The Pandemic has hit all the major industries across the world. Almost everyone had to face some or the other challenge financially at some stage. While, some lost their jobs, some of them had to close down their business, which they had set up since ages. Unemployment is at an all time high across the globe. Yet, in these crucial times, there are some professionals, who managed to multiply their businesses manifold. No. I am not talking about Mukesh Ambani, who is out shopping buying just any other venture that he wishes. I am talking about the common men and women, who created new industry, jobs and businesses during this pandemic.
One of the most essential problem that almost everyone faced was getting essentials. The news channels ensured that the fear stayed amongst the minds of the people. So that, they take sufficient precautions. This also brought a change in the way, we do our routine things. It is true that unemployment was at its peak during the pandemic, but creativity had helped them sail during this pandemic.
Vegetable Vendors
The Corona Virus being one of the most deadliest viruses, which spreads by close contact, with the person infected by the same. Vegetables are our basic essentials and one has to step out of their house to buy the same. The Local Bodies had limited the market time and anybody sitting beyond 12 noon, could have his belongings confisticated.
During this time, a lot of youngsters came up with an option of home delivering the vegetables. Apart from using social media, word of mouth was something that helped this business grow. They had different packages available with them depending on the number of family members. These packages contained essentials like Onion, Potato and Tomato and a couple of vegetables, that were available, along with Cucumber, Coriander and Masala. These packages, were reasonable rated and they would deliver it near our Society gates.
A lot of youngesters and College students, had started this business. They would also employ a couple of maids, who helped them n packing these orders and then travel along with them in cars to deliver the same. This gave a lot of opportunity to people who had lost their jobs.
Similarly , a lot of maids and other daily wage workers, who had lost their jobs had started selling masks, garbage bags, seasonal fruits on the roadside. Also they had started working as cooks, with the Groups, which was providing food for migrant workers. Once the government had permitted the construction work to be started once again, the maids started working there also. With the hotels being closed down, they started selling Cooked Chapatis and small snacks on the roadside in packets.
Beauty Industry
Beauty industry was one of the worst hit due to the COVID 19 Pandemic. A lot of beauticians had to shut down their parlours. The best part about the beauty industry is that with minimum investment you can get maximum returns for the same.
For about a month everyone was paranoid about having to visit a parlour or call beauticians at home. In the month of May and June almost half the country’s men went Bald because that was the easiest option. We women had bushy eye brows and black heads and our own upper lips to deal with. But once, the video calls and online meetings increased, people also realised the importance of grooming. Mainly, when people started getting their income. So a lot of people started calling the Beauticians at their homes. So now without having the expense to maintain the parlour, this industry was still functioning in its own private space. As Beauticians, visited homes, there was no stress of social distancing or sanitization, that they had to maintain at their homes.
Retailers
A lot of Shop Keepers, who sold Clothes, Cosmetics, Stationery, Electronics, started functioning from home. Whatsapp Messages and Facebook played a major role in helping them connect with their customers. There was a time, when Amazon and other E-Commerce sites, were permitted to deliver only essential items. It was tough to find clothes and other things, that may not seem like essential to a few of the people they were basics.
The day the lockdown was announced. A lot of Shop Keepers, bought their stock home and the entire family would sit together and try and connect with every distant relative and every friend to sell their product. The workers would then help them in delivering those products if in the nearby locality. Clothes may not seem like an essential at first but when you have kids, they are an essential. My younger daughter is a year and a half old now, there was a time, when she suddenly grew up and all her clothes were small. Luckily I had a few of my son’s previously used clothes in good condition, so used them for her. Many women, delivered during this pandemic, getting new born clothes for them was a real big task.
Thus, the people, who could network smartly, managed to sell their entire stock.
Grocery Stores
Grocery Stores, had a long ques outside their stores. Yes, it was a tough task for them, but still they helped us survive as our local kirana stores provided us with all the daily essentials. When your Chakki Wala could not open the shop, he started a deal with the Kirana wala by providing him with pissa hua aata, which he could then sell as ready made aata.
Some shops had to stop Home Delivery, because they did not have enough trained staff members. In some localitites, the societies would place bulk orders with the Kirana stores, who would then bring those products to the Society Premises and the members could then purchase it from them.
With no maids, permitted in the society complexes, one product, that was in demand, was the cleaning mop. Shops had taken orders in advance for the same. One smart things that a few shop keepers did was selling their products in other shops. Initially, not all shops were permitted to be opened, except for goods, which sold essential products. But apart from food, we also needed a few other products, which technically did not fall under essential products, like sometimes, plastic and steel products. In such cases, some Grocery Store shopkeeps would smartly display these products on their shelf and sell the products of other shopkeepers from their store. Thus, benefitting everyone at the end.
Food Industry
Hotels, were shut down first, when lockdown was announced. In India, it is the prime duty of women to cook, so most of the men, who were staying as Bachelors, did not have the essential utensils to cook as they were either dependent on maids or tiffin services or swiggy for their food. Maggi can help you survive only for a few days.
During this time, a lot of men also lost their jobs, but this was the time to reinvent themselves. Few of them started tiffin services from home. The women folk would cook lunch and the men would deliver them to the society gates. A lot of youngsters, formed groups on social media and helped senior citizens mainly who were alone and dependent on maids for food, providing them with food via tiffin service. This provided employment opportunity to those who lost their jobs and food, to those who needed the same.
Home Bakers, were in huge demand during this time because Birthdays arrived irrespective or Corona and thus somebody had to bake them at home.
Education
Schools, were also one of the first organisations to shut down. Keeping children occupied during this time was tough for parents. A lot of women, started online art activities for the children. This took some time for the parents to adjust because online learning was something new for the students. But with time both parents and children got used to the same.
Coaching classes also went online. Different people came up with different webinars for the students as well as working professionals. Yes, a lot of teachers, who were aged found a huge difficulty to adjust with this sudden change, but slowly even they became a part of the same.
IT Industry
Apart from the Corona Front Line Warriors, the people, who worked literally 24*7 are the people from the IT Industry. IF not for the IT Industry, we wouldn’t have had everything on our fingertips. Working from home, was a tough change for everyone, but slowly and steadily everyone got used to the same.
A lot of new websites were created in the last few months. Probably, the change, that should have happened in next 5 years happened in the last 6 months due to the Pandemic. Thankfully, we had sufficient Infrastructure for the same. Yet, we still have miles to go ahead.
The Pandemic was tough on each one of us, in our own ways. We all have our small battles, but even during this tough time, there are a few people who managed to break all the barriers and touch the sky. Recession, loss of Employment, Financial Loss, is a reality, yet, despite the same, there are few of them who took it up as a challenge and survived and excelled in the same.
Challenging times, always check our patience and skill set.
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