The secret strategy that helped an Indonesian grad land a job with Ali Abdaal, the world’s no.1 productivity expert

“Becky Isjwara ’s journey to becoming Head of YouTube for Ali Abdaal, a doctor turned entrepreneur and author with over eight million followers on social media, began with a rejection. Becky had applied to be his YouTube producer, but didn’t get the role. Instead of letting it slide, she replied to the rejection email, thanking them for the response and casually adding, “If you’re ever in Hong Kong, let’s grab coffee.” That small gesture unexpectedly opened a door. The team later responded, mentioning that a writer role would soon open and that her profile would be a good fit. They told her this around 1 p.m. Coincidentally, Becky had a work dinner that same evening tied to an event where Ali was speaking — in Hong Kong. She arrived late, around 7:30 p.m., just as the talk was ending, basically bee-lined straight to him and said, “Hey, I’m Becky. I heard from your team member that you’re looking for a writer. I worked on your friend’s online writing course, and I’m a Hong Kong permanent resident, so I don’t need a visa.” “I crammed all my credentials into about five sentences.” Becky grew up in an entrepreneurial family, with parents who encouraged her to study business or economics. Source: Becky Isjwara Building a creative career Born and raised in Indonesia, Becky moved to Hong Kong at 18 to attend university and has lived there for about 11 years. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Global Business and Finance with a minor in Humanities (Literature) from the Business School at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). After graduation, she worked as a financial and banking reporter for about five years before moving into content marketing at a bank. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Becky discovered Ali Abdaal’s videos. At the time, he was sharing advice on productivity as well as tips on starting and growing a YouTube channel. Inspired by his approach, she decided to launch her own channel about urban sketching around Hong Kong. She followed his advice to publish one video every week, believing that consistent effort over two to three years could change her life. “Around 2022, I was doing YouTube alongside my day job,” Becky says. “I would work during the day, then during lunch breaks or in the evenings, I’d go out and film my videos. That’s what I did for about a year while my channel was running.” Alongside YouTube, Becky built a newsletter and a podcast. The podcast grew from conversations with her co-host, who also worked with Ali Abdaal. Their goal was to guide people creating content part-time, alongside their day jobs, and still experience meaningful growth. “We create resources like a ‘YouTuber Starter Kit’ — covering cameras, skills, apps, editing software, and so on,” she says. “On the podcast side, it’s helpful because I’m also on YouTube and Substack, taking analytics seriously and tweaking content as needed.” Becky joined Ali Abdaal’s (left) team in March 2025 and hasn’t looked back since. Source: Becky Isjwara She walked into his talk and walked out with her dream job All that work paid off. At the talk, Ali was impressed by her initiative and invited her for an interview and assessments. “When Ali first reviewed my application, he looked at my YouTube and said, ‘Wow, you’ve been creating content online consistently for three years.’ I told him, ‘Yeah, that’s my portfolio.’ That really gave me an edge — it was evidence that I take content seriously,” Becky says. Becky won the role. Three weeks into the job, Ali realised he needed someone on the ground in Hong Kong to run the YouTube channel — he had no one locally based there — and he wanted Becky to do it. Although Becky had little prior experience on YouTube, she seized the opportunity and began learning quickly. This transition from writer to channel lead set the stage for her daily responsibilities. She spends considerable time brainstorming and researching video ideas, refining concepts into scripts, mock titles, and thumbnails. On filming days, she manages the setup, including lights, cameras, and audio, while Ali focuses on preparing the content himself. “While Ali does that, I’ll work with the editors, coordinating publishing dates and liaising with sponsors,” she says. “I handle sponsor integrations — I write the sponsor scripts, and Ali reads through them line by line. I also ensure the video is published on a regular cadence.” Becky oversees both the content and business aspects of Ali Abdaal’s YouTube channel, managing the platform as a whole. Source: Becky Isjwara The trick that gets you noticed fast If you want to become a YouTube producer in the next 12 months, Becky has clear advice. She says the fastest way in is to get hands-on experience with someone already making content. Even part-time or freelance work can teach more than a full-time classroom ever could. “You can say, like, ‘Oh, if you ever want a YouTube video, just call me, and I’ll show up at your door,’” she says. “I’ll learn how to use your cameras. If you want help with the script, I’ll do it in between times. That’s such an easy way to get into the industry.” When there’s no local YouTuber for you to work with, putting yourself out there online can open doors. Creating a sample edit of someone’s video and sending it directly to them is an effective way to stand out. Many people assume messages get ignored, but Becky believes a well-targeted, personalised approach will get noticed, often by the team if not the creator themselves. “One of the video applications we got when looking for an editor was from someone who posted the video publicly on LinkedIn and tagged five members of Ali’s team,” she says. “That’s basically a guaranteed view. There are ways to get around the usual barriers.”

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