August 20, 2021
New Business Model Pioneered in the Pandemic Spurs Economic Transformation in the Caribbean
TheHive, a Freelance Services Marketspace that connects Caribbean freelancers with global businesses, celebrates its first anniversary on August 21. Melarka Williams, CEO and founder of TheHive, started the company in response to the COVID-19 pandemic when the existing economy fueled mainly by tourism proved to be vulnerable and unsustainable. Knowing that a plethora of tech talent exists in the Caribbean, he set about designing a freelancing platform that connects top-notch Caribbean professionals with businesses throughout the world.
“The Caribbean economy is mostly known for tourism, and we are working to shift that paradigm so mid- to large size companies view our economy as one for procuring tech talent,” said Williams. “TheHive helps position the Caribbean as the ultimate information technology outsourcing destination. When vetting freelancers who wish to join the platform, TheHive only recruits the top 5 percent of freelance technology talent in the Caribbean. When companies use our platform, they know they are getting the best talent available to them, and they are simultaneously diversifying their workforce.”
In today’s corporate culture, advocating for workforce diversity and inclusion remains a top priority for HR staff. As more companies transition into hybrid or completely remote work environments, recruitment teams are realizing they can acquire talent from anywhere in the world. Distributed workforces are becoming more common as leaders realize that it’s better to pull talent from across the global versus local talent pools.
“It’s imperative that we spur the collaboration of the Caribbean and global businesses,” said Williams. “When people from different backgrounds come together to strategize, their varying perspectives and experiences lead to greater innovation, transformation and more creative solutions.”
In the last year, TheHive platform served as a facilitator of career growth for freelancers while simultaneously helping entrepreneurs achieve their business goals. Even though businesses are hiring again, many U.S. companies are struggling to fill positions, especially tech roles. That’s where TheHive comes in, which helps secure a team of experts to support projects and fulfill talent needs – whether temporary or permanent.
“My vision is for the Caribbean people is to be creators of technology versus merely consuming it. With support from TheHive, the Caribbean is emerging as a new region for outsourcing tech talent,” said Williams. “It is rewarding knowing TheHive platform is providing higher-valued information technology services while also helping shift people’s perception of the Caribbean so we are not just known for our sun, sand and sea. Many brilliant minds exist in the Caribbean, and if people are given a chance to put their talents to use, they can succeed if given the proper ecosystem to do so.”