‘We were driven into a corner.’ Entrepreneur Anda Blind’s turn in the Covid-19 crisis

The only thing that remained constant in the past pandemic year was the constant change. For many, this year has brought great losses – life, health, the presence of close people, money and other values. However, the devil is not as black as their clay. For some, a sudden change did not mean staying in a corner when the products or services they created were no longer so necessary, but looking for and finding a new niche. Still others proved more necessary than ever, culminating in new turnover and income. This story is about entrepreneurs – the winners of the pandemic.

With this article, we continue the series “The Lost Year?” How has the pandemic affected people’s lives and various sectors, including medicine, the economy, education and culture? Has this been a “lost year”?

In the first weeks of March last year, when the registered cases of Covid-19 in Latvia could be counted on the fingers of one and two hands, businessman Andis Blind had active discussions with his family. His plan was to go to Singapore on March 17 to train the goalkeepers. It is part of Blindsave’s mission – not only to produce high-quality equipment for goalkeepers, but also to train talented athletes. “Moms and sisters tried for a long time to dissuade me, ‘Please, please don’t drive!’ International flights were suspended on March 17. Reality took on a new shape.

The pandemic significantly affected Andi and his company, which specializes in protective equipment for sports such as basketball and handball. “Obviously – if sports are forbidden, then no one needs sports goods, there is silence. Now we have a waiting period in which we think and talk about the future,” he admits. It was precisely because of the difficulties that lay ahead that Andis came up with the crazy idea of ​​turning to a whole new field – the production of face masks. “We were driven into a corner – we realized that something had to be thought about, done to have at least some turnover. to develop, “explains the businessman.
Of course, Andis is not the only one who has used the crisis to develop his activities or reduce the fall. A number of well-known companies have also been able to adapt to the new reality and achieve amazing success. What has been the basis of success and what this time has taught – also in this article.

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