Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

Opportunity #1: Marketing Trade School Opportunities to Young Adults 
Information Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/blue-collar-trade-jobs-benefits-high-salaries-no-student-debt-2019-4; https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/51118/high-paying-trade-jobs-sit-empty-while-high-school-grads-line-up-for-university
Why Does This Exist: As more and more students are being encouraged to pursue a four-year degree program, less students are going to trade schools. This is causing a decreased supply in labor for these careers with a demand that has been steady for many years. This decrease in supply is increasing the wages offered to many people in these careers and making it much easier for people who go to trade school to find a job. There is no lack in demand for plumbers, electricians, or auto mechanics, but society is deeming these careers as less desirable even though they often make as much money and have similar benefits to jobs requiring a four-year degree.
What is the Opportunity: Marketing trade school or trade careers to high-school students or young adults as a worthy alternative to attending university
Who Is the Customer: This can be targeted to the students or young adults themselves, or towards their parents or schools. Schools are harder to market to because they are unlikely to get an economic benefit from them, but it would be a large market if tapped.
Ability to Exploit: I think that this may be difficult to exploit because it is being engrained in students that college or university is the best path to pursue out of high school. Many people either go straight into the work force because they believe that they cannot afford college or go straight into a university program. The benefit that could be found in this would be pairing young adults or students with companies who are willing to pay for their trade school if they sign a work contract with them.
Why Did I See This Opportunity: I work at a local accounting and financial office and we specialize in helping small businesses with their financials. This has led me to work with many different business owners, mainly those who own businesses in the trade field- such as plumbers, construction managers, or hair stylists. I have noticed that these business owners are often making similar salaries to many other idealized careers, like lawyers, but are often struggling to find employees due to the lack of training available in the labor marketplace.

Opportunity #2: Teaching Seniors How To Use Modern Technology
Information Source: https://globalnews.ca/news/2301922/meet-the-millennial-entrepreneurs-teaching-seniors-how-to-use-tech/; https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/042915/5-industries-driving-us-economy.asp
Why Does It Exist: Technology is one of the most rapidly growing sectors of both the US and the global economy but many people are being left behind. Children are being raised in the age of technology, but their grandparents and great-grandparents often feel left behind because they have been unable to adapt as quickly to the growing market. More products, like advanced phones, computers, and tvs, could be marketed to older people if they had a better understanding of how to use the products. Oftentimes, the people who are best equipped to use the products, millennials, cannot afford to purchase the high-tech products but they do have the skill set to teach other people how to use them.
What Is The Opportunity: Matching millennials and other young tech-savvy individuals with older people who need help learning how to use and adapt to modern technology
Who Is The Customer: Older Americans who want to learn how to use newer technology
Ability to Exploit: I think that this could be relatively easy to exploit and is already starting to be done around the world. Retired individuals often have more time on their hands and want to be involved in modern society. College students and other young adults are often looking for easy forms of income and this would be a way for them to make money part-time. Retired individuals also often have spare income that they may be willing to spend on a class like this.
Why Did I See This Opportunity: In the office I work in, we have three people who are in the office most often- myself, my boss, and my boss' mother. Our work is often divided up based on who is best equipped to handle the problem, so I am usually assigned more technologically advanced projects because her mother is not as knowledgable about most of the computer software. I have also watched my grandparents struggle to understand modern technology and how to use it to their benefit. My aunt and uncle live in Texas and I have had to teach and re-teach my grandparents many times how to use FaceTime or Skype to keep in touch with them. These parts of my daily lives have made me realize the gap there is between younger and older Americans when it comes to a technological understanding.

Opportunity #3: Marketing Electric Cars to Businesses
Information Source: https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/how-does-the-electric-car-tax-credit-work
Why Does It Exist: New federal and state tax credits are making electric cars more affordable. The government is incentivized to encourage people to buy electric cars due to their connections with large electricity companies and desire to lower US emissions. This has led them to implement new tax credits to people who purchase electric cars.
What Is The Opportunity: Many businesses are choosing to have fleets of cars for their employees to drive and I could teach them about the new benefits for electric cars and match them with dealerships to purchase them instead of traditional automobiles.
Who Is The Customer: Businesses with fleets of cars such as restaurants with delivery services or police departments.
Ability to Exploit: This opportunity is probably difficult to exploit because even with the tax break, cars are still an expensive purchase and often require more than one persons opinion before a decision can be made about the purchase.
Why Did I See This Opportunity: I work in a tax and accounting office and part of my job is to learn and understand the new tax laws. I do not have any clients who are using this specific tax break but I thought that it was an interesting one and did research into it on my own. I also try and be an environmentally conscious person so I am also looking into policies that promote good environmental policy.

Opportunity #4: Selling Reusable Bags to Individuals in Preparation for the Plastic Bag Ban
Information Source: https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190402/alachua-county-considers-ban-on-single-use-plastic-bags
Why Does It Exist: Alachua County is considering following in the path of City of Gainesville to ban single-use plastic bags. The ban is being imposed on businesses who will face a fine if they continue to use single-use plastic bags, but this is likely to also affect individuals who will need an alternative to using these free bags that are often given out at stores. Many people do not carry their own bags because they are either reliant on plastic bags that they are used to having been provided, they find it inconvenient, or simply do not like appearance of them.
What Is The Opportunity: Marketing attractive or convenient reusable bags to individuals who have previously relied on plastic bags
Who Is the Customer: Individuals in Alachua County or potentially businesses that want to provide reusable bags to their customers.
Ability to Exploit: This is an easier opportunity to exploit because reusable bags can be an impulse purchase because of their lower cost. It is also easier to exploit because there are lots of different customers who may be willing to purchase this product at a low price.
Why Did I See This Opportunity: I am constantly trying to stay involved in local politics and this is a piece of legislation that I have been following closely due to the positive environmental impact that it could have. My mom also owns a local business that will be impacted by this legislation so I am constantly trying to find ways that I may be able to help her with this.