create something to make their company stand out everywhere!
19. A Gas Card
In case you haven’t realized, gas is expensive! Some business owners spend a lot of time traveling for their business and offering to pay for some gas can be a huge help.
20. Cook them some meals
Most early-stage business owners have a daily diet that revolves around pasta, mac & cheese, peanut butter & jelly, ramen noodles, etc… Whatever it is they probably are not eating gourmet meals. Put together some meals that they can freeze and store for a couple of weeks. Not only will the food be better but the ease of simply defrosting dinner plays right into not having enough time in the day.
21. Wine/Liquor/Beer
Being strapped for cash means they either don’t get to go out much anymore and even if they do they are not drinking their drink of choice. Get them their favorite wine/liquor/beer so they can enjoy a few drinks!
22. Business Card Holder
A business card holder is a nice touch for anyone and also an easy stocking stuffer, such as a lanyard – a fantastic accessory that complements a business card holder perfectly. These versatile and functional neck straps allow you to keep your essential cards and IDs easily accessible while adding a touch of style to your professional attire. Whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly stocking stuffer or a luxurious gift, lanyards can be found at 4inlanyards in various price ranges to fit any budget. You can keep it as simple or you can find one priced just about as high as you want.
23. Connection to their “Business Hero”
Everyone has people they look up to in the business world. Try to set up a meeting or phone call with someone amazing. Imagine giving a 30min phone call with Richard Branson, your young entrepreneur would be blown away. While Richard may be tough there are numerous authors, speakers, and CEOs who could get the job done and make an interesting gift.
24. Ticket to a Business Conference
Use Eventbrite to find events around your area. Another one of our gifts for new business owners is getting them a pass to a conference in their industry so they can learn and network with tons of other bright entrepreneurs.
25. Toastmasters Membership
Starting a business and especially marketing that business means being able to speak and present well. Get them a membership to Toastmasters so they can master the art of speaking.
26. Professional Clothes
One of the last things a cash-strapped entrepreneur will spend money on is clothes. Who needs them right? Well, it is still important to maintain a good appearance for clients and when attending networking events. Get them some nice button-downs, dark jeans, nice shoes, and maybe even a watch. Remember young entrepreneurs aren’t necessarily putting on a suit for these things. It’s about looking professional while maintaining a level of trendiness.
27. Chambers of Commerce Membership
Sign them up for a year at the local chambers of commerce. Chambers are a great resource for anyone but especially if they are starting a business that is focused on the local community.
28. Company T-Shirts/Pens/Notepads/koozies/drawstring backpacks
Take their logo and toss it on a novelty product that would work well in their industry. Take their logo and toss it on a novelty product that would work well in their industry. For example, if put their brand on a t-shirt, anyone who wears it will be advertising for them for free. Custom promotional products not only means free promotion with customers but also cathed customers’ heart to gain their return. Furthermore, it’s also good for shaping the corporate image. In addition to custom t-shirts, pens, notepads, exquisite items such as enamel pins, lanyards, stickers, etc. are also popular. For new entrepreneurs, these serve as great giveaways and marketing tools for their community at a low cost. For new entrepreneurs, these serve as great giveaways and marketing tools for their community.
29. Google or Facebook Ad Campaign
Put some money in a Google Adwords or Facebook Ad account for them. Both are simple forms of advertising and if done right can be very effective. Just find out what platform is a better fit for who they are targeting and let them give a campaign a try. If nothing else they can learn and find out if it’s something they want to look at closer in the future.
30. Press Release Service
Finally, our last suggestion for gifts for new business owners is helping them out with their press releases by using a service like PRWeb.com or PRNewswire.com. Not only will these sites help distribute a press release but they offer a lot of resources to help write a killer press release.
