With new circumstances come new opportunities for a lucrative side hustle or small business. While it’s true that the world has lost so much due to the COVID-19 crisis, it also opened up a lot of fresh opportunities that we never had before the pandemic hit. And the best part? These small businesses and side hustle ideas require little to no capital. Here are some of them:
Open-air food business
Since the virus that causes COVID-19 is primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets that people emit when breathing, talking, coughing, and sneezing, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends that people don’t spend too much time in closed restaurants and bars to eat, especially when it’s crowded. In the time of COVID-19, an open-air food business—whether it’s a food truck or a movable food kiosk—is always a good idea. If you have a small piece of land and if your state allows, you can open an outdoor dine-in restaurant as an alternative for people who have cravings and want to eat out but don’t necessarily want to risk their health by dining in at an indoor restaurant.
Video call background styling
With the rise of teleworking also came the rise of video conference calls. How workers’ homes look during video calls is important because it represents their home life, work ethic and professionalism, and how they conduct themselves. But not everyone has the eye for what looks good in a space, which is where a background stylist can come in. Here is a step-by-step guide to curating a video call setup for your clients:
- Interview your clients to know about their unique style, what kind of look they aspire for, and what vibe they want to present to the people they’re talking to on Zoom calls.
- Take a look at the location in the house where the background will be set-up. Take note of the colour and style of the walls and other permanent design elements that you have to work around and work with.
- Curate a box field with design and style elements that achieve your client’s goals and look good with their bare background. These can include plants, posters, books, and other small pieces of furniture that will look good on their small screens.
Hiring a professional stylist to create the perfect video call set-up in one’s home may seem like a luxury, but do not underestimate how many people doubt themselves when it comes to knowing what looks good.
Task runner or personal shopper for people in quarantine
COVID-19 is particularly dangerous for high-risk individuals, which include the elderly, the immunocompromised, and people with underlying health conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Since it’s not a good idea for many of them to expose themselves in crowded locations like the supermarket or banks, you can start a task runner or personal shopper business and help these clients with their errands. Start small by helping around your neighbourhood or people you know who are high-risk and could use the help, and expand from there. You can do more than help them with their groceries; you can help run their paperwork and walk their dogs. What will set you apart from other delivery services is your personal touch and attention to detail that other big delivery services may not have.
Online consultation, tutoring, or teaching
Depending on your skills, you can move your expertise online by consulting, tutoring, or teaching. Since many students are currently homeschooling, you can help ease their parents’ burden by helping students with their homework and other lessons. Just make sure you use a legitimate platform that asks for tutors and teachers’ credentials. If you’re a licensed professional, you can choose the online route by doing teleconsulting. If you have special skills like playing instruments or speaking a foreign language, don’t hesitate to leverage it by offering online classes or webinars.
Digital event planning
Since large-scale gatherings and parties are a no-no, at least for now, many people are resorting to digital platforms to celebrate their important milestones like birthdays, engagement, anniversaries, graduations, and even weddings. If you’re the type who enjoys celebrating with people and organising events, you can start a digital event planning service. Not everyone has the wherewithal or energy to plan a virtual program, so your job as a digital event planner would be to come up with unique virtual party ideas that will be enjoyable not just for the celebrators but also for their guests.
No Shortage of Ideas
People are overwhelmed right now, and we can use our talents, skills, and health to help lift some burden off their shoulders. Not only will we be helping so many people, but we can also use our resources to earn some money on the side, too.
