Tagline
It pays to advertise: An Egyptian-English media entrepreneur walks us through his personal and professional journey.
Bio for Omar Hamdi
Omar Hamdi is a media entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of Pathos Communications. He has over a decade’s experience in the media as a TV host, writer, producer and advisor to various governments including in the US, UK and around the world. He has contributed to four books, two of which were shortlisted for Times Book of the Year.
Omar was born in the UK to Egyptian parents. He turned down a university placement at Accenture to be an entrepreneur. He now manages a team located in 3 countries comprising 10-15 different nationalities and 20+ different cultural backgrounds.
Episode highlight
Omar Hamdi’s insatiable curiosity about people and how and why they do things the way they do, led him to a lifetime of continuous learning from, with and about people and their experiences in the world.
Links
- Email: omar@pathoscommunications.co.uk
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pathos-communication-london/
- Website: payonresultspr.com
Quotes
- “I like to believe that more or less we are masters of our own destiny.”
- “I’m not afraid to be silly, but I’m also not afraid to be deep.”
- “Religion has been reduced to almost a tribal identity which is tragic because it’s meant to be the most transcendental universal thing.”
- “This religious-culture interaction can actually be beautiful when religion infuses and enriches what was already there.”
- “A lot of the time, it’s culture messing up the religion rather than religion affecting the culture.”
- “When different things come together, you can end up with something stronger.”
Takeaways
Childhood Incidents
For many years, Omar was the only non-white pupil at school. However, being different from others made him a free thinker, which paved his way to entrepreneurship. “That feeling of not belonging can be a strength”, he notes.
His parents always had high expectations of him, which he has taken upon himself into adulthood as well. His brother passed away when Omar was 8, after which he spent a lot of time by himself in his own world, which he hopes he is channeling into a good vision to share with the world now.
Influential groups
Being British has imparted Omar with “a slight sense of directness and maybe just a touch of cynicism”. His Egyptian heritage has influenced his sense of humour, which he uses as a communication tool.
Growing up in mid-sized Cardiff has given him ease in chatting with strangers, but spending 10 years in London has given him an edge. He was very interested in philosophy growing up and is not afraid to have deep conversations. He laments that society today lacks existential literacy.
Intention is an important concept in the Muslim tradition he was raised with, and he strives to incorporate meaning and purpose into his work as an entrepreneur. Working with others from different backgrounds encourages him to be consultative and learn from their experiences.
Temperament and Personality Influences
Omar is naturally very passionate and intense, always means what he says and deeply cares about things. He also loves a good challenge. However, he has learned to balance that out with stoicism and coolness when needed. “That can also be a superpower – when you are in a pressure situation, to… remove yourself from the situation and be selfless about it”, he remarks.
Cultural Epiphanies
Growing up in a household without alcohol, Omar can’t imagine how others watch their parents drunk! The UK has a strong drinking culture but he does not feel pressured to participate in it.
Advice to an Employer
Others sharing his vision is what brings out the best in Omar, and he finds it hard to connect with people who don’t have a vision of the future. He also only works with people he truly believes in.
More Great Insights!
“Having media on your side makes everything easier”, Omar says and encourages business owners to develop their relationship with the media. Of the many options available, consider Omar’s firm, which only accepts payments once clients have experienced results! Check out www.payonresultspr.com!
Extro
Omar Hamdi is a media personality turned entrepreneur who runs a multinational communications company, Pathos Communications. They specialize in getting people published in major publications around the world to increase reach and credibility, with a business model of paying after they get the results.
