The 2023 Solopreneur’s Gift Guide
Over the years, I’ve published a great many gift guides on my blog. From freelancers, to podcasters, to working from home, and even my hobbies — like pens and cigars. And this year is no different.
But given my relatively new focus on helping solopreneurs (and the fact that the “Work from Home” guide is starting to feel a little stale), I’ve decided to change things up in 2023.
I’ve also decided to move the guide to Medium! For the last few years I’ve had a permanent page that I’d update each year — and I may keep that — but considering I do a related podcast episode every year, I feel it best to have a dedicated page for each year’s gift guide.
OK enough preamble. Let’s get to the guide.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links.
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Recording / Video Conference Gear
As a solopreneur you’re likely meeting with lots of people via Zoom, creating content, attending or even presenting webinars, and more.
That means you need good recording gear.
A Good Camera: Elgato Facecam
I picked up the Elgato Facecam last year and love it. Great picture and lots of settings to make yourself look perfect.
If you want to go for an upgrade, or your giftee is a streamer who needs that 4K quality, the Elgato Facecam Pro will get the job done!
For a CRAZY good setup, check out my Live Stream kit.
Microphone: Samson Q2U
Along with that, a good mic is also important. The Samson Q2U is perfect! Solid quality, great price.
If you’d prefer a headset, check out the Sennheiser PC 8 USB Headset.
If you want to see more recording gear, check out my Podcaster’s Gift Guide.
Lighting
One surefire way to make yourself look better on camera is having good lighting. Your camera doesn’t have to work as hard to capture you, and you won’t look like you’re recording in a cave!
There are lots of lighting setups — here are some of my favorites:
Home Office Setup
I know I just said that I didn’t want to focus on WFH, but a core feature for many solopreneurs is the ability to work from home — and that means having a good office to work from.
The kitchen table or couch was OK for a temporary setup, but longer term, you need a more ergonomic solution. Here are some items that will absolutely make a difference in your posture. Your body will thank you!
Desk Chair: Steelcase
A good desk chair is important for someone who works from home. Steelcase, while expensive, make the best.
If you’re looking for something more affordable, the HON Chairs are popular.
Roller Blade Wheels for Office Chairs: OK here me out on this one. I didn’t think of it until I saw it on Twitter, but these wheels make the chair sturdier and easier to roll on carpets. I’m a HUGE fan of them.
Standing Desk: Jarvis Fully
Sitting all day isn’t good for you (or your loved one). There are lots of sit/stand desks out there. I recommend Jarvis by Fully, now owned by Herman Miller (who also happens to make very good chairs).
It’s what I have and I love it.
I also have an E7 by FlexiSpot, and it’s fantastic. The biggest difference for the 2 I own are the E7 has a child lock — which is perfect because my kids like to play with the controller.
If you’re looking for something more affordable, check out the Moft Sit-Stand Laptop Desk.
Ergonomics
Something to elevate your laptop or monitor is great because then you’re not hunched over, very close to your screen. I love what Twelve South makes.
A good mouse goes a long way in ergonomics and productivity. The Logitech MX Master 3 combines both really well! Multi-device support, ergonomic design for comfort, and lots of programmable buttons to make computer use easier.
Now, I don’t use an ergonomic keyboard (I have a Keycron K2 Pro Mechanical Keyboard), but I’m an ideas man.
And I’ve heard great things about the ergonomic keyboard from Microsoft. This is an affordable alternative to more expensive options, and you can improve the wrist posture!
If you really want to go the extra mile, you can get a monitor arm. The ones by Fully come highly recommended. I had this one by Amazon and it served me well for a long time.
At Home Tech
Having the right tech can make a world of difference. Here’s a bunch of recommendations that help me work, even with kids at home.
Backups and Storage
External Hard Drive:Everything we do is computer-based nowadays, so a solid external hard drive is necessary. I’ve used the Western Digital My Book for as long as I could remember. If you need more space, the 12 TB model should do the trick.
Cloud / Off-Site Backups: Another important aspect of working online is having solid off-site backups — especially if you work from home. There’s only one service I recommend for this, and it’s Backblaze.
Network Area Storage: or NAS, this is something that allows you to store data over a home network, from multiple devices. I currently have the Synology 2 Bay Storage NAS.
Just a heads up that this the bay only — so you’ll have to get some hard drives too. For the total cost, I know some folks who’ve also on the route of a Mac Mini as their home server. But with the new price hike/refresh, I’m still going with this.
Portable Hard Drive: With “the cloud” there’s less of a need for portable storage, but I still like to have some on me. Here’s a few good suggestions:
- Western Digital Portable Hard Drive
- Though pricey, I’m a big fan of Samsung’s T7 portable SSD. SO much so that my full Photos library is exclusively on that.
Headphones
I love my AirPods Pro II. They’re always in my pocket and for the time being, are the only noise cancelling headphones I keep with me.
If you (or who you’re shopping for) are more of an earbuds person, I’ve always been a fan of Skullcandy headphones.
For over-the-ear headphones, the Bose QuietComfort 45 Noise Cancelling headphones are fantastic. Whether you work from home, an office, or a coworking space, these will help you focus. And they’re great while traveling.
If you’re looking for good, sub-$200 headphones, I recommend the Audio-Technica ATH-M50s. They are lightweight, block out most noise, and sound incredible. They are also one of the few sets of headphones I can wear for a long period of time without getting a headache.
Other Tech & Accessories
Stream Deck: My Stream Deck is a powerhouse of automation and workspace setup. I use it for everything from setting up my podcast recordings to live stream overlays, lighting, launching apps, and so much more. I highly recommend it.
Aker Chargers and Hubs: If you need good charging solutions, there’s no one better than Anker. Here are a couple of recommendations:
- GaNPrime Hybrid Power Bank / Wall Charger
- MagSafe 3-in-1 Charging Cube (perfect for travel)
- Nano USB-C Power Bank
iPhone/iPad Stands: I love these stands by Lab22. So sleek, well designed, and sturdy.
Productivity Tools
Working by yourself can be tough — especially if there are a lot of distractions. But with the right tools, you can better stay on task (or at least easily pick up where you left off)!
Analog
Notebooks and analog tools are super personal, but here’s what I like:
Sidekick Notebook: Premium feel, great paper that works with fountain pens, and it lays flat.
Sidekick Notepad: I LOVE this thing. It sits right under my keyboard, and it’s great for taking notes and listing tasks. At the end of the day, I transfer everything to Notion.
William Hannah A5 Classic Notebook: This is my content planner. It’s pricey but SO worth it. It’s got lots of different refills and I use it every day. I went with the One Week Two Pages refill.
If you’re interested in pens, check out my Pen guide.
Analog To Do System from Ugmonk
I’m an analog guy through and through, despite my penchant for technology. There’s just nothing like writing out a to do list and then checking items off.
The Analog system from Ugmonk captures this perfectly. Beautiful card holder, cards for Today, Next (which I use for monthly planning), and Someday (which I use for Quarterly planning), and easy storage. I feel like it was made for me.
Digital
For digital communication, there are a lot of apps that I love. Here are a few!
- Todoist for task management
- MindNode for mind mapping
- Bear and Notion for note taking
- Ulysses for writing
You could grab an App Store Gift Card so that your giftee could grab some of these.
Setapp is also a great subscription service that gives you access to tons of Mac and iOS apps!
Coffee and Comfort
Working from home means you need to be comfortable. It also means office amenities are up to you. Making sure you have good coffee (for most of us) is a must!
My Favorite Coffees
I have a new favorite coffee, y’all. and It’s Cometeer.
They flash-freeze already brewed coffee into pods and then send them to you. Perfect for hot or iced coffee and super easy to make AND travel with.
And it’s darn good.
Other Great Beans:
Coffee Gear
Everyone has their own way of making coffee. But I got a Nespresso last year and it’s a perfect office companion for when I need an afternoon boost.
If you’re buying beans you should also have a good coffee grinder. You can’t go wrong with the OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder. It’s beautiful, holds 3/4 lbs of beans, has several steps for the perfect grind, and an auto-grinder for up to 30 seconds (which I’ve found to be perfect for brewing 4 cups of coffee).
Around the House
Good Clothes. Working from home means being comfortable. Sweats and t-shirts are great, but it’s also good to have some nice clothes for when you need to go out. Here’s a bit of both.
Nice Shirts: UNTUCKit. I have recently started to upgrade my wardrobe and UNTUCKit has been at the heart of it. Their shirts are perfect for me, and look great!
Unmentionables: Mack Weldon. Seriously. Their boxer briefs, undershirts, and everything else they make are incredible. I’m a huge fan. For Women (since Mack Weldon currently only makes men’s clothes), I’d recommend meUndies.
Socks: Darn Tough Socks. These are the best socks ever.
Also, look, I don’t have these Mahabis Slippers, but they look amazing and I want them.
Hello Fresh: A meal box subscription is the perfect way of saying, “You don’t have to Doordash everything.” There are lots of meal boxes out there, but I’ve heard the best things about Hello Fresh. These are especially good for households of 1 or 2.
Traveling
A lot of the stuff I mentioned (like the headphones, Anker power banks, and portable drives) can also be listed here as they are crucial for travel! But here are a few other things that will make travel better for the solopreneur or creator in your life.
Bags
Choice of travel bag is also super personal, obviously, but there are a few I love.
I’m a big fan of WaterField Designs and their incredible bags. I picked up the Mezzo backpack last year but it looks like that’s sadly no longer for sale. They have several comparable ones though!
I just picked up this Sling bag from Nomatic, another company that makes great bags!
If you like messenger bags, you can’t go wrong with Timbuk2.
Must-Have Accessories
Here are the things I always have with me when I travel:
- Kindle Scribe: This is my favorite way to read, lately. Easy highlights, hand-written notes, and notebooks, it’s a compact device that has lots of different purposes.
- AirTags: I put these everywhere. It’s great to make sure I don’t forget everything, and so I know that my bags safely made it to the same location I made it to.
- AirFly by Twelve South: If you want to use your headphones to tap into the in-flight entertainment system, you need these!
Books
No list for solopreneurs would be complete without a good set of books. But don’t worry — I’m not going to recommend The Checklist Manifesto and Atomic Habits. Here are some that may not get recommended all the time:
- At Your Best by Carey Nieuwhof. A book about how to recognize your energy levels, and do your best work when you’re at your best.
- Forget the Funnel by Georgiana Laudi and Claire Suellentrop. Gia and Claire talk about the importance of learning from your customers. You don’t need a complex sales funnel as much as you need to speak your customers’ language.
- This is Personal by Brennan Dunn. My friend Brennan is super smart and his approach to personalizing your emails is fantastic. Combine this what what you learn in Forget the Funnel and you can’t lose!
- Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath. This talks about how some ideas catch fire and others don’t. Spoiler alert: it has to do with telling good stories!
Ways to Socialize
Solopreneurship can be lonely. Here are some ideas to help your loved one (or yourself) socialize.
A Coworking Space is a great place to meet other solo/remote workers and network. Look for a Coworking Space Membershipin your area!.
Nothing says “get out of the house” like Dinner and a movie:Dinner Gift Cards | Movie Gift Cards
Escape rooms are great, interactive activities.Find a Room
…or….
- Find a Bed & Breakfast
- Cigar Lounge
- Wine Tasting
- Museum Tour
- Night out in the closest city
- Gym or Club Membership
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