OmaxBooks Daily by Alexis Onestas

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ After bringing hundreds of people together in Paris to celebrate Tupac Shakur, Nipsey Hussle and hip-hop literature, I found myself struggling with the social tensions and divisions unfolding in France. I haven't recorded OmaxBooks Daily for a few days, not because I stopped building, but because sometimes the world around us makes it difficult to find the right words. In this episode, I reflect on why culture matters when people disagree, why bringing people together doesn't mean asking them to think alike, and why I still believe books and stories can help build bridges in a divided world.

Let’s discuss.

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ More than 400 people registered for our Tupac Shakur and Nipsey Hussle event at La Place in Paris, with around 300 attending. We sold books, brought together hip-hop specialists and created a space for conversations about culture, legacy and literature. For years, I heard that African-American books were too niche for the French market. This event showed me something different: the audience exists, the passion exists, and sometimes a market isn't too small. It's simply underserved. Meanwhile, OmaxBooks Daily is now reaching listeners in more than 50 countries and territories. In this episode, I share why believing in an overlooked audience can become the foundation of something much bigger.

Let’s discuss.

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Today, I discovered that OmaxBooks Daily is being listened to in 23 countries and territories around the world. France, the United States, Japan, South Africa, the United Kingdom and beyond. When I started this podcast, I knew almost nothing about podcasting. No studio, no production team, just a microphone, an idea and the ambition to reach people internationally. Most episodes were recorded in Paris, with others in New York, Atlanta and during my travels. In this episode, I share why you don’t need to start big to think big, why I chose to podcast in English and why reaching people across borders is only the beginning of building a meaningful global audience.

Let’s discuss.

X, TikTok, LinkedIn, Instagram: @alexisonestas

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ What makes a cultural masterpiece? Tonight, I attended a special screening and conversation celebrating ten years of Issa Rae’s HBO series Insecure. Watching an episode and listening to discussions about friendship, ambition, identity, relationships and cultural representation reminded me why certain stories remain relevant long after their release. Having published Issa Rae’s book in French through OmaxBooks, this moment felt particularly meaningful. In this episode, I explore the difference between creating something people talk about today and creating something they’ll still be discussing ten or twenty years from now.

Let’s discuss.

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Why do movies have trailers and music has singles, but books are still expected to sell themselves? Yesterday at Soho House Paris, we invited readers of our Tupac Shakur book to watch Poetic Justice, starring Tupac and Janet Jackson. Instead of organizing a traditional book presentation, we created an experience where people could watch, discuss and connect around the story. In this episode, I explain why revealing what's inside a book can create more curiosity, why cultural experiences can strengthen a community, and why publishing should explore new ways to connect stories with readers.

Let’s discuss.

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tonight at Soho House Paris, I watched an exclusive documentary about French artist JR and his ambitious project to transform the Pont Neuf into a monumental cave. Despite his international recognition, experience, partnerships and resources, the documentary revealed just how many obstacles stand between an ambitious idea and its realization. Inspired by Robert Greene’s Mastery, this episode explores why success doesn't eliminate difficulties, why experience helps us face bigger challenges, and why we should stop waiting for everything to become easy before building something meaningful.

Let’s discuss.

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Today, I didn’t edit a book, design a cover or do anything particularly creative. I spent the day on accounting, payments, planning, community management, administrative files and a funding application. After two weeks in the studio and a trip to London, I needed to catch up on everything happening behind the scenes. And it reminded me that the boring work isn’t separate from the dream. It’s often what allows the dream to continue. Creativity gives your business a reason to exist. Administration gives it the ability to survive.

Let’s discuss.

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’m recording this episode from a London train station, just before heading back to Paris. A few days ago at the Black British Book Festival, I listened to Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, Verna Wilkins and Jada discuss what it really takes to build in Black publishing. These are people who have been doing this work for years, sometimes decades, and they’re still building, fighting for visibility and finding new readers. It reminded me that not every meaningful business needs to explode in three years. Some missions require patience, resilience and the willingness to keep building for twenty years.

Let’s discuss.

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Yesterday, I was celebrating the incredible response to our Nipsey Hussle and Tupac Shakur books. Today, the Black British Book Festival in London reminded me how much I still don’t know. Looking at the roster, I realized I barely knew many of the Black British authors, their books or the stories they defend, despite London being much closer to Paris than New York or Los Angeles. So today, I stopped talking and listened. In this episode, I share why success should expand your curiosity, not your ego, and why anyone serious about mastering their field should never stop being a student.

Let’s discuss.

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Our new OmaxBooks releases around Nipsey Hussle and Tupac Shakur are exceeding our expectations. Our distributor is already asking for more stock and a reprint, our upcoming event is sold out, and new partners including TRACE are joining the journey. But this episode isn’t really about success. It’s about validation. For years, OmaxBooks relied heavily on digital marketing and direct sales. The audience existed. The demand existed. What was missing was structured distribution. Sometimes your vision isn’t wrong. Your system is simply incomplete.

Let’s discuss.

X, TikTok, LinkedIn, Instagram: @alexisonestas