Meet Uza Amadi | Founder & Creative Director

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

Hi Uza, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started my business out of a desire for more for myself and everyone around me. I was a sophomore in college at the time, majoring in marketing and I had every intention of getting a 9-5 job doing fashion marketing in NYC after graduation. At the time, a few of my friends were small business owners and would often come to me for advice on everything from their brand visuals to social media marketing to actual business operations because they trusted my opinion, but also valued my creative eye and ability to think critically and with an open mind. And I loved helping them. I loved knowing that I was propelling their visions to higher heights and playing a small role in making their big goals not only possible but within reach.

Towards the end of 2019, I started to feel uncomfortable with everything in my life, like something big was missing. I was restless with my day-to-day and I knew I wanted more. I wanted to feel passionate about something. I wanted something that felt like me and belonged to me. During a random late-night phone call with a friend who was about to launch a clothing brand, we were discussing his rollout and I realized that the actual problem was that he didn’t have a brand, he just had a business. During that phone call, a lightbulb went off and I knew I had found my calling – I would be a brand consultant for small businesses. I knew it was a lucrative business idea because I saw a need for it, I had already been doing it for free. But imposter syndrome came knocking and I was terrified of failing so I put the idea on the shelf for now.

Then 2020 came along and I had a choice between 3 dream internships, one of them being my dream position at a fashion PR consulting firm in NYC. Then COVID hit and everything was canceled. I was devastated. I felt lost, angry, and confused. It felt like I had no direction.

Fast forward to April 2020, a few weeks of quarantine and random hobbies later, one night I remembered my business idea. After a few “what ifs” and “what’s the worst that can happen” I opened my laptop and started what was formerly known as UZ Consults. My clients at the beginning were mainly people I knew personally, but I never let that affect the quality of work and customer service. At that time, my services were very broad, from social media management for a beauty brand and a real estate agent to brand design for a food blog to retainer marketing and creative direction consulting for a clothing brand. I made sure to give every single project my all, and it was clear in the client results and their feedback.

Finally, I launched my business on Instagram and inquiries started pouring in. Most of them came from social media, but a good amount was from referrals from past clients. In 2021, my business took off. We rebranded and became UZ STUDIO. Officially shifting away from a one-woman show. Last year, I worked with 20+ businesses to build an unforgettable brand experience. This year we’re on track to scaling to a six-figure revenue.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I started drawing when I was 5 years old, then eventually picked up a paintbrush so I am an artist first. My huge imagination drives everything I do and keeps me inspired. When the most fun place to be is inside your head, you start experiencing life in peculiar ways.

I started my business in the middle of attending college and it altered every single aspect of my experience. I would stay up for days in a row because I had client deadlines and business papers and presentations due the same day. I would sit in classes while designing brands for clients, and I even had to skip a few to make sure that I didn’t let my clients down, all of this while still being able to graduate with my marketing degree in 3.5 years. On top of everything, I was an Honors student so my coursework was more rigorous than normal. However, the most challenging part for me was the personal sacrifices I had to make. There were so many nights when I had to (and still have to!) miss out on outings with friends because I had a giant to-do list to work through, I worked on holidays, missed family gatherings, and even had some relationships suffer because I couldn’t balance a college career, a growing business, and a social life at the age of 20-21. I had to be incredibly disciplined at the time in my life when I was expected not to be, and I’m so grateful that I trusted the process and stuck to my path no matter how tempting it was to step off. Those decisions are what allowed me to lead the studio and team that I do today.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned in my entrepreneurial journey so far is to do it your way. This applies to your personal life and business operations. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you do it in a way that feels good and authentic to you and your values. It’s easy to get caught up in industry standards or let imposter syndrome take its toll, and when that happens, acknowledge it, and then move on. Remind yourself of your why and keep pushing forward. Your people, the ones who truly value your point of view and expertise will see you for who you are and connect with you.

UZ STUDIO is a brand development and experience design studio specializing in timeless, and intentional strategic design. We partner with modern, mission-driven brands worldwide to craft innovative creative solutions that tell your story, facilitate a deep connection with your dream customers, and grow with you and your business. At UZ, we focus on creating experiences around our client’s brands that go beyond the internet and into the physical world. Through innovative creative direction, branding, websites, packaging, and copywriting, we help our clients create impactful, noteworthy brand experiences that their audience can’t get enough of.

I wanted to build a studio that makes modern entrepreneurs feel seen and heard. A space where no dream is too big and no vision impossible to execute.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my family and close friends. To my people, my village. They are the ones who continue to inspire, support, and encourage me. I am so grateful to every single person who has poured into me in any way since I started my business on this journey. Your support means the world to me. Thank you for all you’ve done and continue to do. I hope I can make you proud.

Website: www.uzstudio.co

Instagram: www.instagram.com/uzstudio.co

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/uz-studio