Five Ways to Innovate During Uncertain Times
Redirect existing capabilities into timely offers, projects, and partnerships
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 96%
The framework presents five directions for innovation during disrupted conditions: collaborate with peers, volunteer useful talents or capacity, start an unexpected project, create a replacement revenue stream, and package expertise as e-learning. Each direction begins with resources the business already possesses—skills, equipment, relationships, knowledge, or customer insight—and redirects them toward needs that have appeared or intensified. Some actions generate immediate income, while others create attention, trust, or future demand. The approaches can overlap: a volunteer initiative may earn local press, a new project may become a paid kit, and educational content may introduce a larger course. The owner should not attempt every direction simultaneously; the value comes from selecting the best fit and turning it into a focused market experiment.
Origin
Extracted from The Jasmine Star Show, where Jasmine illustrates five innovation routes with photographers, transportation companies, beauty professionals, restaurants, and fitness businesses adapting during social distancing.
Core principles
- 01Reuse capabilities before abandoning them
- 02Pair idle supply with emerging demand
- 03Serve the community to build durable awareness
- 04Package expertise into accessible remote formats
- 05Treat disruption as permission to test unexpected projects
How to run it
- 1
Collaborate With Peers
Combine your capabilities with those of a complementary professional to produce content, services, or products neither party could deliver as effectively alone.
Pro tip Look first for peers who already share customers, values, or a trusted working relationship.
Watch out Clarify responsibilities, ownership, payment, and promotion before launching.
- 2
Volunteer Useful Capacity
Redirect idle assets or talent toward a pressing community need. Use the initiative to provide real help while building trust and long-term recognition.
Pro tip Contact relevant local organizations and press only after the service and logistics are concrete.
Watch out Do not treat vulnerable people as promotional props or promise unsafe assistance.
- 3
Start an Unexpected Project
Create a new conversation with customers through a project outside the business's usual delivery model. Use existing expertise in a format appropriate to current constraints.
Pro tip Choose a project that can be launched with tools customers already possess.
Watch out Avoid projects so disconnected from the core business that they confuse the audience.
- 4
Create a Replacement Revenue Stream
Find an immediate customer problem created by the loss of your normal service and package the solution into a safe paid offer. Kits, guided self-service, rentals, and remote support are possible formats.
Pro tip Start with existing customers whose preferences or specifications you already understand.
Watch out Do not package professional products or procedures for home use unless they can be delivered safely and legally.
- 5
Package Expertise as E-Learning
Turn a skill customers want to acquire into a lesson, workshop, tutorial, or course they can access remotely. Begin with a focused outcome rather than an oversized curriculum.
Pro tip Validate interest with a live session before investing in a polished course.
Watch out Do not spend weeks producing lessons before confirming that people want the result.
In the wild
An airport transportation company faces collapsing demand but still has vans and available drivers. Jasmine proposes scheduling grocery trips for elderly residents and telling local press about the community initiative. Although it may not generate immediate revenue, it keeps the company useful and memorable until travel resumes.
→ Idle capacity serves a new need and builds brand recognition that may influence future bookings.
A hairstylist unable to work in close proximity asks existing clients whether they want root touch-up kits. She supplies the appropriate materials, customized instructions, and timing guidance based on each client's hair. The package converts her knowledge and customer records into a temporary source of revenue.
→ The stylist creates income despite being unable to provide normal appointments.
A manicurist recognizes that customers need to remove existing gel nails while salons are unavailable. Rather than posting only a tutorial, she assembles a paid kit containing acetone, files, a buffer, clamps, and a removal tool.
→ A temporary service disruption becomes a financially viable product opportunity.
Common mistakes
Trying Every Route at Once
Launching collaborations, volunteer programs, kits, projects, and courses simultaneously divides attention and prevents focused execution.
Forcing the Old Delivery Model
Attempting to preserve a service that depends on unavailable conditions misses opportunities to redeploy its underlying assets.
Giving Advice Without a Solution
Free instructional content may attract attention, but a carefully packaged solution can also remove friction and generate revenue.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for service providers and small businesses with useful skills, assets, audiences, or expertise that can be redeployed quickly.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for businesses whose alternatives would violate safety rules, professional standards, licensing requirements, or customer trust.
From the transcript
“So ways to innovate during Kovac 19 number one, collaborate with peers.”
“Number two is to volunteer your talents.”
“The third way you can innovate is to start a new project.”
From the episode
How to Build Your Business While Social Distancing