Meet Samad Davis | Serial Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Samad Davis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Samad, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I’ve been an Entrepreneur all my life. I had to make peace with taking risks and starring into the unknown a long time ago. In my early days I would just jump out the plane and hope I landed softly, but now I am much more calculated. My father says it’s like “Being a hire wire act with no safety net!” You get nowhere in life without stepping out on faith and taking risks that others are too afraid to take. Think about it. We would not be able to catch a flight, if the “Wright Brothers” didn’t risks their lives trying to figure out how to get mankind to fly. I could go down the list of inventors and entrepreneurs who changed the world off the back of the personal risks they took. I believe I am sitting in a unique position in my career based on the risks I’ve taken and the failures I’ve had along the way. It gives me a different level of confidence, because through my failures in life I discovered my super powers.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am an entrepreneur through and through. It’s all I know. Before I ever stepped foot into film school back in 1997 I was already in business. I owned a successful barbershop in my community, real estate, (buying fixing, selling and holding) and I also owned two restaurants; one in Newark, New Jersey and one in Harlem, New York (125th Street). All of my experience in business prepared me to deal with people from all walks of life which is a must if your going to create and produce film and television content. I went to film school after watching a colleague of mine successfully complete it. He told me how much of a great experience it was for him. At that time I wasn’t feeling fulfilled and I was ready for my next chapter in life. When I stepped in to film school (Film Video and Arts NYC) I felt so alive and excited. I wanted to learn every aspect of the process. As an entrepreneur I had a natural talent for making something of out nothing. All I needed to know and fully understand were the rules of engagement. The “Dos and Don’ts.” I haven’t looked back since. Being an Entrepreneur sets me apart form other people in the film and television space. My mindset is and has always been geared towards ownership. Since I put my first project out in 1998 I have kept my same business model ever since; owning my Intellectual Property “IP!’ This is why I advocate for creatives to stop using the word “Filmmaker” to describe themselves and start seeing themselves as “Content Producers.” Filmmakers are typically just worried about being creative and not so much on the business. How to not only recoup the investment used to pay for the creative, but to also make a profit. A “Content Producer” should have more of a business mindset. A mindset geared towards sustainability, meaning creativity + Investment + Execution = Profitability. This is how investors start taking independent creatives seriously. Whats sets me apart is my mindset. My level of focus. My belief in my creative vision and business model. My consistency.. My understanding of the power of great relationships; how to establish and nurture them. My ability to understand both the creative process and business globally. I’ve had my share of challenges. I always had a gift for being ahead of the curve, however it’s a gift and a curse. A gift because you see the wave miles away (others don’t typically see that far) and a curse because since others don’t see what you see, it’s sometimes harder to galvanize people to join hands. Sometimes your left with having to go in alone and that makes things that much harder. I used to find myself having to wait for the industry to catch up. The good thing is, if you can weather the storm, when the industry finally does catch up, nine times out of ten, you would get the call. You get the call because they know you have experience vs their new attempt. The lesson is to always stand steadfast in your well thought through beliefs even if others can’t see what you clearly see. Don’t take it personal, just continue to go slow as fast as you can. I’m excited about the future. The entertainment industry is only alive right now due to entrepreneurship. People who are out there paving the way so much so that these corporate giants have no choice but to partner with the small guys/gals who are moving mountains on their own. Its an Entrepreneurs market! Content is King!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them to lots of outdoor places filled with activities, like Stone Mountain (Actual mountain), the Beltline, Piedmont Park, Serenbe Farms. Lake Lanier, GA Aquarium etc Then I would try all kinds of new restaurants with them including all of the new cool vegan options in ATL metro. I would be sure to also catch up with some of super fun friends like George Pierre @gpierre722 (one of Georgia’s top Hollywood Casting Directors) my buddy Michael Gould @mikebless, my sister Chanita Foster @chanitafoster and Tanya Sam @itstanyatime to name a few exciting great people I know.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shout out to my Parents, Gail & Ousmane!!! They’ve done so much for me to get me to where I am today, both consciously and unconsciously. I owe them the world and some extra planets!

Website: www.ergodistro.com

Instagram: @samaddavis

Linkedin: Samad Davis

Twitter: @samaddavis

Facebook: Samad Davis