About Dale W. Wood
After 22 years of working on the Internet, 18 years of which he worked as Founder, President, CEO and/or COO of various Internet-based companies, Dale W. Wood decided to leverage his broad knowledge base and broad industry contact list to focus the majority of his time on investing with high-potential entrepreneurs around the globe via Dale Ventures .
He’s heard from Costa Rican financers, South African miners, and Australian tech moguls – some with revolutionary ideas and some with hunches that would never materialize. He’s seen brilliant visions turn into successful enterprises, and he’s seen promising ideas falter and fail. It’s through this extensive experience and decades of successes and failures that Dale Wood has learned it takes much more than a good idea to change the world.
His Views on Post-Covid Situation
The post-COVID situation, such as it is, and whenever it truly arrives, will offer both opportunities and challenges. Some industries will offer high-risk investments, as companies may or may not bounce back, and new industries and startups may emerge as a result.
It’s important to consider the risk offered by each industry and company. Here are some industries that face high levels of risk and also possible high levels of return post-COVID
While the tourism market is reopening, and people who have been isolated due to COVID are returning to travel, there are others who are still reluctant to visit crowded venues, especially those indoors. The cruise industry has been hit especially hard, Dale Woord told us, as infected ships got a lot of screen time when the pandemic started.
However, those companies offering outdoor excursions and institute safety precautions to help customers feel comfortable traveling again may be great investment opportunities. These include island getaways, mountain retreats, and wilderness excursions.
The simple truth is that people want to get out of the house and traveling again, and travel websites are seeing an uptick in both web traffic and spending. As the world opens up again, international travel will return.
On the other side, business travel, while not dead, has certainly changed, and those one-meeting flights are likely gone for the most part. “However, businesses that cater to this sector of travelers and who don’t adapt to the new reality of today may suffer,” Wood told us.
Real estate & Construction Sector
While the United States and other developed countries are experiencing a housing boom, AAA commercial and residential properties, especially in urban areas hit hard by COVID, took a serious hit. More remote work meant many commercial offices emptied quickly and stayed that way.
However, many workers find it difficult to work at home, and the remote work revolution could be better cited as “work from anywhere.” “This means that co-working spaces, individual office suites, and other office spaces may make good real estate investment,” Dale W Wood said. “In many smaller markets, some labeled ‘Zoom towns’ commercial real estate is doing very well, although other market regions, especially in the heart of urban areas, may not bounce back quite as easily.”
The residential rental market, including multi-family housing units, has geared up to fill the gaps due to the housing shortage. While AAA properties may be hard hit by COVID, but other areas fill a necessary niche that is only growing over time.
Aviation
For a moment, air travel came to an abrupt halt and went down from there. However, there are some investment opportunities, as airlines emerge from the pandemic with a need for additional cleaning equipment and add flights to their schedules to avoid overcrowding.
In fact, recent orders by airlines have Boeing and Airbus on their way to recovery. Even those companies who manufacture parts for these large aircraft make great investments, although most are not out of the woods just yet.
“While there is risk,” Dale W Wood said, “this is a space to watch.”
Automakers
No commute means less driving, right? That means a shortage of used cars, driving buyers toward new vehicles. But there has also been a shift during the pandemic and the post-COVID market toward more electric vehicles rather than internal combustion engines. And while self-driving is still relatively new, companies reasonably into development like Waymo may emerge as great investments.
Where is the risk right now? Well, chip shortages are getting worse, but there are solutions on the horizon. Many companies blame these shortages for lower production numbers in the first half of this year. “That does mean that chip manufacturers are gearing up to produce more products, faster,” Dale W Wood said. “And many of these companies are growth stocks worth watching.”
Retail
Is your local mall a bit empty? Has it been converted to something else entirely? Well, you are not alone. Retail, even big retail took some big hits during the pandemic, and operations moved online to a large extent.
“As meme stock Gamestop showed us, those companies who do this well could have a brighter future than we think,” Dale W. Wood said. Nike is another example of a retailer that has done well in adapting to a much more digital shopping experience. Even grocery and other retailers have adapted to curbside pickup, online ordering, and various forms of delivery to remain profitable.
The companies that support retailers, those delivery services like Instacart and even Door Dash and others are counting on the “order from my couch” mentality to continue. And website development, cybersecurity, and other types of companies focused on helping the retail giants find their digital space are poised for growth.
What Makes a Good Investment Opportunity?
“Ideas come and go,” Wood, founder, and CEO of global investment firm Dale Ventures, said. “But it’s hard work, careful execution, and unending persistence that make a great company.”
Look for opportunities in technology, media, financial services, real estate, and retail by companies that are embracing the changes brought about by COVID and who are preparing to execute a new strategy as the pandemic wanes. Where there is risk and where prices are low, savvy investors will profit when others do not. It’s up to you to determine what kind of investor you want to be.
