By all accounts, Ramis Ansari CA was following the classic chartered accountant path. He wore the suit, showed up on time at a top 10 accounting firm and excelled at crunching numbers for other businesses – everything a young professional in the financial world is expected to do. 

“I was always fascinated by the idea of business and that’s why I chose accounting,” Ansari recalls. “It’s one of those pathways that gives you insight into business and all the different types of industries, depending on the clients you pick up at the practice.”

Growing up in a business-oriented household, Ansari was surrounded by entrepreneurs – his father, uncles and relatives – each immersed in multiple businesses. The dinner table often doubled as a mini boardroom, where balance sheets and growth strategies were casually discussed over biryani.

“It was really cool for me to learn about a business from the back end, see how they operate, how they grow and then be an integral part, as an accountant, in helping them achieve their goals and visions,” says Ansari. 

Ansari spent nearly seven years in the accounting field, beginning in the second year of university when he joined Astute Partners, a firm he remained with for five years. He later transitioned to Bentleys, a top 10 accounting firm, then Scendar – a firm for startups, and remained there for about a year, before moving away from the profession.  

“I fell in love with how an idea in your head could turn into something that made people laugh or smile.”

The TikTok sensation

In 2019, while at Astute Partners, Ansari attended a business conference in Sydney. He went on behalf of the firm, expecting a day of presentations and networking. Instead, he got Gary Vaynerchuk.

The celebrity entrepreneur’s keynote wasn’t about finance or business strategy – his topic was curiosity. “He kept emphasising the importance of being curious in everything you do because you never know when it might lead to discovering a new passion,” says Ansari. 

“That resonated well with me because, up until that point, I had only pursued what I thought I was good at, because in school I was good with numbers and decided to go for accounting as that was familiar.” 

Ansari recalls ‘Gary Vee’ couldn’t stop talking about TikTok. 

At the time, TikTok was still a fledgling short-form video platform known more for lip-syncing teens than creative professionals. But Ansari, sparked by that conference, decided to give it a shot. He uploaded a light-hearted skit about Australian life – and he loved the process.

“I fell in love with how an idea in your head could turn into something that made people laugh or smile,” Ansari says. “It starts from ‘I have an idea’, to creating it into a video, and then you also get that fulfilment of seeing how people react to it. They’re enjoying it, they’re laughing at it, they’re liking it. So that’s kind of where it all started.”

Ansari continued posting content while working full-time as a CA. For nearly three years, he juggled dual identities – adviser by day and content creator by night. “I was editing videos until 2am, then waking up for my nine-to-five,” he says. 

Ansari’s audience kept growing. Videos went semi-viral. Brands started reaching out. His content attracted the South Asian diaspora from Australia, the UK and the US. Slowly but surely his creative side hustle began to look a lot more like a career.

“I completed my CA in 2021 while I was still making videos,” he says. “I never thought it would be serious enough to kind of push me into the place that I’m in now, but I am very grateful for that.”

The accounting advantage

When most people think of content creators, they think of creativity – not spreadsheets. But Ansari is quick to explain how his accounting background became his most significant competitive edge.

“I don’t have a management agency because I can negotiate brand deals myself. I understand contracts. I know how to communicate effectively via email. I speak the language of business,” he says.

This professionalism has made him a favourite among brand partners. “Most companies assume creators just care about views and likes. But I’m able to talk to them about ROI, marketing budgets and business goals because of which they enjoy working with me,” he explains.

He’s also candid about the downsides. “Sometimes being a CA means I try to perfect everything. It’s hard to let go. Like, why would I hire an accountant when I am one?” he jokes. 

Eventually, he built a team to help him with admin, video editing and logistics, so he was able to also focus on creativity.

Content creation was just the beginning. In 2021, Ansari launched Alag by Ansari, a contemporary South Asian fashion label designed for diaspora youth. The word alag means ‘different’ in Urdu, reflecting the brand’s mission – to bring a fresh, modern take to traditional South Asian wear.

This move wasn’t just about fashion – it was also a strategic business decision. By 2021, two years into his content journey and with about 70,000 followers, Ansari recognised the potential to monetise his growing audience in a meaningful way.

“I think the accountant in me saw the opportunity and thought, ‘Alright, grab it – let’s do something with it’,” he says. “I spent a lot of time thinking about what kind of product or service I could offer that wouldn’t just sell, but actually provide value.”

The idea for Alag came from his own experience. Ansari often received messages and comments about the traditional Pakistani outfits he wore to weddings – pieces that were usually custom-made in Pakistan and sent over by family.

“There was such a gap here in Australia,” he explains. “South Asian wear wasn’t accessible or modernised. The options felt outdated or overpriced, and nothing really catered to younger generations.”

What began as a few custom pieces for himself quickly evolved into a fully-fledged label – Alag by Ansari. Here too, Ansari credits accounting for his strong foundation.

“The financial side – budgeting, cost control, forecasting – it was second nature,” he says, “but I also knew how to build processes, lead a team, scale sustainably and not overextend.”

The long leap

Ansari’s decision to leave his secure corporate accounting job was not made lightly. For years, content creation and business development were side ventures, fitting around his full-time career.

“The volatility of creative work scares me,” Ansari reflects. “Accounting was stable, especially in Australia, where platforms like TikTok weren’t monetised.”

But as his online presence and entrepreneurial ambitions grew, Ansari faced a turning point. The success of his side projects started to outweigh the security of his day job. “I realised I was juggling two roles, but only one was fulfilling me. That’s when I decided to take the leap.”

Today, Ansari has found success across multiple platforms. He generates revenue from YouTube, brand partnerships and his fashion label.

“In four years, we’ve released over 10 collections and shipped to over 20 countries. While 70% of our customers are in Australia, we’re also seeing strong international demand, particularly from the US.”

In addition to his fashion brand, Ansari is a popular event MC, often booked to host weddings, corporate events and prestigious gatherings across the country. 

One of his most viral moments came from a collaboration with Pakistani actress Maya Ali. “We first met while working together on a charity event tour across Australia,” he says. “We spent three weeks travelling that led to an incredible friendship and eventually, we filmed a video together, which went viral.”

As Ansari’s popularity continues to grow in the creative industry, he recognises the importance of reputation and collaboration. “Once you build a solid reputation as someone who’s easy to work with, others naturally want to collaborate with you.”

Breaking traditions

Unlike some in the South Asian community, who may face resistance when pursuing creative careers, Ansari was fortunate to have the full support of his family.

“They could see my passion for content creation and knew that if I put my mind to something, I would give it my all,” Ansari says. “I don’t have the typical desi story – no one threw a juti [traditional footwear] at me or told me to stop, in fact, they were fully supportive.”

That encouragement helped Ansari embrace risk and chart a path few accountants would consider. 

“I was curious enough to do something new and it just led me to discover a new passion and a new career path,” Ansari says. “Sometimes, trying something new can reveal a passion you didn’t even know you had.”

Although his days are far from the traditional nine-to-five, he finds the work more rewarding than ever. “I was up editing a YouTube video until 3am last night, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

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An advocate for accounting

Ramis Ansari CA credits his background in accounting with giving him a broad perspective on building a financially sustainable business early on. “Accounting opened my eyes in the sense that you don’t get pigeonholed or confined to just one area,” he says. 

Collaborating with clients across industries – from trades, real estate, retail to software startups – gave Ansari valuable insight into how different businesses operate. “When I stepped into content creation, I already had a sense of how to approach it strategically and monetise it more effectively.”

Although he no longer practises accounting, Ansari says the skills he developed during that time are still incredibly useful in his entrepreneurial journey. “I don’t think I would have had the confidence to build businesses if I didn’t have the background in accounting.”