As traditional work underwent significant changes during the pandemic, people started exploring alternative paths that offer flexibility and autonomy — leading to a remarkable rise in the freelance economy.
At the forefront of this freelance revolution stands Fiverr, a leading platform that connects millions of businesses with skilled freelancers from around the world.
In this interview, we speak to Bukki Adedapo, UK Country Manager at Fiverr. With a wealth of experience in driving growth and leading teams, Bukki brings invaluable insights into the challenges and opportunities within the freelancing industry in the UK.
He also delves into the advantages and challenges of freelancing as a career choice, the influence of outsourcing on businesses, and Fiverr's branding strategies to foster growth.
Who Is Bukki Adedapo?
Bukki Adedapo is Fiverr's UK Country Manager. He graduated from Imperial College London before starting his career as a strategy consultant advising multi-billion dollar businesses on strategic projects such as profit growth. He transitioned from consulting to leading growth initiatives, building brands, building products, and raising investment at startups and scale-ups before joining Fiverr.
Vianca Meyer: You've held various roles like Growth Associate, Growth leader, and even a growth mentor. So how have these experiences you say shaped your leadership style and approach to driving growth as Fiverr’s UK country manager
Bukki: I think my kind of experience has shaped the way that I think about things.
Of course, I've had very growth-orientated roles. Growth is, you know, one of the first things I think about when thinking about any projects or, tasks that I'm working on, and from a kind of, I guess leadership and management perspective, what I've learned is that ultimately, people wanna have kinda control and a sense of autonomy.
I feel like that's important to give people full control, not just to say that I want you to take this on, but to give them responsibility, particularly as people get more advanced in their careers.
What were the biggest adjustments you had to make when stepping into the role of Fiverr's UK Country Manager, and how did you approach these challenges?
I think the biggest adjustment for me is coming from startups. I typically worked at early-stage startups, and the opportunity at Fiverr was one I couldn't pass up. It felt like a business that still thinks like a startup or a scale-up but with the track record of a large business being publicly traded.
That's why I took the role. However, the biggest adjustment was the fact that we might think like a startup at Fiverr, but we are not a startup. Being publicly traded means we have certain restrictions and accountability to various stakeholders.
Getting things done can take longer due to the sheer size of the business. That was probably the biggest adjustment. In startups, I could go from ideation to execution in an afternoon, which doesn't work here. The biggest adjustment was having to plan for several weeks.
That meant that sometimes there might be a certain initiative or partnership that needed an answer within a week, and it just meant we had to say no more often.
How do you approach saying “No?” I know it's so hard for people in business or any sort of industry to say no to people.
Yeah, it could be difficult. I think the most important thing is always to give a justification, whether it's due to the current macro environment or internal constraints, and be apologetic. You should never be afraid to say sorry. That's the best way to approach it.
We've learned that you're also a producer at the National Museum of Wales. Can you tell us more about your work there and how you contribute to the museum's mission and initiatives?
Yeah, this work is slightly different from my day job. It aligns with my lifelong ambition to have a cultural impact, whether it's alongside the commercial impact in my career. The National Museum of Wales and other museums are now interested in reevaluating how they present history.
When you think about history, it's not just facts and figures; it's also stories from the past, usually from a particular perspective, often those in power. The museum aims to tell stories from different perspectives, providing a holistic view of the past.
This allows people today to form their own opinions based on the full narrative from various perspectives.
I've been assisting the museum with projects related to the Atlantic slave trade. It's been very interesting work and it affects my day job as a country manager. It helped me recognize that telling stories is the most important thing in building a business or personal brand. Whether it's selling a service or introducing yourself to someone for the first time, the way you frame and tell your story has a significant impact on how people perceive the experience.
Could you share any specific examples where your experiences as a producer have influenced your work at Fiverr?
Yeah, I think one area where it has influenced my work is branding.
When it comes to telling stories, the choice of words and articulation is crucial. At Fiverr, we aim to revolutionize the way the world works together by connecting millions of businesses and freelancers globally, including in the UK.
However, some people still have an outdated perception that Fiverr is only for cheap and simple tasks. In reality, Fiverr offers complex services that can cost thousands of pounds.
Articulating this message in a way that resonates with our audience has been a key takeaway for me. The way we frame things, choose our words, and utilize visuals is vital in conveying the intended message.
It's important to be cautious about using words correctly and framing things appropriately, considering both cultural and commercial perspectives. A single word used incorrectly in a sentence can have a significant impact on public perception.
Now, let’s talk about the Gig Economy. Tell us what the gig economy is and why it has become so important in today's job market.
At Fiverr, we identify ourselves as part of the freelance economy rather than the gig economy. Unlike the gig economy, freelancers on Fiverr have the flexibility to choose when and where they want to work and set their prices.
We have observed a significant growth in the desire to be part of this freelance economy, especially among the younger generation like Gen Z, as well as older individuals. People are seeking autonomy and control over their work.
What do you see as the major advantages and challenges of freelancing as a career choice?
I think one of the major advantages is being your boss. You control your schedule. You work when and where you want to. As I mentioned, that's one of the major things.
Since COVID, it was a traumatic time for many, but it was a life-changing period for a lot of people as well. People decided they wanted to take control.
We released a survey last year that illustrated that 50% of people choose to be freelancers to be their bosses.
So that's one of the major advantages. Now, the challenge is being your boss. You've got nobody to tell you when to work, what to do. When you're in control, you have full control over your schedule. You have to manage your time appropriately and decide what to prioritize.
In the context of the UK, how have you witnessed the gig economy grow and impact the job landscape? What trends or patterns have emerged?
Yeah, absolutely. So, post-Covid, around 40% of people decided to become freelancers, based on the same survey. It was such a life-changing period, especially in the UK.
We've witnessed strong growth in the freelance economy. Gen Z, the next generation, has a significant proportion of people who want to be freelancers. They desire flexibility in their work, choosing when and where they want to work.
This trend was already happening, but Covid accelerated the transition.
In the UK specifically, certain services have experienced rapid growth. Website development has always been popular, but it has become even more so in the past year.
Our Business Index, based on millions of transactions on our platform, illustrates the most popular and rapidly growing services. AI services, being a buzzword, have also seen substantial growth.
Over the past years, macroeconomic factors such as the inflationary crisis and the cost crisis have led people to seriously consider freelancing as a career choice.
How do you think businesses are responding to this need for people wanting to freelance?
Some businesses are doing it well, allowing people to be flexible and have more autonomy in their work. Some businesses are struggling a bit. But what we're seeing, especially in these unpredictable times, is that businesses are choosing to scale their talent up and down through freelancing.
When they have more complex projects, they bring in more freelancers, and when they need less assistance, they can scale down. That's something we're observing now, and it's why we believe it's important to make scaling as simple as possible.
Fiverr is widely recognized as a leading platform in the gig economy. Can you share with us the mission of Fiverr and how it supports freelancers in the UK?
Our mission is to revolutionize how the world works together by connecting millions of businesses and freelancers across the globe. For freelancers, we provide a platform that makes it easy to connect with over 4 million businesses.
One of the key benefits we offer is trust. It can be challenging to trust someone from a distant country whom you've never met or spoken to. That's where Fiverr comes in. We act as an intermediary, holding the funds until both parties are satisfied with the transaction.
This fosters trust and enables freelancers to build relationships with clients. We also view freelancers as our community and provide them with tools, resources, and support. We organize free events, both online and offline, to bring our community together, foster camaraderie, and offer valuable advice and tips.
Building a sense of community is especially important because freelancing can be isolating, and these events allow freelancers to connect with others who are in the same boat as us.
Outsourcing has become increasingly popular in the gig economy. How has the rise of freelancing platforms like Fiverr impacted the outsourcing landscape?
Organizations are now more willing to hire freelancers, especially for complex projects, which wasn't the case in the past. Fiverr is contributing to this shift by facilitating the transition into a new world of work, where individuals have greater autonomy.
Trust is a significant factor when working with freelancers, and many people traditionally rely on referrals from family and friends. However, our platform provides a trustworthy solution.
As a publicly listed company on the New York Stock Exchange, we hold the funds until the client approves the work, ensuring timely payments to freelancers within 14 days. This practice helps establish and maintain trust, which can be challenging when dealing with clients independently.
DesignRush has a directory of the top agencies worldwide. What do you think are the advantages of outsourcing and why is it important for companies?
One of the main advantages of outsourcing is a focus. By delegating tasks outside of your core competency, you can concentrate on what you excel at and perform to the best of your ability. Simultaneously, you can outsource tasks to individuals who specialize in areas where you may not excel. This allows you to leverage expertise efficiently.
Another advantage is flexibility. During busy periods, you can quickly hire freelancers to meet increased demand. Conversely, during quieter times, you can scale back and adjust accordingly. Flexibility is a crucial aspect of outsourcing.
Branding and positioning play a crucial role in the success of any platform. How does Fiverr approach branding, and how has it influenced its growth?
As a platform, our primary focus is building a strong community.
Our community is paramount to us, and we place great importance on this aspect. In terms of branding, we strive to communicate a clear message to the market about our identity, values, and what we offer as a business.
Clear and effective messaging is crucial for our growth and success.
When it comes to the UK market specifically, how does Fiverr tailor its marketing strategy to resonate with local freelancers and clients?
Historically, we had a US-centric hero brand campaign that we localized for different international markets like the UK and Germany.
However, this year we took a different approach. We decided to create a campaign specifically tailored to the UK market from the beginning. We collaborated with a UK agency, British herein, to ensure our messaging resonates with the UK audience.
While some may assume that the US and the UK share the same language with minor differences in spelling, the cultural nuances are significant. That's why we believe it's crucial to build a campaign from scratch that captures the UK's unique sense of humor, British accent, and cultural references. These subtle details make a difference.
In your previous interview, you mentioned the importance of understanding that audience does not equal community. Tell us what distinguishes a community from a mere audience, and why businesses need to make that distinction.
The key distinction lies in the audience, one-to-many communication versus a community's many-to-many interaction. It's crucial to understand this difference and determine if building a community aligns with your business goals.
For us, having a community is essential, and we prioritize it accordingly. However, not all businesses may require a community. If you do choose to invest in a community, it's important to commit to the long-term strategy.
Building a community is not a short-term endeavor, and its impact on brand perception is challenging to measure. While sentiment analysis can provide some insights, the true effects are observed over the long run.
What are some benefits that come from long-term community investment?
One of the main benefits of building a community is creating evangelists who passionately promote your brand without compensation because they've had a positive experience. Additionally, having a community provides valuable feedback, both positive and constructive.
During our recent exhibition, we received feedback from passionate freelancers and customers, which helped us identify areas for improvement. It's important to note that if people don't care about your brand, they won't provide any feedback.
But when individuals resonate with your brand and want to see it succeed, they are more likely to share their thoughts, both positive and negative.
What advice or tips would you give our listeners who may be considering freelancing?
Here are a few tips.
First, understand your niche and identify what you're good at, ensuring there is a demand for that service.
Then, create a visually appealing portfolio that showcases your work, even if it's not in a visual field. Describe your projects in detail and use keywords that your target customers might search for. It's important to demonstrate your track record by including past client testimonials or creating a portfolio from scratch to showcase your abilities.
