2023 Entrepreneur Gift Guide

Whether you’re looking for deals for yourself, or gifts to give the business owners in your life, I’ve got you covered. Check out some of my favorite ideas for gifts I think the entrepreneurs in your life (that includes you) would love.

Gifts To Buy Yourself

If you’ve had your eye on something for while, now is a great time to take advantage of Black Friday and Small Business Saturday deals. Here are some ideas: 

  • Walking Pad:  One of the best purchases I made at the beginning of this year. Not only does it help keep me moving when I would normally be sitting, it also helps me focus, be more productive and creative. This is the one I have, but there are tons of options out there. Just remember to read reviews!
  • Software: While this might not be the most exciting purchase, it can save you a ton of money. Software companies will often do Black Friday or end of year deals for annual subscriptions. Think things like Zoom, Canva, Flodesk, GoDaddy, WordPress, Loom, etc. Things you would pay for anyways. Note: you can always get 50% your first year of Flodesk with my link.
  • A Planner: I’m a digital girlie, and live by my Google Calendar, but I also love my paper planner. I swear by the Full Focus Planner, but find one that fits your needs and style so that you’ll actually use it.
  • Personal Branding Shoot: I can’t tell you what a difference having professional photos makes when you’re building a business. From your website to your content, they really do make a difference. Find a local photographer whose style you love and ask about their options for sessions.
  • Down To Business Bundle: If there’s one thing that’s true for all business owners it’s that things will always change. That’s why I created the Down To Business Bundle. So I can support you as you navigate those inevitable changes. I’ll be there to help guide you through them and create powerful strategies that are sustainable and realistic for YOU and YOUR BUSINESS.

Gifts to Buy Business Owners

Have an entrepreneur on your list and not sure what to get them? Here are some ideas: 

  • Jotter Pens: These are my favorite pens. I have a dozen of them at all times so that I always know one is nearby. The best part is they come in a ton of colors, so you can gift them in someone’s brand colors for an extra special personal gesture.
  • A mug: Find a mug with a cute phrase on it that makes you think of the person you’re gifting to. Or get a custom mug with their logo made (pst. you can do this on Canva). Or, a Yeti is always a perfect option. No reheating necessary!
  • An Instagram Audit: Know someone who would love to give their Instagram a glow up? Why not gift them an Instagram Audit from yours truly? I dive deep into their account, content, strategy, and ultimately their business to give them a step-by-step guide to improving their presence on Instagram.
  • Tripod: Have a business bestie who is always creating content? Give them a tripod to make creating content anywhere a breeze. This is my favorite one because it’s super compact but extends to a good height and has a super sturdy base. Bonus: a selfie light is also a great addition to their content toolkit.
  • DoorDash gift certificate: For those days when they just can’t come up for air, give them the gift of delivery!

What did I forget? Is there something special on your list this year? Or do you have a favorite gift to give the business owners in your life? Let me know. I’m always looking to add to my list! 😉

40 things I know to be true (in life and business)

I’m officially 40. While I know I’m still a young buck in the grand scheme of life, 40 years on Earth is still enough time to know SOME stuff. So I thought I’d share 40 things I know to be true in life and in business.

  1. Work life balance is bullshit
  2. There’s a difference between hard and bad.
  3. Pay attention to how things make you feel.
  4. Boundaries are essential—in life and business.
  5. What you say no to is more important than what you say yes to.
  6. There will always be more to do.
  7. You have to be both an optimist and a realist.
  8. Be early, but not first.
  9. People aren’t thinking about you as much as you think they are (so do whatever the hell you want).
  10. Connections and relationships are everything.
  11. Anyone who tells a business owner “don’t take it personal” has never owned a business before. Business is personal.
  12. You have to get comfortable with failure if you want to succeed.
  13. Anyone who challenges your price or asks for a discount doesn’t value what you offer, and a discount won’t change that.
  14. You get to decide where the bar is set.
  15. Expectations are just planned resentments.
  16. A big social following is not a prerequisite to success.
  17. You don’t have to be an influencers to have influence.
  18. It doesn’t have to be perfect to put it out there.
  19. If you have a product or service that helps people, you also have a responsibility to market it.
  20. You CAN sell without being “salesy”.
  21. There may be others who do what you do, but no one IS you.
  22. Stories are bridges between you and your potential clients.
  23. If you’re wondering if you should charge more, the answer is yes.
  24. Find the people who value their time more than their money.
  25. Always try to find ways to do more of what you’re great at and less of what you’re not great at.
  26. Put your mask on first. It’s the only way everyone survives.
  27. People will always buy. Getting people to spend money is not the issue. But they can only buy what they are aware exists.
  28. All great ideas start out vulnerable and incomplete.
  29. Referrals and word of mouth aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.
  30. Opinions don’t matter. Numbers do.
  31. You can love something or someone and still want time to yourself.
  32. Saying no is a form of self care.
  33. Routines rule!
  34. If you have a question, 100 other people have the same one. Be brave enough to ask it.
  35. Confidence is a skill that has to be practiced every day.
  36. It’s okay to mix is a little “woo” with the work.
  37. Celebrate all the things—big and small. Why not?!
  38. Perspective can fix a lot of things.
  39. Getting older is actually awesome (most of the time)
  40. You don’t have to do what everyone else is doing or the way they are doing it.

Do any of these stand out to you? What do you know to be true?

My 3 Step Process For Repurposing Content

Have you heard about repurposing content, but aren’t sure where to start?

Repurposing content not only helps you stay consistent, it is also strategic. If you are sharing good information (and I know you are) then it deserves to be repeated.

There are so many content formats for a reason…

You have to meet your customers at the right time, on the right platform, and in the right format.

Different content formats resonate differently with different people. A reel they might have scrolled right past could blow their mind in carousel format. Marketing is all about awareness and repetition. The key to that is consistency.

And the key to consistency is REPURPOSING.

If you want to learn how I repurpose content, keep reading.

First, start with your goals

Everything I do starts with goals. Your content needs to serve a purpose, not just be something on your to-do list. If you want to post with purpose, you need to first look at your overall business goals and think about how your content can work to support those goals.

When you’re planning content, think about your business goals in the next 30-90 days. What are you trying to achieve? Write down 3-5 goals. Think about things like:

  • Selling X number of products or services
  • Growing my email list to ______
  • Connecting with 5 new strategic connections
  • Increasing post engagement by ___%
  • Growing my followers to________

Look at your insights

Once you have your goals narrowed down, use those to determine which metrics matter. If your goal is to increase engagement, you’ll want to look at Post Interaction. If you want to get people to your website, you’ll want to look at Website Clicks.

To find your post analytics:

  1. Go to your professional dashboard
  2. Select Content You’ve Shared
  3. Select the type of posts you want to look at, change the date range to the last year
  4. Filter by the metrics that align with each of your goals

Choose the content you want to repurpose

Look at the content that performed best on the metics that matter for your goals. What posts can you repurpose?

Create a saved collection of posts you want to repurpose. When you need content ideas, come back to this library of content you know performed well based on your goals. Then reformat and repost.

Here are some examples:

ORIGINAL POSTREPURPOSE AREPURPOSE B
Static imageReel with stock video, trending audio, caption as onscreen textCarousel post with caption broken up over multiple slides
ReelCarousel post with caption broken up over multiple slidesStatic image with hook as image text
Carousel PostStatic image with list of main pointsReel with stock video, trending audio, caption as onscreen text
StoryReel created directly from story slidesCarousel post with main points broken up over multiple slides

Hope that was helpful!

I’m Amanda. I’ve spent 18 years in digital marketing—12 of those as an entrepreneur. I believe marketing should serve a purpose & solve a problem. I want to see you succeed and grow your business in a way that feels right for you.

If you’re looking for a bestie for your biz, you’re in the right place.