Will 2012 be a great year for business? Time will tell, but the prospects look good from the perspective of the entrepreneur. We’re in a period of rapid social, political and technological change that’s creating new needs in the marketplace and generating new tools with which to solve them. And no one is better equipped than the entrepreneur to seize the opportunities that result. But getting a handle on it all isn’t the easiest job in business. That’s where PROFIT’s 16th annual Opportunity Guide comes in handy. It identifies the top trends and hot markets on which to stake your success in 2012 and beyond—just what you need to find new customers, transform an existing business or launch a brand new enterprise in the whirlwind economy.

MY BEST BET

Celebrities, entrepreneurs and planners Dan Aykroyd, Brett Wilson, Mike Holmes Clive Beddoe, Debbie Travis David Miller and Michael Budman offer their best ideas on new and emerging growth sectors.

GROWTH MARKETS

They’re good to grow As the economy stagnates, keep these downturn-defying sectors in your sights

Mining a giant’s needs Canada’s massive natural resources sector needs urgent help with PR and HR

Welcome to Canada! Recent immigrants present a world of opportunity within our borders

What’s Hot in Franchising As business budgets tighten and boomers age, it’s services that will sell

Appetite for Consumption What Canadians should sell to some of the world’s hungriest economies

SECTOR REPORTS

HOW TO

4 Keys to Successful Launches Most consumer products crash soon after liftoff. Don’t let yours be one of them

How High Will My Idea Fly? Take this true/false test to rate whichever business concept you’re considering