Let’s be honest: It’s a tough time to be a solo entrepreneur. Not everyone has the grit and grind to pull themselves out of the middle class and into the upper echelon ranks. It takes more than that. It takes grit and grind, but also a little bit of luck. However, not all luck is created equal. Just because you’re lucky enough to stumble into a successful business idea or get invested in by an established investor doesn’t mean your business will ever make it to 2022.
Worse still, even the most meticulously researched business plans and the best possible investments can fall apart when market conditions change. If you want your business to survive in 2022 and beyond, you have to do more than rely on luck — you have to prepare for it.
Evolving your business in 2022 will require you to plan and invest in research and development (R&D) to stay one step ahead of ever-changing trends.
Let’s take a look at 3 ways you can create a successful business in 2022.
- Build Relationships with Influencers, Vendors and Partners to Grow Your Reach and Scale
As the founder/CEO of your business, you alone decide how far and fast it will grow. But for your business to reach its full potential, you need key influencers and partners to help promote and scale your business.
Strong partnerships are built on mutual trust and common goals, but their true value lies in building a strong relationship based on a solid foundation of mutual respect and trust.
- Capitalize on the “Maker” Economy
The maker economy is a trend driven by the rise of 3D printing and online marketplaces. It allows entrepreneurs to essentially create products from the comfort of their homes and sell them online. More importantly, you can start small, build up your business over time and make money doing what you love. Aside from the financial benefits of independence, the maker economy also allows for personal fulfillment.
The maker economy will continue to shape business in 2022. Here are five ways that you can take advantage of this trend to build your business:
1) Create a product or service that people will want
2) Set up an online marketplace to sell your product
3) Brand your website with a professional company logo
4) Offer your product on several different marketplaces
5) Connect with other “makers” through social media groups
The maker economy has proven to be effective for many entrepreneurs. As long as you have the passion, diligence and drive, you can grow your business in 2022.
Invest in Innovation
The digital age is reshaping how we do business—and how we think about growing our business. While it can be a challenge to keep up with the latest trends, new technologies, and tools shaping the future of business, having a vision for the future are one of the best ways to help your company stay ahead of the curve. Here are two examples of innovations that will likely shape the future of Solo Entrepreneurship.
- Ready-Made Websites
With ready-made websites like Squarespace, you can get on your way to selling online fast without having to pay someone to build your entire e-commerce site. These platforms allow you to create an online store in minutes and only pay a monthly fee based on customer support and payment processing services if you decide to use them. E.g. Charge less for B2B products
- Virtual Servers
At some point, every entrepreneur will have to scale their business. With virtual servers such as a seedbox server, you can increase the speed and reliability of your website through web hosting services like Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Azure. This means that even when your business is booming, you won’t have to worry about crashing your site from traffic overload. It also provides a safe environment for storing information from customers since the servers are not on your personal computer or hardware.
