With jobs abolished ... Americans turn into entrepreneurs

1.6 million companies were created in the United States in July and September.

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Despite the rigid economic situation and the state of uncertainty that controls it, US markets have witnessed in recent months the emergence of a record number of companies, a trend fueled by widespread unemployment and ease of financing.

"It's not as surprising as one might think," said founder and president of the Center for American Entrepreneurship, John Deere.

"People start their own business because they lost their jobs. And because they have the money to do so," he noted.

Interest rates are at their lowest and banks tend to lend. In addition, the level of savings has risen very high, thanks mainly to the aid provided by the government.

Between July and September, 1.6 million companies were created in the United States, a record high in a quarter.

"The (Corona) epidemic has encouraged young people and adults to start their businesses, and the reason is very simple: they have lost their jobs," said J.D. Larroque, who heads the Network for Teching Enterprise, an organization that provides entrepreneurship training especially among young people in 12 countries. .

He added, "People see that the world is changing, and that there are new needs," explaining that these ideas "meet the needs that were born from the (Covid-19) crisis."

Since the epidemic hit the economy, "a large and growing number of adults" have been able to translate ideas that had long been crystallizing in their heads "that they had previously not been able to trigger due to their lack of money or the lack of a suitable opportunity."

This was the case for Leland Lambert, 38.

"In mid-June, I was informed that I would lose my job," said the former director of operations at a reception center in Salt Lake City, USA.

With no prospect of finding a job in the short term, he had the opportunity to unleash an idea that had been haunting him for years, namely giving classes in training and personal development.

And Lambert continued: "I had a job so I told myself I can think about it in my spare time, and then I lost this job, so I decided to start it."

To improve his project, Lambert resumed his studies for six months, but he does not rule out having to look for a part-time job if his work does not take off quickly enough.

Since the start of the crisis, 22 million Americans have lost their jobs.

Half of them are still unemployed, not to mention those who have seen their income drop dramatically.

While certain sectors like restaurants and tourism continue to suffer, setting up a business is sometimes the only way to earn a living.

It is difficult to know which sectors have benefited because official data do not specify them.

But John Deere spoke about certain activities "related to the Covid-19 crisis. For example, meal delivery services" through Uber that include a number of other services.

University of Maryland economics professor John Haltiwanger said that Amazon delivery services that operate on the same Uber principle have a bright future.

He explained that "Covid-19" is "accelerating the trends already underway in the economy," such as developing online sales.

For him, there are "a lot of opportunities" to be seized in this area, because "some of these changes will become permanent and the companies that facilitate this will, I think, be in good shape."

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