Spanning over two decades, the journey of Olwyn Jo and Sam Dalli, Co-Founders of the 360-degree agency tribe. – taking them from the high-pressure editing rooms of Malta’s iconic Xarabank to leading a multidisciplinary agency – is a testament to resilience, strategic vision, and an unwavering commitment to storytelling.

As we sit down for our chat, it quickly becomes clear that the bedrock of tribe.’s success lies in a creative partnership that has been stress-tested by decades of live television.

“We worked on Xarabank together as editors, and our work always complemented each other,” Olwyn Jo recalls. “We faced immense pressure for the Friday evening broadcasts, and it was through that tension and motivation that we built our relationship.”

“The concept behind the name tribe. is exactly that: a collective of people working towards the same goal,” explains Sam. “As individuals, we could only get so far, but as a team, we knew we could elevate the quality and scale of the projects we were taking on.”

Initially, their business model relied on a small core team supported by a wider pool of freelancers. However, the founders soon realised that to maintain their exacting standards, they needed to bring talent in-house. “We put a lot of heart into what we do,” Sam notes. “Having an internal team ensures a continuity of mentality and quality that is difficult to replicate otherwise.”

Today, tribe. has transcended traditional television production, positioning itself as a 360-degree agency offering marketing, branding, and communications alongside its audiovisual work.

Revealing the strategy behind this, Sam explains, “we felt that there was a severe gap in the market for companies offering a truly holistic service to the audiovisual industry. Usually, you find companies working in silos on different parts of a project, and when you try to integrate those services, the end result can suffer. Because we understand exactly the impact an advert needs to have on an audience, having a multidisciplinary team allows us to apply our television expertise to much broader sectors.”

Of course, balancing this diverse portfolio of corporate clients with the time-intensive undertaking of producing primetime television requires rigorous capacity management. “We don’t just accept work for the sake of taking it on,” Olwyn Jo asserts. “We evaluate our capacity and aren't afraid to turn down projects if we lack the necessary time or energy in a given period. That is how we ensure our quality never drops.”

A shining example of their broadcast prowess is their execution of Come Dine With Me Malta (produced by tribe., with the local licence held by Generation Media).

Certainly, adapting a globally recognised entertainment format for a nuanced local audience comes with unique pressures. “In the first year, people didn't quite know the format, so finding participants was challenging. Now, the feedback is overwhelmingly positive, and we have a huge number of applicants,” Olwyn Jo smiles.

Behind the scenes, tribe. is constantly refining its output. “The leap in quality between season one and season two was enormous,” Sam adds. “From a business perspective, we don't always chase the most financially profitable work. We prefer projects that leverage our capabilities and raise local standards – projects we truly believe in.”

Beyond international franchises, tribe. is also deeply committed to its original intellectual properties, most notably the children’s programme Żiżi. Born out of the 2020 pandemic lockdowns, the show fills a critical gap in local programming.

“We looked at the content available online for children and realised there was a massive lack of Maltese language content; children were primarily exposed to American and British characters,” Sam explains.

“We started this project to create high-quality Maltese content,” adds Olwyn Jo. “It was less about profit and more of a personal investment. Seeing the results – hearing from parents that their children are learning Maltese from Żiżi through our music and videos – has been incredibly rewarding.”

Indeed, their journey from editors to founders has been steep, and it is one that is reflected in their entrepreneurship-focused podcast, Unboxed. By interviewing local founders, they have found profound parallels with their own experiences.

“We didn't become entrepreneurs by reading books; we learned by making our own mistakes along the way,” Olwyn Jo reflects. “Through the podcast, we wanted to see how other businesses faced their difficulties, and the similarities are striking. The greatest lesson is that, no matter where you start, what matters is heart, dedication, and how you face problems.”

Sam echoes this sentiment: “We wanted to show the real side of success – the story behind the scenes. When you hear how people have recovered from massive threats and challenges, you truly appreciate the importance of resilience.”

This resilience is perhaps best showcased during L-Istrina, Malta’s most high-stakes live broadcast and largest charity fundraising event. Having been involved since their Xarabank days, tribe. provides critical support in direction, production, and campaign strategy.

“It brings a massive level of responsibility,” says Olwyn Jo. “It requires months of planning, presenting to boards, and collaborating with multiple entities. The day itself is over 12 hours of live television where you are managing every single detail, from personal stories to presenter logistics. The pressure is immense because, ultimately, the goal is to raise the necessary funds for those in need.”

Meawhile, having been at the forefront of Maltese broadcasting for over 25 years, the founders are acutely aware of shifting industry tides. The rise of streaming and social media has fundamentally altered audience behaviour.

“Television hasn't dropped in quality, but viewers have shifted to online platforms where they control what and when they watch. Furthermore, technologies like Artificial Intelligence are only a threat if you refuse to change your mentality. Rather than fighting new systems, we must embrace them to become more productive,” Sam maintains.

To this end, he views local culture as a unique advantage. “The Maltese language and culture have always offered us a certain protection from foreign giants. The biggest opportunity today is using digital platforms not just to dominate the local market, but to export our homegrown IP to wider audiences.”

Looking ahead, tribe. shows no signs of slowing down. “We are guided by a 2030 roadmap,” Sam reveals. “Our ultimate goal is to have produced over 2,000 stories across television and other media by then. We want to continue growing IPs like Żiżi, invest further in our team and studio infrastructure, and ultimately explore internationalisation – creating Maltese IP with the express purpose of breaking out of the local market.”