Not sure what to give the small business owner in your life this holiday season? Here are six gift ideas to help their business succeed.
The end of the year can be a busy time—especially for small business owners. Between preparing for Small Business Saturday and the end-of-year holidays, finding time to come up with gift ideas can be a challenge.
Here are six gifts you can give to your fellow small business owners to show appreciation.
A “Smart” Notebook
The next big idea is out there—it’s just a matter of finding where you jotted it down. For the productivity-obsessed business owner, a reusable smart notebook from Rocketbook ($34) can keep ideas organized and the clutter of multiple journals to a minimum.
AI technology easily uploads and organizes notes to Google Drive, Dropbox, Slack, email, and more with the free Rocketbook application for iOS and Android. The journal can be used endlessly by wiping it clean with a damp cloth.
A Motivational Book
Running a business means learning something new every day.
For the business owner interested in growing their professional network, “Success Is in Your Sphere: Leverage the Power of Relationships to Achieve Your Business Goals” by Zvi Band shares insights into how to leverage existing networks to establish new relationships.
Running a business means overcoming challenges. “The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur: 366 Daily Meditations to Feed Your Soul and Grow Your Business” by John Jantsch is a unique guide with meditations and exercises for each day of the year. With a range of topics like self-awareness, creativity, failure, growth, resilience, and more, “The Self Reliant Entrepreneur” teaches business owners to learn to trust their ideas and overcome the doubts and fears of everyday challenges.
For the small business owner who is just getting started, “Untethered Success: Handbook for Entrepreneurs and the Self Employed” Christopher Thomas is a practical guide to understanding the less practical aspects of being a business owner. The book covers topics like how much money you need to make in order to support yourself, how to file taxes when you’re self-employed, and how to select the right entity and tax structure for your business.
A Portable Credit/Debit Card Reader
The share of the world’s transactions carried out in cash has fallen from 89 to 77 percent over the past five years, according to a McKinsey & Company report.
For the business owner looking to grow their footprint, a portable card reader can expand the types of sales their business can accept during non-store events and allow businesses to participate in local fairs, markets, and pop-ups.
Square offers a $49 reader that works with chip cards and contactless payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay. With the free Square Point of Sale app, readers are compatible with iOS and Android phones or tablets with a headphone jack or a Lightning connector.
Intuit also offers EMV chip and magstripe debit and credit card readers for $49, and, for a limited time, PayPal is offering new PayPal Here customers a free EMV chip and magstripe card reader through June 30, 2020.
RELATED: 5 Facts on Chip-and-Pin Credit Card Technology
Personalized Business Cards or Stationery
For the creative business owner, customized print materials, such as stationery or business cards, can serve as an extension of their business.
From custom paper to accessories, Moo provides a variety of custom printing options and offers special discounts for businesses with 10 or more employees. Even better: search for local stationery shops in your area to support another small business.
A Portable Power Bank
For the active business owner with more than one business location or a travel-heavy schedule, a portable power bank can keep them connected to employees and customers.
Are there multiple devices that need to stay charged? Consider a RAVPower universal, three-port power bank ($49.99). Or, if the job requires long hours outside, a RAVPower solar-charged power bank ($69.99) will keep them going long after the sun goes down.
A Gift Card to a Local Office Supply Store
When starting a new business, there’s a lot of overhead that may go overlooked. Help set up the new business owner in your life for success with a gift card to a local supply store.
While items like paper, pens, or a filing cabinet may seem small, these items can make a big difference when tackling day-to-day operational tasks.
