Meet Isaiah Mcswain

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

Isaiah, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

At first, I didn’t know I was dealing with imposter syndrome. I simply wanted to show up in select, if not all, spaces in an acceptable manner. This was more prevalent in my life during high school.

During undergrad, I started to find a sense of being and self love. I was able to show up in my professional spaces with inner calm. I had been through what seemed like endless challenges up until that point, even throughout college. I found an inner center that feeds me in my learning phases and interactions.

We all go through a learning process and have to find an inner center to fail forward. I overcame imposter syndrome over time by simply loving myself in every phase.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I have been in the marketing & advertising industry for 6 years. I’ve worked on global accounts and strategic campaigns for DTC & B2B accounts. Since being in the industry I have made strides to get more involved, serving on the board of AMA Houston & African American Marketing Association. Over the past year, I have worked for the largest media company in the world, Hearst Media, on two strategic teams.

I have a passion for media and the way it can shape our society. This passion led me to advertising and the art of advertising. I frequently throw myself in think tanks for campaigns and data strategies for cross channel campaigns. I bring this passion to each client account and the campaigns we create. I want to help my clients shape their brand image and drive business results with advertising. This practice also aims to community build with their audience growing their retention & revenue.

I decided to open Zayam Design back in 2020 after doing communication specific roles in college and serving as the PRCC DECA president in 2019. The first run of business was a learning experience from taking on graphic design projects to email marketing campaigns; I wanted Zayam Design to do it all. I have since re-opened after a year in corporate and a few months in an impecunious marketing director role.

Zayam Design now specializes in media buying and advertising for 6-7 figure clients, while still serving our small business community. We have started to grow our client base with the desire to sign more! I have brought my retention building strategies to my client accounts enabling them to rethink business growth.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

My journey is just starting and thus far it’s been filled with life altering lessons. I have seen and experienced what some would consider “a lot”. I have had my moments where I felt weak and needed a break. It’s life and what works for me won’t always work for the next person.

I do however unconsciously practice gratitude, remaining focused, and being open minded. I find that I have a rather unique perspective of life & the mosaic that is our experience in life.

Remaining focused has allowed me to simply go through my journey thus far toward goals that made sense. I’ve found myself feeling diverted from long term goals I had set, but remaining focused allowed me to find new opportunities to achieve them. I wasn’t raised with any extravagant experiences or even new toys, clothes, and shoes most years. We simply had what we needed. That in turn has made me grateful for the things I’ve provided myself thus far. To be under 25 and championing a path uncalled or certain requires a sense of gratitude for the chase.

All three areas of belief have made me a more empathetic strategist for my clients. I understand the desire to grow & serve. I am also resourceful and craft data driven strategies to truly drive business results no matter the noise.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

Zayam Design is a growing media buying and advertising agency that aims to service all businesses. We primarily find our most success with clients who can spend as low as $5k a month on advertising.

ZD does what to take a step into the entertainment & cannabis client space. We hope to have an account of each category over 2025.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Oladipupo Olafuyi
Jerrell Trulove

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