Playing the hand you are dealt ♠️♦️♥️♣️
Bucharest, Romania 10:20 pm.
As I reflect on Bankole’s story and mine, I find it interesting that despite our wildly different experiences, we both aspire to start businesses rather than seek traditional employment. Many people who Japa usually do so to get a higher paying job, live a safer life or provide education for their kids etc. What is saddening for me, is that as entrepreneurs (who are typically the lifeblood of a nation) we are not able to start a modern thriving business back home. Instead, we too have to hack the global world in order to create a modern, thriving business.
In 2020, the ENDSARS movement was reshaping perceptions across Nigeria, including Bankole's view of his place in the country. At the same time, I found myself wrestling with a different kind of frustration.
Inspired by life’s uncertainty, I created 'Natives,' a custom deck of playing cards. Instead of the traditional French court cards – King, Queen, and Jack – I featured figures in attire from Nigeria's four major tribes (Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa and Fulani). What began as a fun experiment soon evolved into something more. The pandemic had cleared my social calendar, leaving me with extra time. Seizing the opportunity, I decided to bring Natives to life.
Yet, the project highlighted a stark reality: Nigeria's disconnect from the global trade world.
Fundraising was challenging. Platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo were inaccessible, as they only catered to a select group of countries, excluding Nigeria.
The logistics turned into a nightmare. How would I ship the decks to Nigeria? Where would I store them? How could I pay my American vendors amidst currency exchange shortages? These were the questions I had to grapple with.
Many of these hurdles stemmed from my inexperience in manufacturing and e-commerce. However, being physically domiciled in Nigeria – and in Africa more broadly – meant facing additional barriers. But then, Stanley, a high school friend living in the US, stepped in. His support was pivotal. Without him, Natives might never have come to fruition.
It breaks my heart how many kids out there with a great idea and an ability to execute, are blocked from infrastructure to support their idea just because of where they were born. There is always talk about an immigration crisis in Europe or North America, but many times many of these kids don't even want to move there. They would prefer to work in the country where they were born or invent companies, but they don't have access, and in the digital age we live in and as a software engineer, it blows my mind as to how crippling this problem is.
TOOLS
Flat earth theory 😉
The world is flattening through globalization. Companies are no longer competing on a country or regional basis alone but against the rest of the world and so is labor. Many countries in Africa lack the infrastructure to participate in this competition. They do not have access to foreign exchange, international banking, and even technology due to geofencing. A workaround Bankole and I have discussed many times is the rise of online offerings that allow you to set up companies in other well-connected countries. Companies like Stripe Atlas, Firstbase, and Business Anywhere allow you to create companies in the United States and legally manage them remotely from anywhere in the world. Then you also have countries like Estonia where the whole government is on board to attracting international companies based on their shores with the Estonia e-residency. Services like these allow savvy individuals in developing economies to compete on an international level. So this comes as no surprise when you see that 80% of Nigerian Startups are incorporated in the USA
IN THE NEWS….
99 days for the thief…one day for the migrant
To address the migrant crisis in Europe, various countries are employing distinct strategies. The UK, for instance, attempted to send asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing last year, while Italy is considering relocating asylum seekers to Albania.
God When?
Last week I was celebrating that Africans just got a new visa-free country (Rwanda) added to our passports. This dude was traveling the world in a four-season private jet. Apparently, the Four Seasons also plans travel packages for the super-rich.
As I wait for God to hook me up, imma pass this back to Bankole, as I ponder on my life choices.