Podcast Summary: The Code To Winning
Episode 055: "How I Built a Top Business Podcast Interviewing Billionaires"
Host: Kagiso Dikane
Guest: Omar Elattar ("Omar the Rockstar"), Host of The Passionate Few
Date: September 19, 2025
Episode Overview
In this vibrant and motivational episode, host Kagiso Dikane sits down with Omar Elattar, creator of the acclaimed Passionate Few podcast—a show known for hosting interviews with business moguls and billionaires. Omar unpacks his rollercoaster journey from rock bottom to interviewing world-famous guests like Grant Cardone, Tony Robbins, Tom Bilyeu, and Andrew Tate. The conversation dives deep into networking strategies, the importance of “whatever it takes” hustle, practical tips for building a world-class podcast, and the mindset required to turn desperation and inspiration into achievement. This episode is packed with actionable insights for anyone aspiring to grow their personal brand, network with high-level individuals, or build a high-impact podcast.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Origin Story: From Desperation to Inspiration
- Omar details his fascination with success and the "combustion point" of desperation and inspiration:
- “It started at the intersection of desperation and inspiration, right? And I think most people at some phase of their life feel those two things in varying degrees...what they do with that combustion ends up determining their life.” — Omar [00:00]
- Early ambitions in sports, skateboarding, filmmaking, and business, yet recurring cycles of self-sabotage and plateau.
2. Turning Pain Into Power
- Tony Robbins seminar as a turning point:
- “Decisions shape your destiny. Tony said, new decisions equal a new life, right? The only difference between you and the version of you living their dream and the version of you that's not is the decisions you make. That's it.” — Omar [06:32]
- Heartbreak and hitting “rock bottom” led to a crucial life coaching session:
- “Does this breakup mean a breakdown or breakthrough? Nothing in life has any meaning except the meaning we give it.” — Omar [09:55]
- Visualization of success—first envisioning millions listening long before it became reality.
3. Sales and Relentless Hustle
- Omar and Kagiso bond over transformational experiences in door-to-door solar sales. Omar on sales discipline:
- “The rule was knock 100 doors a day and then it was try to get 100 no's a day. And I just remember how brutal it was...” — Omar [13:17]
- “But I always had like a vision that would make the temporary sacrifice worth it. Even when I was getting big names, right? Even when it came to hunting the big names.” [13:54]
4. Securing Billionaire Guests: Relentless, Creative Approaches
- Omar’s “leap of faith” story pitching Grant Cardone in person:
- “I drove 3 1/2 hours to Beverly Hills to wait outside of a restaurant...pitched him about getting on the podcast when he got out and he said yes...I had a beat up 2013 Toyota Corolla. I parked it around the corner because I was embarrassed and I couldn't afford valet. I even borrowed gas money to get there.” — Omar [14:45]
- Persistence—appeal to the younger, hungry side of potential guests:
- “Consider me the young man you once were.” [15:53]
- Example with the creator of Hot Cheetos: multiple event attempts, waited for hours, finally broke through via sheer consistency.
5. The Leapfrog Theory in Networking
- Importance of “kingpin” or “category king” strategy:
- “The leapfrog theory simply states that by getting a kingpin, you can get the whole crowd. So instead of trying to get a hundred people, get the one person that allows 100 to come to you.” — Omar [23:18]
6. Hustle Framework: “Gun to Your Head Mentality”
- When targeting dream guests (like Elon Musk or Andrew Tate), Omar employs radical urgency:
- “If you had to get Elon Musk in the next 30 days, or there was radical consequence, you have to. Not you want to...but if you had to, what would you do?” — Omar [18:10]
- Breaks goals into absurdly small, doable steps, never allowing ego or intimidation to block action.
7. How Omar Landed Andrew Tate
- Power of long-term relationships and value-giving, even to “smaller” names.
- Helped a young fan for free, who later joined Tom Bilyeu’s team and connected Omar to Justin Waller (close friend of the Tates).
- Persistent and creative follow-up; willingness to travel to Romania on short notice:
- “If you'd be willing to come to Romania to do it, maybe there's a way we can do it...Took months of follow up..and then one day we get an anonymous message...it was the top G himself.” — Omar [39:13]
- The actual interview: five hours, high security, “aura” of the guest, and stories behind the scenes.
- “He walks in, he's got like five bodyguards, comes in, armored vehicle...we ended up sitting down for five hours and doing that interview...And we've kept in touch and he's become a cool homie now.” — Omar [41:55]
8. Building & Scaling the Team
- Framework: leverage existing expertise by hiring or consulting top podcast bookers (from Joe Rogan’s, Kelly Clarkson’s, etc.), often more affordable than expected.
- “Everything in the universe has shortcuts like that.” — Omar [43:33]
- Resourcefulness over resources:
- “Resourcefulness is the ultimate resource. I didn't have any money, so how did I get a production team...? I negotiated with the videographer and a studio...I had a dream to do this...” — Omar [48:44]
9. Overcoming Objections for “Out of Your League” Guests
- Preemptively address fears and logistics; always offer to make it as easy as possible for guests (travel to them, work with their schedule):
- “I always went to them. I never had a guest come somewhere because that in and of itself has tremendous friction...we'll be in and out in 60 minutes...” — Omar [45:14]
10. Mindset: Aim Higher Than You Think Possible
- Quote from Les Brown:
- “Most people don't aim too high and miss. They aim too low and hit.”
- Omar’s advice:
- “When you're clear on what you want, you will find the way, you will create the way. But you have all the resources in you to achieve what it is that you want. Will you do whatever it takes to get it out? That’s the question.” — Omar [50:49]
11. Defining Winning (Theme of the Podcast)
- “Winning for me is about turning the vision into reality. That simply. It was to fill my life with as many surreal experiences as humanly possible...For me, it's about becoming a better player in the arena.” — Omar [51:10]
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On Relentless Hustle:
“That was kind of what knocking doors taught me is just how to be relentless with knocking on doors.” — Omar [16:44] -
On Energy and Dream Lists:
“Somebody will have it. It will exist. Why not you?...Your best bet is tuning to it.” — Omar [33:17] -
On Networking:
“It's more about winning the point people than it is the individual.” — Omar [47:57]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- How it All Began & Mindset Formation: [00:00–06:30]
- Tony Robbins Seminar & Life-Changing Decisions: [06:30–11:00]
- Sales Experience & Learning Resourcefulness: [11:00–15:00]
- Grant Cardone & Getting Your Big Break: [15:00–17:00, 20:09–23:42]
- Leapfrog Theory Explained: [23:18–24:30]
- Pursuing “Out of Reach” Guests: [17:45–19:38, 26:45–29:00]
- Securing Andrew Tate / Karma in Networking: [35:45–42:19]
- Building & Scaling a Team: [43:33–45:14]
- Practical Guest-Booking Objections: [45:14–48:13]
- Defining Success & Resourcefulness: [48:15–51:10]
- Omar’s Definition of Winning: [51:10–51:49]
Final Insights
Omar’s journey underscores:
- The necessity of radical action and urgency
- Building useful, authentic networks by adding value
- Focusing on category leaders (“leapfrog theory”) to accelerate credibility
- Being resourceful and overcoming the myth of limited resources
- The power of clear vision and “whatever it takes” attitude
Whether you’re aspiring to start your own show or reach out-of-your-league connections, this episode offers the roadmap—along with powerful stories and an infectious belief that “it’s all made up—so just go for it.”
