11 Essentials and Must-Have Items Every Entrepreneur Should Own

As an entrepreneur, you want to close deals and impress potential clients. You want to confidently walk into a room full of investors and sweep them off their feet with your pitch. Therefore you need to equip yourself with the right tools. Let’s look at the essential items for entrepreneurs.

You’ve just rounded up your pitch to a prospective client. In your head, you’ve delivered an outstanding presentation.

You sensed a strong vibe of satisfaction filling the boardroom.

And then, reality strikes – you don’t get the deal.

You were very confident that you impressed them with your pitch, they liked it but sadly, you didn’t get that contract of a lifetime.

Have you ever wondered why?

Did it ever occur to you that there was something you weren’t doing right?

Sometimes it’s not just about being an expert in your field, having a great business idea or delivering a good speech; your appearance is the first thing you will be judged by, unconsciously or consciously.

There’s a lot a person will assume about you based on your physical appearance — from how confident you are to whether you’re trustworthy.

Asides your appearance, there are other items that you should have that completes you as an entrepreneur. We’ve subdivided these items into three categories namely Clothing Items, Accessories, and Other items & Gadgets.

Let’s start with the essential clothing items that you should have as an entrepreneur!

11 ESSENTIALS AND MUST-HAVE ITEMS EVERY ENTREPRENEUR SHOULD OWN

#1: WELL-FITTING DRESS PANTS AND TROUSERS

If the nature of your business entails dressing in smart business casual, then you can wear a pair of solid navy, medium gray or even charcoal gray dress pants to work on a clean and professional look.

You can also maintain a business casual look with a great pair of jeans and slacks. A dark blue or black pair of jeans is also appropriate for casual meet-ups, client meetings, and conferences.

Overall, ensure your pants are well-cut, well-fitting with the right trouser break. Don’t forget to pair this with a good shoe.

#2: FUNCTIONAL FOOTWEAR

As you already know, shoes are one of the most important aspects of your wardrobe. They are the first thing people notice, they speak louder than your words.

Wearing the wrong shoes for a great outfit totally kills the look you’re trying to go for. So, picking the right shoes is very important.

Your Loafers can be paired with jeans, chinos, and slacks. And if you don’t want to go for the classic oxford and derby, wearing casual dress shoes, loafers, monk straps or classic boots such as chukka boots, Chelsea boots will elevate your look.

Brown Chelsea boots are a good style option, although they are not as serious as Black Chelsea boots, it looks really great with jeans. You can wear them with your suits even when your plan is to dress down a suit look.

An Oxford dress shirt is very appropriate for business casual wear and can be worn as a business attire with the addition of a tie and a blazer to match. Our suggestion would be for you to have at a minimum:

#3: GOOD QUALITY DRESS SHIRTS

Two White shirts

One Blue shirt

One Light Pink shirt

One Lilac shirt

2 other variations of either blue or pink shirts.

For those in the entertainment, media and other related industry you could go for the smart casual look such as Denim Shirts on Jeans.

#4: WELL-TAILORED SUITS

Unlike a blazer or a sport coat, a suit jacket should be a closer and tighter fit for you.

The Navy suit, charcoal suit, Light/Medium Gray and Black are the appropriate colors to go for when picking your first four or five suits. You can never go wrong with these.

You should wear your suit jacket exclusively with the matching dress pants, the only exception to this rule is if you are wearing a more casual suit jacket such as corduroys or tweeds, in this case, you can pair it with slacks but make sure you choose a dark and well-fitted one and NEVER wear this to a formal event.

#5: NICE JACKETS | BLAZERS AND SPORTS COAT

The Blazer, Suit Jacket, and Sportscoat are an essential part of a business casual wardrobe for every entrepreneur.

You should have at least Two (2) Blazers, Two(2) Sports Coat, and One(1) Suit Jacket.  Stick to dark colors until you can afford to buy other shades.

In order of priority, you should go for a classic navy-blue blazer and a charcoal gray blazer in pattern or plain for a start. You can pair this with, say, jeans, chinos or slacks.

We’ll assume you already have a few ties and socks: If you don’t you should invest in quality ones. No one wants to see you wearing a cheap tie or worn out socks ever!

ANOTHER ITEM ON THE LIST IS ACCESSORIES!

You can never go wrong with the right accessories, why not invest in them as well? They are a great way to distinguish you from others.

#6: A CLASSY MAN BAG OR BRIEFCASE

Most “geek entrepreneurs” especially those in the IT Fields are used to strapping their backpack like a schoolboy when on the move.

Whether you are traveling or attending conferences and client meetings, a good quality classy man bag will easily make a great statement which would be beneficial to you.

As a stylish entrepreneur, a classic man bag is necessary tool can double as a style accessory. You can go with a brown or black leather bag that goes with your style.

Pairing this stylish and practical man bag with a complete outfit – let’s say a well-tailored jacket, a nice dress shirt, well-cut trouser with the right break, and a good shoe, will help you maintain the professional look at all times.

You will certainly stand out from the crowd. 

#7: A POWERFUL WRIST WATCH

You don’t need a very expensive wristwatch, especially if you are a budding entrepreneur whose net worth isn’t in the range of 8 to 9 figures yet.

A simple and affordable smartwatch will go well with your look – any day, any time!  You can comfortably pair a smartwatch with your business or business casual outfit and still look like a true stylish boss that you are.

#8: A CLASSY PAIR OF GLASSES FOR A PROFESSIONAL LOOK

Glasses are everything, you may want to reject this piece of an item because of the general belief that glasses make you appear geeky.

This is a misconception because glasses actually make you look really smart. As a modern-day entrepreneur, you will always find yourself in front of a computer screen – therefore, you will need a protective eyewear to protect your eyes from the lights emitted from your screen which can damage your eyes in the long run.

You should get a stylish pair of glasses [nerd glasses…yeah we said so] to elevate your look. Pick the right frame that goes with your face.

This accessory completes your look by making you look very smart and it also adds to your confidence especially when making presentations.

THE LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST IMPORTANT ITEM ON THE LIST ARE YOUR GADGETS AS WELL AS OTHER ITEMS YOU DIDN’T EVEN THINK ARE IMPORTANT…

#9: A NOTEBOOK WITH A CLASSY TOUCH

Having one notebook close to hand is an invaluable tool especially when you’re on the go and an idea pops up in your head.

It also comes in handy when you’re in a meeting, you can take notes, record daily musings, and important tasks.

Writing in a notebook gives you structure. Mind you, you can’t go around with a small exercise book or jotter, a classy looking notebook will look very appealing and appropriate. This will speak well of how neat and presentable you are. So, if you don’t have a notebook with a classy touch, you should get one now!

#10: A Powerful Pen

Today, many people don’t know that a pen is an important tool to have as an entrepreneur.

As a modern-day entrepreneur with style, a pen should be more than just a writing instrument used to apply ink to a paper surface. Your pen should be a statement piece – therefore you should consider skipping the usual inexpensive ballpoint pen (or biro) and switch to the stylish Luxury pen such as a luxury fountain pen, a high-quality rollerball gel ink pen or a classy retractable ball pen.

These stylish luxury pens can add flair to your desk and enhance your writing experience.

11: TECHNOLOGY GADGETS & THE RIGHT SOFTWARES:

Whether you’re in an office or on the go, technology saves time and certain applications make your work faster and more efficient.

These technology gadgets are just the necessary tools with which you can become efficient in minimizing effort and increasing productivity. From your well-equipped tablets to your laptop or your business smartphone, makes managing your everyday business tasks less stressful. For bloggers, a good camera is a requirement for capturing great pictures you could use in your articles.

For softwares and applications, take a look at the following software applications that can make your life easy as an entrepreneur

Trello: a free project management tool that helps you get organized.

Google Docs: an essential tool for working on a file with multiple people. Everyone can add or remove text, proofread content, and give comments for others to see.

Asana is the ultimate tool for managing your projects more effectively. It works with tasks, projects, conversations, and dashboards.

Slack is a beautiful chat app is an amazing communication tool for teams and mastermind groups.

7-Minute Workout: an app that helps you stay fit and focused on short workouts. Each workout consists of 12 exercises of 30 seconds, with 10-second breaks. All you need is a chair and a wall, so this is the perfect workout app in your (home) office.

Having these tools shows that you take your business seriously.

And don’t forget a good internet connection!

FINAL THOUGHTS

How you look and dress go a long way to your brand building and can contribute immensely to your success as an entrepreneur.

When people say, ‘dress the way you want to be addressed’ they are telling the ‘honest’ truth.

Your dress sense and style speak volume about your personality long before you start speaking to your client or socializing at pitch event, conferences, workshop session, or investors’ meeting.

In case you didn’t know, 95% of people judge others in the first 3 seconds of a meeting without even speaking with them. So you should take your appearance seriously, dress professionally and be equipped with the right accessories and stylish tools to make a great statement and set you apart from the crowd.

Ultimately, by making these little changes, this makes people assume you are responsible and committed to your goal and will deal with you.

Thank you so much for stopping by. Until next time, Stay classy!

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