The Information Age, or Digital Age, has essentially been doing one thing: making the world smaller.
Places, people, products, and information are all so much more accessible than they were a century ago.
How to find more entrepreneurial opportunities in a shrinking world
In the 16th century, Ferdinand Magellan’s ship circumnavigated the world in about three years. Today, commercial airplanes can get you almost anywhere in only three days.
The Internet makes information on almost any subject available to you in a matter of seconds, much faster than the research methods used in previous decades.
The question isn’t so much “What has the Digital Age changed about our world?” as it is “What hasn’t the Digital Age changed about our world?”
Of course, a smaller world is often a more convenient one. Ebay, Amazon, Craigslist, and similar websites, combined with the modern shipping system, offer access to an incredible range of merchandise.
But with these e-commerce corporations connecting businesses to customers across thousands of miles, shouldn’t all the entrepreneurship opportunities be dried up?
Actually, no. Not if you can spot the new entrepreneurial opportunities of the Digital Age.
What works better in a smaller World? Services
The truth is, not everything can be shipped.
Modern entrepreneurs have begun wielding the power of the Internet to supply not just goods, but also services.
The Internet isn’t limited to helping you find a nearby place to eat or which stores in your area sell your favorite brand of shoes. The Internet connects people to people, one of whom can provide a service and another who is willing to pay for that service.
And it’s not just Uber.
The cyberspace is being used to connect customers to all sorts of services. The possibilities are nearly endless, especially since everyone has a phone and Internet access. As soon as you start up, your potential customer pool is huge.
What’s for Sale? Everything
Online communities have been set up to connect people to field professionals such as therapists, landscapers, and teachers.
Other online communities have been set up to allow individuals to make money off of their surplus resources, turning them into rentable transportation, storage units, or equipment.
Just keep your eyes open for what else the Internet could make more convenient for your or your neighbors, and you’re sure to hit on something.
Who wants to be a part of It? Everyone
Customers are happy because they have convenient access and often lower prices. Service providers are happy to have a flexible way to earn extra money.
And the entrepreneurs are happy because they have a business taking off—everyone wins! The key is figuring out how an online community can better meet an individual or community’s needs.
Remember, when done right an online community can provide greater flexibility in proximity, scheduling, product, and price than a big company can.
Big companies are more limited by locale, company policies, and Wall Street concerns, and all of this can limit the range of their products what is the most popular and expensive.
An online community can feature more options, and convenience is the commodity that everyone wants more of.
Keep it quality
Just remember quality control.
The best of these online communities have a system by which the quality of the services is maintained. Rule for participation in the online community are a must.
Customer reviews and ratings are another way to maintain quality and get yourself some publicity as well.
>Good quality control will set you apart from your competitors or anyone else who tries to jump on your idea.
A smaller worldcan mean more opportunity, simply because it is so much easier to make connections now.
All the tools are there, so all that is needed is a little bit of creativity and a proactive entrepreneur. The only ones who have to fail in a smaller world are the small-minded.
For more business tips, check our entrepreneurship section and subscribe to our weekly newsletters.
