2020 has been nothing short of a crazy year. So much happened to the world qt large but also people individually. Some businesses closed while some businesses were started. One thing that is for sure is nobody expected what was coming. Not being one to back down from a challenge I’ve put together a list of businesses or industries that are likely to do well in 2021. Now if something else world-changing happens in 2021 please forgive my outlook.

Digital and Social Media marketing

The world was moving to digital long before 2020 but the uptake was gradual and somewhat non-uniform. Ecommerce and digital got a huge push forward and the change will affect everything permanently. More and more businesses will look for people with digital marketing skills and pay more for them.

Investing

Another huge lesson in 2020 taught was the value of investing and saving. The impact of the pandemic on peoples wallets was huge and people will have a different outlook towards investing and saving. If you’d invested US$100 in CBZ in January 2020 it would be worth around US$1291 as at the end of October. Brilliant gains in a terrible year. People will look towards investing and saving products and Zimbabwe has a glaring shortage of these.

Online learning

There’s not a lot to say here. A lot of people need new skills and the preferred way of getting them is online. So anything that helps with this will likely do well.

Online Collaboration Tools

Just as in learning so it is in working especially where there is a high degree of collaboration.

Ecommerce

We’ve already discussed this one but in Zimbabwe, the uptake is still incredibly low. We practice partial eCommerce with orders being fulfilled offline though all other parts of the sale are online. Ecommerce will grow as it finds more applications.

Agriculture

This industry was forecast to grow from the onset of COVID-19 and it will not stop anytime soon.

The Gig Economy

A lot of traditional setups were thrown into disarray and the gig economy came to the rescue. Freelancers and but part players are going to be taking up more space in 2021. Join them or the serve them, either way, you won’t lose.

Digital/Virtual Assistants

Another industry or vocation that was on a steady rise and will only see more in 2021. These skills are in heavy demand.

Home Improvement

People got to spend more time in their homes in 2020 and many found that they had not created happy spaces. Spending on home improvement boomed in 2020 and the effects will still be with us in 2021.

Creative Arts

The creative arts perhaps got the worst of 2020. Regular income sources were shut down but they continued to entertain us through digital means. These were difficult if not impossible to monetise especially in a rush. A return to something close to normal will be welcome.

Food

Ready-made food really hit a boom.in 2020. People expected downturns in business but were hit with a tidal wave of business. There is more space in ready-made food just waiting to be taken up.

PPE/Hygiene

It seems a bit obvious but the world has been changed irrevocably. As PPE and hygiene supplies flood the market the successes will come in volumes.

Dating Services

Life is short, ask anyone who had to endure lockdown alone. You will need to be creative with it but I can assure you that people are looking for people out there who place value on any assistance that increases their chances of success.

Fitness/Health

Speaking as a person who experienced a horizontal expansion in 2020 I can safely say 2021 will present an opportunity for someone in health and fitness to partake in my money. I can’t be the only one.

Logistics

With all this digital and eCommerce talk and ready-made food, delivery logistics is going to be a key business. There is space for many different expressions and configurations.

Look, if 2021 has another pandemic do not come back to me complaining, I was working with the information I have. All the best with your ventures in the new year.