Modell's

Build for what people need when stuck at home: food, shelter, basics

Tai advises building businesses around fundamental needs rather than crushed categories. He points to his COVID-era brand buys (Dress Barn, Modell's) and to launching simple food products like grass-fed beef jerky and hemp protein riding paleo and vegan demand.

“So you really got to think, if people are trapped in home for prolonged periods of time, what do they want? They want food, they want home improvement, and they want those basics. I would stay away from a lot of the things that people envision— hospitality business, rest. These are crushed businesses that have a permanent shift on the curve.”

Steal thisBuild around fundamental needs (food, shelter, basics) and avoid categories with a permanent demand shift.