If you’re still trying to figure out what to give the favorite entrepreneur on your holiday list (or are putting together a wish list of your own), here’s a list of my suggestions of gifts that entrepreneurs and small business owners would love.
Useful and fun: My friends at Surprise.com, an online gift giving selection Web site, (we shared an office when we were both launching our companies) provided a number of fun suggestions. www.Surprise.com.
Neat Receipts: This ultra-portable scanner makes it easy to keep track of all those credit card, taxi, and hotel receipts you get on the road or the business cards you have on your desk. Neat! $190.
Dressy Sneakers: Perfect for your young (or not-so-young) entrepreneur friend who refuses to wear “real” shoes but still needs to make a good impression at business meetings. Around $50.
What’s for Lunch decision spinner: How much time do they waste deciding where to go for lunch? Perfect stocking stuffer. $4.
Frequent fliers: You can find a range of useful — and cool — gifts for the entrepreneur who’s racking up airline miles at a store called Flight 001. Fortunately, many of the gifts are also on their Web site (www.flight001.com).
Solar powered multi-gadget charger: Please, someone get me one of these! Instead of carrying three chargers (cell phone, iPhone, digital camera), I can just use one. I don’t even need electricity, even on cloudy days. $140.
Paper shampoo: Airlines limit the number of liquids you can carry on, so switch to these dissolving papers that contain shampoo. Great idea. Only $6.
Noise-canceling headphones: A pilot once told me an airplane’s constant humming noise dramatically increases fatigue. My sister Janice gave me noise-canceling headphones for my birthday, and they were one of the best gifts I’ve been given in years. One of the highest rated — and most expensive — is from Bose ($349; www.bose.com) but there are many less expensive models.
Gadgets, gadgets, gadgets: Let’s face it, we all love gadgets, especially entrepreneurs.
GPS navigation system: One of the most popular — and most wanted — gifts of the year. Never get lost on your way to that important business meeting — and never ask for directions. There are many choices from electronics stores, with prices ranging from $150 to more than $500.
Bluetooth headphone: It’s just plain smart to use a hands-free headset for your cell phone while driving; many states make it mandatory. If your favorite entrepreneur spends a lot of time in their car, van, or truck — it’s time they have a wireless headset. $20 to $150.
iPhone: Sure there are some more strictly business cell phones out there (BlackBerrrys, for instance) but entrepreneurs want something less corporate and a lot more cool. That means the iPhone. (Note: I own shares of Apple stock.) $399.
Projector: My staff and I still huddle around a monitor when checking out a Web site or PowerPoint slides, but my brother Arnie, who’s head of a college multimedia department, gave me a couple of excellent suggestions to solve this problem. (You could use these at home to project DVDs or TV when you have a party!). One from Optoma weighs less than 4 pounds, and costs about $800. Apple TV allows you to wirelessly send video or any other image (like a PowerPoint presentation) to the Apple TV, which can be connected to a TV screen. Under $300.
Other gift ideas: Much of what an entrepreneur wants — and needs — is assistance. Give a gift certificate for a bookkeeping service or technical support. They could also use a bit of relaxation, so how about a gym membership or gift certificate for a massage?
Finally, what does every entrepreneur need that they don’t have enough of? Time! So how about giving them a weekend away from their desk and all their gadgets and electronic devices? Hiking, camping, a spa get-away. Or, if that’s not possible, offer to baby-sit their kids so they can finally have a night out with the spouse.
Rhonda Abrams is the author of “Six-Week Start-Up” and “What Business Should I Start?”
