Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Zert Essential. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Zert, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

The idea came in a dark Kampala room, 2018. I had 8,000 shillings ($2), a broken laptop charger, and thirty-seven job rejections. I was eating rice and beans. I cried that night — not from weakness, but exhaustion.

Then I asked: What do I actually have? A laptop. A cheap camera. A degree in engineering. A love for stories.

I looked around. Small businesses had no online presence. Big agencies were expensive. That gap was my opportunity.

I did not know I would succeed. But I knew trying was better than waiting. So I wrote a Facebook post. That was the start.

Zert, 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?

Who Is Zert Essential?

Let me introduce myself properly.

My name is Kizito Siraje, but I work as Zert Essential. I am a Ugandan film director, digital strategist, and founder of Zert Creatives Uganda a creative services agency built on one simple belief: every story deserves to be told well.

How I Got Into This Industry
I did not take the traditional path. I graduated with a degree in Computer Engineering. My family expected me to become an IT manager. I expected that too. But after university, I applied to thirty-seven companies. Thirty-seven rejections.
I was broke. Living in a dark room in Kampala. Eating rice and beans for weeks. One night, I asked myself: “What do I actually have?”

A laptop. A cheap camera. A love for stories. Time.

So I wrote a Facebook post offering creative services. A jewelry seller replied with no budget. I worked for free. That first awkward shoot using a desk lamp and a bedsheet led to another client. Then another.

Eventually, I trained at the National Film and Television School (NFTS) in the UK. But the real education happened in that dark room, with two dollars and a broken charger.

What I Provide
Zert Essentials offers:

– Film & video production – short films, brand documentaries, music videos
– Digital content creation – scriptwriting, filming, editing for social media
– Social media strategy – content calendars, audience engagement
– Photography – product shots, portraits, event coverage
– Creative consulting – helping small businesses build their visual brand

What Problems I Solve
“No one knows my business exists.” I create content that grabs attention and builds trust.
“My videos look cheap.” I bring professional quality without charging agency prices.
“I have a story but don’t know how to tell it.” I shape raw ideas into finished films that move people.

What Sets Me Apart

I have an engineering degree and formal film training from the UK. I think like a problem-solver but create like an artist.
I also remember being broke. So I keep my prices fair. I do not look down on small clients. I was one.
And I tell authentic Ugandan stories — our accents, our struggles, our humor, our real lives. Not copies of Western content.

What I Am Most Proud Of
Not giving up.
There were months with zero income. Relatives asking “when will you get a real job?” Friends laughing. I ate rice and beans until my body ached.

But I kept going. And now Zert Creatives Uganda exists. That is what I am proudest of.

What I Want You to Know
Three things:

One. I started with nothing. Two dollars. Broken laptop. Dark room. If I can build something, so can you.
Two. I care more about your story than your budget. Serious client? I will work with you.
Three. Ugandan stories matter. The world needs our voices.

You do not need permission to start. You just need one small step.
That is how I began. That is how anything worth building gets built.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My mission is to put Ugandan stories on the global map — authentically, professionally, and unapologetically.

I want to build Africa’s next generation of filmmakers and digital storytellers who do not wait for permission from Hollywood or anywhere else. I want small businesses to stop being invisible online. I want every young Ugandan with a camera and a dream to know that starting small does not mean staying small.

The goal is simple: tell real stories, lift others as I rise, and prove that you do not need millions to create something meaningful.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Lesson unlearned: Waiting for permission.

Backstory After graduating, I believed a company had to hire me before I could call myself a professional. Thirty-seven rejections later, I was broke in a dark Kampala room. Then I realized: no one was coming to save me. I did not need a job title to validate my skills. So I wrote a Facebook post and offered my services. No permission. No approval. Just action. That single shift from waiting to be chosen to choosing myself changed everything.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zertessentials/p/B2sKjRLhTzG/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@promotacrje1211
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@zert.essentials

Image Credits

Zert Creatives