What’s HOT and what’s NOT in 2011

By Liubov Zhabina


Being an Entrepreneur means seeing opportunities,
but many people have difficulty recognizing them. What separates entrepreneurs from others is their ability to identify, even invent opportunities and to see what others can not.
These are some forces driving change in 2011. Maybe after you have read this article you will come up with a great idea on how to benefit from these changes!

They age, opportunities bloom

Todays aging Babyboomers are providing a set of fantastic market opportunities, such as construction services that make homes more senior-friendly; supermarkets with lower shelves and wheelchair-compatible shopping carts; and sales and tech support by phone for seniors, by seniors. So watchout entrepreneurs, granny’s got dinero to spend ;-)

Travel and tourism take off

Travel and tourism are back and by the end of 2011 they will be better than ever. Revenue is expected to reach nearly $1.4 trillion, which means the opportunity in the sector will be the biggest so far!
The industry is increasingly shifting online, opportunities are emerging fast. Smartphone owners are loving their access to Wi-Fi finders, flight status updaters, local restaurant finders, budget booking assistants, translators and more. Websites offering unique travel-oriented services have made a strong showing too. This area will continue to grow, improving the efficiency of the overall industry and increasing demand for travel. It will be a good time for new players in the market!

One-way private online shopping? No!
Social colletcive buying sites ? Yes!

Who would have imagined?! E-commerce has now gone social. These sites rely heavily on online conversations to drive sales. The i-tools of these sites allow their users to easily share deals and recommendations and plan activities with friends on Facebook and Twitter. Companies no longer have total control over their brand's message. That responsibility now falls in the hands of the social web and people like you and me.
Social shopping startups continue to pop up all the time. One is "swipely.com", which "turns purchases into conversations." When users swipe their credit or debit card, the transaction shows up on the site--for the community to discuss with eachother

Home sweet home

Home owners start to take care of those leaky roofs and unfinished remodeling projects put off during the recession. People are willing to make their homes meet the energy-efficient standarts as well as to be tastefully functional and accesible. So let the hamering begin!

Going green is not a trend . It's an expectation!

If you're not thinking about all the ways to go green, you're way behind the curve.
If you haven't accepted this fact, your competitors will gain more attraction and sustainability than you! Green is where the money is!

Affordable luxuries

The recession has created more selective, value-conscious consumers and retailers hungry for sales. It has also conditioned shoppers to expect great products and services at reasonable prices.
Many budget hotels are pouring money into renovations and added amenities.
Some of the hotels are adding new linens, plasma-screen TVs, brightly colored walls and modern furniture. More fashion designers are now offering "bridge lines," or lower-tier collections, for a fraction of the price.

As you can see, lots of hot opportunities and gold mines to tap into in 2011. Let the creativity and innovation begin!