Starting a business during the crisis of 2020 is a risky move, so any profitable direction for starting can be called anti-crisis. Of course, the greatest interest today is shown in the least risky activities in terms of investments. These are types of earnings from home, which can be registered as self-employed and work without employees and rented premises, some types of business allowed with minimal investment, or areas that are most in demand or least vulnerable during crises and pandemics such as Covid-19.


An illustration addressing people panic buying. Using tigers to be more humorous. A simple message to ask people to think of others in the time of chaos. Painted by hand with Ink, then edited digitally. Image created by Lydia Christine. Submitted for United Nations Global Call Out To Creatives - help stop the spread of COVID-19.

In order to understand in which areas of business a return can be expected during a crisis, it is necessary, first of all, to proceed from the behavior of people during the period of quarantine and crisis. What worries people during these difficult times? What needs do they still have, and which ones come to the fore? In our opinion, the following are relevant today:

  • basic needs for food and water;
  • health and safety needs;
  • the desire to save money, reduce the cost of excesses and non-essential items;
  • the need for autonomy / independence from the services of intermediaries and non-universal goods, readiness for long-term "deprivation" and reduction in consumption;
  • separation, inability / unwillingness of people to physically contact other people, the need to receive services / goods delivered to their homes;
  • online collaboration: the opposite trend, which is the need for people to unite and cooperate in difficult times to solve common problems;
  • the need for retraining and advanced training;
  • the need to overcome fears and uncertainties about the future.
  • Next, we will analyze business ideas and business trends that are relevant during the crisis in those areas that can most of all satisfy the above needs.


1. Agricultural business in crisis

Agriculture, like many other industries, has also been affected by the situation with the coronavirus, and the risks here are certainly great, but the situation does not seem as critical as in other areas.

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Firstly, agricultural products will always be in demand. Whatever happens, people always eat and will eat. In times of crisis, people are ready to deny themselves almost everything except food, and the share of the household budget for food is growing. If last year it exceeded 44% of the total budget, then in 2020 it will clearly exceed 50%. This, however, does not mean at all that people will buy more food than before, quite the contrary. However, this clearly illustrates the alignment of priorities in a crisis.
Secondly, the return of people to small towns and even villages can be named as one of the long-term consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. It is unlikely, of course, that Filipinos will rush to study agronomy or agriculture, but many people who have realized there is no need to be constantly staying in the city may think about other activities, including those that are closer to nature, orchards and vegetable gardens: the air is cleaner, rental the fee is lower.

Agriculture can hardly be called a business; for many people it is rather a way of life. Today, consumers prefer fresh and natural products at a lower cost. And they can be offered it. It is most profitable for such a “small but proud business”, which makes money, for example, from the sale of fruits, vegetables and other things, to sell products through markets and fairs. It is extremely difficult for small businesses and farmers to get into grocery chains, and it is not profitable either: dealers sometimes have to sell their goods for a pittance or even below the cost price.

If you have to do gardening and horticulture, this does not necessarily mean that you need to be equal to the "grandmothers from the market." It is the 21st century, and on the Internet you can find examples of how young eco-farmers make money on services for the delivery of fresh vegetables and fruits. One of the popular formats is the organization of seasonal subscription services for farm vegetables and fruits with pre-sale of subscriptions or pre-order. Sometimes buyers do not immediately find out about the contents of such green boxes and it comes as a surprise to them. Of course, subscribers are usually residents of large cities, who monitor proper nutrition, young families.

We also note some of the trends of 2020, which are noted by experts on the situation in Philippine agriculture in connection with the coronavirus:


Violation of sales and purchase chains. In connection with the coronavirus epidemic, many chains associated with foreign markets and domestic supplies were disrupted and cut off, catering practically does not work (in Philippines - only take-away), hotels are closed - many farmers lived by regularly providing restaurants and cafes with their products and others. institutions.

Reduction of logistic shoulders. Due to the fact that many countries and regions have different restrictions, and many sales and purchase chains are disrupted, there is a trend in agriculture to localize production and supplies. Farms and processors strive to reduce transportation costs and risks. Today it is difficult to understand what kind of "adventures" can await in a particular region of the country, so preference is given to those buyers who are in their region.

The coronavirus will not affect the 2020 harvest, and yes, the 2021 harvest. Since the covid epidemic came to the Philippines after most of the costs for the current year had already been made (seeds, fuels and lubricants, etc.), yields will depend on traditional factors: such as weather, quality of work, etc. However, the deterioration of the market situation will certainly affect the harvest-2021: the farmers will have less money to plan the year and will have to save on something: for example, on the volume of crops.

Lack of seasonal migrant workers. It is no secret that the majority of agricultural workers who come to seasonal harvests are migrants from the cities. Due to the coronavirus epidemic, many of them were unable to come this year, so farmers are forced to look for new labor, do manual harvesting and even cut plantings.

Deficit and rise in the cost of feed and medicines for livestock. Many companies involved in the supply of vaccines temporarily ceased their activities, which could not but affect agricultural producers from Philippines, who depend on foreign supplies. In addition, many agricultural enterprises faced a problem when the closure of a single supplier from a neighboring region or a transport company put them in a difficult situation. Since the region does not have its own forage system, it has become even more difficult and more expensive to acquire medicines, vaccines and feed.

2. Business in a food crisis

Continuing the theme that people will always eat, we would like to highlight a category that includes all other areas related to the production and storage of food, as well as its delivery. In 2020, food of daily demand, pastries (everything about opening a bakery), cheap alcohol, soft drinks will be used.

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With the closure of most restaurants and cafes, street food sales have become more relevant - I’ll be posting a separate article about 15 street food business ideas. Also, while most restaurants and cafes are closed, vending may be relevant, in particular, the sale of coffee through vending machines . For catering, one of the few sales channels today is home delivery with a connection to aggregator services. Meal subscription services or pre-orders can also be arranged. In many ways, the anti-crisis direction can be called household services for the repair of refrigerators and freezers. As a rule, people do not postpone such a breakdown for a long time.

3. Business on security

During periods of instability and epidemics, a person experiences a threat to his security: both financially and materially, and in terms of physical and psychological. Such sentiments are understandable: not only the epidemiological situation is deteriorating, but also the material condition of people, which inevitably leads to an increase in crime.


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In terms of protecting tangible property, the satisfaction of such needs can be expressed in financial advice, the installation of security and anti-theft equipment, video surveillance systems and other things, the sale of weapons and personal protective equipment. With quarantines and self-isolation, when city dwellers strive to leave their apartments, and travel abroad is prohibited, renting summer cottages and country cottages is popular, where the family can feel safe. It is also worth paying attention to this psychological aspect:survival courses , self-help lessons, meditation practices, yoga business ideas, and more.

Foreign entrepreneurs drew attention to the fact that big money can bring the need for security among wealthy people. For example, in the United States, during the coronavirus period, the bunker business is flourishing.

According to entrepreneur Ron Hubbard of Atlas Survival Shelters, which has two bunker factories (in California and Texas), their business is on a roll. The bunkers themselves are made of steel, and the size and "filling" depend on the wishes of the client: the most budgetary options measuring 3 by 4 meters (with a shower, a sink, a sofa, two beds and ventilation) cost 50 thousand dollars, while large family bunker houses cost under 90 thousand dollars.

4. Business for health


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Health business is a broad concept. After all, the topic of health and a healthy lifestyle can be attributed not only to pharmacies that continue to work, but also now sports clubs with fitness clubs, and the sale of healthy food, and the production of medicines and health products, and even the collection of medicinal plants. Laboratories for the collection of tests that can conduct tests for coronavirus are relevant today. Cleaning companies can benefit from this situation by talking more about the importance of the disinfecting and sterilizing part of cleaning and by promoting their services as socially beneficial.

Today on the network you can find many examples of speculative business in the production of protective masks, which in fact serve more as original accessories than actually protect. Products such as sanitizers, antiseptics, and gloves are selling well. Products are most often selected through orders on Alibaba. However, keep in mind that you need to behave responsibly in front of buyers and not hide behind the topic of health if you are not related to it. You also need to remember that for illegal trade in masks and protective equipment in the Philippines, fines were introduced: up to 150 thousand for entrepreneurs and officials, up to 500 thousand for companies and firms.
Also remember that no less than the topic of their health, people are concerned about the health of pets, on which the owners try, if not to save, then at least not to give it up. Therefore, the services of veterinary clinics and veterinary pharmacies will remain in demand.

5. Home services


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In 2020, many service firms have indefinitely ceased operations. But the need for these services has not gone anywhere. It is no secret that many hairdressers, manicurists, massage therapists and other workers in the field of beauty and health began to work at home, because the country still lacks an alternative to receive money in a different way and feed their families. In such conditions, many specialists begin to understand that it is more profitable for them to work in this way, forming their customer base, than waiting for an improvement in the situation and sitting back on a cut salary with minimal salaries, or even without them. The format of this not even a business, but self-employment, when you have a certain necessary skill, and people have a need for your service, is found in very many areas, for example, in household services “husband for an hour”, home appliance repair, construction and home renovation business (a selection of 25 ideas is here ).

6. Manufacture of Homemade Goods

The crisis is a crisis, and modern people are still greedy for everything new and unusual. Looking at the Instagram feed, you understand that home production is experiencing a new creative wave. There is so much in the feed: figurines of men made of plumbing fittings and loft-style pipes, wall maps with 3D river depths, designer knitted toys and socks for table legs, wood decor items such as moon lamps, dog beds and car seats... Today, thanks to social networks, it is not so difficult for such craftsmen to reach the sales market, and the crisis is not an obstacle to this.


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It would seem, why should people buy toys in a crisis? But here you can recall non-working kindergartens and schools: parents exhausted by the activity of their children will certainly be happy to occupy their screaming child with something new. No matter how different many ideas may seem, the principle of success today is simple: you should choose the direction that will be interesting to you and offer an original and attractive product that will have no competitors.

7. Business in crisis. Toys for adults

Speaking of toys. They are needed not only for children. Sales of adult toys grow significantly during self-isolation. An unplanned 50% increase in sex toy sales was reported, for example, by the Womanizer brand. Due to the fact that people began to spend more time at home, they have a need to diversify their leisure. The growth in sales of condoms, massagers, lubricants and costumes is also reported by Philippine market participants. Ozon recorded a three-fold increase in sales of adult products compared to the annual average.

8. Home delivery


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Home delivery is more important than ever during epidemic periods. Catering establishments understand that it is impossible to make money on one take-away sale and connect contactless delivery systems, connect to services such as Grab Food and Food Panda, and so on. But you can deliver to your home not only food, but also many other things, for example, animal feed, medicines, printing and souvenir products. Also, pay attention to such a trend as products by subscription, which has long spread abroad and is becoming more and more popular in the Philippines. A big plus will be the presence of your own delivery vehicle.

9. Types of earnings in a crisis online

Online business is, perhaps, the first thing that people who find themselves within four walls or who have lost their jobs in traditional industries pay attention to. Today, online guides are forced to look for ways to make money online, teachers and fitness trainers trying to make money with private online lessons and courses, chefs trying to run online cooking schools, and so on.


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Since people have begun to spend much more time online, online cinemas, streaming services are doing well during the covid period, and this is also a good time to start blogs. The most promising professions include chatbot programmers, neural network and data-science programmers, 1C specialists and SEO specialists.

10. Business in crisis associated with the desire to save

In a crisis, people strive to save on almost everything, so second-hand stores, children's commission shops, thrift shops close to them in spirit, relying on goods with a long shelf life, become relevant. Most business ideas that can be launched in residential areas are designed for economy class.

Another perspective on the same topic is the desire of the current business to optimize business processes, replace workers with automated systems and cloud services.

11. Ritual and esoteric business in crisis

No matter how blasphemous it may sound, people always continue to die, and especially during periods of pandemics. This does not mean that you need to rush to open crematoriums and funeral homes, entering a tough and rather dirty business. You can think about other ideas as well. In particular, the topic of services-aggregators of services is popular today, and funeral services are no exception - This is an opportunity to think about an app which helps to calculate the approximate cost of a funeral and order all the necessary services, without spending extra money and effort. You can try to create and promote similar services for the wedding industry.

Another sign of troubled times is the appeal of some people to ecoseterics, mysticism, the unknown. During periods of change, people cannot find answers in the reality around them and more often turn to psychics, astrologers, tarologists and any other people who at least somehow answer their questions.

12. Business in a crisis associated with autonomy and outdoor recreation

The crisis and declining purchasing power are forcing people to look for ways of autonomous existence. The reasoning here is simple: the less dependence on expensive municipal services and purchased goods, the better. What can be offered to a person who dreams of turning his country house into a conditional fortress. This can be drilling wells, creating autonomous sewers (for example, septic tanks made of bricks or tires), installing greenhouses, solar panels, wind turbines, mobile amplifiers, satellite dishes and much more.



Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash

You should also pay attention to goods that provide such autonomy from civilization and unnecessary expenses for travel, food, etc.: travel goods, bicycles and backpacks, hair clippers, tools, fishing goods, etc. Due to restrictive measures in cities in summer of 2020, along with these categories, the demand for entertainment products for outdoor recreation is growing. According to what we see in social media, sales of bicycles went up as you can see your friends going out with their mountain bikes and bicycles every weekend.

13. Collaboration business

Despite the popularity of words like “self-isolation” and “quarantine,” in difficult times people feel the need to unite. Today, unlike previous crises, such cooperation is most promising online. These can be sites and services for joint purchases, business clubs where you can find partners for startups and share risks.

14. Business in crisis on training and retraining

Although the education business has experienced tremendous difficulties, the need for education and retraining has not disappeared. Moreover, more and more people today understand that they need new knowledge and new professions. Even the most conservative offline representatives understand that you can't live without a network, you need to open an online school or online courses.

There are many online channels for making money during the crisis today: tutors can conduct their classes in online video conferences via Zoom, Skype, Google Meet etc., business coaches and coaches can use new opportunities to interact with the audience through social networking services. One of the trends in education is gamification . The main questions of business in a crisis are only what exactly, what kind of knowledge to offer the audience, how to properly package and promote it. We wrote about the basic principles of creating and promoting information products on the Internet in this article . Also, the demand for the appropriate equipment needed by bloggers may grow: cameras, lavalier microphones, lighting equipment, etc.