Greetings from Hans Peter Wollseifer

The coronavirus pandemic has been setting the pace for the economy for over a year. Even though some skilled trades businesses are still coping relatively well, overall, the current pandemic situation doesn't seem particularly conducive or motivating to start new ventures and build their own businesses.

This article is part of the special feature GründerNavi – for founders and young companies

And yet, turbulent times have always proven to be fertile ground for new business ideas . The entrepreneurial spirit currently present in the skilled trades is evidenced by those craftspeople who, in the midst of the pandemic, realized their dream of self-employment and opened their own shops – like master optician Jana Hoffmann from Leipzig, featured in our ZDH Yearbook . Others, spurred by the lockdown, switched to new business concepts : for example, numerous carpentry workshops began producing sneeze guards, and a pastry chef delivered cakes to customers who could no longer visit her café using a "tractor-driven cake taxi." Some of these entrepreneurs intend to continue or even expand these spontaneously developed business concepts after the pandemic . Fortunately, new businesses in the skilled trades continue to emerge despite the pandemic.

There's another reason why tradespeople have such excellent opportunities for self-employment right now: Due to demographic change, there's already a significant shortage of potential successors . In the next five years, approximately 125.000 craft businesses are expected to change hands . The coronavirus pandemic hasn't altered this trend. Therefore, I recommend that anyone interested in starting their own business consider not only starting a new one , but also taking over an existing business .

The GründerNavi (Founder's Navigator) makes an important contribution to both new business start-ups and business acquisitions , helping to proceed in a structured manner during the critical initial phase. It contains tips and suggestions on how to overcome start-up difficulties more quickly and make the right decisions early on.

Comprehensive technical and business support is also provided by the advisory centers of the craft trade organizations . The consultants at the chambers of crafts and trade associations know how to overcome financing problems and start-up bureaucracy , and how to leverage the opportunities of digitalization for one's own business idea from the outset . This knowledge is crucial for a successful start to self-employment without lengthy initial difficulties.

To ensure that new craft businesses can hold their own in the market after the pandemic and that the economy regains momentum, the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH) is advocating for targeted demand and investment incentives from policymakers . Now more than ever, bureaucratic hurdles must be further reduced and digitalization in public administration must be accelerated.

Experience shows that startups in the skilled trades are exceptionally successful . This is also due to the Master Craftsman's Certificate , which, with its specialized training supplemented by pedagogical, commercial, and legal knowledge, offers the ideal starting point for entrepreneurial life. I would therefore like to encourage all aspiring entrepreneurs to take the step into self-employment – ​​even in pandemic times like these. With the support of the skilled trades organization and the Founder's Navigator at your fingertips, you will be well-informed and advised to successfully build your business!

Hans Peter Wollseifer
President
Central Association of German Crafts (ZDH)