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2020 was certainly a whirlwind year, filled with many ups and downs, bumps in the roads, and obstacles. Although the global economy is still limping along while the pandemic continues, we’re in a new year, thankfully. It’s a perfect time to think about and plan what you’re going to do to make 2021 successful.  

For many of us, being a one-person business is already old hat. But that doesn’t mean we’re not affected by changes and trends in how the business world operates. To that end, here are the top trends we see taking shape in 2021, and a few tips on how you as a solopreneur can capitalize on them. 

The Remote Workforce Is Growing 

Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, a record number of people are now working from home or remotely. This trend started several years ago, but the pandemic has certainly accelerated it.  

As a solopreneur, you might already have been working from home (or some other remote location). That’s not what’s important about this trend. What is important, however, is that remote working is more popular than ever, which means that workers are also more likely to prefer jobs where they can work from anywhere. That also means that the pool of support staff you might hire to help you is now growing, and you’ll have a far wider selection of candidates to choose from.  

Outsourcing Is In 

Outsourcing is certainly not new, but whenever the economy takes a dip, outsourcing tends to thrive. That’s mainly because it’s often less expensive to outsource functions than to hire and pay things like payroll taxes, health insurance (if you’re in the U.S.), etc.  

With the global economy shrinking by 4.3 percent in 2020, coupled with a shaky rollout of Covid-19 vaccines in some of the world’s more advanced economies, 2021 could see a continued boost to outsourcing.  

For solopreneurs, this can mean a wide variety of opportunities both to hire support staff, but also to grow their businesses.  

Digitization Is Accelerating 

Another trend that’s been happening over the last 20+ years is the digitization of every near aspect of the business. And yet, prior to the pandemic, a significant portion of businesses were still resisting digital transformation. According to the Dell Technologies Digital Transformation Index, only 33 percent of businesses were considering digital transformation, and 39 percent said they had little to no plans for digital transformation. In 2020, though, only 16 percent of businesses said they had little to no plans for digital transformation, and 78 percent of businesses were either planning or executing digital transformation projects.  

For the solopreneur, this means two things. First, if you offer any form of digital-based service, you’re likely going to be very busy in 2021 as businesses adapt to the new normal and race to catch up (or surpass) competitors. Second, it also means you should look for new ways to digitize and automate aspects of your own business.  

Looking for ways to grow your business without having to hire? Thankz has you covered! Contact us to discuss our team management and outsourced Expertz programs.