Happy Monday!
I had an interesting chat with the plumber Colin this morning. Myself, my partner and him all have self employment in common. The plumber’s wife is a front line worker - a nurse in fact.
So we have three self employed people - a plumber, a driving instructor and an internet marketer and one employed person. Four different industries affected in different ways by this damned virus.
We all come into contact with all sorts of people in different occupations through our work and our conversation was about how all these industries will change through this.
I use to be in AV/events world. More than half of our business came from supplying hotels with day to day equipment for meetings. The other half was from bigger events like conferences, dinners and awards do’s.
That work has dried up completely…..
How will that adapt, change. survive? Will it?
As a driving instructor my partner has no idea when or even if her business will be viable again. Obviously you cant be 2 metres apart in a car…..
Colin is restricted to jobs which are classed as emergency (like our boiler breaking down) or where he can maintain social distancing.
Both of them have just received a 3 month grant equivalent to 80% of their average profits from the last 3 years.
What happens after that?
Colins wife is Ok as an essential worker
Many people are receiving furlough payments which will last till October in the UK
But again., what happens after that will depend on whether or not their jobs remain
On the other hand digital marketers and internet business owners like me are largely unaffected.
Actually - in many niches - business is booming.
Youtube for example (where 65% of people go to solve a problem these days) has seen close to a 75% increase in traffic over the last three months.
As businesses get creative about their post Corona survival they will inevitably turn more and more to digital solutions which avoid the need for physical contact.
Internet traffic for all sorts of things will increase too
This is why it makes so much sense to start upping your digital skills and looking at the sorts of online businesses you could be building during compulsory lockdown
A good place to start would be by checking out this free webcast by Stuart Ross on making your first 10K online
Its always good to have options after all …….
Stay safe
Bests
