If you aren’t sure what to get your favourite high-achieving woman for Valentine’s Day, you’ve come to the right place.
Valentine’s Day is a few days away. As I scroll through Beyoncé’s internet, I’m predictably bombarded with grand, performative gestures designed to engineer intimacy, but failing desperately to do so. Money bouquets. A hundred roses. Gestures designed to be photographed, posted, and forgotten just as easily. Somewhere between one scroll and the next, I found myself wondering: what kind of gift would reach me where I am now?
In the past few months, as I’ve stepped fully into my role as Editor-in-Chief, my life has shifted in ways both subtle and consuming. My days are fuller, my calendar tighter, and my energy more carefully rationed. On some evenings, I come home from meetings and sink into my couch, shoes still on, allowing myself a moment to recalibrate before I can think about the gym or dinner. It’s in those quiet, hardly glamorous moments that I began to wonder what my darling partner could meaningfully curate for me.
I have long passed my desire for romantic spectacle and am much more consumed by gestures of support, thought, and care. And no — I am not saying that I do not love a bouquet of flowers, a perfumed love letter, or a luxury handbag. I do. I have simply moved away from the spectacle of these gestures and refocused my attention on the emotions they solicit within me.
Naturally, as I embraced this shift, I began to wonder what my other high-achieving girlfriends might want too. I reached out to a few of them, and what they shared revealed far more than gift ideas:
Read also: Unconventional ways to make this Valentine’s Day unforgettable for you and your partner
Oyindamola Bankole
CEO & Co-founder, TWA Africa
A beautifully planned getaway or a day intentionally carved to slow down and truly connect would do the trick. I wouldn’t want to be involved in any of the planning, though. Just share the itinerary with me, and I’ll show up.
With my role, I’m constantly planning major campaigns for brands, making decisions, and curating wonderful experiences for my family and friends. It would be lovely to have someone take the lead, and handle Valentine’s Day with precision, intention, and care.
P.S — a little cash gift of dollars or pounds, or a new car wouldn’t hurt. It would definitely widen my smile.
Kafilat Salisu
Founder & CEO, Reign Digital
I’d like a cash gift or an all-expense-paid vacation to a wellness resort. It would work wonders for me.
I’m a busy woman, and I wear very many hats. Because my schedule is so demanding, I struggle with rest. An all-expense-paid vacation would be the most romantic thing for me at this time.
Dr. Kianna De La Mores
Founder & CEO, ONSKN
For Valentine’s Day, I would love an experience that feels both intentional and inspiring; something that meets me where I am now, rather than where I used to be. This year, I’ll be spending the day at New York Fashion Week, immersed in creativity, ambition, and forward energy, and to me, that feels like the perfect way to celebrate.
There’s something deeply affirming about being in spaces that sharpen your vision and remind you of what you’re building. Love, in this season of my life, is less about grand declarations and more about presence. It’s about showing up for yourself, your purpose, and the future you’re actively shaping. Being surrounded by that kind of momentum feels expansive, grounding, and deeply romantic in its own way.
To be in an environment that energises me, reflects my evolution, and honours the woman I’m becoming feels like the most meaningful gift I could receive.
Nikki Onita
Corporate Communications Manager, Transcorp Group
A bouquet of flowers, an iPad, or any scent sets: perfumes, diffusers, or scented candles would work quite well for me. An experience like a couples massage or a staycation would be great too. I enjoy these very much.
Read also: Believe me, these romantic perfumes will make your partner want to take a bite out of you
Iheakachi Nwabueze
Vice President, Global Marketing & Growth, Grey
A Cartier watch. Specifically, I’d like the Small Steel Tank Must Watch in 22mm or the Panthère de Cartier in 23mm. I’ve wanted one for quite some time, and it feels like the right time to finally have one on my wrist.
I’m a firm believer in buying yourself what you want, but this is one of those gifts I think would be more meaningful from someone who loves you. It says, “I see you, I’m proud of you, you deserve this”. Recently, I stepped into a new role, and I would like something I can wear every day to celebrate this new chapter. Something timeless and elegant. I want to remember what it took to get here. A Cartier watch feels like that kind of piece.
Dr. Bukky George-Taylor
MD, Robert Taylor Media Ltd
Jewellery is such a timeless Valentine’s Day gift. I’m especially drawn to gold pieces and precious stones. A beautifully crafted gold set would feel incredibly special and romantic.
I think there’s something both sentimental and enduring about jewellery, particularly gold pieces. They’re elegant and are perfect for Valentine’s Day. Who doesn’t love an investment piece?
Amaka Amaku
Founder & CEO, Voyagers Nigeria
A return business class ticket to London would be perfect. My friends are getting married, and I absolutely have to be there!
High-achieving women want to be catered to
As I reflected on my conversations with these high-achieving women, one thing became clear. Their Valentine’s Day wishlists weren’t rooted in spectacular gestures or Instagrammable moments. Instead, they were anchored in the much rarer luxury of being catered to. The gifts they desired were thoughtful. Expensive, of course. But thoughtful. Each gift can only be executed by a partner who understands precision, intention, and care.
Many high-achieving women, much like myself, are accustomed to holding everything together. The incessant logistics of daily life, both personal and professional, can be laborious, even to the most adept of managers. According to the European Journal of Public Health, sustained cognitive labour leads to stress and mental health outcomes. Constant problem-solving carries a real psychological cost.
In this context, romance, for many high-achieving women, is rooted in crafting ease and support, pulled together by the luxuries they have grown accustomed to.
And to me, care is truly one of the most valuable gifts that can be offered to us.
Read more: The hottest Valentine’s Day fashion drops that stole our hearts
