The verdict in three sentences
If you are a graphic designer, developer or community manager in Thiès and you turn down projects for lack of time, your ceiling is no longer skill, it is organisation. Moving to a small agency rests on three levers: standardised offers, managed subcontracting paid 40 to 60% of the client price, then a first hire once volume is stable. A career-level course at 100,000 FCFA (about 152 EUR) pays for itself with the margin on a single subcontracted project, provided you calculate your margins before accepting.
From overloaded freelancer to small agency: the numbers
Thiès is one hour from Dakar by motorway, with lower living costs and a local clientele (shops, private schools, construction firms, hotels in Saly and the Petite-Côte) ordering more and more websites, visuals and page management. Here are typical stages, as 2026 orders of magnitude.
| Stage | Indicative monthly revenue | Organisation | Your role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo freelancer | 300,000 to 900,000 FCFA | You do everything | 90% production |
| Freelancer + 1 or 2 subcontractors | 900,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA | Jobs assigned per project | Sales, quality control |
| Micro-agency (1 employee + subcontractors) | 1,500,000 to 2,500,000 FCFA | Written processes, tracking tool | Sales, project management |
| Small agency (2 to 4 people) | 2,500,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA | Defined roles, payroll on a fixed date | Management, key accounts |
| Agency + recurring (maintenance, page management) | Secured base of 500,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA/month | Monthly contracts | Financial steering |
Moving from one stage to the next rarely fails for lack of clients. It fails because of miscalculated margins, late deliveries and poorly briefed subcontractors.
Subcontracting and hiring without losing your margin
The basic rule: a subcontractor is paid between 40 and 60% of the client price, depending on the share of work they take and the management time they leave you. Hire your first employee when volume covers at least three times their salary in gross margin.
| Role or service | Indicative 2026 cost in Thiès | Typical client price | Agency gross margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subcontracted logo and simple brand guide | 40,000 to 75,000 FCFA | 100,000 to 150,000 FCFA | 50 to 60% |
| Showcase site built by a subcontracted developer | 150,000 to 250,000 FCFA | 350,000 to 500,000 FCFA | 40 to 55% |
| Social media page management (per month) | 40,000 to 60,000 FCFA | 100,000 to 150,000 FCFA | 50 to 60% |
| First all-round employee (design, social media) | 150,000 to 300,000 FCFA/month | Depends on output | Profitable above 450,000 to 900,000 FCFA of margin |
| Part-time project manager | 100,000 to 200,000 FCFA/month | Indirect | Frees 40 to 60 h of your month |
| Tools (project tracking, storage, design) | 15,000 to 50,000 FCFA/month | Indirect | Reduces delays |
The course Grow your agency: processes, subcontracting and hiring covers these decisions in 28 h, taught in French: standardised offers, written procedures, project management, subcontracting contracts, first hires, quality control and agency finances. It is level 4 Career, 100,000 FCFA, of the Freelance and digital entrepreneurship track. The five levels of the track bought together cost 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 FCFA.
The most expensive mistakes
Three mistakes recur among Thiès freelancers who grow. First, subcontracting without a written brief: the work comes back to be redone, and the margin vanishes. Second, hiring an employee on the strength of one exceptional month, then being unable to pay them the next. Third, mixing personal and business accounts, which makes it impossible to know whether a project made money. The course provides brief templates, a subcontracting contract and a per-project margin sheet to avoid these traps.
Mini case study
Ibrahima, 29, a freelance web developer in Thiès, bills about 700,000 FCFA per month and turns down an average of two showcase sites per month for lack of time. After the course, he hands those two sites to a subcontracted developer.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
- Client price per site: 400,000 FCFA, i.e. 800,000 FCFA for two sites
- Subcontractor cost at 50%: 400,000 FCFA
- Management and review time: about 10 h, the rest kept for sales
- Additional gross margin: 400,000 FCFA per month
- Course: 100,000 FCFA, paid back by a quarter of the first month's margin
His revenue rises to about 1,500,000 FCFA per month, the threshold of a micro-agency. These amounts remain 2026 estimates that depend on demand volume.
FAQ
When should I move from freelancer to agency?
When you regularly turn down projects or work more than 55 h a week for stagnating income. A benchmark: at least two requests turned down per month for three months.
How much should I pay a subcontractor?
Usually 40 to 60% of the client price, depending on the share of work. Below 40%, you rarely attract good profiles; above 60%, your margin no longer covers management.
When should I hire my first employee?
When recurring gross margin covers at least three times their salary, i.e. 450,000 to 900,000 FCFA per month for a 150,000 to 300,000 FCFA position.
How long is the course?
It lasts 28 h, about seven weeks at 4 h per week, compatible with your ongoing projects.
How do I pay for enrollment?
By Wave or Orange Money, in FCFA. The Career level costs 100,000 FCFA, Kolonell Academy certificate included.
Take the next step. Enroll in Grow your agency: processes, subcontracting and hiring: 28 h, 100,000 FCFA, Kolonell Academy certificate and contract templates included. Pay with Wave or Orange Money. Questions? WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.