Looking for a good business idea that will make you a fortune in thesetroubled times? It seems the tried-and-tested ventures no longer guarantee getting the revenue stream. So let’s consider something a little bit less orthodox. Let’s get inspirational and explore several new business trends that arose over the past year and a half in response to the pandemic. Would it be possible to actually grow and achieve success not despite this disaster, but owing to it?

 

 

Purple Cows

Some business concepts from the past prove there is really no such thing as bad publicity and that timing is everything. You can literally sell anything, provided you do your homework and the market is ready. Heck, you can sell rocks if you have good marketing and promotion strategy. In the 1970s, one entrepreneur did just that. He sold Pet Rocks, which are exactly what the name implies. This brilliantly simple joke product made its creator 3 bucks on every USD 3,95 unit sold. Shifting a million of the petrified familiars helped the originator kill two birds with one pet rock and obtain both fame and fortune. The business experts call ideas that at first seem ludicrous, but eventually become success stories, “purple cows”. So don’t dismiss any business idea that seems odd or not serious enough. Try to look for purple cows!

 

 

The Axe Effect

Some new businesses in the pandemic certainly seem like such oddly coloured cows. For instance, an axe-throwing company. Although this is just a proof of concept, there are more than a few such enterprises with an axe to grind (before handing it to their satisfied customers). The inspiring bit? Think of any other extreme activity with an edgy feel to it and the potential to reduce stress, then sharpen your business plan accordingly. People are bored, stressed and in real need of a pick-me-up. Why not offer them something that helps them on all counts?

 

 

Pivoting Away

Pandemic proved to be a tipping point for many businesses, and some have completely rebranded themselves. One company went from selling ramen to selling chicken and pizza, donating one meal to the poor for every meal they sold. Another company has designed an app to self-check for symptoms of Covid, even though it originally created different software. The most amazing thing is that despite shifting to more eco-friendly or socially responsible models, many companies that refocused are actually reaping the benefits. Pivot towards healthier people, planet and wallet!

 

 

Gig Work

The restrictions and lockdowns have had a tremendous impact the world over. One group in particular has been hardest hit: gig workers. The so-called informal economy (or shared economy) of ride sharing and food and package deliveries has been put in a very difficult spot. On the one hand, Covid has made people order more things to be delivered and avoid crowded public transportation. It’s hard to imagine the shift to remote working without the ability to order in food or have shopping delivered to one’s doorstep. And yet people who provide these services do so without health insurance or any type of job security. The next big thing in insurance and healthcare could be the one that solves this problem and aids workers that require comprehensive protection.

 

 

Buying Power

The pandemic has made some things painfully clear, such as the inequalities between people able to switch to home office and unable to do so. The former are usually skilled and technologically capable workers who earn medium to high salary and the latter are less skilled workers whose jobs simply cannot be put online, and who earn low to medium income. But this global crisis also forced people to change their habits: from working to eating or even spending free time, everything changed. Careful analysis of product sales, in particular, reveals many new buying trends, and it’s not just toilet paper and pasta. Sweatpants (and sweat-suits), RVs and roller skates are odd choices for people in a crisis, and yet number among the most popular purchases. Whoever finds the way to deliver such goods cheaply and reliably to the people will probably make a mint.

So, do you think this is inspiring enough for you to try something new? You never know – you might actually benefit from the global shake-up caused by the pandemic!

 

VOCABULARY

troubled times – trudne czasy
tried-and-tested – wypróbowany, sprawdzony
venture – przedsięwzięcie
revenue stream – źródło przychodów
to consider sth – rozważyć coś, zastanowić się nad czymś
orthodox – ortodoksyjny, konwencjonalny
inspirational – inspirujący
despite – pomimo
owing to sth – ze względu na coś, dzięki czemuś
bad publicity – zła reklama
timing is everything – najważniejsze to wyczucie czasu
literally – dosłownie
…, provided… – pod warunkiem, że…
to do one’s homework – odrobić pracę domową
heck,… – do licha, do diaska (arch.)
entrepreneur – przedsiębiorca
to imply – sugerować
brilliantly – błyskotliwie
buck – dolec
to shift sth – spylić coś, sprzedać (np. masowo)
petrified – skameniały
familiar – chowaniec, zwierzak
originator – pomysłodawca
to kill two birds with one stone – upiec dwie pieczenie przy jednym ogniu
fame – sława
ludicrous – niedorzeczny
eventually – w końcu
to dismiss sth – odrzucić coś, zlekceważyć
oddly – dziwnie
axe – topór
proof of concept – pokaz koncepcji, prototyp
enterprise – przedsiębiorstwo
to have an axe to grind – mieć na pieńku (z kimś)
to hand sb sth – przekazać coś komuś
edgy – ostry, przebojowy
to sharpen – naostrzyć
accordingly – odpowiednio
pick-me-up – coś, co dodaje energii lub optymizmu
on all counts – tu: pod każdym względem
to pivot – odwrócić (np. coś o 180 stopni)
tipping point – punkt zwrotny
to rebrand – odnowić markę, zmienić markę
ramen – makaron chiński (zupka)
to donate sth – przekazać coś w darze
to self-check – sprawdzić się, przebadać (samemu)
to shift to sth – przejść na coś
socially responsible – odpowiedzialny społecznie
to refocus – zmienić obszar zainteresowań/uwagi
to reap the benefits – zarobić na czymś, zyskać
gig work – praca dorywcza, praca na zlecenie
tremendous – ogromny
impact – wpływ
hard hit – boleśnie dotknięty (przez coś)
so-called – tak zwany
ride sharing – społecznościowa aplikacja i usługa transportowa (np. Uber)
to put sb in a difficult spot – postawić kogoś w trudnej sytuacji
crowded – zatłoczony
remote working – praca zdalna
to order sth in – zamówić coś z dostawą do domu
to sb’s doorstep – pod drzwi
health insurance – ubezpieczenie zdrowotne
job security – pewność zatrudnienia
the next big thing – kolejny wielki hit
comprehensive – wszechstronny, rozbudowany
painfully clear – boleśnie jasny
inequality – nierówność
home office – praca z domu
the former – ci poprzedni, ten poprzednio wymieniony
technologically capable – uzdolniony technicznie, znający się na technologiach
income – dochód
habit – zwyczaj
to reveal – ujawnić
pasta – makaron
sweatpants – spodnie dresowe
RV (recreational vehicle) – tu: dom na kołach, pojazd kempingowy
roller skates – rolki
to number – być liczonym (np. w setkach)
purchase – nabytek
reliably – pewnie, solidnie
to make a mint – zarobić krocie
shake-up – przetasowanie (np. w wyniku nagłej zmiany)

by Prochor Aniszczuk

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