For the past 12 years I have called Australia home. I migrated to this country when I was 20 years old and built my career in the digital industry here. Today I work as a senior digital producer at one of the top digital agencies in Sydney, my office has a view to the harbour and the location is at walking distance from the glorious Sydney Opera House. So what is making me pack my things and leave one of the most livable cities in the world to start a new business in Colombia?

Let’s be frank, the main reason is love. Despite all these years in Australia I still can’t get used to live so far from my family. From the first day I set foot in Oz I decided that eventually I would go back home. There is something else though, most Colombians I know in Australia agree that there are more opportunities here than there, that finding a decent job in Colombia (with fair terms and fair salary) can be a very frustrating experience. In my case, I decided long ago that if I were to go back I can’t become part of the problem, I need to be part of the solution, and that I believe I can do.

Colombia today is not the same country it was in the 80’s. Back then the narcs had the country seized and violence was at it’s peak (one of many peaks, actually). Today Colombia is an emerging country. Despite the corruption and the armed conflict, Colombia’s economy is one of the fastest growing in the region. There are huge opportunities there, what we need is the talent to pull them through and encourage a mentality of innovation and growth.

Societies are changing

Living in Australia for the last decade I have been witness of the amazing growth of the digital industry and the impact it is having on society. Over 90% of the population in Australia now owns a smartphone and we use it for everyday things, from checking the schedule of the next bus to paying our bills and booking flights. Companies here are starting to move millions of dollars of budget from traditional advertising to digital optimisation, they are realising that a digital strategy goes beyond having a website that ranks in Google.

Colombia is only a few years behind in this revolution. With the costs of smartphones going under $100USD it is only a matter of time for third-world economies to fully jump in the digital wagon and look beyond their current boundaries.

The digital industry is disrupting societies and economies all around the world and Colombia is no exception. In 2012 the country ranked twelfth in the world by number of Twitter accounts, Uber has made its move to Colombian cities (mandatory controversy included) and some Colombian entrepreneurs are already making successful applications. The country is embracing technology and there is growing pressure for established businesses to move to digital or lag behind.

There is a community taking shape

Clearly I am not the only person perceiving this opportunity. In fact, while working on my startup I stumbled upon a vibrant community of entrepreneurs making their way in the Colombian digital industry. I was gladly surprised to see that many of them have a very similar profile to mine: professionals with studies and experience overseas fostering the conversation about digital in Colombia and starting new businesses. It’s great to see the stuff that the people from HubBog, Bunny Inc and Platzi are doing; while building their own businesses they are also bringing and fostering the startup mindset in Colombia and recognising the challenges and limitations of such an initiative in a developing country.

People like them are flag bearers of a different way of making businesses, one that is based on valuing the talent in your company, constant learning and thinking beyond geographical boundaries. Those concepts may be all too familiar in Australia and the US, but not back home.

Playing an active role

I know too well that I could stay in Australia and keep creating my opportunities here, but right now I believe there is an chance for me to create something bigger than a successful business. The opportunity to play an active role in the transition of my home society from a country accustomed to violence to a country ready to live in peace and prosper.

Many people back home are used to take shortcuts to success. Those shortcuts lead to corruption at all levels with everything associated with it: badly executed investments, poor service and disappointing results. That’s the papaya culture. It is so imbued in our society that everybody thinks that it’s the only way things can be done.

I believe that it is possible to attack the papaya culture by challenging those preconceptions and creating businesses with strong values on transparency, teamwork and customer focus. It’s not about convincing everyone that this is the way to do it. Hopefully, if this leads to success, others will follow.

I would really appreciate your point of view, and to know of your own experience if you have one to share. It is a big move for me, so there is never too much advice to take.