Practical Gifts for Her: 15 Thoughtful Gifts for Women Entrepreneurs

Nobody wants to give the gift that ends up sitting in the corner collecting dust. If you’re going to spend the time, energy, and money on gifts for women business owners, wouldn’t you love it if that present became a regular, or even special part of her day?

Let’s redefine practical.

I have nothing against a nice candle, but I want to share some useful gifts for women.

Practical doesn’t need to be synonymous with boring, it just genuinely needs to be useful. These practical gifts for her will become a staple in her daily routine, and you’ll have the joy of knowing that the present you gave is being used regularly. Not sitting in the junk drawer or the spare closet.

Any brand with a 🩷 emoji indicates that it’s a female founded brand and a 🍁 highlights a Canadian brand. And our pricing guide:

💰 = Treat

💰💰 = Indulgence

💰💰💰 = Splurge

Here’s a list of 15 thoughtful gifts for women entrepreneurs.

What makes a gift practical?

A practical gift can be special without needing a special occasion. It’s the kind of gift that she’s going to reach for regularly, and if it’s something that runs out, it’s something that she’ll replace.

It’s also something that she’ll uniquely appreciate, even if nobody else gets it. When I was 21 and wanted a Louis Vuitton Speedy 30, my mother rolled her eyes SO HARD. She bit her tongue and got it for me anyway. Guess what? At 42, that bag is still in my closet and makes the occasional appearance.

When my husband sees me wearing my Alo sweatsuit, he sees money well spent. Not because he thinks a pair of sweatpants should cost what they charge. But because when he sees me wearing mine multiple times a week, he knows that that was a better spend than Old Navy sweats that I’d leave in a drawer. 

A practical gift doesn’t need to be super bougie, but it gets to be something she’ll get great use out of.

15 practical gifts for women entrepreneurs

Best for the desk

1. Blue Light Glasses 💰💰💰 - Ever stare at a screen and feel the oncoming headache? Blue-light lenses help reduce the amount of blue light that reaches your eyes from phones, laptops, and TVs. As women entrepreneurs we work from anywhere (currently writing this on a plane), so help her eyes catch a break from the glare of screens.

   

   Photo Credit: Warby Parker

2. Glam Desk Shelves 💰💰💰- A messy desk doesn’t lend inspiration to getting work done. Being someone with a minimalist white desk (and I’ll only put gold accessories on it!), these Glam Desk Shelves from Pottery Barn (fine, Pottery Barn Teen) are the perfect organizational tool that’s functional and aesthetic at the same time. 

   

   Photo Credit: PB Teen

3. Mason Jar Flowers 💰- Flowers make everything feel better and more luxe. Recently a friend gifted me with a mason jar of snapdragons and they were a lovely addition to my desk for a few days, and now I’ll be gifting them to myself weekly!

   
   Mason Jar

4. Prisma Picture Frame 💰- This picture frame by Umbra has been out for years and is still the most stunning one on the market, IMHO. It’s nice to have something to focus on on your desk that isn’t a laptop, but a loved one instead. This piece has done multi-duty for me personally and works not only as a photo frame, but also as a mini-vision board holder and as signage for testimonials at IRL events.

   
   Photo Credit: Umbra

5. Signature Pearl Pen 🩷🍁💰 - As women entrepreneurs we’re writing (and checking off!) to-do lists, updating things in our planners and jotting notes. What takes it from mundane to special is using our gold Signature Pearl Pen - it feels as good as it looks. Featuring a pearl detail on the pen clip, it’s a tool that keeps her confidence close at hand.

   
   Signature Pearl Pen

Best for the home 

6. Acupressure Mat 💰💰💰- I hold a lot of tension in my body so I’m always looking for things I can do to manage that at home, beyond booking regular massages. An acupressure mat was the tool that I never knew I needed. It’s a mat covered in thousands of small plastic spikes that press into your back and shoulders as you lie on it, much like the pressure-point work in a massage. It's an easy way to release built-up tension and settle into deeper sleep after a long day. The first time feels a bit weird and prickly but then the discomfort gives way to a deep, calming relaxation that makes it easier to switch off from work.

   
   Photo Credit: Shakti Mat

7. Heated Blanket Cape 💰💰- If she lives in a colder climate, level up working cozily in sweats by adding on a heated blanket cape. Especially during the winter, it’s like wrapping yourself in a warm hug while getting things done. 

   
   Photo Credit: Snuggie

8. Stainless Steel Ice Globes 💰- These are great for reducing puffiness and soothing inflammation. After a long day of staring at a screen I love using them under and around my eyes to roll out any tension there. My husband hates to see it. But I feel so relieved. Definitely opt for stainless steel and not glass, they’ll last longer and aren’t as fragile.

   
   Photo Credit: Skinact

9. Lap Desk 💰 - Work is not relegated to the home office. At some point, your female founder friend is bound to use her laptop on the couch, in a cozy chair or in bed. (Well, hopefully not in bed. That’s poor digital hygiene, but it happens to the best of us sometimes!) This portable lap desk is so key that we had to get a second one in our household so my husband and I each have our own.

   
   Photo Credit: Indigo

10. Pocket Farmacy 💰💰💰- This collection of roll-on essential oils from Saje has been a staple for years. From the Peppermint Halo roll-on for headaches to the Pain Relief and Stress Relief roll-ons, this natural kit is a female founder favourite for feeling better.

    
    Photo Credit: Saje

Best for her mental health

11. Anxiety Relief Colouring Book for Adults 💰 - Bring back the fun we had as kids! No screens, no devices, just pencils, crayons and paper. Colouring is a mindless activity (and a stress reliever!) where she can turn her overworked brain off, let her mind wander, and play with creativity. 

    
    Photo Credit: Book Shop

12. Female Founders Journal 🩷🍁💰- No matter how many things we do right, our inner narrative often goes to everything that went wrong, not being enough, comparison it is and imposter syndrome. That’s why I created the Female Founders Journal - to help her celebrate her wins big and small. The Female Founders Journal is a 90-day guided journal for women entrepreneurs with more than 180 prompts, reviewed by a licensed therapist. Every morning her day starts with confidence, following the BRAGS framework, which stands for Build confidence, Reframe thoughts, Affirm strengths, Grow mindset, Self-reflect.

    
    Female Founders Journal

13. Mall Gift Card 💰💰 - Seriously, retail therapy is real. And there’s a real satisfaction from picking up a tangible item and bringing it home with you, versus pointing and clicking away online shopping. She’ll love the excuse to get away from work for a few hours and get herself whatever she might like.
    

    
    Photo Credit: Canada Mall

14. Spa Day 💰💰💰 - Running a business can be stressful. Sitting at a desk all day is taxing on the body. So a day off to be pampered with a massage, a facial, and to sit in a whirlpool is an absolute dream. I can’t imagine any woman who wouldn’t love receiving this.

    
    Spa Day Gift Card

15. Wlth Wlks 🩷💰 - Want to help her get her 10K steps in? Level up an ordinary walk with Wlth Wlks, a way to meet and connect with local female founders on a neighbourhood walk, hosted in cities across North America. She’ll meet new like-minded women in her city every month where she can chat with other women in business who get it to create connections and swap ideas. This is a super affordable way to help her connect with a female founder community locally.

    

    Photo Credit: Wlth Wlks 

The gifts to skip this year

When you’re considering what a practical gift for a female founder might be, skip anything that’s generic or could be a novelty. Nobody needs one more thing to stuff into a spare room.

Generic bath sets

Especially if she’s the type of founder who’s constantly at events and conferences, there’s a ton of personal care stuff in the swag bags. On top of the things she already has in her bathroom.  

Novelty mugs

Unless it’s something real special, like an Ember self-heating mug, she’s got plenty. And if she’s like me, she likes a matching set so random mugs won’t work in her kitchen and throw off the vibe in the cupboards.

How to make any practical gift feel special

A practical gift feels special when it becomes part of an experience. A journal on its own is nice, but pair it with a pen and stickers for the full writing and reflecting experience. Pair a spa day with mason jar flowers so she comes home to something beautiful. Stacking a practical gift or two together turns them into a moment. It’s the thoughtful, extra cherry on top. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good practical gift for a woman entrepreneur?

A good practical gift for a woman entrepreneur is something that will make a tangible difference in her day-to-day life, even if it isn’t necessarily something that’s a big deal. It’s something she’ll use on repeat, want to replace if it’s consumable, and something that she’ll uniquely appreciate, regardless of other people’s opinions.

What do you get a woman who is hard to buy for?

A gift card is a safe bet for the hard-to-shop-for woman. Ultimately she’ll get to make the final pick. Choose a store or mall you know she loves, load up her card, and let her pick from there.

What are good gifts for women who own businesses?

Good gifts for women who own businesses are ones that make her feel confident, seen and supported. Something that shows that you know and understand who she is as a person and that will support her growth journey. 

I’ll give you a shopping list cheat sheet:

• Know a woman who just started a business? Here are 15 gifts she’ll actually use. 

• Want to support the start of a good day? Check out these 12 morning ritual gift ideas for the female entrepreneur who has everything.

• Want the ultimate female founder shopping list? Read my holiday gift guide roundup of 10 different gift guides showcasing female founded brands. 

The practical gift that runs out

At the start of this list I said a practical gift is one she reaches for regularly, and if it runs out, it’s one she replaces.

The Female Founders Journal does both, and it’s the only thing on this list that leaves her with something when it runs out. It’s a 90-day guided journal for women entrepreneurs with more than 180 prompts, reviewed by a licensed therapist, and when she reaches the last page she has three months of evidence of how far she has come. And when she finishes one, she’ll want the next.

If you want to create the full experience, the Deluxe Bundle pairs it with the Signature Pearl Pen and Pearl Sticker Sheet.