With the holiday shopping season officially here, BrandMakerNews presents its 2010 Gift Guide for Entrepreneurs. When we asked business owners what holiday gifts they really wanted from their family and friends, they were more than happy to name all the goodies on their wish lists.
If you’re trying to come up with the perfect gift for the business owner in your life, check out the gift requests below. Before you resort to the obvious gift (book, tie, bottle of wine, etc…), see what’s on these entrepreneurs’ wish list, and choose a gift that your favorite business owner can truly appreciate.
Here Are 15 Gifts Entrepreneurs Really Want For The Holidays:
1. Gift Card For Office Supplies
“I would love to get a gift card to Office Depot, or Office Max, or any office supply store. I find I’m constantly going there for little things and printed materials.” –Cheryl Foster
2. Travel…A Chance To Unplug
My wish list this year includes travel, someplace international where it will be harder for me to get Internet and be reached by phone. -Brandon Scivolette
3. Comfortable Chair
“Starting a business means hours and hours of sitting at a desk working. A great chair is a must yet a lot of entrepreneurs cut corners on this expense by not getting a decent piece of this furniture. This could be a great, thoughtful, comfortable, useful, and long lasting gift!” –Devesh Dwivedi
4. Money
“My business is just starting to break even and any extra money I can get would help me cover my expenses. There are situations where cash may be inappropriate, in that case an American Express gift card would be nice.” –Lilya Sorkin
5. Maid Service
“Who has time to clean with all the networking an entrepreneur will be doing?” –Sabrina Hartel
6. iPad
“I am lusting after the iPad. I could see how it could make my life a lot easier, AND a lot more fun.” -Ramona Russell
7. A Memorable Experience
“Give them something that takes them away from work for a while and lets them do something fun or relaxing. Make sure it’s something with an expiration date, but something they can be a little bit flexible in scheduling.” -Jeff Greenhouse (To explore a wide range of “memorable experiences” from spa treatments to food tours
8. Brain Puzzles And Exercises
Help entrepreneurs keep their minds sharp with fun puzzles and exercises. “Marbles specializes in products that strengthen and entertain the brain. These also make great host/hostess gifts for office parties and executive gifts.” –Lindsay Gaskins
9. The Ultimate Notetaker
“Nothing works as well as pen and paper for getting ideas out of my head. The problem is, I then want them searchable and backed-up so I don’t have to worry about losing them. The Livescribe Echo Smartpen lets me get my notes into the computer easily, plus I can record voice notes into it on the fly.” –Jacob Reiff
10. A Cell Phone Leash
Ask for a Zomm, a wireless leash for your mobile phone. “Busy entrepreneurs would tell you that their cell phone is their communications hub for not just phone calls, but email, video chat and a news source. Losing a phone can be as costly as it is inconvenient, and ZOMM is designed to ensure you never leave your phone behind at the office, home or a restaurant.” -Lindsey Groepper
11. A New Website
There are many major upfront costs associated with starting a business, including the expense of creating a website. “An affordable website is the perfect gift this holiday season for every entrepreneur. Services like Clover enable small business owners and entrepreneurs to create professional websites without having to go through the trouble of hiring a web designer or programmer.” –Jim Elliston
12. Sports Ticket Packages
“We often have entrepreneurs hosting clients or prospects at our Chicago Cubs games, but of course any major sport ticket package would be relevant. I’m biased for baseball of course, as the games make for a great atmosphere to both catch a game and talk shop. Cubs Holiday Gift Pack are on sale now.” –Kevin Saghy
13. A Good Sound System
“We love our Harman Sound Sticks. We stream Pandora all day long and it helps create an upbeat, fun, workplace. The minimalist design goes well with our modern decor which hints at our fresh take on the traditional ski shop.” –Amy Dannwolf
14. Gym Membership
“Once you’re in business and the employer health benefits are gone, maintaining a healthy lifestyle becomes very important and this gift will be a thoughtful help as well as a reminder that they shouldn’t have any excuse left to not hit the gym regularly.” –Devesh Dwivedi
15. A Gift Certificate For Personal Concierge Services
“The entrepreneur can delegate their to-do list or project wish list to our team and we can oversee that the “to-do” becomes “done.” We work with clients to manage their busy lives. The requests are always varied: travel coordination, personal assistance, errand running, event planning, etc. A gift certificate for personal concierge services is giving the entrepreneur the gift of time.” –Nicole R. Matthews
Though we hope this gift guide helps you find a great gift for the entrepreneur in your life, the absolute best gift you could give is your support and encouragement. So, this holiday season, don’t forget to tell your favorite entrepreneurs how proud of them you are. Your motivating words, may be the gift a business owner really needs the most.
Cheers to the start of a wonderful holiday season for you and yours.
Be great!
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