It is mentioned in the article, but then quickly dismissed: people seeking income via creating new businesses after being laid off during the lockdowns. I thin

It is mentioned in the article, but then quickly dismissed: people seeking income via creating new businesses after being laid off during the lockdowns. I think there is a secondary effect here. Many people remember how many jobs were deemed "non-essential" and how many people were laid off. Building your own business is one way to insulate oneself from this. I think some amount of continued momentum is people preparing for the next time government overeach interferes with their ability to feed and house themselves and their families.