The Passionate Few

Hosted by Omar Elattar

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206

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Oct 2026

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About the show

"The Passionate Few" is an interview series hosted by Omar Elattar, as he digs into the minds & lives of some of the most prolific figures in life, business & sports! to discuss all things passion, purpose & profit. Checkout any episode & you'll be sure to be inspired!

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October 18, 20261 hr 22 min

Give Me 82 Minutes & I'll Make You Dangerously Smart With Al! (10,000+ Hours Of Business Research)

💼 Grow Your Business w/ GoHighLevel? Get Your FREE 30-Day Trial NOW: https://www.gohighlevel.com/passionate/?fp_ref=omar-elattar-productions39 ✈️ Entrepreneurs & Executives - Ready to fly private or explore full-service aircraft management with HAVEN ASG? ✅ Book A Risk-FREE Call Now: https://havenasg.com/contact/ ✅ Want To Be Interviewed On This Podcast? → https://forms.gle/vS5X5cPdV1i2nMo79 In this episode, we sit down with Igor Pogany — AI educator, founder of The AI Advantage, and the man behind some of the world's most-watched AI tutorials on YouTube. Igor opened his channel the same week ChatGPT launched, grew a video from 90 views to over 5 million, and now teaches 65,000 learners a month how to use AI in their business. He also co-hosted an AI summit with Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi that reached 600,000+ people. He opens up about growing up with a single mother in Slovakia, moving countries at 8 without the language, and the obsession that cost him a relationship. He also breaks down the three levels of AI, why most people jump to agents too soon, and how he published a full YouTube video using an AI clone while recovering from tonsil surgery. 💬 What We Cover: • Moving to Austria at 8 without the language and what that taught him about learning • Pirating Photoshop at 16 and becoming a freelance videographer at 20 • Teaching himself Python and blockchain when COVID wiped out all his client work • The ChatGPT video that went from 90 views to 5 million and hit Google's front page • Going all in after the viral video: book, course, community, newsletter • The obsession that cost him a past relationship • 65,000 learners a month at $38/month with a $1 first month trial • The three levels of AI: answering questions, working with you, working for you • Why jumping straight to agents is the biggest mistake most people make • Why Claude beats ChatGPT for human-sounding writing and one-shotting tasks • Context as the foundation: how to onboard AI like a new employee • The $5,000 API bill that proves the Mac Mini agent trend is a trap • How one message to his agent tested 180 prompts against 6 audience avatars • Why AI is better at repurposing content than creating from scratch • Roughly 10,000 hours studying AI since December 2022 • Publishing a full YouTube video with an AI clone during tonsil surgery • Tech stack: Claude for the script, ElevenLabs for audio, HeyGen for the avatar Follow Us: 📲 Omar's IG: https://www.instagram.com/omar_therockstar/ 📲 The Passionate Few's IG: https://www.instagram.com/passion/ 📲 Igor's IG: https://www.instagram.com/igorpogany/ 📲 Igor's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAIAdvantage 🎧 Listen on Spotify: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & Welcome 00:59 – What Igor Does: Teaching the 80% to Use AI 02:14 – The AI Advantage Community: 65,000 Learners a Month 03:34 – The Three Levels of AI 05:26 – The Biggest Lever: Better Decision Making 07:05 – Will AI Get Easier or Harder to Use? 09:36 – Claude vs ChatGPT: Why Igor Prefers Claude 10:32 – Growing Up in Slovakia and Moving Countries at 8 12:30 – Teaching Himself Python and Blockchain During COVID 14:07 – From 90 Views to 5 Million: The Video That Changed Everything 16:45 – Going All In After the Viral Video 19:23 – What Makes Great AI Content 21:43 – Level One: Using AI Like Google 23:07 – Level Two: Building Depth of Context 27:55 – The Context Framework: Identity, Goals, and Values 29:36 – The Biggest Mistake People Make With AI 32:24 – What an AI Agent Actually Is 34:02 – A Real Agent: The Taste Document Built From 1,000 Decisions 37:55 – The Mac Mini Trap: $5,000 API Bill, 95% End Up Where They Started 41:56 – Using AI With Transcripts to Find Blind Spots 45:10 – Will Big Players Absorb the Startups? 50:59 – Own Your Context or Big Tech Will Own It for You 52:11 – Context Buckets and Projects 54:32 – 180 Prompts, 6 Audience Avatars: AI at the Summit 59:24 – Repurpose, Don't Create: AI's Real Superpower 1:01:57 – 10,000 Hours Studying AI Since 2022 1:05:26 – How Prompting Makes You a Better Communicator 1:09:34 – Why Taste Is Hard to Automate 1:13:15 – Where to Find Igor 1:14:04 – Publishing a YouTube Video With an AI Clone During Tonsil Surgery 1:17:56 – Tech Stack: Claude, ElevenLabs, HeyGen 1:18:47 – Closing

October 7, 20262 hr 8 min

Paul Rodriguez: "How A Pro Skater Manifested 10-Signature NIKE Shoes & Built An 8-Figure Empire!"

💼 Grow Your Business w/ GoHighLevel? Get Your FREE 30-Day Trial NOW: https://www.gohighlevel.com/passionate/?fp_ref=omar-elattar-productions39 ✅ Want To Be Interviewed On This Podcast? → https://forms.gle/vS5X5cPdV1i2nMo79 In this episode, we sit down with Paul Rodriguez (P-Rod), ten-time signature Nike SB pro athlete and one of the most decorated street skateboarders in history. Paul opens up about going from zero to pro in five years, what it was like to get a "Welcome P-Rod" sign at Nike's campus at age 19, and why ten signature shoes later, the feeling still hasn't gotten old. He gets honest about the knee injury at 33 that put his entire career in doubt, working out five days a week for two years straight just to find out if his skating would ever come back, and the breakup that reignited the obsessive, all-in version of himself he thought he'd lost. This isn't just a skateboarding story. It's a masterclass on obsession, identity, fear, and what it actually takes to turn a dream into a life. 💬 What We Cover: - Going from zero to pro in five years and what made him different from every other kid with the same dream - Why skateboarding felt like a calling, not a hobby, from day one - Every trick is a puzzle: why progression, not the trick itself, is the real addiction - Traveling to over 100 countries through skateboarding and what seeing real poverty taught him about gratitude - Ten signature Nike shoes and the handful of athletes in history who've hit that number - Fighting Nike to get a signature shoe in the first place, and winning within weeks - The Nike signing story: being flown to campus at 19 and walking in to a "Welcome P-Rod" sign - Growing up watching his father, comedian Paul Rodriguez Sr., live his dream and what that normalized - His uncle funding his first board company, Mirage Skateboards, and pitching it to shops on consignment - Being named to Transworld's 30 Most Influential Skateboarders alongside Tony Hawk and Rodney Mullen - The lemon ranch gamble: converting his grandfather's 40-acre property rather than selling it - His knee injury at 33 and the moment he realized it could take two years just to find out if his skating would return - The breakup that reignited his obsession after a comfortable post-injury plateau - Rational vs. irrational fear and why failure at the pro level is a sign you're still pushing - Rich vs. miserable: why chasing money alone will leave you empty - His advice for anyone who hasn't found their thing yet: explore relentlessly until something consumes you - "What got you there will keep you there": the best advice his father ever gave him - Why he'd tell his 12-year-old self to start developing grit earlier Follow Us: 📲 Omar's IG: https://www.instagram.com/omar_therockstar/ 📲 The Passionate Few's IG: https://www.instagram.com/passion/ 📲 P-Rod's IG: https://www.instagram.com/prodskate/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro & Welcome 01:20 - Looking Back at 20 Years Pro 02:08 - The 12-Year-Old Still Inside Him 03:35 - Zero to Pro in Five Years 04:02 - An Obsession, Not a Hobby 05:20 - Passion Disguised as Fearlessness 08:22 - Progression Is the Real Addiction 10:57 - Still Skating After 20 Years and the Anxiety of What Comes Next 14:20 - Favorite Places He's Traveled 16:25 - What Seeing Real Poverty Taught Him About Gratitude 25:07 - The Nike Signing Story: Flown to Campus at 19 27:41 - Studying His Heroes and the Law of Attraction 29:26 - His Uncle Funding His First Board Company, Mirage Skateboards 32:01 - Paul Rodriguez Sr. and Growing Up Watching His Father Live His Dream 36:21 - Fighting Nike for a Signature Shoe and Winning 40:43 - From Skate Shop to Launching Primitive Skateboards in 2014 42:54 - Investor, Not Entrepreneur 44:10 - When Sponsor Demands Started Crowding Out Actual Skating 46:02 - Recovery as a Non-Negotiable With Age 47:11 - Fear as a Friend: He's a Scaredy Cat, Not a Daredevil 49:12 - Failure Is a Sign of Progress 52:00 - The Comedy Comparison: Even Seinfeld Had to Bomb First 54:18 - Safe Investments vs. Passion Investments 56:52 - Trusting Your Experts Over Your Own Instincts 1:10:47 - Only One Major Injury in 20 Years 1:11:29 - His Goal to Put Out a New Video Part 1:20:38 - Finding Your Thing: Explore Until Something Consumes You 1:28:41 - Realizing He Lacked Grit Because So Much Came Easily 1:36:24 - The Relationship That Reignited the Fire 1:38:30 - First Things First: Rapid-Fire Round 1:39:09 - Money, Passion, and the Best Advice His Father Ever Gave Him 1:40:31 - The Day He Turned Pro: A Voicemail From Eric Koston 1:43:22 - Biggest Career Highlight: Transworld's 30 Most Influential Skateboarders 1:47:19 - Seeing His Name on a Nike Shoe for the First Time 1:49:12 - Advice to His 12-Year-Old Self 2:00:03 - Five Days a Week for Two Years: The Rehab Regimen 2:02:15 - If Life Were Perfect 2:03:11 - Legacy: What He Hopes People Take From His Story 2:05:25 - Paul's Gratitude to the Fans

October 2, 202659 min

The $1 Million-Per-Month Business Model: "How I Went From $300k In Debt To $10+ Million Business!"

💰 Evan Rugen is revealing how he scaled Let's Get Funded past $100K/month, live and free. Seats are limited. Save yours → webinar.letsgetfunded.com Skool Community: https://skool.letsgetfunded.com 💼 Grow Your Business w/ GoHighLevel? Get Your FREE 30-Day Trial NOW: https://www.gohighlevel.com/passionate/?fp_ref=omar-elattar-productions39 ✅ Want To Be Interviewed On This Podcast? → https://forms.gle/vS5X5cPdV1i2nMo79 In this episode, we sit down with Evan Rugen for round two: CEO of Let's Get Funded, who went from a struggling real estate developer close to bankruptcy to building a $1 million per month business in just 36 months. Evan breaks down exactly how he discovered 0% business funding, how he used it to save his own real estate portfolio before turning it into a business, and the four-quadrant model that took him from $0 to $1M/month. He also gets into AI chatbots, stacking recurring revenue streams, the limit-transfer strategy that let him borrow $275K from Chase over five years without ever paying interest, and the mindset that keeps him pushing like the opportunity could disappear tomorrow. 💬 What We Cover: Going from a struggling real estate developer to $1M/month in 36 months How he accessed $200K-$300K in 0% business funding without tax returns or bank statements Using that funding to save his own real estate portfolio before building a business around it The consulting fee model and how the business actually makes money The four quadrants: advertising, setting, closing, and fulfillment 18 months to $100K/month, then progressively faster growth to $1M/month Case study: taking a former bottle-service worker to $20K/month in three months, then $150K/month AI chatbot as a major competitive advantage and early adoption before it was obvious Stacking recurring revenue: $97/month community plus affiliate income from credit monitoring referrals Starting with zero attendees on weekly calls and growing to 60+ through two years of consistency The limit-transfer strategy: cycling 0% financing indefinitely before the promo period ends Borrowing $275K from Chase across five years without ever paying interest Credit hacks: reporting rent payments, requesting limit increases, freezing interest on maxed cards Why giving away equity under $500K is a mistake when 0% bank financing exists Spending $8,000 a day on ads with a 7-8x return How bringing on his first fulfillment hire unlocked growth from $50K to $100K/month The pre-call trust video that cuts no-shows before every Zoom call ITIN and tax services as the next divisions to scale Free LexisNexis report (normally $6,000/month to access) for listeners who mention "Omar the Rockstar" Why urgency and spite are the two biggest drivers separating winners from quitters Follow Us: 📲 Omar's IG: https://www.instagram.com/omar_therockstar/ 📲 The Passionate Few's IG: https://www.instagram.com/passion/ 📲 Evan's IG: https://www.instagram.com/boweryboi/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: Timestamps: 01:52 – Intro & Welcome Back: Round Two with Evan Rugen 03:11 – From Struggling Real Estate Developer to Funding Insider 05:01 – Turning Personal Success Into a Business 05:30 – How the Business Model Actually Works 08:23 – The Four Quadrants and the Path to $1M/Month 11:23 – Who Succeeds in This Business 13:08 – Case Study: Taking a Former Bottle-Service Worker to $150K/Month 17:09 – The Monopoly Framework and Why Quality Sells Itself 18:29 – Stacking Recurring Revenue Streams 21:16 – Betting on AI Before It Was Obvious 23:29 – Zero Attendees to 60+ Through Two Years of Consistency 25:16 – Why Funded Clients Actually Pay and 1,000+ Five-Star Reviews 27:34 – How Fast Is Approval? Two to Three Days 29:09 – The Lawrence Taylor Story: Focus Over Noise 31:15 – The Funding Deal Math 33:01 – Running $250K/Month in 0% Cards for His Own Ad Spend 34:04 – The Limit-Transfer Strategy: Borrowing $275K Without Paying Interest 36:41 – Underused Credit Hacks Most People Don't Know 39:12 – Becoming the Money Guy in Your Circle 40:04 – Overcoming Self-Doubt and the First $2,000 Deal in 25 Minutes 41:12 – Debt vs. Equity: Why Give Away Ownership? 42:14 – How Close He Came to Bankruptcy Before Discovering Funding 43:33 – Urgency and Spite: What Separates Winners From Quitters 45:12 – Busier Broke, Freer Rich 46:02 – The First Key Hire That Unlocked $50K to $100K/Month 48:05 – What's Next: ITIN and Tax Services 48:49 – Inside a Funding Manager's Job 50:03 – Spending $8,000/Day on Ads With a 7-8x Return 52:08 – The Pre-Call Trust Video That Cuts No-Shows 53:06 – Treating the Opportunity Like It Could Disappear in Six Months 53:37 – The Two Moments That Convinced Him This Was a Real Business 54:20 – Where to Find Evan and the Bowery Boy Origin Story 56:17 – LG Silver Program and Free LexisNexis Report Offer 58:00 – Final Words and Closing

September 21, 20261 hr 27 min

The $100M Coach: How Joel Mercado Built A 7-Figure Business & Coached 100+ Entrepreneurs

💼 Grow Your Business w/ GoHighLevel? Get Your FREE 30-Day Trial NOW: https://www.gohighlevel.com/passionate/?fp_ref=omar-elattar-productions39 ✅ Want To Be Interviewed On This Podcast? → https://forms.gle/vS5X5cPdV1i2nMo79 In this episode, we sit down with Joel Mercado, an NLP practitioner, hypnotherapist, and business coach who has helped 100+ contractors generate over $100M in revenue. Joel opens up about growing up with a paranoid schizophrenic father, becoming homeless at 16, having a gun put to his head at 17, and spending his 20s drinking heavily to numb the pain. He breaks down how hypnotherapy helped him forgive his father after 13 years of estrangement, how he nearly lost his home and had his cars repossessed multiple times, and how his wife almost left him before he finally hit his real turning point. He also shares the mindset tools, frameworks, and coaching methods that helped him go from rock bottom to helping other business owners build multi-million dollar companies. 💬 What We Cover: - Growing up with a paranoid schizophrenic father: abuse, paranoia, and multiple personalities - Not seeing his father for 13 years, and how hypnotherapy finally healed it - Becoming homeless at 16 after dropping out of high school - Moving to Arizona at 20, too shy to even order pizza over the phone - Making $200K a year in his 20s, and spending every dollar of it - A gun put to his head at 17 during an armed robbery - A hidden drinking problem that lasted from age 16 through his 30s - Nearly losing his home, having cars repossessed, and hitting rock bottom - Working from a hospital bed on morphine after ulcerative colitis - His wife almost leaving him: his real turning point - The AVR sales framework and the MAVEN coaching methodology - Why 19 of 21 one-on-one clients hit seven figures last year - Why your subconscious processes self-deprecating jokes as literal truth - Losing 30 pounds and going fully sober for the first time since age 16 - Face everything and rise vs. fear everything and run Follow Us: 📲 Omar's IG: https://www.instagram.com/omar_therockstar/ 📲 The Passionate Few's IG: https://www.instagram.com/passion/ 📲 Joel's IG: https://www.instagram.com/joelmercadoofficial/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro & Welcome 00:34 - Growing Up With a Paranoid Schizophrenic Father 02:10 - 13 Years of Estrangement From His Father 03:21 - His Mother's Belief in Him & His Brother's Influence 04:34 - Moving to Arizona at 20 05:12 - Cold-Calling From a Dirt-Floor Trailer to Sell Gym Memberships 06:05 - Becoming Homeless at 16 08:17 - The Tony Robbins Seminar That Changed Everything 09:08 - Selling $30K Solar Systems Door-to-Door on 100% Commission 11:02 - The AVR Sales Framework: Acknowledge, Validate, Reverse 15:45 - Why Most People Don't Believe in Themselves 17:35 - 19 of 21 One-on-One Clients Hit Seven Figures Last Year 18:31 - Why Business Strategy Alone Isn't Enough 19:50 - The MAVEN Framework 23:39 - A Hidden Drinking Problem That Lasted Decades 26:35 - His Wife of 17 Years as His Emotional Anchor 27:38 - Finding His Business Mentor 31:20 - Making $200K in His 20s and Spending Every Dollar 31:59 - Building the Painting Business From Scratch on Ramen Noodles 34:46 - Suicidal Thoughts at Rock Bottom 35:05 - How Hypnotherapy Helped Him Heal 36:28 - Healing His Relationship With His Father 40:12 - What NLP Actually Is and How It Works 43:37 - Your Subconscious Can't Take a Joke 50:41 - His Wife Almost Leaving Him 52:17 - Working From a Hospital Bed on Morphine 54:02 - Nearly Losing His Home to Foreclosure 55:23 - A Gun to His Head at 17 56:35 - His Real Rock Bottom 1:00:15 - Losing 30 Pounds and Going Fully Sober 1:15:17 - The Power of Journaling to Find Clarity 1:17:14 - Face Everything and Rise vs. Fear Everything and Run 1:18:16 - The Bison and the Storm Analogy 1:21:34 - First Things First: Rapid-Fire Round 1:23:12 - Legacy: One Plus One Equals Three 1:24:23 - The 1% Better Every Day Philosophy 1:27:01 - Final Words & Closing

September 10, 20261 hr 8 min

Funding Expert: "How To Get $100K In Business Funding At 0% Interest In 30 Days" (2026 Credit Cards)

💰 Evan Rugen is revealing how he scaled Let's Get Funded past $100K/month — live and free. Seats are limited. Save yours → webinar.letsgetfunded.com Skool Community: https://skool.letsgetfunded.com 💼 Grow Your Business w/ GoHighLevel? Get Your FREE 30-Day Trial NOW: https://www.gohighlevel.com/passionate/?fp_ref=omar-elattar-productions39 ✅ Want To Be Interviewed On This Podcast? → https://forms.gle/vS5X5cPdV1i2nMo79 In this episode, we sit down with Evan Rugen — CEO of Let's Get Funded — to break down exactly how he went from -$300,000 in credit card debt at 27 to unlocking $1.8 million in 0% interest business funding, all without ever handing over a tax return. Evan walks through the credit repair and business-credit system he built to save his own real estate portfolio, why he'll never pay a dollar of interest on that $1.8M, and the mindset blocks (plus a hypnosis session) that had to break before the money did. He also gets into the industries that lean on this kind of funding most, the red flags that get people denied on the spot, and why he thinks real income freedom starts at $50K a month. 💬 What We Cover: • From real estate developer to -$300,000 in credit card debt at 27 • The Covid-era credit hit that started his credit repair journey • The six levels: fixing credit, building your file, non-doc funding, bank statement loans, tax-return loans, and SBA lending • How he's accessed $1.8 million at 0% interest without ever providing a tax return • The Chase credit-limit "transfer trick" that keeps compounding his 0% access • Why business credit beats personal credit for real leverage • Getting non-US talent (Philippines, Colombia, Egypt) approved for American credit through an ITIN • Why Wells Fargo, Flagstar, and Chase are lending aggressively right now — and why • The biggest misconception that stops people from using 0% business credit • The three biggest red flags that get people denied by bank tellers • How LexisNexis identity verification can make or break a funding application • The realistic timeline to go from sub-500 credit to 700+ (2–6 months) • Real client stories: identity theft, a "dead business partner" on an LLC, and worse • Requesting credit limit increases before you need them • The three-trait pattern he's seen in every highly successful client • Getting hypnotized to fix his relationship with money — and what happened the next day • Why he thinks real financial freedom starts at $50,000/month • Inside the Let's Get Funded school community: free credit repair, ITIN help, and daily calls Follow Us: 📲 Omar's IG: https://www.instagram.com/omar_therockstar/ 📲 The Passionate Few's IG: https://www.instagram.com/passion/ 📲 Evan's IG: https://www.instagram.com/boweryboi/ Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & Meet Evan Rugen, CEO of Let's Get Funded 00:45 – From Real Estate Developer to Credit Repair 01:04 – The Covid Car Purchase That Wrecked His Credit 01:51 – Level 1: Fixing Your Own Credit 02:40 – Level 2: Building Out Your Credit File 02:57 – Level 3: Non-Doc Business Funding & $1.8M at 0% 06:25 – The Chase Limit-Transfer Trick Explained 09:15 – Why Business Credit Beats Personal Credit 10:32 – Levels 4–6: Bank Statement, Tax-Return & SBA Loans 11:12 – His Worst Credit Score Ever (550 in 2022) 11:31 – Step 1, 2, 3 to Start Fixing Your Credit 13:11 – Craziest Credit Horror Stories He's Seen 14:40 – Realistic Timeline: Sub-500 to 700+ 15:52 – His Entrepreneurial Roots & Family Background 16:47 – First Real Estate Deal: $58K to $450K 18:47 – Funding $1M a Week in 0% Business Credit 19:16 – Best Banks & Cards for 0% Offers 19:41 – Getting Americans Credit Access via ITIN 21:33 – Why Wells Fargo, Flagstar & Chase Are Lending Aggressively 23:32 – The Biggest Misconception About Business Credit Cards 24:11 – Going -$300,000 in Credit Card Debt at 27 28:08 – The Industries That Use This Funding Most 31:24 – How LexisNexis Verification Can Make or Break You 33:32 – Line of Credit vs. Credit Card: What's the Difference 34:56 – Minimum Credit Score Needed for Business Funding 38:46 – The Biggest Leverage for Growing Your Score 40:22 – Best & Worst Financial Decisions With Credit 41:42 – Real Estate vs. Digital Recurring Revenue, Compared 42:46 – Inside the Let's Get Funded School Community 44:55 – The 3-Trait Pattern in Every Successful Client 46:26 – Overleveraging Himself & Hitting Rock Bottom 48:25 – Getting Hypnotized to Fix His Relationship With Money 52:59 – Investing in Himself Instead of Real Estate 54:32 – His First Hustles: Skate Lessons to Reselling Shirts 1:04:38 – First Things First: Rapid-Fire Round 1:06:47 – Best Advice to His Younger Self 1:11:08 – Final Words & Where to Find Evan

September 7, 20261 hr 22 min

The $120M Founder: "Getting Rich Left Me Empty" | How He Built A $500M Business

💰💵 Your business could be one of three backed with $1 million. Apply now before December 31, 2026: https://www.founderfindsfuture.com/pages/fff-landing-page 💼 Grow Your Business w/ GoHighLevel? Get Your FREE 30-Day Trial NOW: https://www.gohighlevel.com/passionate/?fp_ref=omar-elattar-productions39 ✈️ Entrepreneurs & Executives: Ready to fly private or explore full-service aircraft management with HAVEN ASG? ✅ Book a Risk-FREE Call Now: https://havenasg.com/contact/ ✅ Want To Be Interviewed On This Podcast? https://forms.gle/vS5X5cPdV1i2nMo79 In this episode, we sit down with Matt Wright, a nine-figure entrepreneur who scaled his online car-buying company in Australia to nearly $500 million in annual revenue and exited to Toyota for $120 million at just 33 years old. Matt gets brutally honest about dropping out at 15, moving to Australia broke at 20, turning $40K in crypto into $3–4 million, and why receiving $120 million felt completely empty. He also opens up about the chronic depression that followed, not seeing his daughter for three and a half years due to COVID, and his new founder fund backing three founders worldwide with $1M each. 💬 WHAT WE COVER: • Dropping out at 15 in the UK and moving to Australia at 20 with $4–5K saved • Becoming the #1 sales rep out of 70 people at a Telstra call center • Running someone else's car-buying business for five years and getting nothing at the exit • Turning $40K into $3–4M in crypto while locked out of the account for six years • Making $391K in 11 days on the SpaceX IPO • Borrowing $200K from his father and starting at 27 with an exit in mind from day one • Becoming the largest online car-buyer in Australia within 60 days of launch • Scaling to 450 cars a week, $500K/month in ads, and 15,000 leads a month • Revenue year by year: $182M, $253M, and $356M with 220 full-time staff • Rejecting three Australian offers of $50–65M to find an overseas buyer • Having two final offers on the table, with one $30M higher, and signing at 3 a.m. on Christmas Eve • Getting $120M wired all at once and feeling absolutely nothing • Chronic depression for five to six weeks after the exit • Not seeing his daughter, Elsie, for three and a half years due to COVID border closures • The four non-negotiables: obsession, money motivation, endurance, and focus • His A-player hiring secret: Watch how fast they walk down the corridor • Why passion follows competence, not the other way around • The founder fund: $1M each into one founder in the UK, US, and Australia FOLLOW US: 📲 Omar's IG: https://www.instagram.com/omar_therockstar/ 📲 The Passionate Few's IG: https://www.instagram.com/passion/ 📲 Matt's IG: https://www.instagram.com/realmattwright/ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Intro & The $120M Exit Story 00:40 – What It's Like Getting a $120M Wire at 33 01:39 – Growing Up in the UK & Dropping Out at 15 04:01 – Moving to Australia at 20 With $4–5K Saved 05:49 – Becoming the #1 Sales Rep Out of 70 People at Telstra 07:29 – Running Someone Else's Business for Five Years With Nothing at the Exit 08:42 – The Anger That Lit the Fire to Start His Own Company 11:08 – Borrowing $200K From His Father to Start at 27 11:50 – Turning $40K Into $3–4M in Crypto 13:26 – Making $391K in 11 Days on the SpaceX IPO 15:28 – Starting the Business at 27 With an Exit in Mind From Day One 19:03 – Becoming the Largest Online Car-Buyer in Australia Within 60 Days 19:54 – Scaling to 450 Cars a Week & $500K/Month in Ad Spend 23:42 – Revenue Year by Year: $182M, $253M & $356M 27:01 – Flying to Portugal and Telling His Father, "I Can't Do This Anymore" 28:37 – The 18-Month Sale Process and Three Australian Offers of $50–65M 35:11 – Two Final Offers, One $30M Higher, and Choosing Toyota's Clean Exit 39:24 – Signing at 3 a.m. on Christmas Eve 40:07 – Getting $120M Wired All at Once and Feeling Nothing 42:37 – Chronic Depression After the Exit 44:08 – Not Seeing His Daughter for Three and a Half Years Due to COVID 46:37 – The Four Non-Negotiables for Every Founder 52:06 – The New Founder Fund: $1M Each Into Three Founders Worldwide 54:31 – What He'd Do Differently: Hire Better People Earlier 57:44 – Passion Follows Competence, Not the Other Way Around 01:00:06 – The A-Player Hiring Secret: Watch How Fast They Walk 01:03:46 – The Founder Fund: Who He's Looking For & How to Apply 01:07:35 – Advice for People Who Feel Stuck: Call Your Shot Publicly 01:09:16 – First Things First: Rapid-Fire Round 01:11:11 – The Best Moment of His Life: Closing the Deal With His Father 01:17:37 – Final Words: Stop Dreaming, Start Doing

August 28, 20261 hr 16 min

8-FIGURE FOUNDER: #1 Boring Business That Makes Millionaires

💼 Grow Your Business w/ GoHighLevel? Get Your FREE 30-Day Trial NOW: https://www.gohighlevel.com/passionate/?fp_ref=omar-elattar-productions39 ✅ Want To Be Interviewed On This Podcast? → https://forms.gle/vS5X5cPdV1i2nMo79 In this episode, we sit down with Peter Roth, serial entrepreneur and founder of Scalefy, the go-to expert for building outsourced call centers for seven and eight-figure home services companies. Peter opens up about immigrating from Ukraine at age 2, growing up working as a pin boy in his father's bowling alley until a gang shooting ended it overnight, getting fired from every job he ever had, and building a cigar bar that generated just under $3M a year — a business he still owns today. He also tells the wild story of a trusted employee who sent a Sunday night extortion email demanding $22,000 a week, hijacked the company Slack account, deleted Peter's access, and began contacting clients as the new "owner." Peter breaks down how he responded, what it cost him, and the hard lessons that came from it. Plus, why call centers are one of the most underrated lead generation tools in business — and why federal robocalling laws prevent AI from ever fully replacing human cold callers. 💬 What We Cover: - Immigrating from Ukraine at age 2 and growing up with a hustle-or-starve mentality - His father's journey: two dry cleaners → a repossessed 40-lane bowling alley bought for pennies on the dollar - Working as a pin boy — ended by a gang shooting in the parking lot - Getting fired from every job after college — and realizing he wasn't built to work for anyone - Opening a cigar kiosk at 24 with wedding and bar mitzvah money — still owns it 25+ years later - How a fraudulent eviction lawsuit accidentally pulled him into HVAC - Selling his HVAC company to a private equity-backed buyer around age 42 - How nearly $250K in losses made him the call center expert he is today - A trusted employee sending a Sunday night extortion email: $22K a week or he'd seize the clients - How the employee hijacked the company Slack, deleted Peter's access, and posed as the new owner - Why he opened an FBI case but chose not to pursue litigation - The "trust but verify" rule he now lives by for every critical business system - Why federal robocalling laws prevent AI from fully replacing human cold callers - Why he hires exclusively from Latin America — and the cultural and demographic advantage - His dirty joke interview requirement — and why bold personalities make the best cold callers - The business growth ladder: sales to $100K, marketing to $1M, brand to $3–5M, culture beyond that - A $4,500 discount on call center build-outs for the first six listeners who book a call - His biggest fear: getting tired before reaching his goals Follow Us: 📲 Omar's IG: https://www.instagram.com/omar_therockstar/ 📲 The Passionate Few's IG: https://www.instagram.com/passion/ 📲 Peter's IG: https://www.instagram.com/officialpeterroth/ Timestamps: 00:01 – Intro & Welcome 00:26 – What Peter Does Today: Building Call Centers for 7 & 8-Figure Companies 02:09 – What a Call Center Actually Is 02:52 – Why Lead Generation Is Every Business Owner's Core Problem 04:19 – How the Call Center Business Was Born by Accident 04:49 – Born in Ukraine, Immigrated to the U.S. at Age 2 05:27 – The Immigrant Hustle Mentality His Parents Modeled 06:36 – His Father's Journey: Dry Cleaners to a 40-Lane Bowling Alley 07:37 – Working as a Pin Boy — Until a Gang Shooting Ended It 09:01 – His Father's Biggest Limitation: Never Learning to Delegate 10:26 – Getting Fired From Every Job After College 10:53 – Opening a Cigar Kiosk at 24 With Wedding Money 12:24 – The Fraudulent Lawsuit That Pulled Him Into HVAC 14:47 – Selling His HVAC Company to Private Equity Around Age 42 19:48 – The Cigar Bar That Generated Just Under $3M a Year 20:23 – How the First Call Center Started by Accident 32:13 – Nearly $250K in Losses Learning the Hard Way 33:16 – A Trusted Employee's Betrayal 34:31 – The Sunday Night Extortion Email: $22K a Week or Else 38:23 – The Account Hijacking and Client Fallout 43:15 – The New Rule: Trust But Verify Everything 45:16 – Why He Didn't Pursue Legal Action Despite Opening an FBI Case 46:21 – Why Overseas Talent Performs Just as Well With the Right Structure 47:27 – Using AI to Build Better SOPs 53:36 – Why Federal Robocalling Laws Prevent AI From Replacing Cold Callers 55:45 – Go Where Others Are Ignoring: Underutilized Channels 1:00:33 – The 1 in 5 Demographic Advantage 1:01:17 – Sales Is a Personality Test 1:02:08 – "A Laughing Jury Is Never a Hanging Jury" 1:02:24 – The Dirty Joke Interview Requirement 1:04:05 – Call Center Build-Out Size, Costs & Turnaround Time 1:05:55 – The Business Growth Ladder: Sales, Marketing, Brand, Culture 1:08:24 – Where to Find Peter & the Listener Discount Offer 1:09:16 – First Things First: Rapid-Fire Round 1:12:37 – Legacy: Inspiring People to Do Bigger Things

August 21, 20262 hr 7 min

The #1 FBI Negotiator Reveals All | 150+ Hostage Cases | Never Heard Before

💼 Grow Your Business w/ GoHighLevel? Get Your FREE 30-Day Trial NOW: https://www.gohighlevel.com/passionate/?fp_ref=omar-elattar-productions39 ✈️ Entrepreneurs & Executives - Ready to fly private or explore full-service aircraft management with HAVEN ASG? ✅ Book A Risk-FREE Call Now: https://havenasg.com/contact/ ✅ Want To Be Interviewed On This Podcast? → https://forms.gle/vS5X5cPdV1i2nMo79 In this episode, we sit down with Chris Voss — bestselling author of Never Split the Difference (5M+ readers), who spent two and a half decades in the FBI as their lead international hostage negotiator and is now CEO of The Black Swan Group. Chris opens up about growing up in a small Iowa town, running a jackhammer at age 11 on his father's orders, and the movie at 16 that made him want to become a cop. He breaks down the three negotiator types — Analyst, Accommodator, and Assertive — using Elon Musk, Richard Branson, and Jeff Bezos as real examples. He also gets into the labeling technique that triggers oxytocin and serotonin instantly, why paying a ransom immediately is the worst move you can make, how Haiti kidnappings always settled on Fridays, and why the same skills that saved lives in the Philippines and Colombia work in boardrooms, sales calls, and relationships. 💬 What We Cover: - The "no job beneath you" work ethic his father drilled into him from age 11 - The two Voss family mottos: "How hard could it be?" and "anything worth doing is done in the dark" - The movie at 16 that sparked his law enforcement career - Why he passed on the military — and what he says he missed - Getting ranked #1 on both the Kansas City SWAT list and FBI list simultaneously - The mentor whose advice got him into the FBI in 10 months - Advice shoppers vs. people who actually act on coaching - Trying out for the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team — and two knee surgeries that ended it - The three negotiator types: Analyst (Musk), Accommodator (Branson), Assertive (Bezos) - Never Split the Difference sold in 40 countries — and why it resonates globally - Volunteering on a suicide hotline before his first hostage negotiation - Why paying a ransom immediately signals a "down payment," not a resolution - 150+ negotiations across a dozen countries — including 100+ kidnappings in Haiti in one year - The Jeffrey Schilling case — and the terrorist sociopath who called back to pay his respects - Why Haiti kidnappings always settled on Fridays - Why "what" and "how" questions exhaust the other side into resolution - Why "win-win" is often weaponized against you - Shawn Achor's Harvard research: 31% smarter and salespeople 37% more effective in a positive mindset - His legacy: helping people see the world in color Follow Us: 📲 Omar's IG: https://www.instagram.com/omar_therockstar/ 📲 The Passionate Few's IG: https://www.instagram.com/passion/ 📲 Chris Voss's Website: https://www.blackswanltd.com Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & Welcome 00:42 – Growing Up in Iowa: No Job Beneath You 02:41 – The Jackhammer Story at Age 11 04:24 – The Two Voss Family Mottos 05:07 – The Movie at 16 That Made Him Want to Be a Cop 10:43 – Ranked #1 on Both the SWAT and FBI Lists 11:55 – The Mentor Whose Advice Changed His FBI Interview 17:02 – Advice Shoppers vs. People Who Actually Act on Coaching 23:05 – Trying Out for the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team 24:20 – Two Knee Surgeries & Accepting Physical Limits 26:14 – The Three Negotiator Types: Analyst, Accommodator, Assertive 30:58 – How Amazon Reportedly Distributes the Book to Their Salespeople 31:47 – Why Never Split the Difference Sold in 40 Countries 34:43 – Told to Volunteer on a Suicide Hotline First 41:29 – The Labeling Technique & Reflective Listening 46:17 – 150+ Hostage Negotiations Across a Dozen Countries 47:01 – The Jeffrey Schilling Case in the Philippines 49:10 – How a Real Kidnapping Call Unfolds 51:31 – Why You Never Pay a Ransom Immediately 52:32 – Coyote Kidnappings: When They Don't Even Have the Victim 53:48 – "How Do I Know She's Alive?" — Flipping Control Instantly 57:45 – "What" and "How" Questions That Exhaust the Other Side 1:03:37 – Colombia's FARC & Long-Term Kidnappings 1:04:22 – Why Haiti Kidnappings Always Settled on Fridays 1:07:16 – Coaching Terrified Families to Stay Calm 1:10:51 – Tone Sets the Tone 1:11:45 – Applying Negotiation Skills to Relationships 1:18:04 – Case Study: A Female CEO Mediates Two Executives 1:26:35 – The Chase Manhattan Bank Robber Case 1:32:17 – What "Never Split the Difference" Actually Means 1:32:52 – Why "Win-Win" Is Often Weaponized Against You 1:36:05 – Why "Why" Questions Get Honest, Unfiltered Answers 1:50:13 – The Hardest Habit to Break: Hijacking Conversations 1:50:58 – The Three Magic Mindsets: Curiosity, Playfulness & Gratitude 1:57:53 – First Things First: Rapid-Fire Round 2:01:23 – Advice to His Younger Self: Just Be a Little Nicer 2:01:59 – Legacy: Helping People See the World in Color 2:02:58 – Closing

August 10, 20261 hr 25 min

The Strategic Investor: "I Quit My $150K Job... Then Made $6M+ Trading w/ This One Strategy!"

✅ Join Kam's Discord Here: https://discord.gg/qnp6UbMX8a 📲 Kam's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/profitwithkam/ 💰 Grow Your Business w/ GoHighLevel? Get Your FREE 30-Day Trial NOW: https://www.gohighlevel.com/passionate/?fp_ref=omar-elattar-productions39 ✅ Want To Be Interviewed On This Podcast? → https://forms.gle/vS5X5cPdV1i2nMo79 In this episode, we sit down with Kam Dasani — a swing trader who walked away from a multi-six-figure tech career to build financial and location freedom on his own terms. Kam opens up about burning out so bad he ended up at Stanford Psychiatry, going $92K into debt to fund his own education, and losing six figures in a single trade by breaking his own rules. He breaks down how swing trading options works, how he turned $25K into $100K+ in one quarter, and why he believes the biggest risk most people take is playing it too safe. 💬 What We Cover: - Growing up in Silicon Valley and outperforming colleagues a decade older at 22 - Making $150K in SF — and why it still felt like a trap - The three freedoms he was actually chasing: location, time, and flexibility - Burning out on a side business while working full-time — and going to Stanford Psychiatry - How his manager introduced him to swing trading options - Quitting his job, moving home, and investing his $40K savings - His parents' disapproval — and his father's eventual admission he wished he'd taken more risk - Buying Bitcoin at $4K and selling near $90K - Turning $25K into $100K+ in a single quarter - The Palantir trade: how outside chatter led to a six-figure loss - Going $92K into debt to fund masterminds and mentors - The SEC-compliant API that mirrors his trades into client accounts - Why a 50% win rate is enough when your wins outweigh your losses - Tony Robbins: "Nothing has meaning except the meaning you give it" - Transcendental Meditation twice a day — and why inner peace became the real goal - Fear = False Evidence Appearing Real — his final advice for getting unstuck Follow Us: 📲 Omar's IG: https://www.instagram.com/omar_therockstar/ 📲 The Passionate Few's IG: https://www.instagram.com/passion/ 00:00 – Intro & Welcome 00:31 – Growing Up in Silicon Valley 01:41 – Landing a Fintech Job at 22 & Outperforming Colleagues a Decade Older 02:24 – Making $150K in SF — and Why It Still Felt Like a Trap 03:44 – Why He Stopped Taking Advice from the Wrong People 05:48 – Burnout & Going to Stanford Psychiatry 07:45 – How His Manager Introduced Him to Swing Trading 10:56 – What Swing Trading Options Actually Means 12:05 – What Is an Option? 13:16 – Quitting His Job, Moving Home & Investing His $40K Savings 15:06 – His Parents' Disapproval — and His Father's Eventual Admission 15:46 – Risk Management: Never Risk More Than 10–20% Per Trade 17:19 – Why a 50% Win Rate Is Enough 19:03 – The Moment His Father Called Him Proud for the First Time 22:09 – Buying Bitcoin at $4K and Selling Near $90K 24:39 – Turning $25K into $100K+ in One Quarter 26:55 – The Palantir Trade: How a Six-Figure Loss Happened 28:56 – Going $92K into Debt to Fund His Education 34:09 – The SEC-Compliant API Copy-Trading System 37:16 – The Power of Imperfect Action 39:18 – Options vs. Stocks vs. Real Estate 42:17 – Advice for the Current Market Climate 50:31 – Emotional Management & Why Most Risk Is Exaggerated 52:16 – The Gary Vaynerchuk Uber Story 55:22 – Tony Robbins: "Nothing Has Meaning Except the Meaning You Give It" 59:38 – Depression as a Habit — and Small Daily Wins to Rebuild Momentum 1:09:07 – The Biggest Misconception About Wealth 1:10:33 – Transcendental Meditation Twice a Day 1:13:09 – "Millionaires Go to Monks" 1:17:37 – Final Advice: Fear = False Evidence Appearing Real 1:19:50 – First Things First: Rapid-Fire Round 1:22:11 – Closing

August 5, 20262 hr 38 min

Diary Of A CEO Ex-Staffer: "How We Built The #1 Podcast In The World" (The Truth Revealed)

💼 Grow Your Business w/ GoHighLevel? Get Your FREE 30-Day Trial NOW: https://www.gohighlevel.com/passionate/?fp_ref=omar-elattar-productions39 ✅ Want To Be Interviewed On This Podcast? → https://forms.gle/vS5X5cPdV1i2nMo79 In this episode, we sit down with Anthony Smith — trailer editor for Diary of a CEO, the fastest-growing podcast on the planet. Anthony pulls back the curtain on the craft behind DOAC's cinematic trailers: the 15-point checklist every cut must pass, the psychological research guiding every second of the edit, and the "Three Hats" framework every creator needs to master. He also opens up about hiding his love of drama as a kid to avoid getting bullied, the stage fright that ended his acting career at 17, burning out so bad he almost became a train driver, and how a LinkedIn job posting on New Year's Eve changed everything. 💬 What We Cover: • Growing up as the second son performing for attention — ballet, drama, and living a double life • The stage fright at 16 that made him walk off and never go back • How Star Wars and LOTR behind-the-scenes featurettes led him to film • Why nobody is born talented — the Ed Sheeran example • Joining DOAC at 250K subscribers (now 15M+) • Being told creative work was a "Mickey Mouse" pursuit — and getting called a soul-seller • The Tim Grover trailer that set the standard — and the pressure to top it every time • Why chasing virality is an addiction and a "disease" • The 15-point trailer checklist and the "Moment of Value" philosophy • The "Jenny" avatar method used to crack the Kevin Hart trailer • Second-by-second emotional research and how DOAC plans around it • Evolutionary psychology, true crime engagement, and genre conventions in editing • Hitting burnout and panic attacks — and seriously considering becoming a train driver • The cancer patient who watches DOAC trailers during his lowest moments • How AI fits in as a tool, not a threat — voiceovers, B-roll, costume changes • The 1% standard: why 99%-ready doesn't make the cut • Building A-players: Liv, Cam, and "little Dom" • The Three Hats: Top Hat (storytelling), Marketing Hat, and Data Hat • Final advice: become a student, find your voice, focus on the bottom of the iceberg Follow Us: 📲 Omar's IG: https://www.instagram.com/omar_therockstar/ 📲 The Passionate Few's IG: https://www.instagram.com/passion/ 📲 Anthony's IG: https://www.instagram.com/anthonyr.smith/ Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & Welcome 00:31 – Childhood: The Second Son & the Need to Entertain 03:11 – Quitting the Stage at 16 04:37 – Discovering Film Through Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes 06:16 – Talent vs. Obsession: Nobody Is Born with It 09:19 – Joining Diary of a CEO at 250K Subscribers 10:57 – Why the Core of Storytelling Has Never Changed 14:29 – Storytelling as the Language of Humanity 16:29 – Impostor Syndrome & Being Told Creativity Doesn't Count 20:00 – "You're Selling Your Soul to the Devil" 22:11 – The Tim Grover Trailer & the Pressure to Top It 24:12 – How Steve Bartlett Was the First to Credit His Work 26:16 – Building a Different Kind of Show 27:26 – Landing the Diary of a CEO Job 30:06 – Why Virality Is a Disease 32:05 – Why DOAC Trailers Aren't Made to Go Viral 34:30 – Testing Culture Interest, Not Trends 36:16 – The Iceberg Analogy 39:59 – Advice for New Creators: Post Without Attachment 42:10 – Steal from Many, Not One: Tony Bennett's Advice to Bublé 44:53 – Care Trumps Talent 47:14 – Burnout, Panic Attacks & Almost Becoming a Train Driver 48:59 – Meeting Helena 52:24 – The Spider-Man Trip That Showed Him He Was Enough 55:17 – From LinkedIn Job Posting to Diary of a CEO 58:16 – The 15-Point Trailer Checklist 59:51 – The Kevin Hart Trailer & the "Jenny" Avatar Method 01:02:47 – The Moment of Value Philosophy 01:03:35 – Empty Views vs. Real Community 01:07:26 – Emotional Data & Shrinking Attention Spans 01:11:15 – Evolutionary Psychology in Editing 01:14:16 – Steve Bartlett Behind the Scenes 01:16:17 – Inside the DOAC Team Structure 01:20:14 – The Scrappy Reality of Production 01:23:24 – Building the Trailer Team 01:28:03 – Why Finding Great Editors Is So Hard 01:31:16 – What Makes an A-Player 01:33:46 – The Art of Text & Justification 01:37:04 – Genre-Flipping for Impact 01:39:45 – Full Creative Control from Steve 01:41:20 – The 1% Standard 01:46:01 – Leading Through Purpose, Not Incentives 01:49:33 – The Cancer Patient's Message 01:51:08 – The Hat From a Stranger 01:52:38 – How AI Fits Into DOAC's Workflow 01:55:24 – AI for Intro Cards 01:59:57 – AI for Cinematic B-Roll 02:02:24 – The Future of Editing & AI 02:04:31 – The Steve-O Trailer & the 1% Principle 02:07:37 – Rapid-Fire Round 02:19:34 – His Mother's Love of Film 02:22:20 – Family, Support & Staying Humble 02:25:23 – The Three Hats Framework 02:29:20 – Tech Stack & Tools 02:30:45 – Legacy: What He Hopes People Remember 02:32:15 – Final Advice to Dreamers 02:34:13 – Closing & Where to Find Anthony

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