Goodnews Chidera

ANYTIME I SEARCH FOR AGENCIES ON UPWORK, I FIND 100 INDIAN AGENCIES FILLED WITH THEIR PEOPLE, AND MAYBE 2 OR 3 NIGERIAN AGENCIES WITH NOBODY ATTACHED TO THEM. MIND YOU, WHEN AN AGENCY GROWS, IT CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE INDIVIDUAL FREELANCERS ATTACHED TO IT. THE AGENCY'S REPUTATION CAN HELP ITS MEMBERS WIN CLIENTS, TOO. WE CAN GROW IF WE COME TOGETHER. EVER WONDERED WHY FILIPINOS DO SO WELL IN CERTAIN FREELANCING NICHES? LOOK AT HOW THEY POSITION THEMSELVES, BUILD TEAMS, AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ONE ANOTHER. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE SELLING COURSES, RUNNING ACADEMIES, OR TEACHING OTHERS HOW TO MAKE MONEY IN TECH. SELLING IS BUSINESS, AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE THAN TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO FREELANCE. WE NEED MORE AGENCIES. YES, ACADEMIES ARE GOOD. SCHOLARSHIPS ARE GOOD. TRAINING PEOPLE IS GOOD. BUT WHO IS BUILDING THE COMPANIES THAT WILL HIRE THESE PEOPLE, GIVE THEM THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE, AND HELP THEM BUILD CREDIBLE PORTFOLIOS? I GOT MY FIRST EXPERIENCE THROUGH AN AGENCY. I KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW IMPORTANT THAT OPPORTUNITY CAN BE. WE KEEP CLAIMING THAT NIGERIANS ARE TECH-SAVVY, YET OUR PRESENCE IN THE GLOBAL FREELANCING ECOSYSTEM DOESN'T REFLECT OUR POTENTIAL. WE NEED MORE NIGERIAN-OWNED AGENCIES COMPETING INTERNATIONALLY, BUILDING TEAMS, HIRING NIGERIANS, AND CREATING A PIPELINE OF OPPORTUNITIES. NOT EVERYONE NEEDS TO COMPETE FOR THE SAME INDIVIDUAL CLIENT. SOME OF US SHOULD BE BUILDING THE PLATFORMS AND BUSINESSES THAT CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HUNDREDS OF OTHERS. WE DON'T JUST NEED MORE PEOPLE LEARNING TECH. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE BUILDING BUSINESSES THAT EMPLOY THOSE WHO LEARN IT. AND I WILL KEEP SCREAMING THIS UNTIL WE TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.