• Lazy Leverage
  • Posts
  • Extreme Outsourcing - Carpet Bombing the Moral High Ground

Extreme Outsourcing - Carpet Bombing the Moral High Ground

Welcome to the blah blah blah more subscribers since last week

December 01, 2022

There is a false narrative out there that I believe has an insidious effect on how most people understand work, employment, and business.

Specifically - that if one person wins, another must lose.

Said another way, the “size of the pie” is fixed.

This fallacy lies at the root of (in my opinion) a host of downstream errors.

Here is one of the silliest:

I’m not supposed to say “retarded” anymore, but THIS is retarded. (Definition: delay or hold back in terms of progress, development, or accomplishment.)

If you insist on a synonym… this is “really dumb”.

Before I veer off into Von Mises land and people start rolling their eyes at me - I’d like to illustrate my point with some data & a story.

  • Our starting salaries are 4X the average income in the Philippines. 4X average American income is $270,084.

  • The average commute in the Philippines is 2-3hrs each way. Not in a comfortable car like in the USA, but instead crammed into a bus like sardines. 4-6hrs per day saved if you give a remote job to someone in the Philippines. (Thanks Marshall)

  • A full-time nanny in PH, that cooks & cleans is $100 USD/ month (look up purchasing power parity if you want to learn more about this)

  • We often employ women - in societies where training, opportunities , and upward mobility are sorely lacking.

  • We can change the lives of entire family units - an American employer's wages - in many cases - support uncles, aunts, grandparents, and friends.

I am willing to listen if your claim is that somehow economically empowering Americans is more important than non-Americans.

I'll listen, but I don't agree.

Let's just call that what it is - protectionist, provincial, anti-free market bullshit.

Now, a story.

This is Binsi - she’s worked with me for like six years.

Here is our first conversation ever - on Upwork for a V.A. job!

Here are some of the things she has done since we started working together:

  • Been promoted 57,000 times

  • Ran the operations of a 5MN company, remotely

  • Hired & fired lots of people

  • Learned dozens of types of software and how to build processes that work

  • Learned how to manage in industries she knew nothing about

  • Learned to write

  • She got over a lot of her fears - for example, she just started a TikTok with 5,000 followers about working remotely (in Malayalam)

  • Got her MBA

Anyone who has worked with me has probably met her - she is such an All-Star!

We are on like our 6th company together at this point, and I hope to have the honor of working with her for many years!

I got this Slack message from her on Monday:

Before you ask, yes, my Slack profile picture is Tom Selleck. And no, I’m not even a little sorry.

More importantly, Binsi is sponsoring a young woman’s education from her home state of Kerala.

Kerala is a state in coastal southwest India.

Here are more details:

After being inspired by Binsi and learning about Ammu - I want to help however we can (and so should you).

I believe the historical record is crystal clear - the fastest way to change the trajectory of a developing country is to economically empower women!

So let’s do something about it.

As of now, I told Binsi to start doing research - tell me how many kids in her direct network, like Ammu, need their education expenses paid for, and I’m in.

I’ll either pay for it directly or find someone who will.

Binsi inspired me - and got me thinking!

I would love to do something more ambitious focused on helping young people (particularly in India & Philippines, since I have experience there) pay for their education.

Examples:

  • Match Americans with young people needing an education

  • Create a little endowment that can sponsor a few people every year

  • Help them with jobs at Western companies

  • Build a School (Dream)

It’s easy to get into this hedonistic treadmill of “10% more, 10% more, 10% more, then I’ll be happy” - when 10% more doesn’t matter! PROVE it doesn’t matter, give it away.

I’m ready to give my time, resources, and money to help people like Ammu - and I’d like to know if you’d join me.

I imagine I’ll need all sorts of help, and I would love to have you join me. 

I imagine “time donations” (like building a website) & money are going to be what I need the most help with.

Based on the response, I’ll probably create a private Discord and invite you to join it if you are interested.

Alright, so back to my main point.

I believe that Binsi’s work with our companies has changed the trajectory of her life (and now Ammu’s!) for the better.

And guess what - I’m not running a freaking charity here; I’ve benefitted enormously too!

I’m pursuing my enlightened self-interest, and so is she.

Beautiful beautiful capitalism.

Everyone wins - me, the companies, Binsi, our customers, etc

In summary, people who think using high-quality/low-cost global talent is morally inferior… can kiss my ass!

I hope you’ll push back next time someone tries to shame you for using a global workforce and perhaps get involved in helping directly!

Yours in High Leverage/High Impact Activities,

Jon

Work With Me!