Isong:  Why I Quit 7-digit Monthly Job to Build Logistics Empire

 Ferdinand Ekechukwu

In a professional landscape where most practitioners seek the safety of a high-paying corporate ladder, Samuel Isong chose a different path. Having been headhunted for a prestigious talent acquisition role with a foreign firm—a position that promised a monthly seven-figure salary—Isong did the unthinkable: he walked away.  

His reason? A commitment to the local ecosystem and a vision to solve a glaring deficiency in Nigeria’s entertainment value chain.   For Isong, the allure of a massive salary was outweighed by the precarious nature of foreign investments in the local market. He realised that when foreign brands eventually exit, they often leave a void that negatively impacts the local economy.  

“I had to channel my energy into creating something that would immensely impact our people,” Isong says. “These brands can pull out at any time. I wanted to build a structure that belongs here and stays here.”  This realisation led him back to a sector he knew intimately: the entertainment industry. 

However, instead of returning to talent management, he identified a critical, often-overlooked gap—Logistics. Isong’s transition into logistics was not accidental. Having previously managed high-profile stars like Ini Edo and Mr 2Kay, he witnessed firsthand how poor movement coordination could derail a brand’s public image.  

“There is more to entertainment than just creating music and streaming,” Isong explains. “Logistics is a critical part of the value chain. After I resigned from managing talent, I spent time researching, touring, promoting, and business development. I saw that logistics wasn’t being done well, and that was the opportunity.”   

Now at the helm of Ride With Me Logistics, Isong has positioned himself as the industry’s premier problem solver. His philosophy is rooted in the idea that an artist’s perception is their greatest currency. 

In an industry where an artist arriving in a poorly managed vehicle can undermine years of onstage branding, Isong ensures that the unpredictability of the road never affects his clients’ public standing.  

“The idea was simple,” he notes. “Even if an artist cannot afford a luxury car at that moment, I make sure they feel confident, properly represented, and that the logistics are seamless. We protect the image while we move the person.”