Gig Is the Next Meg

But as she watched many other start-up food manufacturers struggle, spending beyond their means to promote their brands, she absorbed an important lesson: She had to be very selective about how she invested her start-up money and profits. That meant diving into financial details — like the return on investment for an in-store promotion or advertising opportunities — that were a lot less fun than coming up with new slaw flavors.

Walker took a big leap at the beginning of 2020 and started researching steps to open his own trucking company; step number one was obtaining his LLC. Then, COVID hit and he found himself taking his foot off the gas. At the beginning of the pandemic, he wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen to the trucking industry, but it was soon very obvious that the trucking industry would remain essential to providing much-needed supplies during the country’s time of need. “I realized everyone needed a truck to get things across the United States,” Walker said. “Getting things like masks and safety glasses – people were relying on trucks to get it to them.”

In, fact, the International Council of Shopping Centers predicts that shoppers will spend $807 billion this holiday season, with $685 billion spent on gifts and other holiday items and $122 billion on food and beverage.