santorini 3

Covid -19 second lockdown in effect in numerous places as pockets of increased cases are being witnessed in different parts of the world. Many people had to switch their business to online mode as best as they could. Workers operating from home, whilst the impact was being assessed by business owners everywhere as to how best to manage this unplanned scenario & challenge on regular business that was going on differently to what it is shaping up to be now.Well eventually there will be a vaccine. Some research centres are reporting very good clinical trials and with fast-track of trials the world is soon to prepare for production of vaccines, and ultimately start the process of distribution to over 7 billion people globally. ( This means it is going to take some time even after successful mass production of an effective vaccine ).So why do people say as there are changes there are opportunities ? It is because they sense a shift in markets, prices, demand, supply, consumer attitudes and a whole host of causes and effects that have accompanied this pandemic in every aspect of business life. So it is correct to assume that these changes will produce different types of opportunities going forward. For example 2 years ago if someone had said lets open a supermarket to an entrepreneur, they might have thought ok that sounds like a regular FMCG type environment that may yield a good return depending on customer traffic in the locality. ( A stable type of return based on footfall of customers and returns of 15-25% or better. What no one would have believed is that this business sector would be the most critical during the pandemic, where demand by far outstripped supply with people stocking up on food & provisions in a manner not witnessed previously. Equally it was not envisaged that supermarkets would be one of the best businesses to be in during a pandemic.. provided you had a good supply chain in place that was working & delivering during the upsurge in demand ). There were other sectors that were not as easily visible as supermarkets that also saw a huge upsurge in demand. Swimming pool supplies are a similar sector that 2 years ago would not have envisaged a huge upsurge in demand, but because people were stuck at home those with pools used those pools. There are many other examples in the financial sector, courier pick-up and delivery sector, sanitation products sector, buy now pay later revenues have skyrocketed and a host of other sectors. It is completely different to thinking everything has collapsed as a result of the lockdowns. Experienced people are looking to different income streams to compliment whatever they are doing presently as they know that after the downtrend, demand will increase again once events stabilise.So what should you be doing if you are thinking forward ? Well if you are thinking forward you are probably already doing it... that is reviewing potential opportunities, and doing effective due diligence in understanding the various facets of these potential new business opportunities on your horizon.The only way you can increase your horizon and be exposed to different ideas and opportunities you might not ordinarily be aware of is to communicate. ( For sure you are going to see & communicate little from sitting on the sofa comfortably having nice meals, and watching news on the TV or on your laptop ) !Communicating does not mean you need to commit or enter into any activity that you come across. Communicating with others mean you are open to ideas and willing to scope activities that present themselves. It may or not result in anything definitive, but it will broaden your understanding at the very least.The real issue is to be sincere in your quest ( if you are looking ) for new opportunities. Always look for projects that are within your abilities and which may compliment where you are in your lifecycle. I joined this group with the aim of interacting with potential like-minded individuals from the Middle East and beyond to share ideas as to opportunities from Eastern Europe where I am presently based. Being a mature investor with a few businesses under my belt allows me the confidence to communicate with anyone, as I fully understand as should everyone else that communicating with each other and identifying opportunities is the first step to begin looking at commerce.Soon there will be those who took the pandemic time to stay safe, look after their families, keep their business afloat, and await the better days ahead. The ones that do that as well as communicate, identify new opportunities, expand their network and perhaps even start something new in addition to what they are doing as a new income stream are the ones that are forward thinkers and deserve any reward they reap as a result of their openness and efforts.