Hey there!

If you’re someone building something on the side (or full-time), you already know: the margin is thin.

You don’t need more “motivational quote” gifts. You need tools that lower friction so you can use the little time you have on real work, not wrestling cables or digging for files.

Think of this guide as a short list of upgrades that quietly compound: fewer headaches, smoother days, and a bit more energy left for your people.

Disclosure: I may earn a commission if you click through to these links. I appreciate your support, should you choose to purchase!

Also, the items below are suggestions I curated that I think you’ll find helpful; you may be able to find comparable items as well.

1. TRMNL E-Ink Desk Display (or similar)

For the solopreneur who wants a calm command center instead of 47 open tabs.

An e-ink desktop display can show:

• Today’s top three priorities
• Your calendar
• Key metrics (subscribers, revenue, etc.)

No browser, no Slack, no popup notifications.

You glance once and know what matters. Then you get back to work instead of clicking into a distraction spiral.

If you’ve been meaning to simplify your digital workspace, this is a physical nudge.

​2. CalDigit E5 Thunderbolt Hub​

For the creator whose desk looks like a cable graveyard.

Laptops are great until you add:

• An external monitor
• A microphone
• A camera
• A hard drive

Suddenly you’re plugging and unplugging six things every time you move.

A solid hub lets everything live in one place. One cable in, everything wakes up: screens, storage, audio. It feels small, but it buys back focus every single day.

​3. SanDisk 2TB Extreme Portable SSD​

For the parent-creator whose projects are scattered across devices.

Your content, client work, podcast files, course videos, family photos—they all deserve one reliable home.

A 2TB SSD gives you:

• A central, fast vault for your work
• Easy backups
• Freedom to move between laptop, desktop, or borrowed machine

Instead of wondering “where did I save that?,” you know exactly where it lives.

4. Portable Podcast Kit (DJI Mic Mini + Zoom PodTrak P4)

For the solopreneur who keeps saying, “I’ll start the podcast when life calms down.”

You don’t need a studio. You need tools that work in the margins you already have.

You can record:

• During car naps
• In a parked car between errands
• At the kitchen table once the kids are asleep

The stories and ideas are already in your head. This kit just makes it much easier to capture them.

5. A Simple “Nervous System for the Business” Bundle (SaneBox + Mem (Use code MITTENDAD for 20% off your first three months! + YNAB)

For the founder who’s drowning in email, ideas, and money stress.

You can tailor this, but the principle is the same: one tool for each major source of overwhelm.

• Email: SaneBox auto-sorts non-urgent messages into a later folder
• Notes/ideas: Mem (or your favorite) captures and connects notes so they’re findable
• Money: YNAB or a similar system gives every dollar a job

It’s not about fancy software. It’s about taking three big piles—messages, ideas, money—and giving each a home that doesn’t live in your head.

​6. Meal-Kit Subscription​

For the parent-founder who logs off work and goes straight into shift two.

Same idea as in the other guides, but the framing shifts here.

You’re not just “treating yourself.” You’re deliberately removing decision-fatigue so you can:

• Show up more present with your family
• Still have a bit of creative energy left after dinner
• Not resent your business for taking every ounce of you

Sometimes the most strategic move is “less to think about at 5 p.m.”

​7. Your Own Parentpreneur Stack (Niche Navigator GPT, Insta Content Pro, 15-Minute Reset, etc.)​

For the parent-creator who wants a system, not another pep talk.

Bundle your own tools into a giftable package:

• Clarity on what to talk about
• A way to turn ideas into posts without overthinking
• A 10–15 minute reset to keep weeks from spiraling

These aren’t flashy “look what I bought” gifts.

They’re the kind you feel a month later when your desk is calmer, your files are backed up, your email isn’t screaming, and you’re actually recording the show you’ve talked about for a year.

If you pick one thing to invest in for yourself this season, I’d be curious which one it is—and why. Hit reply and tell me what you’re leaning toward.

Have a great rest of your weekend,

Matt

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