Welcome to the TechCrunch 2021 Christmas Gift Guide! Do you need help with gift ideas? We have a lot of them. Are you looking for our other travel guides? Find them here!
2021 was significantly shaped by the great resignation, in which tens of millions of people have given up their jobs to take advantage of other opportunities. Some of these people made their next career move personal: betting on themselves by walking alone. As a result, we’ve seen the rise of solo preneurs, either as a business owner, investor, or even a journalist who chose to start his own publication, traditional newsroom be damned!
Betting on yourself is an ambitious but lonely process, so I surveyed a handful of solo preneurs to see what their gift wish lists are this holiday season. We didn’t set any restrictions so we weren’t sure what to expect – but what we got was a fun, thoughtful, and eclectic list of ideas; some focus on productivity, others on comfort, and others on self-care. If there’s a common thread between them, it is this: when you set out to do things yourself, take care of yourself.
Dell UltraSharp 34 Curved USB-C Hub Monitor
Credit: Dell
As the appeal of working remotely goes from a question mark to a definitive statement, everyone is rethinking their monitor game. Newton who published a daily guide To understand the social networks that are being built by giants and challenged by start-ups, he looks at a curved monitor. Why keep switching from window to window when you have a mega panoramic view of everything?
Price: $ 935 from Dell
Grovemade desk shelf
Credit: Grovemade
Continuing the office furnishings theme, Newton said he loved the entire Grovemade product line, especially the desk shelving system. I’m not entirely surprised as my ability to meet deadlines is directly related to how inspiring my workplace is. And who couldn’t use a refresher to improve their ergonomics?
Alex is gay, Comedian and host of the non-technical podcast
Nalgene 32oz narrow mouth Tritan water bottle
Credit: Nalgene
Aside from her impressive commitment to hydration, Gay said this water bottle is her favorite because it’s lightweight, made of plastic, and comes in a variety of colors. “Plus, If you’re a FREAK like me who uses an app to keep track of how many liters of water you drink per day, 1 bottle = 1 liter. You are WELCOME! ”She said.
Price: $ 12 from Nalgene
Pure Elizabeth Grain Free Granola
Finally our first snack wishlist item! Gay chose the grain-free Purely Elizabeth Granola, which she notes is on the healthier end of the sugary options on the market right now. She says she looks forward to it every day, which seems a lot more put together than my daily ice cream sandwich.
Price: $ 7 from Purely Elizabeth
Alo Yoga Warrior Mat
Credit: Hi
To compensate – haha - we end her section with a yoga mat from Alo. The company claims that it is 100% formaldehyde-free, non-toxic, and PVC-free, as well as dry absorbent and non-slip. “This yoga mat is perfect (unless you have to put it somewhere, and then it’s ‘perfect, but pretty heavy’),” she said. “It’s beautiful, most of all, it’s thick enough for a tabletop at home and soft enough for a long savasana.”
Price: $ 100 from Alo
Lolita Taub, GP of a clandestine venture capital firm
Lady products
Credit: lady
If you listen to podcasts, you probably know Dame, a sexual wellbeing 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 company.
The KOHLER silent bathtub
Credit: CHARCOAL BURNER
One key to avoiding burnout, as my friends like to remind me, is to allow yourself to relax so that you can perform for yourself and your team with fresh energy. That is the atmosphere of this silent bathtub, which sounds as censored as I imagine it to be. The bathtub combines water, steam, light and aroma to promote the “luxury of a break”. Sign up, especially after a year like 2021.
Mac Conwell, Founder of Rarebreed Ventures
Aviron rowers
Credit: rowing
“What’s better than a rowing machine that works almost like a game system?” Said Conwell. Well, I don’t have a funny answer to that, but I’m definitely interested in rowing away from zombies and, as the VC says, mixing competition with gentle exercise.
Price: Ranges from $ 2,199 to $ 2,499 Aviron
GoodMylk
Credit: GoodMylk
Frothy lattes and plant-based milk might not go that well together, but GoodMylk wants to change that. Conwell is an investor in what it believes is “the healthiest dairy alternative on the market”. Delivered in a concentrated form, GoodMylk helps people who like 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 proprietary flash blast freezing technique that helps you make alternative milk quickly.
Price: $ 68 for a six pack on Goodmylk
Ankur Nagpal, Founder of Vibe Capital
Oura ring
Credit: Brian Heater
Aside from the Apple Watch, Oura rings are possibly the most popular wearable among tech freaks. Users receive three daily values, one to measure their sleep status from the previous night, one to record their fitness activities and one that shows their readiness for the day. All three are important in balancing the demands of work, life, and the increasing overlap between the two. So if numbers are your thing, the Oura ring could be for you. It also offers the home size so don’t worry about losing it washing up. Or do it because I would still find a way.
Price: From $ 299 from Oura Ring
Proof of cocktail syrup
Credit: Proof
Proof sells old-fashioned cocktail syrup in small batches in flavors like pecan, citrus sour, and maple bacon. While I’m not entirely sure about the last one, the syrups sound like a festive way to liven up your own bar cart, or at least send a subtweet to your friends.
Price: $ 33 of evidence
A trip to an island for 6 months for work
Aerial view of the island of Cousin with the beach and villas. Cousin island. Seychelles. (Property released)
“There’s something very calming and encouraging about being close to the water,” said Burney. “I am originally from Florida and live in Atlanta, where there are no beaches. So I crave near water as much as possible to nourish and rejuvenate myself. ”Since people go to work from home to work from anywhere, I really love this type of wish list item ; It’s harder to get Prime Delivery on it, but it seems like island time is filling us all in ways that a frother won’t. The investor also added that she would like a spa subscription that … maybe a little easier to give away as a gift.
Price: Please check with your local travel agent as this may vary based on the enjoyment you plan on.
Regular meetings with friends
Let’s trade some meetings for meetups that have nothing to do with our day job when we start in 2022. “As a solo GP, I still long for the company of girlfriends who just BE, not an agenda,” said Burney. She makes a good point considering these are the easiest plans to not prioritize sometimes simply because you know your OGs are always there for you. Well, here is a healthy reminder that your friends are loyal but also need attention.
Price: Priceless.
