The Great Disruption: Which Industries Will Survive the Next Crisis?

Disruption isn’t new—but the pandemic made it impossible to ignore. In Post Corona, Scott Galloway identifies the sectors most at risk: those that charge more without delivering more, resist innovation, and breed customer resentment.

Higher education, long protected by prestige and tradition, saw its business model collapse as students questioned the value of remote lectures at sky-high prices. Healthcare, despite massive spending, struggled to deliver better outcomes, opening the door to telemedicine and digital-first clinics. Retail, already under pressure from e-commerce, saw a decade of change in a single year.

What do these sectors have in common? Galloway calls it ‘unearned margin’—profit not backed by value. When technology offers better, cheaper alternatives, disruption is inevitable. The pandemic didn’t invent these trends, but it accelerated them, forcing incumbents to adapt or perish.

The survivors will be those who embrace change, invest in technology, and put customers first. The disruptors—startups, agile firms, and even individuals—have never had more opportunity. The question is not if disruption will come, but when and to whom.

Sources: Scott Galloway, Post Corona; 5 Minute Book Summary 2 ; Bookey.app 3