A message from our CEO: Let’s not let this crisis go to waste

March 20, 2020

I hope you are well and safe in these difficult times. Here at Xolo, we switched to remote work on March 12th and none of our team has been diagnosed with the coronavirus. As we had a remote working routine in place already, the transition was very smooth.

Winston Churchill once said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste”. I wanted to share some thoughts about why, despite everything, we remain very optimistic at Xolo.

But first, I’d like to ask your own view of the situation.

How is the crisis affecting your business? Do you foresee a drop in revenues or other difficulties?
What are the main pain-points for you at the moment?
Can you share some tips or ideas that could be useful for other solopreneurs?

Please let me know by contacting me by email, if you don’t mind. Also, if you have any comments or suggestions about our service then please let me know.

We’ve been in touch with many customers in the last few weeks. Although some of them have difficulties and most of them are under lockdown, they are optimistic and inventive. New sign-ups continue to be strong.

This is not a surprise because Xolo is exactly the service for location-independent, modern freelancers who are also the most adaptive. And Xolo is the best way to run a business, including everything – from launching, to getting a bank account, to full accounting – without leaving your apartment.

So, why are we optimistic?

First, although this crisis is huge and we mourn the loss of life, it will pass sooner rather than later. Never in history has one bad virus met humankind so well-equipped. The speed at which its genome was unlocked, vaccines and treatments being pushed into development, etc. has been impressive. Millions of brilliant minds are working on different aspects of fighting the corona crisis, including doctors, scientists, engineers, and venture capitalists. Even here in small Estonia, we held an online hackathon last weekend where 1100 people in 30 teams developed virus-tracking mobile apps, food delivery services for the poor, artificial lungs, etc. Also, although current social isolation feels drastic it could have been much worse without modern collaboration tools, video calls and Netflix.

Contrary to crises in 2000 or 2008, this one is not because of collective economic stupidity. Coronavirus is a natural-made disaster, we will fight it and win, and it will take months not years.

Second, like any other crisis, this one presents not only threats but opportunities. Human brains go into overdrive in such times, and many very successful businesses have been created right in the middle of the crises. Today, we see many people using video calls, online shopping, e-learning, etc. for the first time because that’s the only way to cope. But they will not stop doing that once the crisis is over. Similarly, this extraordinary situation gives people time to reflect and think about making changes to their lives. We are very confident that many more people will decide to “go solo” and launch their own businesses. And here at Xolo, we are ready for them.

Third, although this crisis brings out both the best and the worst in people, there is much more good than evil. We see people caring more about each other, cooperating, making new friends and rediscovering old ones. Think of it as a time-out for the whole of mankind that nature forced upon us. We probably needed it anyway. Yes, we may lose money or that long-planned vacation in an exotic country but we are discovering something else that might not cost money or be closer than we think.

Earn money when recommending Xolo

Please also remember that you can earn money when recommending Xolo to your friends, by sharing your referral code that you can find when logging in and going to your personal profile (just click your picture in the top left corner). Each new customer coming through your link will bring you €50 for your business.

Stay safe, take care of your loved ones and never lose optimism! And, wash your hands, of course 🙂