Five gifts that show the entrepreneur in your life you care
Executive Director Spotlight
Can you believe it’s already time to start racking our brains about what gifts to give our friends, families and colleagues for the holiday season?
That choice may be particularly hard to make with the budding entrepreneurs we know and love, because they’ve been spending a lot of time in the garage and with other entrepreneurs instead of sharing their likes and dislikes with us.
Entrepreneurs stowed away working on their dreams probably don’t need the latest fragrance, another tie or a piece of jewelry. So how do you really help your loved ones who are on their way up? What can you give them that will have real meaning and not be forgotten by 2018?
In some cases, these gifts are tangible. In others, they’re cheap or even free but require effort on your part. But here are some ideas on how to show entrepreneurs you care:
- One of the biggest things folks trying to build a business need is access to a key network. So you, the gift-giver, can think about all the people you know and how they might benefit that business, either by becoming customers or serving as experts. Set up a cocktail hour or a coffee – and maybe order a candy cane latte, in the spirit of the season.
- I recommend The Startup Owner’s Manual by Steve Blank and Bob Dorf, Zero to One by Blake Masters and Peter Thiel, and Venture Deals by Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson. This trio of books teaches entrepreneurs how to determine if their idea is any good, turn it into a real product and find investors.
- Magazine or online subscriptions. Depending on the business your friend is launching, there may be specific magazines or online subscriptions they need or want. Forbes, Fortune and Success are great ones for all types of entrepreneurs to help them learn from others and glean valuable tidbits throughout the year.
- A gym membership can help an entrepreneur clear their head, and no matter how busy they are – everyone has a couple hours a week to work out, and who knows what contacts you might make at the gym? Memberships to professional organizations, affinity organizations and makerspaces are excellent choices, too.
- Intellectual capital. Ask yourself: What skills do I have that could help my friend’s business along? That could range from advising them on tax, property or legal issues to handling complicated paperwork to helping them move into a new office space. Whether your labor is skilled or unskilled, they’re sure to appreciate the support.
Robert Grajewski is a serial entrepreneur, investor and Evans Family Executive Director of the Innovation Center at Vanderbilt University.