Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to O’mar Finley. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi O’mar, thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

I believe one thing that I do differently from the industry standard is actually listen to artist needs. A lot of people know the cliche’ that stand up is an art form that lends itself to people who struggle with mental issues or need some sort of therapy. While I do think that is a gross stereotype – I do think that what it really highlights is that people who are practicing this art are way more open and vunerable about their personal issues than most other performing artists. Thats why I started my show, Group Therapy, which tackles the tough conversations about mental health by bringing standup comics and therapists together in an intimate setting, and, based on audience participation, ultimately gifts a lucky ( or unlucky depending on your perspective ) a free therapy session with a therapist. Personally, I don’t know of anything else in the industry quite like this, that really tries to guide people into seeking the help that might need, while also trying to destigmatize what therapy is and isn’t. Starting this endeavour has been one of the proudest moments in my career so far, and I am lucky to be working with Rita House and Dr. Ally Hicks together to try to actually help not just comics, but anyone who is curious about mental health, gain the resources necessary to start their own journey.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

For those who don’t know me, my name is O’mar Finley ( yes the apostrophe is really how its spelled, no I’m not just trying to be cool), and I’m a 2 year LA transplant by way of Louisiana, that is a standup comedian and visual designer.

I originally was never even thinking of doing stand up, but a little over 8 years ago, a really great friend of mine (Nam) took me to a show and signed me up to perform at a open mic – and then I never stopped. I fell in love with the art(it also helped that I was pretty good right off the bat) and I started to pursue it seriously. I’m blessed that I had Nam to help me start this journey, our company NO SHOW Comedy, and just in general as a friend for life. Since then, I started producing shows/albums/podcasts all under the NO SHOW brand and even picked my life up and moved here, so that I can reach the next level in my career. Now that I’ve moved, I have the show Group Therapy that has been going on for a year now, and I absolutely love it. To me, Group Therapy is a great answer to the problem that I have observed in the entertainment industry, which is that everyone is struggling with mental health issues, but do not want to talk about it. Dr. Ally Hicks, Rita House, and myself try to provide a safe space where comics and audience members come together and have the sometimes difficult conversations about therapy. I’m so proud to have the show, and them in my life.

When not performing, I work as a designer full time and on contract. Funnily enough, before my standup journey, I was in school obtaining my master’s degree so that I could move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Who would’ve thought that I would do that but in a completely different way? As a designer, I’m fortunate to be able to work on multiple projects where I get to stretch my creativity in many ways – currently I have been designing and maintaining a mobile app for a client, video editing for another client, and even rebranding a whole company for another different client. I love the challenge that design brings into my daily life – though I will admit, sometimes being creative all throughout the day for work then having to flex a different side of creativity at night for standup gets exhausting.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think non creatives struggle to understand about my journey as a creative, both stand up and as designer, is the huge amount of pressure that both entail. It’s sometimes hard to shoulder the burden of it all, there’s a lot of expectations that I have to manage daily, external and internal, and both industries I work in are always requiring that you strive for the next gig, next opportunity, next contract, which can be immensely draining. To be honest, I rarely talk publicly about this part of the job because there is such a stigma against creatives/comics who say “Hey, I’m burnt out” because you don’t want someone to not book you and you miss a opportunity. But in the last year or so, I’ve been fortunate enough to understand that it’s ok to be able to set those boundaries and communicate that with others, because everyone feels that way, no matter what you do. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, no matter what everyone else tries to make you think. So take some time off, go to the movies, have a game night, be a regular person. That’s been my philosophy to help combat those feelings.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an creative, for me at personally, is definitely being able to bring things to fruition. Whether its joy to a couple who are having a date night, or an idea for a client that doesn’t quite know how to communicate their brand, being able to manifest those things is huge for me. It makes me feel that I can do that in my personal life, even when things feel out of control. The ability to use your creativity to impact others is a feeling that I hope my work continues to do.

Contact Info:

• Website: omarfinley.com
• Instagram: @0marfinley
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/omarfinley
• Twitter: @0marfinley