Covid-19 aka the pandemic as we know it is one of the most scary modern day humanitarian crisis. Nobody had ever imagined that this busy world could even come to a pause but it happened. All around the world people were stuck in their homes, businesses shut, schools shut jobs lost and what not. A whole year gone by in a woosh. The year 2020 will go down in history as one of the darkest years because it was nothing less of a nightmare.
Though the whole world was locked in not all businesses went under, some thrived through. The major affected businesses were small business owners, restaurants, automobile parts & equipment, oil & gas, airlines are among the many. On the other hand gaming, youtube, online streaming platforms, online video meeting platforms were the industries which saw a boom.
Even though we are months into the new year and when things are finally starting look a tad bit normal, India has been hit by a massive second wave. This means things are the same as what it was a year ago and even worse. With the times being so unprecedented, starting something new can be pretty risky. Whatever the world, the new normal or not we are living in has to be taken into consideration if you are thinking of starting a new business.
1. Online Seller
It is not a hidden fact that online businesses did well in 2020 even during the pandemic, and online is the way to get things done in the new normal world and the future. Opening an online store/business is one of the better choices as compared to opening a physical store. Though starting a business online doesn’t guarantee you overnight success, it like any other business takes time, dedication and patience. Your online store can be of anything ranging from clothes to beauty and skincare products and even groceries. If you have an interest in fashion and if you keep up with the trends then opening an online clothing store would be great for starters. You can make use of social media platforms like facebook and Instagram to promote and market your business and hence attract potential customers.
2. Freelance Content Developer
Freelance is a great way to earn a little extra buck on the side. But with the ongoing pandemic and how it forces you to stay at home, you can turn freelancing into a full time job. This especially becomes easy incase of content development. If there was ever a passionate writer within you, now is the chance to bring it to life. Before making it your full time business, you need to be clear on what you want to write. Whether it’s blogs, or write ups for social media, technical writing, content for websites or press releases there are plenty of options as a content writer. Setting up an account as a freelance content writer on various freelancing sites can be a great start. Ever since the emergence of work from home, freelance content writers have been in a lot of demand, the market is vast and opportunities are endless.
3. Youtube
Youtube has emerged like nothing else in the past decade but it saw a great deal of rise in new accounts in the past year. As everyone got locked in their homes people began turning to youtube as a source of entertainment and some even took it as their new business. From random people to even celebrities took this chance to make their presence felt on YouTube. It is a great source of income for those who possess a bit of creativity. With the right amount of creativity, skills and execution one can easily make a name for themselves on Youtube.
4. Online Tution Service
One of the biggest sectors which saw a massive impact due to the pandemic is the education sector. With education institutes being shut worldwide students were forced to turn their home into their classrooms. This saw a massive boom in the online education platforms and services. In retrospect, this also opened up a huge industry for tutors and anyone with a passion for teaching. Most of the kids and parents these days are just a zoom call away, so creating a tuition platform over zoom classes can be great. Anyone with a niche in a certain subject or teaching can advertise their skills and get the classes going on. This is such a simple business idea which can be started right from your neighbourhood. Anyone passionate about teaching or with an experience in tutoring can market themselves in their neighbourhood and once they get enough kids from the neighbourhood and get the batch going on they can branch out and grow their business.
5. Food Delivery
With lockdowns came the restrictions on going out but as people understood the gravity of the pandemic, they voluntarily refrained from leaving homes unless necessary. Instead of eating out, people these days prefer delivery food. Earlier, people used to eat delivery food because of the convenience but as soon as the lockdowns were imposed the whole meaning of the food delivery business changed. Venturing into a food delivery business is still a pragmatic idea because the industry is seeing a rapid rise. Albeit the boom was heavy last year, this industry is
6. Blogging
Blogs have been one of the most attractive career options ever since long but blogging has found a whole new meaning in this era more than ever. With lockdowns, as more and more people are opting for things online, blogging has become quite popular. Starting a blog needs a little bit of good writing and a passion for anything you want to write. Whether you want to write about travel, fashion, daily stories, food, skin care or anything else all you need is passion and a knowledge in that field. A right amount of write up with enticing pictures can work as a great blog and gradually it can be turned into a great business.
7. Grocery Delivery
The pandemic has not only instilled fear on people’s minds but also bound people to be locked inside a room once they get infected. This has led to people being deprived of their daily needs such as groceries. To tackle this, many people volunteered to deliver groceries in and around their neighbourhood. To take it up a notch an online grocery delivery system can be created as a business. Though people will not be forever confined to their rooms but the outside world is still contaminated so grocery delivery systems can be a great business idea even post pandemic. An online system which offers a quick and efficient delivery system will be preferred by people and since the ecosystem depends on the daily needs of the people it is less likely to fail given the service includes a safe delivery system.
8. Online Fitness
It is not a hidden fact how the whole world suddenly turned online. Life as we knew it was no longer the same, from classes to work to even fitness every activity found a new platform online. Online fitness is not a new thing, it was still there pre-pandemic but the industry saw a sharp rise as the pandemic hit. Again, the reason was obvious, not being allowed to go out and gather as the virus is highly infectious. Several trainers and fitness experts turned to the internet to share their expertise with other fitness enthusiasts. With lockdown also came a craze of home workouts as people shifted towards making their time at home worthwhile. As this sector has gained momentum, it is still very likely that most people might stick to it. Once you get accustomed to a routine you become comfortable with, it becomes very hard to let go of it. And what better way to stay fit than from the comfort of your home. An awesome business idea for a fitness professional.
9. Online Dance
Another way people prefer to stay fit is through dance. It is a highly enjoyed activity among the youth and as youtube rose, the enthusiasm of dance among people gained an equal amount of popularity. Learning dance suddenly became easier for people who usually shied away from it. This is a great example of how online dance can be a great business for people with a niche in dancing To garner an audience one can start by opening a youtube dance channel and once that becomes fairly popular you can turn it into a business.
10. Social Media Marketing
If you are someone who is tech savvy and possesses some cool marketing skills, this can be a perfect business idea for you. Everything revolves around marketing and social media these days. Catering to businesses and people who are not marketing savvy can be an idealistic approach to take this business forward. With the surge of this never ending pandemic more and more businesses are turning to online platforms and they struggle to make their social media presence. These businesses need someone who can manage their social media and market their business efficiently. You can give them these services from the comfort of your home, pitch them social media campaigns and marketing drives. This way its a win-win for both businesses.
