Isaac: From Baking to Blockbusters
One of the most beautiful things about Isaac, other than his lifestyle, is his smile. This is the one thing I remember most about our initial meeting.
First Impressions
I truly enjoyed Mauritius, as it was my first time meeting people with wildly different careers and lives than mine. I couldn't quite wrap my head around Isaac's life when we first met, nonetheless, I was impressed by the amazing life he had crafted for himself. In my head, the only person I could liken his career to was David Attenborough. Except, Isaac is the one who makes the magic, filming exotic locations all over the world. As someone who loves to explore unique and untapped locations, I was almost jealous that this could be someone's life and career. Isaac's job is not for the faint-hearted. He just makes it look easy because of the passion he puts behind his efforts.
The Untold Story
So, who is Isaac? I am glad that I decided to reach out to learn more. He is a quietly confident individual with a super interesting journey. I was super surprised to learn about his path to becoming the successful entrepreneur that he is today.
The Journey: Challenges and Triumphs
Isaac grew up in Uganda, a place he is both happy and proud to call home. Learning about the significant challenges he faced in his early life made me realise that some people are born hustlers, ready to make an impact on the world even without significant support or guidance.
He lost his parents at a young age, which left him in the care of his older brother, who was six years his senior. His brother admirably assumed the role of both parent and provider. Isaac attended a boarding school. His experience in boarding school was typical, with a focus on academics and the anticipation of visiting days when parents, or in Isaac's case his brother, would bring home-cooked meals.
The Unexpected
However, one day, in an atypical manner, his brother was late for visiting day. Isaac patiently waited and began to wonder if his brother was going to show. Finally, just before the end of the day, his brother arrived. He had some unfortunate news to share. He had lost his job and was encountering financial difficulties. This meant his brother could no longer continue to pay his school fees.
A Spark of Ingenuity
This news caused Isaac's perspective to shift drastically. He became motivated to find a way to support himself and stay in school. This led him through a series of research to find a solution to his problem.
Finally, after conversations with his classmates he discovered their hunger at the end of the day, Isaac had a lightbulb moment. He decided he needed to create a snack that he could sell to his classmates. This would help to solve their late-night snack problem and pay his tuition fees.
From Necessity to Opportunity
He got to work, thinking about how he could cook and sell some snacks. The main issue was that Isaac had no recipe or cooking facilities. He decided to look for collaborators. He spoke to the food and nutrition lab technician at his school to develop a snack. It was similar to a scone, and they called it a rock bun.
Isaac needed to maximise the amount of ingredients. So he travelled to downtown Kampala, to a place called Kikubbo, known for wholesale shopping. He managed to negotiate a decent price for the required ingredients and delivery to the lab.
A Seed of Entrepreneurship
The next step was to get funds. Isaac decided to take a gamble and borrowed money from classmates to buy ingredients. He knew that on visiting days his peers would receive money from their parents. Knowing that all his classmates were susceptible to the same hunger problem in the evenings, his idea was an easy sell. He managed to gather funds from 12 or 13 classmates with the promise of making them whole again in two weeks.
The mission was on. It was time to execute the plan. The items were delivered to the lab, and the technician baked the goods. By 8:30, the smell of the rock buns began wafting through the halls and into the classrooms. Everyone was wondering what’s happening? It smells like heaven!
This baking business became quickly popular and allowed Isaac to pay for his school fees and have some disposable income. This experience sparked his interest in entrepreneurship. Isaac's entrepreneurial spirit continued to grow as he sought to leave a lasting legacy at his school.
The Yearbook Project
Fast forward to the end of Isaac’s school journey. He was seeking an opportunity to be remembered for something more than just his baking business. He went back to the drawing board and did some more user research, looking for some inspiration. At the end of the year, the school holds a prom. Inspired by the excitement surrounding prom, Isaac envisioned a high-quality printed yearbook with glamor shots.
Overcoming Obstacles
Isaac had money saved from this baking business. So he went into town to inquire about his vision. Learning it would cost nearly $6,000 USD completely threw his plans. Upon realising that 80% of the cost was related to printing, he innovated by deciding to make a digital version on a DVD. This digital album would include music, text, and basic animations, capturing the essence of their time in school.
The vision was an easy sell to his already overly enthusiastic classmates. He even had some pre-ordered based on his captivating description. Now all Isaac had to do was execute. However, he did not have the skills to create these digital yearbooks. He went back into town, to a place called Maria's Galleria, which is a wedding hub for filmmakers and photographers. He spoke to a young guy who said it was possible to execute on his vision. They agreed on a price, and Isaac handed over every shilling to his name.
The Power of Comedy
Isaac delivered the prom pictures to this guy, and two weeks after that, he received a delivered 250 DVDs. They were beautifully branded and finished. They looked absolutely beautiful and completely legit. Isaac was beyond excited. He raced upstairs to the computer laboratory with that box of DVDs and popped one into a PC, just waiting to be blown away by this amazing slideshow. And, well, it was terrible!
Especially the music, which was the kind used for traditional weddings in Uganda. The pictures didn't come up in any chronological order. It didn't make any sense. Some of them were upside down. Some of them were repeated. It was like this for the whole 30 minutes. Disappointed, Isaac then realised that these DVDs were still better than anything that currently existed.
Despite initial challenges with execution, the project was well-received, and he successfully sold the digital yearbooks. The craziest thing happened, basically, when his classmates watched these DVDs, it was like everything that made Isaac cringe made his classmates laugh. It took him a little time to figure it out, but it was one of those things that was so bad, it was actually good. Isaac capitalised on this and made a deluxe version. It was made by the same person, with better instructions, more pictures, and of course, a higher price. He sold out those DVDs in four days.
Beyond the Classroom
After high school, Isaac dedicated six months for online learning, focusing on video editing and production skills. He had nothing to do, no responsibility, but remained deeply curious about what it would take to have made a DVD slideshow. He spent the entire six months in an internet café downtown. He would literally spend 16 hours a day there, diving into how to make, edit, and produce videos. He would edit content he found online and share it with his brother and friends, trying to see what kind of response he would get. Do they feel anything? Are they enjoying it? What kind of emotions or responses could he invoke? Eventually, Isaac decided to return to his previous school and sell the new and improved digital yearbook. It was ten times better, at half the price, and that was his first actual job.
A Legacy of Local Excellence
The money that he made from that job, he used to register his company, Media 256. Marking the beginning of his professional journey in media and film production. Curious about the meaning behind the name, I learnt it was to represent well made local content. The numbers 256 are the Ugandan country code. Isaac highlighted that the word "local" was basically synonymous with poor quality. There was a perception, at the time, that internationally made or produced items were of better quality. Which is not always the case. He wanted to flip this idea of local. That's all he really cared about at the time. There was no deeper mission initially in the early days. But it has evolved over time.
Reflections
I personally admire Isaac's entrepreneurial journey. When we discuss entrepreneurship, we tend to mainly focus on solving the market hurdles, operational challenges, and capital raising difficulties. But these problems are only applicable to a certain subset of entrepreneurs, and the more common kind of entrepreneur that exists are the ones exactly like Isaac. Using their environments and surroundings to solve every day problems to make ends meet. These are the raw realities of entrepreneurship and not the glamorised Silicon Valley versions, we see people so desperately trying to emulate unnecessarily. Entrepreneurship serves as a means of survival and resilience, especially in challenging environments, for many individuals globally. Despite initial setbacks, he became a success because he took a moment to look at processes, remain curious, and effectively reverse engineer things that he knew worked.
Learning and Growth
Growth is really where most of the learning takes place. Initially, we are finding our feet and trying to understand where the path is taking us. This is typical of self-exploration and deciding the path forward. Once we know where we want to go and dedicate ourselves to it, that's when the real traction takes place. In the case of Isaac, this was media. After registering his media company and pulling together his mission, life guided him to lean into it.
Recognising Potential
Isaac was nominated for the Young Achievers Award in Uganda, which is an accolade recognising young entrepreneurs for their contributions and achievements. The nomination came about 20 days after he properly incorporated his company, Media 256. The award is prestigious, with the ceremony attended by notable figures such as the President of Uganda and Rwanda. Being a finalist placed Isaac among individuals he admired and aspired to emulate. This recognition was pivotal, as it validated his work in the film business and encouraged him to focus on it as his main pursuit. The nomination also provided him with networking opportunities, allowing him to connect with influential business leaders and gain visibility for his company.
A Stroke of Skill
But how did he manage to get this nomination? Well, remember that deluxe DVD? He used this to secure some work for Financial Literacy Week. A week where captains of industry train the public on business and entrepreneurship. This event is something that Isaac always wanted to attend, one of his dream events. So to bring his dreams into reality, he decided that he had the skills that would be valuable to the event. So, when Isaac saw the advert in the papers, he decided to call and explain the service he could offer.
Isaac could create DVDs which capture the essence of the classes. You know, capture the daily interactions and classes, making sure people could take their learnings and memories away with them. It would be better than any notes attendees could take.
Deciding to take a chance on Isaac, he got the job. Isaac hired people to shoot during the day and he would edit all night. He rinsed and repeated this all week. At the end of the week, they sat him down and thanked him for his work. It was something they had been struggling to find for a long time. A good quality and reliable videographer. The company was so happy with the quality of the work that they wanted to meet his boss and take him out to lunch to say thank you. Isaac explained that, he had no boss. This was basically a briefcase company that he was running from his university room.
Building a Team
He was encouraged to take things seriously, as he had a real talent for it. The company suggested he re-register officially and once everything was in order, they would organise a few meetings and submit some nominations. That is exactly what Isaac did. And as promised, he got a few introductions and a nomination for something called The Young Achievers Award in Uganda. Although Isaac did not win the award, he was still on stage and shaking the hands of the people who he wanted in his client base. He sat down and strategized. During this moment, he realised, "Today I may be shaking their hands and they are taking my business card, tomorrow I am in their office offering my services." I need to focus! I needed to grow and get employees. There were only 24 hours in a day, and he couldn't go be pitching, shooting, editing, and doing everything himself.
To find the talent at the right price, Isaac approached some of the local schools teaching media skills. During this process, he showed his work to the Artfield Institute of Design and ended up landing himself a teaching assistant job. It was through this process that he managed to find his first two interns for Media 256. Isaac continued to hustle his way to success. His mindset is really what sets him apart.
Perspective Is Everything
For example, he explained that he did a job for a guy. It involved creating some free content for Pepsi. Isaac then took this to Coca-Cola, explaining that he had done some work for Pepsi. They gave Isaac some paid work. The idea was, if you're good enough to do something for Pepsi, you're good enough to work for Coca-Cola. They didn't need to know that the initial work was for free.
Beyond Borders
Isaac was approached by Dr. Eleni Gabre-Madhin, who ran the Ethiopian Commodities Exchange (ECX), to create a film that would tell the story of the exchange. The ECX functions similarly to a stock market but focuses on grains like maize and coffee, which are crucial to Ethiopia's economy. The exchange was instrumental in eliminating the risk of famine in Ethiopia by providing a market system that worked effectively for farmers, allowing them to see real-time prices and make informed decisions.
Isaac was tasked with capturing the essence and impact of the ECX, but to do this, it would involve traveling to Ethiopia from Uganda. Isaac had never been outside of Uganda, but was not going to let anything slow him down. There was a time constraint on the video because it was to be presented at an upcoming exhibition.
Upon googling the trip, Isaac realised it would take 4 days just to arrive in Ethiopia from Uganda. It would not leave him enough time. He regretfully explained his situation to Dr. Eleni Gabre-Madhin, and her solution was to fly him. There was no need to take a bus. He travelled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he felt like he was being treated like royalty. He was having the time of his life pursuing his passions and getting paid more than he had ever made in his life.
The success of this project not only boosted Isaac's confidence but also allowed him to purchase his first professional camera, marking a significant milestone in his career. To date all his work was completed by borrowing his brother's computer and renting cameras from Maria's Galleria in downtown.
The Power of Local, Redefined
Media 256's founding principle: local as quality, provides a crucial lens through which to analyse Isaac's trajectory. There might have been a moment in time where Isaac’s position was misaligned with the mission of his company. Hear me out, his struggles around getting to Ethiopia indicate that Isaac did not see the impact and value of his work. Whereas, the EXC did. While industry accolades confirmed the value of his 'local quality' approach, Isaac's internal narrative may have overshadowed these external validations.
If we take a moment to reflect on the significant milestones Isaac had achieved in such a short amount of time, it reveals a pattern. The perception of value and quality consistently served as the catalyst for his success. Perception has been a really crucial part of Media 256 and Isaac’s journey. From making free ads for Pepsi, creating DVDs for Financial Literacy Week, to his first paid trip outside of Uganda. The catalyst to many of these moments were centred around perception of value and quality.
The CNN Connection
Isaac's collaboration with CNN began in 2016 and became another significant milestone in his career. Initially, CNN reached out to Isaac after being impressed by his work on the African Leadership Network's; African Awards for Entrepreneurship. The quality of his films caught the attention of a CNN producer, leading to an invitation for Isaac to be featured on their show, African Startup.
When CNN came to Uganda to film Isaac and his team, Isaac observed that they used similar equipment and techniques to his own, which gave him a confidence boost towards his company's capabilities. During the visit, Isaac proposed to the CNN team that he could assist with their production needs in Africa, leveraging his local knowledge and connections.
Although there was no immediate follow-up, Isaac persisted in reaching out to CNN for several years. Eventually, an opportunity arose when a cameraman fell ill before a shoot in Uganda. Isaac was initially asked to drive the crew around, but he offered to assist with the filming as well. His technical expertise and familiarity with the equipment impressed the CNN team. This ended up leading them to allow him to complete the shoot.
Isaac's work exceeded expectations, and they actually decided to use his footage. This successful collaboration led to a more formal relationship, with Isaac's company becoming the largest producer of content for CNN in Africa within a year and a half. This partnership not only provided significant business growth but also enhanced Isaac's reputation. I guess he has managed to achieve the initial mission of local being synonymous with quality.
Lessons Learned
Being genuinely fascinated by individuals who are motivated and successful, but those who possess consistency and resilience, I like to reflect on what similarities and differences these entrepreneurs have. Thinking about these moments that collectively shaped Isaac's career, I came up with a few key learnings.
First was his emphasis on the importance of passion and enjoyment, noting that if you love what you do and are willing to do it without financial reward, it will reflect in the quality of your work and can lead to success. If you are passionate about what you do, you will always find a solution. There is an old saying, ‘when there is a will, there is a way.’ This is precisely what Isaac has demonstrated in his career and life journey. His adaptability and problem-solving skills are consistently evident in his ability to strategize and find solutions, highlighting the importance of being resourceful and taking initiative.
Many of his initial ideas did not work, but through iteration and improvement, he landed on solutions that would solve the direct hurdles in front of him. You can see this evidently from his learning-by-doing approach. By valuing practical experience and engagement in projects as crucial for skill improvement. In the world, many solutions exist. We don't always have to start from a blank slate or reinvent the wheel. On many occasions, Isaac just reverse-engineered solutions.
Final Insights
To round out our conversation, I asked Isaac for some of his own personal learnings. As I was curious to see his thoughts on the matter. He really underscored the significance of cash flow over profit, suggesting that maintaining cash flow is essential for sustaining a business, and that repeat business, even if not large, should be prioritised for stability.
Another takeaway was stressing the importance of quality and standards. The internet provides a valuable tool for learning from global experts and aiming to meet those benchmarks. Just because you are miles away from where these experts may be does not mean you cannot learn from the best and emulate new standards for your surroundings.
Finally, Isaac reflects on the benefits of scaling down, finding personal fulfilment and a better quality of life by focusing on work he loves with a smaller, more efficient team. Bigger is not always better. You can still make an amazing impact on the world with targeted and meaningful interactions as a business.
The Future Unfolds
Isaac is focused on elevating his filmmaking to produce scripted films that resonate with a global audience. Having spent nearly 15 years in documentary filmmaking, but is now exploring the potential of scripted narratives to engage a wider range of viewers.
His upcoming project, a sports drama inspired by true events in Uganda, represents a significant shift in his career. This project has already gained traction, having been accepted into a prestigious script development workshop in Los Angeles, and Isaac has secured American representation to support his endeavours.
His ambition is to create films that, while rooted in African stories, have universal appeal, akin to the international success of South Korean cinema. By targeting major streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon, Isaac aims to showcase African narratives on a global stage, highlighting the rich cultural stories from the continent.
