Think of 2022 as a fresh start to re-commit to your business, career, personal and financial goals.
So what will you accomplish now that the calendar has flipped to the year 2022? Put a plan in place and take on action on these business trends in 2022, even if it’s small, that will push you forward. That momentum could be enough to light the fire needed to make a bold move this year.
Right now, many employers will list a bachelor’s degree as a minimum requirement, but I think a wave of employers will start accepting other online courses in lieu of traditional education.” I wouldn’t be surprised if this 2022 business trend really catches on due to the rising cost of traditional higher education. What would the world look like if employers moved to a skills-based hiring model instead of choosing based on their degree or pedigree?
In case you aren’t already familiar with how Robert and I feel about higher education, here’s a quick summary. Robert’s poor dad always told him the best path to success was to go to school.
His rich dad, on the other hand, didn’t have a college degree, yet he was very rich and successful. Rich dad said, “School teaches you to be an employee. If you want to be rich, don’t count on school.”
So if you are chasing after a dream, but don’t have a corresponding formal education, don’t let it hamper your forward momentum. There are many online courses you can take to brush up on the industry you’d like to enter and certifications you can pursue.
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Shift to a freelance workforce
It would be hard not to notice that the Great Resignation is in full swing — more than 20 million people quit their jobs in the second half of 2021. There’s a growing workforce shift from traditional employees to a freelance model (aka, gig economy). According to a Gallup study from mid-2018, more than one-third of U.S. workers — or about 57 million people — were in the gig economy.
And, these numbers continue to grow: a recent study shows that the gig economy grew by 33% in 2020.
What’s more, it’s making people happier!
Just look at these impressive stats:
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Roughly 94% of self-employed workers believe their job is making a worthwhile contribution to the world,
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82% of freelancers and contractors are proud of their career,
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and 97% of contractors report being much happier than their permanent counterparts.
What this means for you:
If you’ve been contemplating looking for a side gig to help make ends meet, pay off credit card debt, save up for investments you’ve been wanting to explore, or even to take your career in a new direction, then 2022 will be the year to make that happen.
If you are looking to become self-employed and leave behind your corporate job, you should be seeing many more opportunities of this nature available to you — and no, it doesn’t just mean driving for Uber or delivering Amazon packages. Freelance writers, designers, marketers, web developers, accountants, photographers and countless other skilled workers who enjoy their craft but no longer wish to clock into a traditional job each day may find that being an independent contractor is the solution they’ve been waiting for.
Plus, freelancing frees you up to pursue side businesses, like investing, more easily because you have control over your own schedule.
Imagine what you could get done if you weren’t locked into an 8-to-5 situation helping to build someone else’s dream!
Finally, it’s a great way for new mothers to earn a flexible paycheck without having to rely on full-time office employment.
Take a look at these five side-hustle ideas before you quit your job. On the flip side, if you own a business, consider switching to a freelance-based model, which allows you to scale up and down based on project and client needs (if having full-time employees tends to break the bank certain months or seasons). The flexibility it affords you to quickly ramp up or down as the market dictates could be the difference between success and failure.
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A boom in co-working
For any skilled worker pursuing self-employment, co-working is an invaluable concept. Most people don’t want to be cooped up in their home office day after day, with little to no social interaction — they want to be surrounded by creative influences, successful go-getters, people who do what they do, and a contagious energy that keeps them motivated and inspired.
Thus, coworking spaces were born and are gaining traction every day. Coworking spaces, or shared workspaces, often can be rented by the hour, day, or month and some offer membership programs. They are built to replicate an office-like atmosphere, with private meeting rooms and kitchens, and larger tables for collaboration. There are nearly, with over 80 million square feet of flexible workspace in the U.S. alone.
If you own a startup, this 2022 business trend is a great way to save money. But co-working isn’t just about saving money and pooling resources—it’s also an invaluable networking tool. You get to mingle with other like-minded people, potentially landing new clients or collaboration opportunities.
Plus, being surrounded by what very well could be your competition could fuel your creative juices and bring forth innovative ideas. Sometimes, we need a little push to think bigger, and co-working spaces can provide that nudge. If you run your own business, coworking spaces are also helpful for having a place to meet with clients that looks more professional than your living room or a coffee shop, and you aren’t stuck paying for an office you don’t need most of the time.
And if you travel internationally for business, you’ll find thousands of coworking spaces in the Asia-Pacific region and thousands more in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
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Consolidation of businesses
In case you need even more motivation to pursue self-employment in 2022, there will likely be a string of major acquisitions in the coming year. Just look at what happened over the last few years: In 2018, AT&T purchased Time Warner, the Walt Disney Company bought Twenty-First Century Fox Inc., and The Meredith Corporation acquired Time, Inc. In 2019, United Technologies and Raytheon merged, as did Bristol Meyers Squibb and Celgene. And in 2021 there were disruptive mergers and acquisitions across all sectors, from travel and tech to pharmaceuticals and healthcare. I have no doubt that business trends in 2022 will follow suit.
What this means for you:
For starters, you could find yourself without a job because your role is now redundant or being outsourced to freelancers or contractors. And even if you retain your job, you could end up taking a pay cut, not liking the new culture or your new boss, and having to learn new processes and procedures that make your job harder. That’s why there’s really no such thing as job security unless you work for yourself.
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Eco-friendly and social causes take center stage
So you have a business idea for 2022? That’s fantastic! Does it have an eco-friendly tie-in? Does it have a charitable component or help a topical social cause? Even better!
With so many people adopting a green lifestyle these days — from plant-based diets to reducing carbon footprints — you’re wise to jump on the bandwagon and tap into the growing customer base attached to it. Plus, you’ll be doing some good for the world, not just your own pocketbook. The same goes for businesses that give back to underserved communities, local artists and social causes that are dividing our nation. Of course, authenticity in your brand is key, so your motives for making a positive difference in the world need to be genuine.
What this means for you:
As you start to think of new areas to invest in, side gigs to start, or other ways to achieve your financial independence, look for opportunities to tie into the things that matter to millennials and our planet. Look for ways to have a positive impact on society and make a difference in our world. Consumers want to make more eco-friendly choices, so figure out a way to help them change the way they use energy, think about plastic or re-use clothing.
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Creativity is king
Business trends in 2022 are about more than money — they are about solving problems. Look at Bill Gates, Sir Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos and others. Many successful businesspeople were underdogs who used their creativity and passion to find much-needed solutions to major problems. With this in mind, think about something that really ticks you off.
How can you solve that problem?
Often times, the problem is right in front of you, and you don’t see it. I know in the past when Robert and I traveled the world, I would be surrounded by women after our presentations. They asked the same questions, about the same issues and problems, over and over again.
Then, it dawned on me that there was a strong need for an entirely new business helping women learn about finances and handling financial crisis. That’s how Rich Woman was born. Sometimes a great business idea is right in front of your eyes, and you don’t even see it because you’re so close to what you are doing.
What this means for you:
Be a problem solver for life.
There are many women who start businesses with big aspirations, but everything just fizzles out. That’s because when you grow your business, you just have bigger and bigger problems. You’ve got to know how to handle that pressure and adversity if you’re going to move forward. And as you move forward, you need to continue to solve problems.
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This means your purpose or mission for your business needs to be about more than making money. I know people are always asking Robert and me why we don’t retire. We spend hours traveling, giving presentations, doing The Rich Dad Radio Show, writing content, conducting media interviews, studying, running our businesses, and more. We often start very early in the morning and are up late into the evening. It’s a lot of work, and no one could pay us enough money to do what we do!
So why do we do it?
It’s not about the money. It’s a part of us. But we are very happy. We solve problems, and in the process, we are financially free and live life on our terms.