Megan Pormer - Miss Dubai in LA

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Nothing can make me happier than people. You know, some people need to go to nature. Some people need to take some time alone. I just need people and I. And when people suffer, I suffer. And I want to keep them alive. I want. I want people to. To stay alive, to not suffer, to not struggle with health issues. Because I truly believe that if you're healthy, both mentally and physically, sky's the limit.

What's going on, everyone? Casey Adams here. Welcome back to the Rise of the Young podcast. Today we have the one and only Megan Palmer. Thanks so much for coming on the show. Such a pleasure.

Pleasure to have you. I just woke up, heard some noise, and I come to the living room and there is Casey Adams. You know, it's gonna be a fun day when you wake up to him in your living room.

Well, thank you. Thank you. So, really, to kick it off, I like to say you go by Ms. Dubai. You're a biomedical engineer, actor, model, and someone that I connected with through my good friend Michael Gruen at the Soho House. And then we ran into each other the other day and we're like, we got to make this happen.

I know.

Appreciate you coming on.

It's just one of those things that it's like, meant to be running into each other.

Absolutely. And really just to kick it off. Right. Ms. Dubai, let's start there. Where does that start? What does that mean?

I went to school in Dubai for many years. My family is originally from the Middle East. And then I, when I moved to la, I started bringing different brands from Dubai to LA and vice versa. And I was the first person who created a bridge between the Middle east and America in terms of brands, anything in the entertainment industry. And then I was honored that Cosmopolitan, Women's health magazine in the Middle east, they Decided to give me to honor me with this title. And. Yeah, there we go.

So with that title, Ms. Dubai, it's very. It's a big deal. What. What does that title entail in terms of how do you get it? What is there, like, what does it mean if people don't know what it means?

I am promoting not only Dubai, but Dubai is basically, for me, Dubai is the. Dubai is the representation of the entire region in the Middle East. And I'm the person who's always going to promote their region in America, because I realized that as an American, there are a lot of basically astigmatism about the region. And there are a lot of, like, since there are a lot of countries, there are a lot of confusions, and I feel like the region is portrayed in a way that's different than how it actually is. And I'm here to portray it in the right way and how. And kind of I want Americans to know that this is. The Middle east is one of the most amazing regions in the world, and I want more. To see more Americans in the region.

I love it. I love it.

The goal is to make the whole world as one, you know, no boundaries, no countries. Yes. And in order to achieve that, we need to raise awareness about what's going on in the other parts of the world. So people are more, you know, inclined to visit and.

Yeah, I love it. So why did you go to school for biomedical engineering?

My dad really wanted me to be a doctor or an engineer.

Okay.

And I wanted to be a model and an actress. So we kind of did. Did a deal together. He said, you study biomedical engineering, then I'll help you achieve your acting and modeling goals, and you'll have my full blessing. So then I did my bachelor's degree. He said, we already achieved that. Just do one more year and get your master's degree. I said, okay, then I did my master's degree. He said, then do a couple more years, and then you get your PhD. And then, you know, so then you can. Then I will. I. I will. And my father was. He was my idol, Right. And he said that I'm gonna put a whole road map together for you to go, you know, right up to where you want to be in your entertainment career. But unfortunately, I lost him halfway through my PhD.

I'm sorry to hear that.

But it was like. It was his legacy that I wanted to carry, and I. And while I was studying, I discovered my passion for medical issues. And then seeing people that are struggling with health issues was like, it Became the closest thing to my heart, to the point that on an hourly basis, I'm thankful for my dad, for dragging me through all the years of university and really pushing me to do it. Because right now, my goal is to commercialize medical treatments, which is something that doesn't exist. That's why most people panic when they get sick, but they don't panic when they need to know what the newest makeup trend is, because they. And the only difference is you get so much information about everything but medical treatments, but medical options. That's why when you get sick, you don't even know where to begin, where to start. And most people, especially for people that are struggling with cancer, by the time they find all these different treatments from around the world, it's. Sometimes it's too late. And I want medical treatments to become so kind of like. I don't want to use the word trendy, but I want us to be so aware that it'll be exactly the same way that we're watching a makeup tutorial or we're watching the newest fashion trend. We need to be in the know of what's available out there when it comes to medical treatment.

That makes sense. So what was the transition from biomedical engineering to becoming a model actor and doing that full time now in what you have? How was that transition?

I studied at Imperial College London, and while I was there, one day I woke up, and I remember Angelina Jolie had announced worldwide that she underwent preventative double mastectomy because she took a DNA test and she. That. And she. She had. She carries a gene that has, like, she. She's predisposed to breast and ovarian hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. And therefore she took a preventative step, and the whole world suddenly became aware of this whole test, even though the test had existed 10 years prior to that. And that was one of the tests that I was working on. I was like, wow, so you need a power of a celebrity to raise awareness about medical options. And then, yeah, from there, I got an offer from Women's Health magazine, and then I came and, you know, started commercializing that particular test. And there we are.

That's very cool. So when was that always a career goal of yours to be model actor and move into that category, but you use the biomedical engineering to more. So A, carry on your father's legacy, but B, to fulfill that in what you promise him in terms of that deal you made them.

I wanted the platform, and I wanted the platform in the entertainment industry, which I always wanted to achieve through Modeling and acting. But then I wanted a message. So when I actually have the platform to be able to be of service to my people, to add value to the people, and what's better than, you know, helping them with their health issues.

Yeah. So when did you really take social media fall in, in terms of you have over a million followers on Instagram, you have a lot of big brands that you work with, and I've been following you on Instagram since we've met. And when did you start pursuing that from social media perspective?

I actually started it while I was a corporate girl working at a corporation as a biomedical engineer because I wanted to commercialize it. And then I witnessed the power of social media when I actually had a trip back to the Middle East. And then I suddenly actually, a lot of issues happened for me because I was not covered up, and a lot of issues. And then to the. To the level that, like, the whole country, not Dubai, that was another part of the Middle East. I went back to Iran and everybody kind of was criticizing me or making comments, and that made me feel like, wow, social media is really powerful for the whole country to be aware of, like, what I've been doing. There's no other way I could have made that possible other than social media. So then when I came back to la, I went full force because wanted to. And when I was at the corporation, all the other employees and all the other doctors, they were looking down at me to, you know, to take selfies with myself and this DNA test, like, you know, showing the corporation, and I was like, but this is exactly when you need to take action, when nobody else is willing to go there. So, yeah, I started it before I even started my entertainment career.

Very cool. What's been the most rewarding project or part of entertainment that you've had throughout your journey? What's like, one of the best experiences or best film you've been a part of or best brand you've worked with, in your opinion of just like a cool experience that you've been through.

One of the most exciting things that happened in my career while I was working as a doctor. I met with the Kardashian family and I was talking to them about the test. And their grandmother is a breast and a breast. She's a cancer survivor, Breast and colorectal cancer survivor, if I'm not mistaken. And I was talking to them about the test and I. Well, my goal was to get their endorsement, but we were not in a position we wouldn't be able to afford them. And in My disbelief. Kim, Kris, Jenner, Kylie, the entire family offered to do it for free and just show the whole thing on the show. And then they all took a trip to the headquarters of the company and raised awareness for, like, nothing. For, like, nothing but wanting to do good for the people. And this showed me the power of. I think healthcare is one of those things that it brings everyone together. Like, I remember there was a time when I was doing. When I was talking about DNA testing with different people. And then when I would leave the room some. The doctor would tell me, oh, he's the prime minister of that country. He's the king of this country. But when it comes to health, everyone becomes one. Because we're all concerned about staying healthy and making sure that, you know, health is our biggest wealth.

Yeah, absolutely.

It was beautiful.

Very cool. So overall, it's utilizing the health and the celebrities to bring awareness for these health issues or things that you can bring to the world. Very cool.

Thank you.

What's been looking back throughout your career? If someone wants to get into modeling and acting and that's one of their goals, maybe it's a young girl. What do you recommend as the first step for someone to do in 2019?

Do it your own way. If you're following other people's footsteps, it's almost never gonna happen. Because the entertainment industry is one of those industries that there is no blueprint unless you need to invent that blueprint. And you gotta remember, it's called the show business. What does that mean? You need to offer a service you're in that you're in the business of entertaining people. And you cannot be entertaining unless it's your unique idea. You cannot. I cannot copy somebody else and still be entertaining. Because if. If people are interested in that particular person, why would they want to watch a whole. You know what I mean? Like, as if you. You don't want to read the same book, you know, by different writers, but it's like the same book you're like, then I prefer to go with the first writer, you know, so. And then also having a bigger goal that once you have your platform in the entertainment industry, utilize that to help people so you have a message to tell people. Because the only way to grow in the entertainment industry is with people with their support to have fans, and it's only fair to give back to them.

That makes sense. So you travel a lot. I know that you're always all over the place. Did you grow up traveling or how did that go?

Yes, My father was a property developer, so we were constantly traveling from Turkey to Russia, Dubai, London.

Got it, Got it. What's been the most important lesson that you've learned throughout your journey.

To look to understand different cultures and where people are coming from? It's been as easy as I'm learning that the same sentence that can make an American feel good about themselves, can make a Middle Eastern feel horrible about themselves, and can make an Asian person.

Feel neutral, you know, like language barrier or just like.

No, it's a co cultural thing. It's just, for example, I come from a culture where like we have different slangs. Like for example, you give me a glass of water and say, I die for you. But in my culture, I'm doing a direct translation. It's just I'm. I like, it's very common, right?

Yeah.

And I used to translate that in English and Americans were like, Jesus, like this. She was a weirdo, you know. And then I said that to somebody in Hong Kong and he almost like had a panic attack because he was like, God, what, what, what, what does he want? You know, and, and especially when it comes to women, since there are a lot of like, limitations when it comes to the Middle Eastern culture. You have to be really sensitive to where people grew up in or what culture or like what their belief systems are. There is no one rule fits all when it comes to communicating with people. So it's just the art of communication that you really have to customize it based on who you're speaking. Speaking to.

Got it. Very interesting. Moving into 2020, what are you most excited about?

2020? 2020 is going to be a combination of movie projects, modeling projects, and medical projects. I have two big movies come out come next in 2020, which I'm really excited about. It's going to be more New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week. So fashion's still gonna go. Gonna be like, you know, a very important part of my life. And the other part will be I'm going full force into some new treatments that are available for cancer patients, alternatives to chemotherapy. And I am going to utilize my platform, the entertainment industry, to really raise awareness about them.

Very cool. What? The movies, can we touch on those? What are they?

Not yet.

Yes, we'll have to circle back for sure.

Yes.

When. When you bring and raising awareness for, for example, this alternative to chemotherapy. How do you go about that in the world of you have all this attention? What's the right messaging, the right way to go about it, or how do you prepare for something like that to bring awareness to such an important Issue people.

You need. I document people's journeys through what they struggle with. Because I think cancer is one of those subjects that's so sensitive that you almost need to say nothing about it. You need to show it. And for me, it's all portraying how people's lives can change. Because going from one clinic to another, one doctor to another, one treatment to another, and that's. It's not something you should talk about as something that you should show people and give them the choice. And I feel like that's something that, since it's very sensitive, nobody wants to touch, you know, on that subject deep enough. But this year, this girl is gonna go as deep as it takes.

Very cool.

Yeah.

Who. Do you have any mentors that have done this on a broader scale in terms of bridging the gap between entertainment? Because I. This is the first time, like we're talking right now that you're sort of breaking it down in terms of like, celebrity endorsements for health related issues, like you're reinventing and like doing this game. Completely different. Based on what I see. Do you have any mentors or people that are doing it, or is it.

Something that you just that it's like one of those things that when you speak to medical people, medical people, like, they don't understand the entertainment industry, don't want to be a part of it.

Yeah.

And the people in the entertainment industry don't understand the medical world. So it was. It's one of those things that in a, in a way, it's a blank canvas and I'm. And I'm trying. It's something that I cannot look up to someone, I cannot talk to a mentor. It's just me, myself, and I alone in this. And I'm. And I'm. I, I, I'm relying on the power of my fans and their feedback to help me navigate through this journey. And as I said when I started my career, I, I was never expecting the biggest celebrities in the world to come to me and endorse it. But it's like, it's one of those things that you just, you know, go, go with it. And then people will show you as a focus group, like, because today our fans and our followers are the most incredible focus group we can ask for. And I rely on them.

I love it. Who are some of the people, if you don't mind me asking, that have more. So since bringing this concept of utilizing entertainment with these cancer issues or whatever you're trying to bring awareness to, who are some of the other celebrities that You've seen respond to this well and really attached to it and want to be a part of it. Based on who?

You know Angelina Jolie. She was the one that started this whole thing. Gwyneth Paltrow endorsed it. The Kardashians, the doctor, Paul Nassip and any. The kings of the queens around the world. Everybody is behind, like, they really, really showed support. And. Hi. From Heidi Kalum to Jennifer Lopez, it's just one of those subjects that so far.

Yeah.

I haven't come across anyone who hasn't been on board as if, like, I feel like this is the year when we all. Because here's the thing. I feel like the biggest thing everybody's worried about is like, oh, my God, what's gonna. I get cancer. I think that's the year to kind of, like, get to the bottom of it. Find it. Find a way that we can hopefully treat cancer the same way that we treat the cold and the flu. Easy.

Wow.

You know, that, like, doesn't destroy us. And this is the year.

Yeah. Very cool. Very cool. So when you say that, I can tell you have so much passion in what you do, what drives you on a daily basis in terms of just what keeps you going, what keeps you in the energy in which you are on a daily basis.

People. People. I love people. That nothing can make me happier than people. You know, some people need to go to nature. Some people need to take some time along. I just need people. When I have a bad day, all I need is to go on my phone and start talking to my followers or people. And I. And I. And when people suffer, I suffer, and I want to keep them alive. I want. I want people to. To stay alive, to not suffer, to not struggle with health issues. Because I truly believe that if you're healthy, both mentally and physically, sky's the limit.

Yeah. You know, where does that passion for people come from? Wow.

No, but I've never thought about it. I don't know, just maybe. Maybe the fact that I, Ever since I remember myself, I always had this need of transferring love, like, giving love and receiving. Like, that's like, that's my fire and my water and my food. You know, that's like, I, I. That's my. That's how I nourish my existence, you.

Know, I love it.

But that's a good question. And you're actually now, like, this is gonna make me. I need. I need to take some meditation time and really go deep to where this is coming from.

Okay. Very cool. Because I. I've Met some people. Right? And I'm sure you have where it's like, you know, they're, they're antisocial and they're like, hey, let me not talk to people. And then you have people like yourself who are very people driven. And it's, it's interesting to, you know, know the why of where that comes from or. And do you believe it's something that you can grow on or is it something that you believe just came natural to you?

I really have to meditate on that because now that you, that we're talking about it, I feel like, like my biggest passion in life is people. Like, when I, no matter, like, how I'm feeling, if I walk out of door and I see my neighbor walking her dog, boom.

Love.

Yeah. I'm like, back to me.

Very cool. Very cool. So I have, like, two more questions. One of them is just regarding people. And you speak with a lot of, not only a list, but just powerful people. You know, there's, there's, there's a certain level of influence you need to have to sit down with kings and queens of these different nations. And by being in these rooms with these type of people, what do you believe makes those people great?

Being humble and wanting to do better for others without an exception. Anyone that I've seen who's on top of, like, in, in the, you know, top level of the society, and they're doing great in their careers or their social, like, life, and they stay there. I'm not talking about like, you know, some people, they go there, but they come, come down. But people that are, that have a steady career or a steady position in the society, there is no other way unless you're humble and you provide a service to the people and you try to add value to your people, because the only reason you can get to the top is by the power of people.

Yeah. Makes sense. So if you were to restart your career and say, okay, I'm going to biomedical engineering, and then I therefore want to start this entertainment world, what advice would you give to your younger self?

To keep being me. Just enjoy being you and don't change that for anyone or anything. Because every time I try to do a little tweak in my. Who I am and you know, how I lead from the heart, Right? And sometimes you, you, you doubt yourself that maybe this is wrong, because sometimes it gets you in trouble. But it's worth it. Now I'm at a point where I, I lead from the heart no matter what. And if the price of leading from the heart is being disappointed every now and then. Happily be that. Happily.

Love it. Love it. Well, really, just to wrap it up, I just want to say thank you so much for taking the time today. Absolutely.

My day. Can I wake up to you every day, please? Absolutely.

I'll be here. But I know you said you had some amazing things coming in 2020 that we won't touch on in this episode, but we. Where is the place where people can find more about what you're doing and stay updated on what you're working on?

Well, first of all, my social media channel isagormer and just do a little, just to tease it a little bit. If you Google working girls, you may get some more information about what I'm up to, guys.

Good to know. And I will absolutely link that down below Instagram as well as where people can go to find out more about that.

Thank you.

But overall, Megan, I just want to say thank you so much for taking the time. Such a pleasure.

Thank you.

And yeah, thank you so much for your time.

Thank you so much. Can't wait to see you in 2020.

Let's go. And for everyone listening, make sure you follow Megan and subscribe to the podcast and I will talk to you guys soon.

Legacy of Monsters An Apple Original series The world is on fire. I decided to do something about it on November 17th. This place, it's not ours. Believe me, the most massive event of the year. ARR. If you come with me, you'll know everything. I promise. Legacy of monsters streaming November 17th only on Apple TV. Plus.