Issue 20 All pages final

FEATURE

TECH FIRM MISTIFY IS CREATING SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS AND GIVING LOCAL ANTIGUANS A LEG-UP IN ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST PROFITABLE INDUSTRIES ‘A SLICE OF SILICON VALLEY IN THE HEART OF ST JOHN’S’ A s far as greetings go when entering a business in Antigua it’s unusual to say the least. “You probably noticed we have a facial recognition system,” Charles Sullivan itself as a go-to for US start-up tech companies working with industry bigwigs but in need of affordable software solutions. Or, as Sullivan puts it, “a slice of Silicon Valley in the heart of St John’s”. The interior design in fact goes to the chore of the company’s ethos. says cheerily, opening the door to Mistify software development firm of which he is CEO.

tools and the connections to do software development in Silicon Valley from here,” Sullivan says. It’s not entirely altruistic of course. High demand for software professionals in the US is well documented; indeed, vacancies for developers and engineers now account for around a third of all job postings, according to data from the country’s Bureau of Labour Statistics. In addition to Vermont-born Sullivan, Mistify’s tripartite leadership also includes CFO Alex Badaoui, an Aussie with a background in finance, and US-based chief design officer Shenoa Lawrence. “The interesting thing is that while we have brain drain here in Antigua, Silicon Valley is a brain magnet whereby all the people who do software development get sucked in and can’t leave because they get paid so much money there,” Badaoui explains. “Companies end up outsourcing lower-end projects like web design to places like Antigua because we can deliver at a much lower cost to the client. “In two to five years’ time, when our developers have enough experience, we will be able to build our own tech companies - that might compete with small meaty companies like QuickBooks for example - rather than just consulting. “That will create a lot of jobs here.” Mistify’s current principle client is an early-stage start-up attracted by the firm’s affordable rates. “They’re delivering a project for Amazon and our developers are writing code for that. So basically we have hired people who previously couldn’t get a job in the industry who are now developing for Amazon,” Badaoui adds. Finding the right candidates in a 108 square mile island wasn’t without its

sense of agency.

challenges.

else in the world and I see a lot of opportunities.” During the peak of the pandemic, Sullivan began researching ‘digital nomad’ programmes, launched by nations from Anguilla to the Seychelles, enabling foreign nationals able to work remotely to do so in a more scenic location. The lack of a language barrier, along with the time zone, put Antigua immediately in the running. “Being from Vermont I had always lived among mountains. Mountains were important to me – so the Bahamas was out of the question. “Barbados seemed too overbuilt, other places were underbuilt, but Antigua with 100,000 people and some variety in things to do seemed like the right balance,” he recalls. “I had never been to the Caribbean before I came. I’ve lived in a lot of places where the people are really nice but here they are even nicer,” he smiles. “And that matters a lot because this society works on personal connections.” n By Gemma Handy Visit mistify.co for more information.

As fairly recent expats, Sullivan and Badaoui encountered their fair share of headaches associated with setting up business in a country not their own. (Don’t get them started on the vexations of local banking.)

“A technology generation is considered to be two years, so anything you learned two years ago is almost considered no longer relevant,” Sullivan explains. “We had to find employees who seemed like they would be the best learners.” Junior software development engineer Shaquille Harrigan, from Falmouth, has been with Mistify from the outset. “I was doing network engineering in the hardware sector before,” he says. “But software was something I was always interested in. “Getting this opportunity was very, very good. I came with no experience and have learned an incredible amount; I don’t think a school would have been able to give me that level of knowledge and experience. It’s been life-changing.” Another draw for Mistify’s new recruits is its employee-ownership scheme. Giving them automatic shares in the company – so that they ultimately benefit from the profits – won’t just reap pecuniary rewards but gives staff a vested interest in the business while fostering a

Ahem nope. But then not much at this small entity tucked away in a corner of Twist Mall in Redcliffe Street – home to phone repairs shop and a Western Union – is conventional by small Caribbean island standards. The entry door technology is just one example of how Mistify is quite unlike anything else found in the twin island nation. Another is the décor, which frankly is worth a feature of its own. Its industrial ambience with exposed metal, intermittent concrete and splashes of bold colour give it a warehouse-you-could- live-in vibe. And that’s entirely intentional for this savvy enterprise which has positioned

“We very intentionally went with a Silicon Valley-style office. All our customers are in the US and our software engineers are on regular video calls with them every day, so it’s really important as they enter a relatively intimidating industry that they feel like they belong,” Sullivan explains. “They need to see the office on the other side and feel they’re working in the same kind of space - like they deserve to be there.” Mistify, which launched operations in November 2021, currently employs nine full-time staff – none of whom had any previous experience in the industry. “Our aim is to take talented Antiguans and give them the training, the

Alex Badaoui (left) and Charles Sullivan

But the advantages of a life in Antigua far outweigh the drawbacks. Like so many before him, Badaoui’s first brush with the island was on vacation. “I came for a holiday in 2016 and when I got back to Sydney I found myself wondering why I was paying so much in rent for a shoebox when I can work online, so I came back to Antigua,” he says. “Everyone is really friendly here, Antigua has easy access to everywhere

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