A new virtual world: How 5 businesses moved their services online

COVID-19 has been an unwelcome surprise in 2020 for people across the world. And while it’s hard to stay positive in times like this, there’s a lot of positivity coming out of the pandemic. There’s a seeming resurgence of the support small biz movement. And entrepreneurs are getting more creative than they’ve ever had the chance to be before.

One of the ways businesses have adapted is by moving their services online. Video conferencing platforms have been downloaded globally at an increased rate due to stay-at-home orders.

Here are a few real-world examples of businesses that have started offering online classes for their formerly in-person services.

mind|body|fitness

The demand for online fitness classes has grown by 16%. Greensboro, NC’s mind|body|fitness yoga pivoted from having all of their classes in-studio to 100% online with a newly configured website and on-demand content in just five days. They didn’t lose a day of classes.

Next Stage Drumming

Instead of fitness, Dori Staehle, MBA teaches music. The certified drum therapist/drum teacher/ADHD specialist owns Next Stage Drumming, where she typically hosts in-person drum classes, events, and private lessons. She also turned to online teaching, launching a sales page on her website.

“I started right away with my existing private clients and also offered the option to my mailing list,” she says. “I also did loads of posting on my Facebook page, both on my business page, personal page, and in many Facebook groups.” She got the word out so much that she was requested for interviews about her business.

Dori also added an ecommerce component to her business, selling hand drums through Toca Percussion. “The drums can be dropshipped anywhere, and they arrive much faster than if someone ordered them on Amazon, due to Amazon's backlog,” she says.

Regis Regal German Shepherds

Humans aren’t the only ones benefiting from virtual classes. Cindy Kelly, owner of Regis Regal German Shepherds in Illinois, provides dog training and boarding to her clients. Unsurprisingly, that part of the business has been put to a halt. So she’s gone online.

By familiarizing herself with technology, Cindy has been able to engage with customers in new ways. “I've been able to host Zoom training calls, we had over five participants in the last one,” she says. “New dog owners are happy that they can continue training, and we can ensure we have some kind of revenue coming in the next few months.”

The School of UX

London-based Chimmy Kalu is also used to running workshops and training in-person. Now, she’s taking her classes online—she offers monthly UX courses to digital professionals through her company, The School of UX.

Outschool

Artist Heidi Jeub has taken to the virtual world to provide online art classes for artistic kids who need that outlet. Aimed at kids ages 8-18, her classes start at the introductory level and work their way up as her students improve on their artistic abilities.

“I thought about what I had to do to change my business model enough to make things work for the next couple of months,” Jeub said, and these online classes present her with a great opportunity to continue to do something she loves

We want to hear from you!

Has your business started offering online courses? Let us know! Send an email to editor@waveapps.com with information on how your business has pivoted for a chance to be featured in a Wave blog!