Welcome to TechCrunch’s 2021 Year-End Gift Guide! Need help with gift ideas? We have a lot of them. Looking for our other guides? Find them here!
2021 has been largely defined by the great resignation, during which tens of millions of people quit their jobs in search of other opportunities. Some of these people have made their next career a personal development: betting on themselves by going solo. As a result, we’ve seen the rise of solopreneurs, whether as a business owner, investor, or even a journalist choosing to launch their own publication, the traditional newsroom, damn it!
Betting on yourself is an ambitious but lonely process, so I interviewed a handful of solopreneurs to see what their gift lists look like this holiday season. We didn’t set any restrictions so weren’t sure what to expect, but we did get a fun, thoughtful, and eclectic list of ideas; some focusing on productivity, others on comfort, and others on personal care. If there’s one common thread between them, it’s this: if you’re about to do things yourself, take care.
Dell UltraSharp 34 Curved USB-C Hub Monitor
Image credits: Dell
As the allure of remote working shifts from a question mark to a definitive statement, everyone is rethinking their monitor game. Newton, who publishes a daily guide to understanding social networks built by behemoths and contested by startups, is eyeing a curved screen. Why constantly switch from window to window when you can have a mega panoramic view of everything?
Price: $ 935 from Dell
Grovemade Office Shelf
Image credits: Grovemade
Continuing on the topic of desktop setup, Newton said he liked Grovemade’s entire product line, especially its office shelving system. I’m not entirely surprised, given that my ability to meet deadlines is directly related to the inspiration of my office space. And who could not have taken advantage of a refresh to improve their ergonomics?
Alex is gay, actor and non-technical podcast host
32 oz Nalgene Narrow Mouth Tritan Water Bottle
Image credits: Nalgene
Along with his impressive commitment to hydration, Gay said this water bottle is his favorite because it’s lightweight, plastic, and comes in a ton of colors. “More, if you are a FREAK like me who uses an app to track the number of liters of water you drink per day, 1 bottle = 1 liter. You are welcome ! “, she says.
Price: $ 12 from Nalgene
Purely Elizabeth Grain Free Granola
Finally, our first wishlist item for snacks! Gay chose Purely Elizabeth grain-free granola, which she notes currently ranks in the healthiest category of sugar-packed options on the market. She says she looks forward to it every day, which seems a lot more elaborate than my daily ice cream sandwich.
Price: $ 7 from Purely Elizabeth
Alo Yoga Warrior Mat
Image credits: Alo
For balance – haha - we end its section with an Alo yoga mat. The company claims that it is 100% formaldehyde-free, non-toxic and PVC-free, wicks dry wick, and won’t slip. “This yoga mat is perfect (unless you have to move it around, and then it’s ‘perfect but quite heavy’),” she said. “It’s beautiful, above all, it’s thick enough for a table at home and spongy enough for a long savasana.”
Price: $ 100 from Alo
Lolita taub, CU of stealth venture capitalist
Lady products
Image credits: Lady
If you’ve been listening to podcasts, you’re probably familiar with Dame, a sexual wellness company (with great marketing). The company sells vibrators for couples and individuals, as well as aloe-based lubricants and toy cleaners. Taub pointed out the Pom, one of the most popular vibrators and comes with a three-year warranty. Full disclosure: the entrepreneur is an investor in the business.
The KOHLER Stillness bathtub
Image credits: KOHLER
One key to avoiding burnout, as my friends like to remind me, is indulging in relaxation so that you can present yourself and your team with fresh energy. It’s the ambiance of this calm bathtub, which sounds as zen as I imagine it to be. The bathtub combines water, steam, lighting and aroma to promote “the luxury of the break”. Sign me up, especially after a year like 2021.
Mac Conwell, founder of Rarebreed Ventures
Rowing machine
Image credits: Rowing
“What’s better than a rower that works almost like a gaming system?” said Conwell. Well, I don’t have a witty answer to that, but I’m definitely interested in rowing away from zombies and like the VC says, mixing competition with low impact workouts.
Price: Rowing $ 2,199 to $ 2,499
BonMylk
Image credits: BonMylk
Frothy lattes and plant-based milk may not look too good together, but GoodMylk aims to change that. Conwell is an investor in what he claims to be the “healthiest alternative milk on the market”. Shipped concentrated, GoodMylk helps people who love the taste of homemade hemp, almond and oat milk recreate the product without the hassle of a cheesecloth. In other words, founder Brooke Rewa discovered a patented flash-freeze technique that helps you make alternative milk fast.
Price: $ 68 for a six pack on Goodmylk
Ankur Nagpal, founder of Vibe Capital
Oura ring
Image credits: Brian heating
Besides the Apple Watch, Oura rings are perhaps the most popular among technicians. Users are given three daily scores, one to measure how well they slept last night, one that tracks physical activity, and finally one that tells you if you’re ready to face the day. All three are important when it comes to balancing the demands of work, life, and the growing overlap between the two, so if you love numbers and tracking, the Oura ring could be for you. It also offers in-home sizing, so don’t worry about losing it when doing the dishes. Or do it, because I would always find a way.
Price: From $ 299 at Oura Ring
Cocktail proof syrup
Image credits: Proof
Proof sells old-fashioned cocktail syrup in small batches in flavors such as pecans, sour citrus, and maple bacon. While I’m not quite sure on the latter, syrups do sound like a festive way to liven up your own bar cart or at least sub-tweet to your friends who miss them.
Price: $ 33 from proof
A trip to an island for 6 months to work
Aerial view of Cousine Island showing the beach and villas. The cousins island. Seychelles. (Property released)
“There is something about being around the water that is extremely calming and motivating for me,” said Burney. “I am originally from Florida and live in Atlanta where there are no beaches, so I aspire to be near the water as often as possible to take care of myself and rejuvenate myself.” Since people will be working from home to work from anywhere, I totally resonate with this type of wishlist item; it’s harder to get Prime Delivery on it, but it looks like Island weather would fill us all in a way that a Frother won’t. The investor also added that she wanted a spa membership, which … could be a little easier to offer.
Price: Please check with your local travel agent as this can vary depending on what you plan to have fun.
Regular meetings between girlfriends
Let’s trade a few meetings for ones that have nothing to do with our day-to-day work as we move into 2022. “As a solo GP, I always aspire for the company of girlfriends to be fair, with no agenda”, Burney said. She makes a good point, considering these are the easiest shots to not prioritize sometimes just because you know your OGs will always be there for you. Well, here’s a healthy reminder that your friends can be loyal, but they need attention too.
Price: Invaluable.
