With the ongoing pandemic, many businesses—both big and small—are severely affected by declining demand from consumers. With everyone currently living amidst the virus, small businesses are slowly reopening. Here is why some small businesses do not thrive in this type of market.

It can be expected that an economic downturn will happen with the ongoing pandemic. The question is, until how long? With the threat of the virus still looming above everyone’s head, small businesses are forced to reopen because of near-empty financial gains. With the current market, however, financial games are more difficult to attain more than ever. First, people are more cautious than ever to leave their residences because of health and safety concerns. Even if small business establishments have reassured people that they have enough social distancing protocols, people are hesitant because of the virus’s ongoing threat. Second, because businesses and companies are starting to shut down because of low financial gains, many people are unemployed. They prefer to invest their money in purchasing essentials instead of wasting it on entertainment and other non-essential items.

Let us look at some small businesses and how the pandemic has slowly killed their economy.

How Small Businesses Are Losing the Financial Battle with the Pandemic

Small Businesses Losing Steam

One of the main attractions of Chicago is Navy Pier. It is a perfect way for people to relax and unwind with its many attractions that boast of various food establishments, entertainment areas, shopping districts, and rides! The Pier closed during the March quarantine lockdown and reopened in June 2020. However, even with many safety and social distancing protocols, the Pier only garnered 15% attendance compared to the previous year. Because of low profit, it shut down again during Labor Day and plans to reopen in 2021 when things are (hopefully) in a more stable condition. 

One of the reasons why the reopening businesses cannot save the economy is that even if these amenities are open, the demand for them to stay open clearly isn’t there with most people wanting to stay indoors or that they cannot simply afford these types of luxuries.

Small Businesses Flourishing

AltCap is a financing and loaning agency that has supported numerous businesses amidst the pandemic. According to AltCap CEO Ruben Alonso III, the pandemic’s effects have affected businesses across the board – with other small businesses permanently shutting down while others are flourishing. For example, a cotton candy business that was thriving well before the pandemic. When the pandemic hit, and the cotton candy business was affected, it evolved into something new! The dessert business was converted into a dessert tricycle that popped at local restaurants and coffee shops, serving sweet treats. With this fast and innovative way to still sell sweet treats, the business flourished and had enough money to set up a storefront space. 

It pretty much boils down to small businesses adaptability, innovation, and flexibility to transform according to the consumers’ needs and demands.

Bank trading is getting a tech twist. UBS is giving its London traders an opportunity to test out trading rooms by employing VR goggles from Microsoft.

Since the pandemic started, it goes without saying that corporations were not prepared, which in turn reduced the number of people reporting for work, and coming to banks. While the lockdowns have been lifted and some businesses are slowly opening, the risk of the COVID-19 cases spiking is not a threat to be taken likely, which is why banks like UBS have been looking into other ways to simulate a regular day in the bank.

Beatriz Martin, the chief executive of the UBS UK branch was the first to consider this idea and has suggested starting working groups to work on reimagining the trading floor and also set up screens on the trader’s desks alongside their coworkers to encourage collaboration. 

Some banks such as JPMorgan have attempted to bring their workers back to the office but have had to send some workers home after one of them tested positive for the coronavirus disease. 

Meanwhile, other banks such as Deutsche Bank have made returning to the office as voluntary to avoid the risk of spreading the virus around and that most workers can return to the office in the middle of 2021 when the virus has been contained. 

BlackRock’s chief executive Larry Fink does not expect 100% of the workers to return to the office with the current situation, which is why virtual reality tools would be helpful to aid productivity from the safety of their homes. 

How VR changes the system:

With COVID-19 as a threat, it’s only natural that people are warier about coming back to work in an office, which is why it’s convenient to incorporate virtual reality so that you can simulate a normal workday without risking your health, and the health of others. 

The good thing is that there are multiple companies that specialize in virtual reality, which means you have options to choose from, which works for you. Microsoft launched HoloLens in 2015, and while it was initially perceived to be a gaming device, with their headphones at a price of $3000 upwards, it has since been considered by companies to be a tool for communication.

The first bank to consider using HoloLens for their trading business was Citigroup, in 2016, they developed the Citi system which combined financial data with 3D holograms. While they were looking into making the graphics in a way where clients could interact with the data, Citigroup decided against using the headphones because they felt it was too limited in terms of battery life, display size, and processing function.

Banks are an essential business, and staying afloat is one of the most important things they should focus on when it comes to the pandemic, which is why implementing virtual reality is a good move to replicate trading rooms for bank traders and their current investor clients. 

Most 12-year old kids are busy studying for school, playing videogames, or running around a basketball field. For 12-year old Ojas Batra from Agra, however, he is busy building an empire. At a young age of 12-years old, Batra decided to develop his own company.

Getting to Know Ojas Batra

His business idea stemmed back in January 2020 when he noticed that there are a lot of young children who cannot afford quality education. His concept involves drop shipping or a streamlined retail business where sellers accept orders from clients but do not keep the sold goods in their stock. He developed his entrepreneurial mindset when he noticed that formal types of education, usually in a classroom setting, do not provide for the needed skills and toolsets that pupils need.

He decided to formally drop out of school to pursue his passion for business. He also chose to understand and learn new skills relevant to his company, such as content writing, game development, graphic design, marketing, and the like. With all of these new skills under his tool belt, he can make an impact not just on the business world, but also to the community. 

The Hive: E-Commerce Business Foundation

Batra served as an intern for several tech companies and business industries that served well for his financial acumen and entrepreneurial skills. He Founded the Hive Group, which is comprised of three successful companies:

• Teen Hive is a company whose main objective is to increase a typical teenager’s wellness. Since adolescence is a delicate period brought about by many changes (physically and emotionally), Batra being a teenager himself, decided to provide much-needed support for teenagers. This support includes finding appropriate sources of education, support for mental health, career, and skill development.
• Skill Hive offers low-cost short-term classes offered to anyone – from young kids to senior citizens! It provides a wide array of short-term courses that people can specialize in, in the future.
• The third company, called the Talent Hive, is still a work in progress! Knowing how the first 2 companies boomed, we do not doubt that the Talent Hive will follow suit in becoming a huge success.

What’s Next?

With the success of the Hive Group, what’s next for our teen entrepreneur? Right now, Batra is currently publishing a book entitled “Teenage AF.” The book is a semi-anecdotal of Batra’s life. It also tackles critical societal issues, such as the erroneous parts of the current educational system. It also includes how to live a teenager’s life in a changing world, including having more profound thoughts about acquiring specific skillsets to help individuals find their passion and meaning for their lives. 

Indeed, Batra is an inspiration to many people – young and old alike. His work through the Hive Group of Companies is a testament that age is just a number. With passion, grit, and a purpose to help others, anything is possible.