We were lucky to catch up with Isaias Ayala recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Isaias thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, let’s imagine that you were advising someone who wanted to start something similar to you and they asked you what you would do differently in the startup-process knowing what you know now. How would you respond?

If I were to start over with what I know today, I would focus more on building communities and reading as much literature as possible. Every day is an opportunity to learn, to pick up new traits and skills that can not only be used for your craft but your general wellbeing. It’s important to find people are passionate and share similar values, even if they’re not in the same field as you. This shared burning desire to move forward will propel everyone in ways unimaginable, it’s a magical sensation that happens only with a high density of like-minded individuals. It’s easy to constantly try to upgrade gear or get trapped in the cycles of social media, but those dopamine hits will only last for so long. Finding genuine people who share your vision will push you to not only improve but to unlock new levels of purpose and passion.

Isaias, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Isaias Ayala, originally born in Virginia and currently based out of Brooklyn, New York. My first experience with cameras was in Photo 1 during my Freshman year of high school. I fell in love with the quality of image that a DSLR produced, and was hooked instantly. My parents helped me buy a used $300 camera kit, and shot absolutely everything I could as often as possible. From the flowers in my yard, to my friends at school, hiking trips through the Appalachian trail, local soccer pickup, and everything in between. Week in week out, I practiced and practiced until I began to develop my own style and found the things I was most passionate about.

These days, I still practice my craft daily, in addition to expanding with the videography in the recent years. I’m primarily in the sports world, covering motorsport races, soccer matches, and run clubs, as well as commercial work for larger productions. The main areas I am supporting my clients in is with boosting engagement and strengthening brand identities. Most people rely on generic content that falls flat, at Lume Productions, we aim to cut through the noise and leave a lasting impact.

Throughout my many years as a creative, I am most proud of the relationships that have been built over time. The people in the creative world are everything, behind every major campaign and social media post, there are genuine people who’ve poured their soul into their work. Their hopes and dreams are the driving factor that keeps this work meaningful. I’ve learned that the best results come from a real sense of trust and collaboration, and I want potential clients to know that working with me means having someone who’s all-in. I care about the message, the people behind it, and making sure it reaches the audience it deserves.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Not everything has to be perfect. As a visual artist, it can be difficult to get caught up in creating something “perfect” because you’re worried how it may be received. However, this may hinder the project from every releasing, or shift your focus on the wrong things. It may also delay your work being completed in a timely manner.

It’s okay to let a few things not be perfect, this is what makes art human.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Whenever possible, I am listening to podcasts relating to creative entrepreneurship. They are typically ran by people in the industries I seek to be in, or people in a similar path but multiple steps ahead. Hearing their stories can teach invaluable lessons and things to avoid, which has saved me an unfathomable amount of time and mistakes. There are countless things that are only learned through experience, and often failure, so it’s in your favor to listen to those who have already been through it.

I did not study the arts or business, and this is where books have massively impacted my trajectory. Whether from day-to-day habits or important strategies to implement, the methods and systems taught by books can not be understated.

Notable Podcasts:
505 Podcast
Midconvo
Unfold Podcast by Tenfold

Notable Books:
Key Person of Influence
Atomic Habits
The Psychology of Money

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lume-productions.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prodbylume/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaias-angel-ayala
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@prodbylume