Interview: Omar J. McCallop, Writer & Executive Producer of Entrepreneur$ - The Reality Show & Founder of O Ent. : 14th December 2004

Media Man Australia continues on it's quest to interview many of the world's top entrepreneurs and reality TV entities. In this amazing interview we achieve both, with a young entertainment industry mogul commonly referred to by one letter, one syllable, one symbol, O. However his talents, skills, and everything about him is anything but one dimensional, he is multi-faceted. O someone that the world will be hearing a lot more about...thanks in part to Media Man Australia. I present you, The O Interview!

What's you background?

Well, my educational background is Political Science and Marketing. My business experience is Business Development in the Entertainment Industry. I love doing what has never been done before especially if it is in the entertainment industry.

What motivates you?

I want to create things that have not existed before me: things no one has done before!

What are you passionate about?

Happiness: mine and those that I love and Winning.

What are you best known for?

Debating, some call it arguing, but I love a good intellectual joust. Also finding a way to make projects happen. In the words of the Great Don King, "I create the money" where money did not exist before".

What are your current plans?

Hmmm that is a loaded question and a long list:

The business development of EventsLeader & Entrepreneurs - The Reality Show, The purchase & business development of a movie studio and movie distribution channel, a multi-TV show production deal from a major network for the other shows I have written, Development of North Carolina's first major record label and to complete my two books and a movie about college.

What is "Entrepreneur$"?

Entrepreneurs is a reality show that I Co-wrote and Executive Produce.

I got tired of the standard reality show that "entertains" but gives nothing back to the viewers, the contestants or the community.
Entrepreneurs - The Reality Show does all three while entertaining the viewing audience. I coined a phased and style of Reality Shows I call "conscience reality". Conscience reality educates and entertains at the same time. The viewer and the participant will gain something from a Conscience Reality show that will be valuable to him/her for a lifetime. Another CR show I hope to produce is "Breaking the Glass Ceiling" You can read about the details of Entrepreneurs - The Reality Show and meet the Contestants at
http://www.realseriousbusiness.com

How did you think up such an ingenious idea?

My partner gave the short version so I will give the long version.

I have known Bob for a number of years now and we have worked on a couple of projects together. Upon our first meeting we hit if off pretty good because we have like entrepreneurial minds (even though he would say that I don't like anyone). We immediately knew we would work well together. I had various projects going on in the entertainment industry and Bob was doing his thing in Real Estate. Well one day Bob called me and was like O, I got this idea and I wanted to know if you wanted to get involved. I said ok; let's have lunch so
you can tell me about it. His exact words were that he was stopping everything else in this life to do this one thing, EventsLeader. He said that he was consolidating his buildings, his other business interest, EVERYTHING to focus on this great idea. After an hour or so of him telling me about the idea and me trying to shoot holes in it, I said, "I'm in, what's our next move?" He had already started on the business plan so I just joined in and we met daily to work on this vision. For me, it had not come to the point where I needed to give up my other endeavors. I had written three television shows for which I was trying to get production funds. They were "The Agent", "Breaking the Glass Ceiling", and "The Billionaire". I put "Breaking the Glass Ceiling" down for a minute because it is the most expensive one to get produced, so I focused on the Agent and the Billionaire. I asked Bob if would he like to be on TV and that I wrote a show that would follow him around while he built this Billion dollar company and show people how you build a company from the ground up.

Imagine if you could watch the first year of Bill Gates building Microsoft, WOW! Bob was like sure I would love it plus it would be a good marketing tool for the company. I said ok and went off to work on the show and acquire everything I needed to produce "The Billionaire", but I fell short of production money. Luckily Bob called me back and was like O, let's call the show Entrepreneurs
and add contestants and challenges and so on. I thought that was a great idea and I went back to my computer to see if I could make it work on paper and I began writing the treatment for Entrepreneurs - The Reality Show.

Most importantly the project would be bankrolled via Bob/EventsLeader and at the same time cut the company's startup overhead. I have a funny story about the director, regarding to the beginning of this show, but I am saving that for my book!

Why is a strong team of people so important?

Man I could spend a book on this, the short and simple version is that you cannot do everything yourself and there is only one O and one Bob. My dad would always say that something worth having is hard to find and that saying holds true when it comes to a strong team of people because they are hard to find, which attest to their value.

Why is it important to give back to the community?

I give back because I am a product of my community. I would be nothing with out the community that raised me. It is a combination of my obligation to those that supported me (a pay it forward, so to speak) and my heart that compels me to do so. I feel sympathy for those who do not have a value system that includes the support of their community, for they are truly missing a part of their being.

Who are your mentors, and why?

Hmm,
1) Cornel West, he is probably the smartest man on the face of the earth, but still has the human touch.
2) My parents: are genuinely good people, too good if you ask me. They are always taking in stray kids. I wish they would just think about themselves and rest sometimes, but they won't. They love to help children, all children.

Who was been most supportive of your endeavors to date?

A lot of people love and support me and it's a blessing to be able to say that, but I would have to say my Mom. There is nothing like a Mom. Entertainment is a hard industry to explain, especially what I do. It's not a 9-5 per se. You don't clock in and clock out. On some projects I can make anywhere from 10k - 100k, but it could be 6 months to a year before my next project. There were people that love me that thought that I just loafed around for 6-7 months at a time and thought I was lazy, because it did not look like I was working! But anyone that knows me knows I go to bed late and get up early. I "work" harder than anyone I know. The problem is that my work just happens to be what I want to do, so others have a hard time seeing it as work. Who says work, can't be a passion. I do what I love and I do it when the mood strikes me. It's hard for people; even ones that love you, to understand the concept of doing what you love or nothing at all!

What can you disclose about the stage that things are at, and the overseas expansion?

Everything is great, but it's all happening faster than I expected. The interest in the show is growing around the world. In this and every thing I do, I employ the "Art of War" & "The 36 Stratagems" (both are great books you should pick them up). With this show, no matter what happens, I have already won before I even started!

What sponsors and supporters are you chasing (that you are comfortable to disclose)?

I cannot release that information just yet!

Who is your preferred telecommunications supplier - Virgin, Vodafone, British Telecom or other, and why?

Whoever is going to support "Entrepreneurs" The Reality Show & O Ent.

What is your definition of success?

Happiness, if the people I love are happy then I am successful.

What do you like best about golf?

Golf is cool, I am more of a contact sport man myself, basketball, football etc. I guess when I get a little older I will play some golf; it seems to be an older guy's sport because they cannot get hurt. I do understand why people like it; it is rather relaxing to be out on a beautiful course on a nice day. In my tournament, people always want me to play but I usually just ride around on the golf cart enjoying the day. The golf cart is the best part of the whole event for me. I have produced a number of golf tournaments, so I have all of this free golf stuff that I never use, but I am going to try to play more.

Whereabouts would you like to visit in Australia? (May I suggest Airlie Beach and Proserpine - golf and yachts?)

The problem is I am not much of a flyer, I had a bad experience. I think all of Australia is beautiful. I would love to have a premiere party for the cast and the crew in Australia, but I would need a boat ride over!

What's you motto?
1) I am not cocky, just confident!
2) I am smarter than you!
3) Do what has not been done!
4) There is only one way to go … Big!
5) Barbecue or Mildew!

Are you working on any other projects?

1) Two Books in stores 2005
Real Reality - The Making of a Reality Show & Blind Vision - Vision for the Blind Mind
2) Working on the production of 3 TV shows (Breaking the Glass Ceiling, LDL -Latin Dance Live, and Hazing - A Frat Story), a movie (Title TBD) and some cameos in both television & film
3) The only thing I don't really have my hands in is Music & Magazines so I am working on that by starting a record label with Veteran Super Producer "Mark Sparks". Hopefully, I will be consulting for a magazine "Unleashedmag.com" and the publishing company to create the college version of Maxim Magazine.
4) A3 Weekend for Charity - Athletes, Artist, & Actors
5) Coming up with the premise for the second season of "Entrepreneurs" The Reality show.
6) And the driving force behind the show, introducing EventsLeader to the world as the Brand for "what to do and where to go".

Finish this sentence...If I could change the world I would.....? (I know this question is a little out there, but think big)

End all pain and suffering for all people, again Happiness is the Key!

...end.

Editors note: O, what an entrepreneur!

Websites

O Ent Inc - www.OEntInc.com

Entrepreneur$ - The Reality Show

Events Leader

Unity 05

Sponsor company websites

Scottish Vacations and Golf Tours

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