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

Ziyaad, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Working in the creative industries was something I never thought of until I found myself there. Growing up in a disadvantaged neighbourhood — without access to mentorship, arts programming, or career pathways — we were raised to pursue more “practical” aspirations. Despite a lifelong love for entertainment media, I only viewed movies, music, and comic books as pastimes.

However, in university, I purchased a DSLR for $300, and started making videos with it. When people started asking me to help them with theirs, particularly for free, I realized I was providing value. The desire to learn more about videography, photography, filmmaking and beyond, felt more natural than reading textbooks. I then made the connection: I was only uninspired because I wasn’t in an environment where my dreams were possible. So I set out to level the playing field for people like me.

Ziyaad, 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?

I just made up the titles “Digital Storyteller & Creative Director” because they’re roles that are up to interpretation! In short, I help creative people do creative things.

I work both as a creative entrepreneur and helm a creative collective alongside my friends, Storied. We aim to create story-first art; if we use your personal narrative as our North Star, our collaborative work is unique, and in turn, incomparable to others.

Alongside my creative partner Tausif, we assemble teams to tackle anything from visual campaigns, photography, design, digital experiences, creative strategy, and everything in between. Our wide professional backgrounds conditioned us to become creative problem-solvers, allowing collaborators to mitigate risks when asking us to bring their ideas to life.

Our progress so far is through a small community we’ve cultivated. We haven’t been blessed by some seal of approval from higher-ups, we don’t come from backgrounds that were conducive to our entrepreneurial journies. This has all been elbow grease and patience. However, with that persistent obstacle in mind, our goal is to open doors for others. While roadblocks have been persistent in our careers, especially operating out of a city with a low ceiling for growth, we strive to make the pathways of others like us easier.

For the first 2 years of creative freelancing, I only made $150. The industry is known to ask us to pay our dues. Instead, we remind the gatekeepers that the pay is due! One of our favourite things is paying invoices numbered #001. It reassures us that we’re making a difference in the industry.

My community and I are making more of a name for ourselves. Collaborators looking to work alongside us would join fan favourites including Warner Music Group, Just For Laughs, Sony Music, Hasan Minhaj, and Pomp&Clout.

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

Don’t take things TOO personally.

As an emerging creative, especially in my early days, I liked to think of myself as intentional; I always approached my actions and decisions methodically. However, when everyone is racing towards their goals, the tunnel vision often blinds us from the scope of circumstances.

In my second year of freelancing, a collaborator set me up to do similar work for someone considered to be at the top of the industry. However, after being onboarded 2 hours before the deadline, we learned there was a misalignment between what the industry giant needed and what I could offer. Trying to remedy the situation for both myself and the person who said I could provide that service, I worked tirelessly, only to be berated in emails every 3 to 5 minutes.

It was a burden of an experience for a long time. It took a couple of years of observation in the industry to reframe my mindset: everyone is in pursuit of their best interests, and oftentimes, it doesn’t nurture the aspirations of others. But this is a moment that reminds us to treat others as we want to be treated, especially as we become a better-known entity.

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

I’ve reluctantly become a leader. And there’s no way to learn how to be better without doing it and failing. I don’t want to put anyone through that though! So I try to prepare for any possibility by learning from others who have to make decisions that impact others and their livelihoods.

I’d recommend:

Phil Jackson’s Eleven Rings – For those who want to lead with patience
Bob Iger’s The Ride of a Lifetime – For those who want to lead with creativity
Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act – For those who want creativity to lead them

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ziyaadhaniff.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ziyaadhaniff/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziyaad-haniff-44533120b/

Image Credits
The names of the photographers are also attributed to the appropriate file names: Marifei Cabansag and Abynaya Kousikan