Skip to main content

ToughJobs may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

5 successful businesses that launched during the pandemic and are thriving

According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, over 50% of establishments suffered a decrease in demand for their business due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A statistic like that would scare many business owners, but some visionaries took a risk anyway. Innovative responses to consumer demands were one of many things required to survive, let alone thrive.

Many businesses, large and small alike, found ways to pivot their offerings and survive the economic toll of governmental regulation. But some businesses found a way to thrive. Let’s take a look at small businesses that are thriving, despite the uncertainty of these times.

Related Videos
Supervisor training worker on new software

Businesses launched during the pandemic

United Sodas

With consumers suddenly having to change even their most basic routines, many companies with essential goods had to adapt. Big grocery store chains began to offer delivery and pickup options, years before initially planned. For certain companies, this even meant offering distribution directly to consumer homes.

One small business that realized direct delivery was a thrive tactic is United Sodas. With consumers favoring online grocery shopping, United Sodas realized launching their business meant changing initial planning. Intead of prioritizing shelf space, they prioritized customer needs.

Ghia

Another nonalcoholic beverage company, Ghia, had to find a way to meet consumers when alcohol purchases were at an all-time high across the country. Intended as an aperitif, this company needed a restaurant setting to sell their products. Yet company leadership didn’t postpone launching the product and business as initially thought necessary.

Business leaders recognized, with a soft launch no longer possible, that a full-scale pivot to consumer-direct sales was the solution. Even with changes in branding, production, and marketing, the company soared past its initial pre-pandemic sales projections. Because of their innovative response, Ghia is now positioned to distribute their goods in storefronts locally.

QuickHire

Another big shift for people included job loss and career changes. Some small businesses began when people went into business for themselves, recognizing the potential in taking ownership of their skills. Of course, starting your own business also means finding people to hire or a space to market your skills.

QuickHire started to meet this need. Service and tradespeople needed somewhere to market their skills and find work. And with the labor shortage resulting from the pandemic, this company’s platform is more needed than ever for small business owners in the service industry.

Neverland

Turning an urban or cluttered space into a peaceful organic one requires plants. Since shopping at nurseries was out of the question, company leadership realized the value in creating an entirely new online plant shopping experience. Demand for seed kits grew and Neverland’s response positioned their full launch (with a mobile app) next month.

Petal

Have you ever wanted your trash can to smell less but you lack the space or option to store it out of smell? A cold freeze keeps odor-producing bacteria from growing. With consumers spending more time at home, they also generated more waste (and had to smell it longer).

Petal launched its freezer trash can and was so successful, the waitlist for product development is full. This new kind of waste bin meets a huge consumer need reinforced by pandemic lifestyle conditions. With a full waitlist, demand for the product (and company) will only increase over time.

Thriving instead of surviving

For each business started during the pandemic, there’s a common cause. Every business leader and owner for each of the companies listed paid attention to consumer needs or demands. This customer-centric focus is the future of business, especially when the economy changes unpredictably.

You can take away the knowledge that no matter what the current events are, innovation generates solutions. But finding the right solution means knowing your product and consumer well enough to target them. And that means you’re either highly confident in your skills or goods or you’ve done the research to fully understand your consumer.

Thriving in business means doing more than the safe thing. It’s not about buckling down and staying predictable but taking a calculated risk to put you and your brand at the forefront of consumers’ eyes.

Editors' Recommendations

Start your local cheese shop with these supplies
restaurant health code violations chef slicing delicious bbq meat at street market on table

You enjoy making your cheese, and you want to make a career out of it. You believe that everyone should be able to try your homemade cheese recipes. You want to sell your cheese locally in your beautiful hometown. You want to start with the simple tasks on what you need to start your career on the right path. You wondered what sort of items you need to start your business from scratch. You already purchased the building, but now you need the supplies to get you started. When it comes to your business you want to start with ideas.

In every local food business, owners had to start from scratch. Sometimes there are struggles when it comes to starting your own business. When it comes to the food business, it can be hard on how to start your business or when to start your business. You want your business to flourish, and you need some guidance on starting your business. When it comes to local business it starts with a lot of ideas and ways to figure out how to accomplish those ideas. You want your creative hobby with cheese to start well without any mistakes along the way.

Read more
Items for your local pizza bar
Electric pizza delivery car.

Everyone loves pizza, and so do you. That is why you want to do your local pizza bar that everyone will enjoy. You love to see the joy come across people's faces as you give them your homemade pizza. You also enjoy mixing drinks as part of your hobby, so have an idea of a bar and a pizza place where people can come to hang out with friends. You want to have a space that gives people happiness. You want to be the place where celebrations and events will be taken place. You want to enjoy having your place.

The items listed above will introduce a great start for your career. You get to share your delicious homemade pizza with your customers. You want to have a comfortable environment where you can introduce live music and cheer. Your business will continue to flourish with ease as not only a bar but a place where people can go with their friends, family, and their partners. You will be the place where the night is young with a lighted area where customers can sit outdoors. All you need is ideas, your recipe, and the supplies that you need to start your business.

Read more
Items you need for home store business
marketing small businesses fashion store owner showing financial report on tablet screen

Are you a person who just got a business degree? Do you want to start a business that helps others feel at home? You like to sell things that people need to make their homes clean and decorative. You know that homes reflect the owners' personality, and you want to give new homeowners the chance to decorate their new homes. To start helping others, you must decorate your building with home goods, knickknacks, and supplies. You know what customers are looking for and where they could get it, which is when your business comes in to give homeowners the supplies they need for their new home.

The items listed above are not only items you will sell but the items that you need to start your career off on the right track. You questioned how to start your business with an idea. The first idea is to organize and clean the building that will be the place for your business. You will also be selling items that homeowners need and that you will be using for your new business. You do not have to worry about starting your business blindly, some simple tasks and items will guide you to your journey to a successful career. You will be able to enjoy your first local business.

Read more