Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Phillip Dias. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Phillip, appreciate you joining us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
Yes, I have been able to earn a full-time living from my creative work, but it definitely did not happen overnight. It was not like that from day one.
My journey started with a real love for art, photography, film, storytelling, and building ideas from nothing. In the beginning, I was creating with whatever I had access to. I was learning cameras, editing, design, lighting, branding, and how to make my work feel professional before I had the kind of resources or opportunities I wanted. A lot of it came from trial and error. I had to build my eye, my confidence, my discipline, and my understanding of business at the same time.
Over the years, the work started to grow. Smaller shoots turned into bigger projects. Personal experiments became client work. Client work became relationships, referrals, and real opportunities. Eventually, I built I Am Zain Studios and began working across photography, video, design, editing, creative direction, and media production. Each stage taught me something different. I learned how to communicate with clients, how to lead a vision, how to price my work, how to solve problems quickly, and how to stay creative even when there is pressure attached to the project.
The biggest turning point for me was when I stopped seeing creativity as only a gift and started treating it like a profession. Talent matters, but talent alone is not enough. You have to learn consistency, structure, communication, deadlines, and the business side of what you do. You have to understand that your creativity has value, and you have to carry yourself like it has value.
Could I have sped up the process knowing what I know now? Absolutely. I would have charged properly sooner. I would have documented my work more consistently. I would have built better systems earlier. I would have protected my time and energy more. Most importantly, I would have treated my creative work like a company from the beginning, not just something I was passionate about.
At the same time, I do not regret the journey. The slower path gave me depth. It gave me range. It taught me resilience. It taught me how to walk into different rooms and bring real value. My creative work became a full-time living because I kept evolving. I did not stay in one lane. I became a storyteller, a problem solver, a visual strategist, and someone who can take an idea and make it feel alive.
Phillip, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
For those who may not know me yet, my name is Phil “Zain” Dias Jr. I am a creative director, photographer, cinematographer, media producer, designer, and founder of I Am Zain Studios. At the heart of everything I do, I am a storyteller. I got into this industry through art first. Before the business, before the clients, and before the bigger productions, I was always drawn to creating worlds through visuals, film, photography, characters, and design. I studied Fine Art at Montclair State University, and over time my love for art, photography, video, and storytelling became one creative language. I realized I did not just want to make things look good. I wanted to make things feel meaningful.
Through I Am Zain Studios, I provide photography, video production, creative direction, brand visuals, event coverage, editorial work, social media content, interviews, promotional videos, and cinematic storytelling. I work with individuals, artists, entrepreneurs, businesses, medical practices, law firms, events, and brands that want their message to look and feel elevated. The problem I solve for clients is clarity. A lot of people and companies are doing powerful work, but their visuals do not always reflect their value. I help translate who they are, what they do, and what they want people to feel into visuals that are polished, emotional, professional, and memorable.
What sets me apart is that I do not approach creative work from only one angle. I understand the camera, but I also understand design, editing, branding, emotion, people, and strategy. I can walk into a room and think about the lighting, the story, the energy, the final edit, and how the piece will live in the world. I am most proud that I built my creative life piece by piece and never allowed myself to be boxed into one title. I want potential clients, followers, and fans to know that I Am Zain Studios is built on intention, transformation, and helping people feel seen. If you work with me, you are not just hiring someone to take a picture or press record. You are bringing in someone who cares about the full vision, the message, the emotion, and the impact.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
One story that really represents my resilience is the season where I was trying to build my creative career while still carrying real life responsibilities. I was teaching, freelancing, learning the business, taking on shoots, editing late at night, and trying to prove to myself that this could become more than something I loved. There were moments where I had the talent, the vision, and the work ethic, but I did not always have the resources, the support, or the confidence yet. I had to keep creating even when I was tired, even when money was tight, and even when the path did not look clear.
There were plenty of times where I questioned if I was doing too much or if the dream was taking too long. But I kept showing up. I kept taking the small jobs seriously. I kept learning how to light better, edit better, communicate better, price better, and lead better. Every setback became a lesson. Every difficult client, every long night, every missed opportunity, every moment of doubt taught me how to become sharper and more grounded. I learned that resilience is not always loud. Sometimes it is just getting up the next day and choosing the work again.
Looking back, I am proud that I did not let the hard seasons make me bitter. They made me more intentional. They taught me how to walk into a room with calm confidence and bring value. That is a big part of who I am now as a creative director and founder of I Am Zain Studios. My journey was not perfect, but it built my eye, my patience, my leadership, and my faith in the work. I think that is what resilience really is for me. It is the ability to keep becoming, even when the process is heavier than people can see.
Have you ever had to pivot?
One of the biggest pivots in my life was going from being a full time teacher to stepping fully into my identity as a Creative Director. For years, teaching was a major part of my life. It gave me structure, purpose, and the chance to pour into students, but at the same time I knew there was another part of me that was growing louder. After school, on weekends, and late at night, I was building my creative work. I was shooting, editing, designing, directing, taking clients, learning business, and slowly building I Am Zain Studios. At first, it felt like I was living two lives. One life was stable and familiar, and the other was calling me toward something bigger.
The pivot did not happen in one dramatic moment. It happened through a lot of small decisions. I started taking my creative work more seriously. I stopped treating it like a side passion and started treating it like a real business. I began to understand that the same skills I used as an educator, communication, leadership, patience, vision, and the ability to bring ideas to life, were also the skills that made me strong as a Creative Director. Teaching taught me how to guide people. Creativity taught me how to move people. Once I saw that connection, the transition started to make more sense.
There was definitely fear involved. Leaving behind a version of yourself that people recognize is not easy. Stability can be comfortable, even when your spirit is asking for more. But I knew I could not keep shrinking my creative life into the hours I had left over. I had to bet on the gift, the work ethic, and the years I had already invested quietly. That pivot taught me that sometimes you are not starting over. Sometimes you are becoming more honest about who you have been the whole time. I did not stop being a teacher. I carried that part of me into my creative direction. Now when I work with clients, lead a production, direct talent, or shape a brand story, I am still teaching in a way. I am helping people see the vision clearly and step into it with confidence.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.iamzainstudios.com
- Instagram: @iamzainmagazine
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phildiasjr/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@iamzainstudios
