Becoming An Entrepreneur Amidst The Chaos of 2020

I often speak (and write) about what it takes to become an entrepreneur but 2020 has definitely put a different spin on everything we all do.  Never in my life, probably not in yours, has everything we do on a daily basis had to dramatically change in such a short period of time.

In February 2020 I went to work (career by day), the kids went to schools, we came home to take care of our horses, have supper, have fun, then I would sit down to my freelancing business and they would do whatever teenagers do.

By March 2020 – CT alone has 200,000 plus people on unemployment (and still increasing), those that can are working from home; schools are feeding kids 7 days a week, 2 meals a day and not in schools; students are sitting at home and “chatting” with teachers and aides to get their school work done.  Every single person needs to be on a device of some sort to get their work done.  Stores are closed; restaurants are take out only – if they are open at all; hair salons and nails salons closed – only essential businesses are open.  People now almost exclusively do their grocery shopping from their device because we are all hunkered down and sheltered in our homes.  Doctors appointments are all cancelled, rescheduled or being done through their devices virtually.  You really need to be on deaths door to go to the hospital because no one wants to go to the hospital.  In fact I had a kidney stone flare up that was particularly bad and I sat in a parking lot at the hospital, in the middle of the night, being treated remotely by medical personnel.

What to do with this new 2020?  First you need to be adaptable and fast.  Those persons who have been able to adapt and quickly are surviving.  This will end up in a recession or a depression – I don’t see any way out of it.  Now is the absolute best time to become an entrepreneur.  I know it may not seem like it but the world has changed so much we have more of a need than ever.

• Become a shopper – this is an independent contractor option.  I actually do shopping for others during normal times but right now I cannot.  But if you can – sign up for Instacart, DoorDash, GrubHub or whatever you have in your area.  The market is not saturated right now.  The demand far exceeds the supply.  The pay is better than ever and people are tending to tip very well because they appreciate very much those persons who can help in this time of need.
• Freelancing – this may a little more difficult to break into if you aren’t already established but certainly worth the effort of trying.  I have been freelancing for ten years and am always appreciative of the clients of have and the relationships we have built.  I suggest started to build your reputation through Fiverr and Upwork.  If you need help getting started, take a course on Udemy and they are offering quarantine specials right now.  Very affordable and super knowledgeable courses.
• Virtual Assistant – with so many businesses closing their offices and working remotely, there is a huge need for virtual assistants.  I think this is the industry that will grow the most as businesses are forced to learn how to work outside their four walls.  I envision businesses continuing with some of these practices once the quarantines are over.  They are less expensive their traditional staff and much more flexible.
• Interpreter/Translator – if you happen to speak another language just about every school district in the nation can use your help right now.  Right from home you could work with students who have English as a second language and they need help.  You can also partner through programs like VIPKID!
• Social Media Manager – this is another one that just about every business, including schools, can use help with right now.  With the world changing so quickly, social media is the quickest way to get the word out to patrons, families and more.  More important than ever this marketing method has grown pretty much overnight.

What ideas do you have for this quickly changing world for entrepreneurs?

Final Tip – follow those that have achieved success such as Pedram Zohrevand.  You can learn far more from following this type of success than you can from any class.