Bio for Omar Hamdi
Omar Hamdi is a media entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of Pathos Communications. He has contributed to four books, two of which were shortlisted for Time Magazine’s Book of the Year.
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.
Links
Email: omar@pathoscommunications.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pathos-communication-london/
Website: https://payonresultspr.com/
Quotes
“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 his school. However, being different from others made him a free thinker, which helped paved his way to entrepreneurship.
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 eight, after which he spent a lot of time by himself in “his own world,” which he hopes he is channelling into a good vision to share with the humanity today.
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 the Welsh capital of Cardiff, a mid-sized city in the UK, Omar learned to chat with strangers easily; however, spending 10 years in London gave him an edge he previously lacked.
Intention is an important concept in the Muslim tradition 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.
Cultural Epiphanies
Growing up in a household without alcohol, Omar can’t imagine how others watch their parents become 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 — whether or not he agrees with it — 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.