Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

Michael Saba

1. Development of “Lifestyle” Centers in place of dying Retail Malls

a.) An opportunity that is available right now in the Real Estate market is the development of Lifestyle Centers over the traditional mall. 

https://www.businessinsider.com/what-will-happen-to-closed-malls-2017-5

b.) Over the past few years major retailers such as Macy’s, Sear’s, Kohl’s, and Toys “R’ Us, to name a few have shut down! The reason being is due to their incompetence to fulfill what people want and adapt to the massive change that is currently happening in our economy. Developing Lifestyle Centers over the traditional mall will provide a place that people will frequent everyday. A Lifestyle center is a shopping center or mixed use development that combines traditional retailers of the shopping mall with day-to-day leisure amenities such as Gyms, Art Galleries, churches, restaurants, medical clinics, Car showrooms, and event spaces geared toward more of upscale consumers. 

c.) The prototypical customer to a Lifestyle Center is an middle to upper class consumer. The consumer has stopped shopping at traditional malls and orders many of their items online. 

d.) The opportunity is difficult is terms of capital, however with the right idea and syndication of it. It can very well be done by redeveloping where current “dead” malls stand. 

I came across opportunity as I currently walk through malls seeing many stores going out and seeing more developments of lifestyle centers. As seeing the lifestyle centers developments I notice the success with them at the same time I notice the death of the mall. I feel that many people can identify this opportunity as well as it is prevalent in our day-to-day lives. 

2. U.S Manufacturing Market Creating a Manufacturing Company 

a.) An economic opportunity is the renewal of the U.S. manufacturing industry. Last year over 156,000 manufacturing jobs were added in the U.S. 

https://www.brookings.edu/research/older-industrial-cities/

b.) The United States economy is currently strong, industries such as manufacturing domestically have been growing due to Donald Trump’s new policies. Manufacturing of new products within the U.S is welcomed and can be done more affordably now. By manufacturing any product you can cut out import from other countries by producing within the Unites States. New Companies producing in the U.S include Tesla. Whic hare manufacturing their cars in California. 

c.) The prototypical customer for the manufacturing industry in the U.S is the middle class worker. Providing more jobs to workers in the U.S for manufacturing can now be more affordable. Customers of a product produced domestically can either be within the U.S or be exported across the world. 

d.) The opportunity is available for any entrepreneur who wants to produce something within the United States. Setting up and manufacturing of products in the United States , if a product is present, can be easily done. 

I came across this opportunity as I watch the news everyday. While watching the news I am seeing the growth in manufacturing jobs flourish across the United States. Watching our media many other people can identify this opportunity present. 

3. Data Privacy and Protection of Crucial Data 

a.) One of the largest regulatory changes in 2018 that is occurring globally is Cybersecurity and Data Privacy. Creating a company that can store this data safely and securely for giant companies such as Facebook can make waves in a controversial topic being debated. 

https://www.mayerbrown.com/2018-outlook-cybersecurity-and-data-privacy-01-29-2018/

b.) Our lives are changing rapidly with technology. From cloud based softwares storing all of our data to self driving cars and blockchain technology, everything we are doing revolves around doing it online through the internet. Recent regulatory changes are taking place such as the recent GDPR regulations occurring in the EU and the evolution of cybersecurity and data privacy. Companies such as Facebook have been recently scrutinized due to their data privacy. 

c.) The prototypical customer for this is anyone who stores or uses data online. Whether you are storing your passwords on your phone, or allowing websites to track you and the advertise to you on Social Media. 

d.)  The opportunity is hard to exploit, as getting into a field with ongoing heavy regulations can be difficult for any company. 

I feel that many people can see the opportunity presented here as the data privacy regulations are constantly in the news and being spoken about. However, Im not sure if people will know of an opportunity that can better protect the public against staling information. 

4. P2P Lending Marketplace 

a.)  As one of the new administration’s main goal of deregulation there can be many opportunities present. One that I have notice can be of a P2P (Person to Person) lending database. AS the industry is currently completely deregulated. 

b.) While doing research on the topic I found there were currently not many regulations in place for the Person to Person Lending Sector digitally. This allowing growth for company such as Lending Club (LC) 

https://www.metricstream.com/insights/Global-Regulatory-Regime.htm

c.) The prototypical customer of this would be someone who is not qualified enough to get a loan from a banking institution or SBA (Small Business Association) Loan. Whereas the prototypical lender would be someone who rather have a riskier strategy with lending out money person to person rather than with a bank seeing next to nothing in interest rates on a saving account or CD. 

d.) The opportunity to create a P2P Lending database can be rathe hard, costly, and expensive. Although lending on an already database with invested money can be plausible. 

I saw this opportunity as I was looking at different interest baring accounts to put money into. I found that many savings, money market, and CD’s are giving next to nothing in returns. Upon doing research I found hat P2P Lending can be a better alternative.