Omar Souidi | FF Rustig #5

Omar Souidi. He is living proof that hard work really does pay off. Omar obtained his law degree at the University of Antwerp in 2008 without much effort. In 2011, he and his older brother Mounir took a big leap and opened their own agency ‘Souidi & Souidi Advocaten’ as co-founders. In 2021, Omar discovered his interest in media law thanks to a favor from a friend and immediately started his own artist management agency: Tribune 2. With Polymatch Agency, he has been guiding and coaching new talent in the world of football since 2022.

Busy bird

“As a student, you have to discover what real life is like. And then it’s good to know that other people have to do hard physical labor,” says Omar. As a young man in his twenties, he had a busy life. He combined studying with a whole series of student jobs. Omar found his first work experience as a cashier at Quick, but he also got to know the real world as an industrial cleaner, warehouse worker and waiter.

As a trainee lawyer at the renowned law firm of Joris Vercraeye, Omar learned the tricks of the trade. His brother, who was six years older and had also studied law, worked at the same office. Excellence runs in the family and that is why the bar was immediately set high for Omar. During his internship, lawyers came to listen to his pleas to see what Mounir’s younger brother could do. That was the biggest motivation for him. “My brother has done exceptionally good work for years, so the same was expected of me right away. Something like that triggers,” says Omar.

The big step

After his internship, Omar received the well-deserved title of independent lawyer and in 2011 the brothers decided to set up their own law firm. A beautiful and important moment in the professional life of Omar Souidi, but also a big risk. Without funds but on their own two feet, the duo opened the doors of ‘Souidi & Souidi advocaten’ on the Britselei in Antwerp.

Day and night they worked as independent lawyers to build up a regular clientele and make their mark on the Antwerp legal profession. Playing receptionist themselves, visiting prisons, consulting files at the registry, getting bread and cleaning the office on the weekend. “That’s the way to go, whatever your ambitions are,” says Omar.

“I can’t back down, watching silently has never been my thing. We’ve worked day and night to support people, build a clientele and make our name true. When you achieve good results, word of mouth does its work and sooner or later the phone rings.”

Enforcing success

Only by doing, you discover what you like. After years of uninterrupted criminal law, Omar tried something different. By helping a friend who was in conflict with the media, his interest in media law suddenly grew. A good outcome of the case gave a lot of satisfaction and soon the idea grew to open his own artist management office.

Omar discovered a new passion: negotiating with the press and media houses on behalf of actors and artists. Not long after, he founded artist management agency ‘Tribune 2’.

“Only by working for years do you discover what you like and don’t like. Twenty-somethings panic because they don’t know what they want, yet that is the ideal period to experiment. As a twenty-something, you have to invest in the opportunities you get. Personal development and growth don’t come by themselves.”

Omar’s advice sounds obvious, at least when it comes from his mouth. “You have to force success. Only by working hard and paying attention to your interests can you open up new worlds.”

About FF Rustig

FF Rustig is a podcast produced by First Floor. We are here to give young, promising talent in HR and marketing the best possible start to their career. In this way, we not only want to prepare happy professionals, but also future leaders who dare to take responsibility for their job, their company and themselves. In our FF Rustig podcast we bring you honest stories of inspiring, experienced professionals who give us a glimpse into the person behind the career.