2024: The Year of The Creator

Navigating 2024 - Cultivating Mindsets, Fostering Collaboration, and Shaping the Future of Africa's Creative Economy.

“To define the future, one must study the past”. 

This simple truth holds the power to build a successful future. Every success that you see today is as a result of something that happened in the past to build this success - a moment, a person, a decision, an action, an opportunity. There’s something that balanced the equation..something that created this success that you see now. Pick any person, business, idea, or product, and you cannot truly understand their success if you don’t look at their history. 

As someone who is very passionate about the future of humanity, and to bring it home, the future of the African continent, I spend a lot of time looking at our history and what has brought us to where we are now. It is how I understand today, and can vision and plan for the future. 

So what’s happening right now in the world ? 

Economic landscapes are undergoing transformative shifts, we’re witnessing the rise and fall of various industries. We’re seeing new industries receive focus and funding because that’s what humans need right now, and that’s where the world is going. And it’s not new - If we flashback to the past, we can see the same pattern, era’s marked by the decline of some sectors and the flourishing of others. Stories of resilience, innovation, and new businesses right in the middle of the depression. The great depression of the 1930’s for instance, witnessed the  emergence of iconic businesses such as Hewlett-Packard and Disney. Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Oracle Corp, all founded in the wake of the mid-1970s recession. Cisco Systems Inc. was launched right after the double-dip recession of the early 1980s. Google LLC was founded in the late 1990s, but rose to prominence during and immediately following the dot-com recession of the early 2000s. These companies navigated the economic downturn, proving that adversity can breed innovation and entrepreneurship. Similarly, during the 2008 recession, companies like Uber and Airbnb emerged, disrupting traditional industries and reshaping the business landscape.

As you read this, please keep in mind that all these businesses I’ve referenced were all created in a first world country. When you live on a continent that doesn’t yet have robust systems and structures to support industries, starting a business in the middle of an economic downturn is incredibly difficult. I feel you. It’s madness to wake up and decide to invest in something new when all the arrows point to being more prudent and saving. It’s total madness, yes. But isn’t this what entrepreneurship really is ? Finding and creating opportunities that other people either overlook or aren’t courageous enough to take on. Others will run away from the madness, but not you - you’ll run towards it because there’s a ton of opportunity to create and value to deliver in these times. 

What does all this mean in 2024 ? 

Data supports the notion that the creative economy is on the brink of a significant bloom. According to reports, the global creative economy is projected to grow exponentially, contributing significantly to GDP and job creation. This surge is fueled by the democratization of creative tools, the rise of online platforms, and the increasing demand for unique and authentic ideas.

We’ve entered the “Year of the Creator”. There’s never been a better time to be a CREATOR than now. And I’m not talking about content creation. I’m talking about people who are brave and courageous enough to tap into their imagination, skills, and unique perspective to produce, invent, or bring something into existence. People who are able to contribute to cultural, artistic, and technological advancements. People who can generate meaningful content, ideas, products, services through creative expression. I often say that Creativity is not limited to people in the Arts, and I encourage a broader understanding of creativity to empower individuals to recognise and nurture their unique creative abilities, because in this era we need everyone - the scientist, the lawyer, the financiers, the operators, to all cultivate and enhance their creativity such that we have a more open-minded approach to problem solving - this is how the African continent will progress exponentially. 

The reason why we’re seeing more youthful energy in governmental sectors that focus on the creative or digital economy is not just because they are competent, but also because we have the fastest growing youth population in the world. According to the African Development Bank Group (AFDB), Africa's youth population is growing rapidly - will reach 850 million youth by 2050 and by 2063, young people will constitute half of the 2 billion working-age population. Africa will remain the world's youngest region, with a median age of 25 years. Majority of this youth are concentrated in the creative industries. This era heralds a paradigm shift that emphasizes the power of innovation, individual expression, and the intersection of technology and creativity. The rise of the gig economy and freelance opportunities further empowers individuals to turn their creative pursuits into viable careers. We cannot afford to miss it, otherwise our foreign counterparts will own our creative power. It’s already happening - in music, in movies, in fashion, in sports. We cannot deny the need for foreign interest and investment in what the continent has to offer, however, what we need is more collaborative handshakes versus transfer of ownership. But how can we collaborate with others when we haven’t figured out how to collaborate amongst ourselves ? I’ll address this as you read. Stay with me. 

What does the “Year of the Creator” mean for you ? 

It means that in these times of economic transformation, those who embrace innovation, think creatively, and dare to build in these challenging times can shape the industries of tomorrow. It means that there’s a shift towards a future where you are not just a consumer but an active contributor to culture and commerce on the African continent and beyond. It means that Africa needs you to take your place and play your part in this collective growth that we seek. It means going out of your comfort zone to upskill, collaborate, network, find community, seek funding, contribute to what others are building, and more importantly become more conscious about what you’re consuming and producing. It means an unshakeable passion to make an impact on the world, to do something bigger than yourself. It means grit, resilience, focus, and somewhat obsession for the continent's growth. It means having faith again in this continent in spite of the “realities” that you’ve experienced.

Why am I writing this ? 

At this point, some people have closed this letter and moved on with their lives. But you’re still here reading because I’m speaking to you and you know it. And maybe you’ll get to the end of this letter and do nothing, but…maybe you’ll do something - and this is my WHY. I care because I’m from Africa, I live in Africa, and I want to see substantial growth in my time, while contributing to a future Africa where we don’t need to move to other continents in order to live a quality life. More importantly, I care because this is about YOU, and I’m taking this opportunity to remind you that YOU ARE THE CREATOR that Africa needs. 

This letter is a Creation that is going to birth some really beautiful foundations for future generations. I know this because a key part of any ecosystem are storytellers - the people who can shape the future through their writing. This is one of my profound contributions to this ecosystem. To tell stories that remind people of the value of their presence, and their power in this transformative mission. I care… alot. 

As a creator, what’s important to keep in mind this year ? What are you going to do differently this year to really hack this dream that you envision ? 

Mindset Matters: Thoughts become things. 

Mindset is an invaluable asset that plays a crucial role in the journey of creating and building things, especially for entrepreneurs on the African continent. You’re going to need to cultivate a growth mindset in order to succeed in building this “New Africa”. However, for you to figure out what’s required to build this mindset, you need to first have a clear vision of what you want the continent to become, and what role you’re going to play in that journey. It is this clarity that will allow you to focus on building ideas that address long-term societal needs. You’ll embrace curiosity, seek knowledge, and be open to co-creating because your mind is tuned not just into your individual success, but the collective success. You’ll read more growth hacking content, listen to more mind transforming podcasts, pay attention to policies, and tune into people who are on a similar journey as yours, because all of this propels you towards this dream that you carry. Basically ditch the crap that you consume - it does nothing for you. Find nourishment for your mind.

Collaboration: Let’s break down silos.

I’m a poster child for collaboration - every impactful idea or project that I’ve executed was a result of a successful collaboration, so I’m continuously emphasising the importance of collaborating with creatives from different disciplines for fresh perspectives and innovative outcomes. The idea of “THE Entrepreneur” is a human idea that comes from the need to be better and do better than the next person because it validates us externally, even if it doesn’t bring internal contentment. It elevates one person above others and makes them the star of the show, ignoring the fact that it takes an entire ecosystem to support this “star”. Let us embrace a new idea of “These Entrepreneurs”, meaning that we can all be entrepreneurial in our thinking and execution such that we add value to whatever we’re collectively creating, and that when an individual represents the collective it is not because they’re the star, but rather because we require someone to lead our team towards our collective goals. We (us) .. together… are the star team. Let’s contribute to things that matter to us, whether through our skills, time, network, funds, or by sharing these great stories with others. Let’s work together so that we can sit at bigger tables together, while simultaneously building our own collective table.

Community: There’s strength in unity.

A sense of belonging is the pulse of creative pursuits. It's the feeling of being part of something larger, a community that resonates with our aspirations and understands the challenges we face. It is what provides a refuge during the inevitable storms of our creative journey. In 2024, you need to find communities of like-minded creatives who understand the nuances of your journey—the triumphs, the struggles, and the moments of creative epiphany. You need to exist in spaces where you're not alone in your aspirations and challenges. Learn from the experiences of fellow creatives, glean insights from their successes and failures, a place where you can share projects you’re embarking on and have a supportive network cheering you on. I’m building one of such communities, and you’re welcome to follow @zspacestudios on social media to find out when we launch. 

Creative Education: Nurture the Ecosystem, not just the talent.

Yes, you’re naturally gifted/talented and you’ve been able to use those gifts in ways that have brought you success. The Japanese have a concept called “Kaizen” which simply translates to “continuous improvement, infinite possibilities” - it’s basically talking about the importance of taking a learner stance - a lifetime of continuous learning, in order to truly be limitless.

I believe that education is the bedrock of Africa’s success. And I’m not just referencing academic education, but rather the development of soft and hard skills. The question that stays on my mind is -  Each time our creative sector wins, How are we going to replicate that success ? How are we going to make a science of what we create such that another can replicate it. In order for the continent to truly grow, we require scale. We must be able to take an idea and scale it 10x across various regions of the continent. We don’t need growth in only one segment of the creative industry, or one city on the continent or even five cities. We need growth across the creative industry, and across our various cities. We need to take these successes and replicate them over and over again. We need to invest in the producers, songwriters, talent managers and not just the artists. We need to invest in sound engineers, composers, editors, and vfx professionals, and not just the actors or directors. We need to invest in the guys tailoring in the back, and not just the fashion designers or fashion brand owners. We need to invest in the writers, who will shape the future of Africa. If you ever drive though the city of Memphis or Nashville Tennessee, you’ll find the mansions of songwriters and producers who have created really successful work - you don’t know their names, but they’re benefitting from a working system, even though they’re not the “main talent”. When we start to invest in creative education, we’ll see the development of a robust creative ecosystem that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the quality produced in the western world, and we’ll open the doors for economic growth through this sector. This is something I’m actively pursuing this year. 

Build systems and structures: Streamline the creative process.

Many creatives are building on sinking sand - there are so many beautiful ideas being executed, and no foundation to truly support these creations long term. This is the year where you get your legal documents together, sort out those registration documents, put those collaboration agreements in place, make people sign MOU’s, file your business and personal taxes, get an accountant to put your finances in order. This is the year to renew all your domain names, put your digital products together, and systemize them in a way that you have access to them ie. they don’t disappear when a team member leaves. This is the year to file trademarks, protect your intellectual property, put SOP’s in place to make it easier and faster for any member of your team to execute without you - it’s a worthy investment in the long run. This is the year to stop procrastinating on these things, and start to build like you’re building the next Apple, or Disney, or Microsoft, or the NBA - stop looking at your ideas as “small” and telling yourself that you’ll “cross that bridge when you get there”. The truth is …You’ll cross the bridge, when you feel prepared to cross it. Many of you aren’t crossing it not because you aren’t there, but because you don’t feel prepared to cross. Prepare.

Tell your story: . Let’s Showcase the diversity of African stories and experiences.

In Africa, we don’t tell our stories enough. We believe that our story is only worth telling when we have achieved massive success. We want to make it big, so that our stories can be told by other people. Also, because we have a talent centric creative industry, we believe that the leaders are the only ones who get to tell their stories. So we wait for them to acknowledge us in their story, and we feel resentment when we don’t get the shoutout on a project that we worked on. Here’s the truth… no one is going to tell your story, until you’re ready to tell it.

I’m a brand storyteller by profession, and I’ve worked with several clients cutting across founders of large corporations, SMEs, Entrepreneurs, Athletes, Creatives, Brand custodians, Politicians, Captains of industry, Pastors and Young professionals. I can tell you that many of these people are the ones standing in the way of telling their story. I’ve had clients who approached me because they know how skilled and passionate I am, and they recognise my track record of success - yet, I have often had to convince them that their story is worth telling. It’s crazy because they’ve seen the success and impact that others have achieved through storytelling, but there’s a limiting belief that is fueled by our African culture and predominant religions which teach us to keep our heads down and keep working because our reward will come and if people don’t recognize us, God will. What we don’t realize is that for every good story we do not tell, the opposite of that story is being told - this is why we have more negative narratives about the continent than positive stories. Those of us from the continent (or who live here) know these positive stories, and get frustrated that the rest of the world doesn't know them, but it's because we’re waiting for a higher power (God) to tell it for us. Unfortunately in this case, the “higher power” is the western media, and they’ll continue to tell their own version of our story - the one that we refuse to tell. So in 2024, I charge you to become more conscious about the stories that you tell, and how you tell it. Take a storytelling class if you need to - the team @switchonatwork  offers a workshop tagged “Storify” - sign up for it and learn to tell your story.

Well-being Matters: You can’t give what you don’t have.

This creative journey can be intense. It is only a man that is sound in heart and mind who can create, and sustain. This is the year to really invest in your physical and mental well-being, and this goes beyond hitting the gym for a few weights or taking a few yoga classes. It’s first being clear that your container matters as much as your creative spirit/soul, and that you’re going to actively nurture that container. Its showing up to do things that allow you to BE - it’s actively choosing not to de-prioritize yourself in the pursuit of success. It’s honouring your wants, your needs, your boundaries, and even curating spaces and communities that contribute to your container. It’s filling your cup, so that you can pour graciously into others. It’s valuing yourself first: self-respect - respecting yourself as a creative and projecting it in a way that builds confidence within and externally. I mentioned in this letter that I’m writing to you because YOU are the most important part of this equation. I mean it. We need you. 

I leave you with this final message. 

We’re experiencing such a crucial moment in history, and I urge you to show up as a key contributor to this story. It’s easy to be a bystander and remain on the side of the arena criticising, judging, and even cheering others as they move inside the arena, but is that enough ? Twenty years from now when the future unfolds, what will you say that you did ? Think about it.

If you’ve read up to this point and this letter means nothing to you, it's not for you. But if you feel even a tiny nudge in your spirit to play in this creative arena, do not ignore it  - it means that you’re chosen for this mission. Let’s go out there and win this together. Let’s bring it home, our home deserves it. We deserve it.

Love,

x Lumina