"I need to give my team the time to fail internally"Anushka Sani is the founder of Thought Over Design, one of India's brightest design agencies, who've done work for a whole host of young growing brands. She is also a keen design thinker and speaker. She joined us to talk about how design is no longer superficial, on the balance between concept and orchestration and why she doesn't want her studio to have its own 'house style'. Of course, we veer and talk about what good design even is - even if it's not classically aesthetic. We speak about working with various kinds of clients - something that her days as a scuba divemaster prepped her for well, her personal projects, and fitness.An excellent chat with someone who thinks deeply about how design impacts business.Anushka on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anushkasaniHer Creative Mornings talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBzXtKxqGCAHer studio, Thought Over Design: https://thoughtoverdesign.com/TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENTThis is a YouTube interview series hosted by Utsav and Deepak aka Chuck, about the aspects of content that really matter - the craft, the process, the thinking, the ambition. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?To guide budding creators.What goes into creating content? How do you make content that resonates with people as well as imbibes your unique essence? How do you make sure you hold on to your creativity whilst trying to crack the 'business' of it? The journey to content creation involves passing through many processes - the ideation, the discipline, the craft, motivation, bringing it all to life while battling hurdles of the daily grind as well as the human mind. An exhilarating process whose outcome makes it look simple and that's the beauty of it.We interview experts to understand creation at its core and uncover the hidden gems behind this journey. From breaking down the process to diving into their minds as they go through this start to finish. Expect nuanced, sharp conversations with creators, industry folks and entrepreneurs.THE 6% CLUBIndia’s first creator coaching program, designed for people with full-time jobs. Developed by mentors who built global 2% ranking content projects while balancing demanding careers. It features live sessions, 3 masterclasses from creators who have cracked it (Amit Varma, Krish Ashok, SneakyArtist, and more planned), personalised mentoring sessions, peer reviews, a vibrant community, and much more. Check out the program and sign up for the next cohort, here: https://www.thesixpercent.club/Produced by: The 6% Club - Chuck & UtsavShot by: Team SUHFECTO: Sharath U Holla, Komal Khiani, Sahil Rao, Milind LutherPost Production : Fatang Studios by Flop FilmsPackaging Sound Design: Mehar Chumble, Creative High StudioVisual Packaging: Mihir Lele, 650ml StudiosRecording Studio: Sugarline Sound Co., BangaloreUtsav: https://www.instagram.com/postcards.pfn/Chuck: https://www.instagram.com/chuckofalltrades/00:00 - 02:05 Introduction02:05 - 11:40 Anushka's experience as a scuba diving instructor11:40: - 24:00 Design - what's changed?24:10: - 33:35 On the balance between concept & orchestration33:36: - 42:20 What is good design, anyway?42:21:- 55:35 The business & operations of design55:36 - 1:10:35 The creative process1:10:36 -1:24:40 The joy of personal projects1:24:41-1:40:51 The various graphs of Anushka's life
Band frontman. Marketer. Sauce maker. Perfect TYHC guest!Sidharth Raveendran is the vocalist of Mumbai-based post-hardcore band Pacifist, and Hindi comedy rock band Tadpatri Talkies. His energetic stage presence and banter are central to both outfits.But Sid has several other facets to him - he thinks thoughtfully about content and creation. In this chat we get into several of those - especially from his perspective of being an entertainer. We speak about how all performances are world-building to some degree, the constant tug between art and money, and of course, on authenticity. We hope you enjoy this chat.His Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sidharthravesHis band: https://www.instagram.com/pacifist.indiaHis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidharth-raveendran-187753100TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENTThis is a YouTube interview series hosted by Utsav and Deepak aka Chuck, about the aspects of content that really matter - the craft, the process, the thinking, the ambition. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?To guide budding creators.What goes into creating content? How do you make content that resonates with people as well as imbibes your unique essence? How do you make sure you hold on to your creativity whilst trying to crack the 'business' of it? The journey to content creation involves passing through many processes - the ideation, the discipline, the craft, motivation, bringing it all to life while battling hurdles of the daily grind as well as the human mind. An exhilarating process whose outcome makes it look simple and that's the beauty of it.We interview experts to understand creation at its core and uncover the hidden gems behind this journey. From breaking down the process to diving into their minds as they go through this start to finish. Expect nuanced, sharp conversations with creators, industry folks and entrepreneurs.THE 6% CLUBIndia’s first creator coaching program, designed for people with full-time jobs. Developed by mentors who built global 2% ranking content projects while balancing demanding careers. It features live sessions, 3 masterclasses from creators who have cracked it (Amit Varma, Krish Ashok, SneakyArtist, and more planned), personalised mentoring sessions, peer reviews, a vibrant community, and much more. Check out the program and sign up for the next cohort, here: https://www.thesixpercent.club/Produced by: The 6% Club - Chuck & UtsavShot by: Team SUHFECTO: Sharath U Holla, Komal Khiani, Sahil Rao, Milind LutherPost Production : Fatang Studios by Flop FilmsPackaging Sound Design: Mehar Chumble, Creative High StudioVisual Packaging: Mihir Lele, 650ml StudiosRecording Studio: Sugarline Sound Co., BangaloreUtsav: https://www.instagram.com/postcards.pfn/Chuck: https://www.instagram.com/chuckofalltrades/Segments:00:00:00 Introduction00:02:16 On a stunt he and his band pulled once00:03:30 Having fun vs polish when faced with a camera00:06:50 On being an entertainer and switching modes00:15:25 Performances are world-building00:24:17 On musicians needing to be marketers too00:30:15 On the sliding scale of art v money00:39:42 Advice to musicians00:43:00 Advice from an "IP specialist"00:46:50 On authenticity
Praveen, or PGK to everyone, speaks about building a business with journalism at its core - a fundamentally different framing from saying "journalism is a service".The Ken is a unique publication. In 2016, it tried the audacious move of publishing one long-form business piece a day, completely subscriber-funded. Close to a decade later, it's going strong, launched several more 'products', and spawned much competition. Praveen is the company's COO but also frequent writer - his weekly Nutgraf newsletter is among the publication's most-loved features.PGK is someone who thinks deeply about technology, content, intersections and all that good stuff that's catnip to your hosts so obviously we had to get him on our show. The result was a conversation that's hugely entertaining but also deeply insightful - about products, about media, and about journalism. We spend time talking about how story structures, the importance of conflict, joining the dots and so much more. There are references ranging from youth magazines in the Gulf to early Indian Twitter to The Beatles... let's just say there's a wide terrain here. We thoroughly enjoyed how PGK pushes some 'frameworks' we had. A delightful interview which we think you will love.The Ken: https://the-ken.com/Praveen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/praveengopalkrishnan/ & https://x.com/peegeekayTO YOUR HEART'S CONTENTThis is a YouTube interview series hosted by Utsav and Deepak aka Chuck, about the aspects of content that really matter - the craft, the process, the thinking, the ambition. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?To guide budding creators.What goes into creating content? How do you make content that resonates with people as well as imbibes your unique essence? How do you make sure you hold on to your creativity whilst trying to crack the 'business' of it? The journey to content creation involves passing through many processes - the ideation, the discipline, the craft, motivation, bringing it all to life while battling hurdles of the daily grind as well as the human mind. An exhilarating process whose outcome makes it look simple and that's the beauty of it.We interview experts to understand creation at its core and uncover the hidden gems behind this journey. From breaking down the process to diving into their minds as they go through this start to finish. Expect nuanced, sharp conversations with creators, industry folks and entrepreneurs.THE 6% CLUBIndia’s first creator coaching program, designed for people with full-time jobs. Developed by mentors who built global 2% ranking content projects while balancing demanding careers. It features live sessions, 3 masterclasses from creators who have cracked it (Amit Varma, Krish Ashok, SneakyArtist, and more planned), personalised mentoring sessions, peer reviews, a vibrant community, and much more. Check out the program and sign up for the next cohort, here: https://www.thesixpercent.club/Produced by: The 6% Club - Chuck & UtsavShot by: Team SUHFECTO: Sharath U Holla, Komal Khiani, Sahil Rao, Milind LutherPost Production : Fatang Studios by Flop FilmsPackaging Sound Design: Mehar Chumble, Creative High StudioVisual Packaging: Mihir Lele, 650ml StudiosRecording Studio: Sugarline Sound Co., BangaloreUtsav: https://www.instagram.com/postcards.pfn/Chuck: https://www.instagram.com/chuckofalltrades/00:00:00 Introduction00:01:46 On the infamous Twitter handle PGK created 00:05:20 PGK's journey from software to internet tech to media00:15:00 PGK joins The Ken (and learns!)00:26:25 When your product is content... er... stories00:38:35 On "the line" and "the conflict"00:52:20 On new structures and formats & experimentation01:01:25 Coming up with new 'products' at The Ken01:13:00 On long-form vs short-term01:19:00 Joining dots & finding your intersection
Shephali Bhatt is an internet culture reporter and tech researcher. Her pieces have been published in The Economic Times and Mint, with an emphasis on how the internet shapes our lives. What she does is different from a lot of the 'tech' reporting and analysis out there that tends to be focused on leaders, business or features - Shephali's focus is more on how the culture and habits of everyday people. Be it how weddings have got Reel-ified, or how music making has changed, shhe's there to write about it all.This conversation covers everything from her journey, to differences between platforms, and even nuances between generations (the three people here are very glad to have been born when they were). Read stories by Shephali here: https://m.economictimes.com/etreporter/author-shephali-bhatt-479230465.cms & https://www.livemint.com/authors/shephali-bhattFollow Shephali here: https://www.instagram.com/shephalibhatt & https://x.com/ShephaliBhattTO YOUR HEART'S CONTENTThis is a YouTube interview series hosted by Utsav and Deepak aka Chuck, about the aspects of content that really matter - the craft, the process, the thinking, the ambition. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?To guide budding creators.What goes into creating content? How do you make content that resonates with people as well as imbibes your unique essence? How do you make sure you hold on to your creativity whilst trying to crack the 'business' of it? The journey to content creation involves passing through many processes - the ideation, the discipline, the craft, motivation, bringing it all to life while battling hurdles of the daily grind as well as the human mind. An exhilarating process whose outcome makes it look simple and that's the beauty of it.We interview experts to understand creation at its core and uncover the hidden gems behind this journey. From breaking down the process to diving into their minds as they go through this start to finish. Expect nuanced, sharp conversations with creators, industry folks and entrepreneurs.THE 6% CLUBIndia’s first creator coaching program, designed for people with full-time jobs. Developed by mentors who built global 2% ranking content projects while balancing demanding careers. It features live sessions, 3 masterclasses from creators who have cracked it (Amit Varma, Krish Ashok, SneakyArtist, and more planned), personalised mentoring sessions, peer reviews, a vibrant community, and much more. Check out the program and sign up for the next cohort, here: https://www.thesixpercent.club/Produced by: The 6% Club - Chuck & UtsavShot by: Team SUHFECTO: Sharath U Holla, Komal Khiani, Sahil Rao, Milind LutherPost Production : Fatang Studios by Flop FilmsPackaging Sound Design: Mehar Chumble, Creative High StudioVisual Packaging: Mihir Lele, 650ml StudiosRecording Studio: Sugarline Sound Co., BangaloreUtsav: https://www.instagram.com/postcards.pfn/Chuck: https://www.instagram.com/chuckofalltrades/00:00:00 Intro00:01:49 Shephali's journey to and in journalism00:12:50 The journey of an idea & knowledge management00:24:17 Learnings from cuss words on Indian OTTs00:31:10 On audience reactions and appreciation for depth00:41:00 On "been there" vs "thinking" stories00:45:30 Where Shephali's ideas come from00:59:00 On different generations using the internet
Mental health and content creation. Two important topics over the last few years. This episode operates at the intersection of both.We speak to Manikantan Kumar and Shweta Srinivasan, co-founders of the mental health resource curation platform, The Mind Clan. The former is a technologist, the latter is a practising therapist.We speak about the positive AND negative impacts operating at the intersection of these two worlds.Of course, social media has had negative effects, and creators can feel burnout.
At the same time, it can spark immense joy for those who use it as a creative outlet - backed by science! This of course is a key tenet of what we preach at The 6% Club.We talk about containing multitudes, the mind-body connection and mental health challenges for those in their 30s. This is a warm, fuzzy, yet insightful conversation and we're sure everyone will have something to take away from it. If you think you will benefit from therapy, check out The Mind Clan's verified pool of practitioners here: https://themindclan.com/ (Chuck found his here!)Chapters00:00:00 Introduction00:02:42 The Mindclan's approach to mental health00:09:14 Finding your unique journey to mental health00:17:56 Experiences of finding and experiencing Therapy00:20:50 Internet x Mental Health00:27:15 Mental health challenges for people in their 30's00:29:54 Capitalism x Mental Health00:39:25 Content Creation can be Theraputic00:52:39 The Mind - Body connection01:04:32 The need to be bored and have 'Thehraav'01:20:41 We are Multitudes01:26:13 Simple ways to be more present in the momentTO YOUR HEART'S CONTENTThis is a YouTube interview series hosted by Utsav and Deepak aka Chuck, about the aspects of content that really matter - the craft, the process, the thinking, the ambition. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?To guide budding creators.What goes into creating content? How do you make content that resonates with people as well as imbibes your unique essence? How do you make sure you hold on to your creativity whilst trying to crack the 'business' of it? The journey to content creation involves passing through many processes - the ideation, the discipline, the craft, motivation, bringing it all to life while battling hurdles of the daily grind as well as the human mind. An exhilarating process whose outcome makes it look simple and that's the beauty of it.We interview experts to understand creation at its core and uncover the hidden gems behind this journey. From breaking down the process to diving into their minds as they go through this start to finish. Expect nuanced, sharp conversations with creators, industry folks and entrepreneurs.THE 6% CLUBIndia’s first creator coaching program, designed for people with full-time jobs. Developed by mentors who built global 2% ranking content projects while balancing demanding careers. It features live sessions, 3 masterclasses from creators who have cracked it (Amit Varma, Krish Ashok, SneakyArtist, and more planned), personalised mentoring sessions, peer reviews, a vibrant community, and much more. Check out the program and sign up for the next cohort, here: https://www.thesixpercent.club/Produced by: The 6% Club - Chuck & UtsavShot by: Team SUHFECTO: Sharath U Holla, Komal Khiani, Sahil Rao, Milind LutherPost Production : Fatang Studios by Flop FilmsPackaging Sound Design: Mehar Chumble, Creative High StudioVisual Packaging: Mihir Lele, 650ml StudiosRecording Studio: Sugarline Sound Co., BangaloreUtsav: https://www.instagram.com/postcards.pfn/Chuck: https://www.instagram.com/chuckofalltrades/
In a world where content is becoming second nature to brands, how can brands actually be meaningful and authentic to consumers? And how does a brand do this consistently? Answering this question is Heli Shah. Heli is someone who started her career when digital media was finding its feet, and she is amongst a handful of professionals today who have seen the evolution of digital media and content. Heli has worked across brands and categories and is currently the Director for Growth & Monetization at Condé Nast India. We go in depth into brands and content - we discuss how brands make content decisions, of how you shouldn't try winning on social media everyday and why brands should build content IP's with a longevity lens. Tune in!
You've heard his work on AIB's videos, now hear him talk about his process. We speak to Mehar Chumble whose work spans playing on stage with said comedy group, to scoring ad films. Mehar is a musician and sound engineer who co-runs a studio called Mondeblue. He does a lot of work for commercial films, background scores and the likes. But he's also done music and sound design for a lot of your favourite AIB sketches and title sequences of comedians' shows! (BTW, he's also the keyboard player for rock band Anthracite, known for their Linkin Park tributes!). In this wide-ranging and quite geeky episode, we talk about the importance of sound and music for content of all types. We speak about Mehar's process and making it work as a commercial music 'freelancer' - collaborations, constantly learning, getting constantly inspired, carrying a mic around, and so on. He talks about the importance of music, what makes for a good director, the power of collaborations, and more. This is gold for those interested in content, music, or freelancing!
Once in a while, along comes a creator who exemplifies the sheer joy of creation. Our guest today, Hari Chakyar, is one of them. It's hard to pin down what Hari actually is. His output spans zines, Instagram comics, heart-wrenching written stories, physical cyanotype art, and even fonts made out of dosa (yes, you read that right). So we naturally wanted a peek inside his head to see how he thinks about all of this, determines formats, and even what to give his time and attention to. The output is a raw, honest conversation which should be an inspiration for anyone - whether they're starting their creation journey, or whether they're a seasoned pro looking for a fresh perspective. Welcome to the beautiful mind of Hari Chakyar. It's colourful in here. Links Hari Chakyar on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harichakyar TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT This is a YouTube interview series hosted by Utsav and Deepak aka Chuck, about the aspects of content that really matter - the craft, the process, the thinking, the ambition. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? To guide budding creators. What goes into creating content? How do you make content that resonates with people as well as imbibes your unique essence? How do you make sure you hold on to your creativity whilst trying to crack the 'business' of it? The journey to content creation involves passing through many processes - the ideation, the discipline, the craft, motivation, bringing it all to life while battling hurdles of the daily grind as well as the human mind. An exhilarating process whose outcome makes it look simple and that's the beauty of it. We interview experts to understand creation at its core and uncover the hidden gems behind this journey. From breaking down the process to diving into their minds as they go through this start to finish. Expect nuanced, sharp conversations with creators, industry folks and entrepreneurs. THE 6% CLUB India’s first creator coaching program, designed for people with full-time jobs. Developed by mentors who built global 2% ranking content projects while balancing demanding careers. It features live sessions, 3 masterclasses from creators who have cracked it (Amit Varma, Krish Ashok, SneakyArtist, and more planned), personalised mentoring sessions, peer reviews, a vibrant community, and much more. Check out the program and sign up for the next cohort, here: https://www.thesixpercent.club/ Produced by: The 6% Club - Chuck & Utsav Shot by: Team SUHFECTO: Sharath U Holla, Komal Khiani, Sahil Rao, Milind Luther Post Production : Fatang Studios by Flop Films Packaging Sound Design: Mehar Chumble, Creative High Studio Visual Packaging: Mihir Lele, 650ml Studios Recording Studio: The Indian Audio Company, Mumbai Utsav: https://www.instagram.com/postcards.pfn/ Chuck: https://www.instagram.com/chuckofalltrades/
We always knew this would be a hilarious episode. What we weren’t prepared for was how profound it would be.
Ladies and gentlemen, the one and only Abish Mathew speaks about content, comedy and his process. What’s your favourite brand of Abish Mathew comedy? The talk show host one? The musical comedy one? The one-man-act one? The weird Reels one? The sketch actor one? The good ol’ standup one? The improv one? The answer is yes. We peer into the colourful, zany, beautiful mind of one of India’s most versatile comedians. But his is not just a kaleidoscope, for he also thinks deeply about comedy. So from Son of Abish to Journey of a Joke, Abish’s output covers a spectrum of formats, and vibes. In this conversation, we learn about Abish’s love for collaboration, spaceships and boredom. While this will thrill his many fans, there is also a lot of advice for creators and budding ones. What amazed us as hosts is how relatable we could find so much of this - from nurturing a seed, to overcoming impostor syndrome, to finding joy in the process. We wanted to peer into his mind, but he really did bare his heart to us. Enjoy.
Links Abish Mathew Discount for signing up for The Six Percent Club: https://www.thesixpercent.club/son-of-abish/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtWoDeegvTPfuuNm_ilJntg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abishmathew TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT This is a YouTube interview series hosted by Utsav and Deepak aka Chuck, about the aspects of content that really matter - the craft, the process, the thinking, the ambition. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? To guide budding creators. What goes into creating content? How do you make content that resonates with people as well as imbibes your unique essence? How do you make sure you hold on to your creativity whilst trying to crack the 'business' of it? The journey to content creation involves passing through many processes - the ideation, the discipline, the craft, motivation, bringing it all to life while battling hurdles of the daily grind as well as the human mind. An exhilarating process whose outcome makes it look simple and that's the beauty of it. We interview experts to understand creation at its core and uncover the hidden gems behind this journey. From breaking down the process to diving into their minds as they go through this start to finish. Expect nuanced, sharp conversations with creators, industry folks and entrepreneurs. THE 6% CLUB India’s first creator coaching program, designed for people with full-time jobs. Developed by mentors who built global 2% ranking content projects while balancing demanding careers. It features live sessions, 3 masterclasses from creators who have cracked it (Amit Varma, Krish Ashok, SneakyArtist, and more planned), personalised mentoring sessions, peer reviews, a vibrant community, and much more. Check out the program and sign up for the next cohort, here: https://www.thesixpercent.club/ Produced by: The 6% Club - Chuck & Utsav Shot by: Team SUHFECTO: Sharath U Holla, Komal Khiani, Sahil Rao, Milind Luther Post Production : Fatang Studios by Flop Films Packaging Sound Design: Mehar Chumble, Creative High Studio Visual Packaging: Mihir Lele, 650ml Studios Recording Studio: The Indian Audio Company, Mumbai Utsav: https://www.instagram.com/postcards.pfn/ Chuck: https://www.instagram.com/chuckofalltrades/
Two people decided to grab a bite after their run. A few years later, that became a thriving community of 1000+ people with “slots” going in a minute. This is the story of Thindi Capital.
Ajit Bhaskar is a tea scientist by day. By weekend, he curates ‘Thindi walks’ in Bengaluru - where he leads a group to sample some of the city’s best fare (dosa, idli, chaat and the like) from Darshinis (old-school, cheap eateries). Through these walks, people discover the culture of the city and its localities, myths are busted and tummies are filled.
We invited Ajit to the show to speak about how this idea took a life of its own, and how he curates these walks - in many ways, content. Yes, we talk about concepts like the power of demonstration, keeping an open mind… But mostly we talk about dosa. Welcome to the most delicious episode in this series so far!
From the rise of comedy, to curating events; from appreciating comedy as a fan to selling it as a businessperson - there are few better people to speak to in India than Dhruv Sheth.
Currently the co-founder and CEO of the m19collective, Dhruv cut his teeth at talent-and-events company OML Entertainment, where he went from (no joke) amp-carrying intern to COO in about a decade. He has seen up close how music festivals are curated, how Zakir Khan rose to fandom, how the promise of independent music is (finally) being realised, how content has evolved to changing screen sizes, how creators themselves have changed... And so much more.
We get into the subtleties between Instagram and YouTube. We speak about finding one's own voice, and authenticity (and debate what that word even means), what it takes for a subculture to succeed, and so much more.
This one was among the richest episodes we recorded. Chuck has worked with Dhruv at OML, and it was a delight for us to sit down with him and decode content and the creator economy. It also helps that Dhruv is incredibly funny. His OML story alone makes this episode worth it!
We believe there is always a different way of looking at things, another layer to be peeled. For cities, for an interest, for any topic. And that should be liberating as a budding creator. In this episode, we speak to Gopal MS, who runs the popular Instagram page Mumbai Paused. Gopal is not just any photographer. He seeks out the stories that lie around us, that capture the dichotomy of the city - between the fast parts, and the slow parts. He is motivated by finding the relationship between everyday people and this megapolis they have chosen to inhabit. His photos are thought-provoking, funny, poignant, and beautiful - all without using any words. We speak to Gopal about how he found this unique content project idea, and how he refined it over the years. We speak about how he built his style, and how he turned his hobby into a habit. Spoiler alert: By giving it time! We touch upon aspects which will be useful for any young creator today: Not paying attention to feedback, going down internet rabbit holes, and how stepping out of one’s bubble can be very informing. And of course, we speak about Mumbai - the madness, but also the calmness. The two “clocks” that the city runs on, various communities, and more. We speak about Gopal’s other venture - Go Hallu Hallu - a series of curated walks where you see a side of the city you may not have experienced before.
If there is one person who will convince you that having diverse interests will benefit you personally and professionally, it’s Berty Ashley, one of the most multifaceted people we know. He’s a quizmaster, musician, scientist, author, music artist manager - professionally. He’s also a vinyl record collector, coffee taster and (as he puts it) local jokester and punmaker. His diverse interests crosses over in everything he does - from giving audiences scientific epiphanies while conducting really fun quizzes, to hiding Pink Floyd references in academic papers! We speak to Berty about the innate curiosity that drives everything he does, how being interested in various things gives him random connections, how he built a quiz event blending science, history, music and humour (and made it work!), the “performance” of being a quizmaster, his philosophy of storytelling and much more. Along the way we cover esoteric terrain such as his disdain for zebras, building jugaad microscopes, how highly sheltered girls were able to identify a BTS GIF while their principal couldn’t, how X Files impacted STEM enrolments, and more. Anyone who knows Berty knows the bucket of trivia and joy (and bad jokes) he is. We speak about the anti-brand he’s managed to build himself. This is one of the most wide-ranging and entertaining conversations we’ve had in this series. Come, laugh (and learn) along.
Kunj is someone who has seen content both as a creator and a businessperson. This quote-a-minute interview is a must-listen for anyone interested in the space. Kunj is currently the VP of content at audio streaming platform Kuku FM which has defied expectations, building a massive paying subscriber base from Tier-2 cities. He has built a Silver Button-winning YouTube channel at InsideIIM, apart from being the author of four (very different) books. At Kuku FM, Kunj has overseen one of India’s most diverse content libraries that finds traction across the country. The platform has gone from 10k new minutes of content a month to 200k a month, under his watch - all of which is being consumed vicariously. In this conversation, we speak about craft being more valuable than QA, the recommended content diet of a creator, the richness of stories from the East, a framework for payoffs, the Jio effect, and lots more. This is one of the richest conversations we've had on this series and you'll hear it from the opening salvo: "Stories are going to be the most profitable product in the next ten years". CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:52 Importance of Writing Books 00:06:55 AI vs the Craft of Writing 00:11:39 Reason behind ridiculously low success % of OTT and Movies 00:14:15 IPO's and Storytelling?! 00:16:07 What should be a creators content diet? 00:19:33 The most profitable product of the next decade 00:21:43 The art of long form content 00:28:23 How media technologies become mainstream 00:28:55 How Urban Living intensifies content consumption 00:33:00 Future of Content: 'World Building' 00:39:50 Unlikely Genre overlaps in India's content consumption 00:45:16 Understanding India through Indian language content 00:50:05 Evolution of Female Characters in Content 00:50:53 Why do people consume certain Genres 01:04:12 Longevity of a Content IP 01:12:33 Balance between being commercial and being artistic 01:34:05 The marriage of data and storytelling 01:41:56 Grammar of Western vs Indian Stories 01:50:30 Be Format Agnostic
TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT
This is a YouTube interview series hosted by Utsav and Deepak aka Chuck, about the aspects of content that really matter - the craft, the process, the thinking, the ambition.
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?
To guide budding creators.
What goes into creating content? How do you make content that resonates with people as well as imbibes your unique essence? How do you make sure you hold on to your creativity whilst trying to crack the 'business' of it? The journey to content creation involves passing through many processes - the ideation, the discipline, the craft, motivation, bringing it all to life while battling hurdles of the daily grind as well as the human mind. An exhilarating process whose outcome makes it look simple and that's the beauty of it.
We interview experts to understand creation at its core and uncover the hidden gems behind this journey. From breaking down the process to diving into their minds as they go through this start to finish. Expect nuanced, sharp conversations with creators, industry folks and entrepreneurs.
THE 6% CLUB
India’s first creator coaching program, designed for people with full-time jobs. Developed by mentors who built global 2% ranking content projects while balancing demanding careers. It features live sessions, 3 masterclasses from creators who have cracked it (Amit Varma, Krish Ashok, SneakyArtist, and more planned), personalised mentoring sessions, peer reviews, a vibrant community, and much more. Check out the program and sign up for the next cohort, here: https://www.thesixpercent.club/
Links Kunj Sanghvi on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kunj-sanghvi-29b0a37/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kunjsanghvi
Alicia Souza is an illustrator with an instantly identifiable style, and has been referred to as a "happiness illustrator". We speak about her evolution, process, love for stickers, and advice for impatient young creators! Anyone who's been on the internet in India over the last decade would have certainly seen an Alicia Souza illustration. Her work punctuates planners, mugs, stickers and of course, observational comics on her own Instagram. We are delighted to be able to speak to her to ask about how she got to what many creators dream of - turning a hobby into a company of her own name with a signature style. Alicia co-founded the lifestyle brand Chumbak in 2009, and a couple of years later, went solo. She’s been selling art, planners, merch, décor & more under her own name for close to 14 years apart from doing commissioned work for several brands. She has illustrated 5 published picture books, done several TEDx talks & is an INK fellow. We talk process, the hurdles of working for oneself, the challenges she still faces, and the joys of having a creative outlet. We forgot to ask her about her love for chips - else this would have been a 4 hour long chat. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:51 Growing up in the Middle East 00:08:24 Alicia's Sticker Obsession 00:14:28 Alicia's Journey + Beginnings of Chumbak 00:21:28 Getting thrown into Freelancing 00:24:39 Building a portfolio + audience - Early days of Facebook 00:29:17 Advice for any Beginner 00:30:40 Creating your Signature Style 00:33:43 The story of Aliciasouza.com 00:38:26 Understanding and Scaling an Online Store 00:44:13 Working with a co-founder who is different from you 00:47:47 Weaknesses can be strengths 00:51:45 Hard Realities of running a Business 00:56:25 Alicia's Creative Process 01:09:04 Generative AI and Future of Art 01:20:29 Losing the Ability to understand Time 01:23:33 How to start as a Creator in 2024 01:34:20 Comics and Graphic Novels we Love 01:39:15 AI 'Weeding Out' Bad Designers TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT This is a YouTube interview series hosted by Utsav and Deepak aka Chuck, about the aspects of content that really matter - the craft, the process, the thinking, the ambition. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? To guide budding creators. What goes into creating content? How do you make content that resonates with people as well as imbibes your unique essence? How do you make sure you hold on to your creativity whilst trying to crack the 'business' of it? The journey to content creation involves passing through many processes - the ideation, the discipline, the craft, motivation, bringing it all to life while battling hurdles of the daily grind as well as the human mind. An exhilarating process whose outcome makes it look simple and that's the beauty of it. We interview experts to understand creation at its core and uncover the hidden gems behind this journey. From breaking down the process to diving into their minds as they go through this start to finish. Expect nuanced, sharp conversations with creators, industry folks and entrepreneurs. THE 6% CLUB India’s first creator coaching program, designed for people with full-time jobs. Developed by mentors who built global 2% ranking content projects while balancing demanding careers. It features live sessions, 3 masterclasses from creators who have cracked it (Amit Varma, Krish Ashok, SneakyArtist, and more planned), personalised mentoring sessions, peer reviews, a vibrant community, and much more. Check out the program and sign up for the next cohort, here: https://www.thesixpercent.club/ Links: Alicia Souza Website: https://aliciasouza.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliciasouza/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciasouza/ Utsav: https://www.instagram.com/postcards.pfn/ Chuck: https://www.instagram.com/chuckofalltrades/
The leading design and brand strategist joins us and drops truth bombs about craft, what counts as content, and finding one's true audience. Meeta Malhotra is a veteran in the Indian branding and design space. She was a partner at the iconic design consultancy Ray+Keshavan, where she helped build brands such as Airtel, Kotak Bank, Mother Dairy, and Vistara Airlines. She continued founding firms and remains active in the startup ecosystem. In 2020, she started The Hard Copy - a digital resource for anyone building a digital-first, design-led brand. Chuck has been a writer with the publication since inception, having authored several case studies. We invited Meeta onto the show because she brings in several perspectives. As the founder of a content-led site constantly looking to find its true audience. As someone who deeply thinks about content in its various forms. As someone who is able to separate fad from trend. As someone who is able to look at things as a creator, consumer and marketer. And finally, as someone who just has damn good taste. Any conversation with Meeta is an insight-a-minute, and this is no different. It was a highly thought-provoking conversation for us. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:42 Art vs Content 00:06:17 What makes for good content? 00:09:23 How do Formats shape Content 00:12:08 The Origin Story of The Hard Copy (THC) 00:16:40 The Pivot that changed THC's fortunes 00:20:23 The Hunger of Founders from Small Towns 00:23:44 Process of THC Newsletter 00:27:31 Judging your own Content 00:33:08 Creator vs Brand: Whose voice? 00:35:20 Generative AI content and mediocrity 00:42:20 Two big skills for the next decade 00:43:44 The two most important mantras of the Creator Economy 00:51:17 Content Creation as Self Discovery 00:54:46 Beauty of being Bored 01:01:18 What uniquely Indian content does the world love 01:05:39 The Loneliness of Content Creation TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT This is a YouTube interview series hosted by Utsav and Deepak aka Chuck, about the aspects of content that really matter - the craft, the process, the thinking, the ambition. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? To guide budding creators. What goes into creating content? How do you make content that resonates with people as well as imbibes your unique essence? How do you make sure you hold on to your creativity whilst trying to crack the 'business' of it? The journey to content creation involves passing through many processes - the ideation, the discipline, the craft, motivation, bringing it all to life while battling hurdles of the daily grind as well as the human mind. An exhilarating process whose outcome makes it look simple and that's the beauty of it. We interview experts to understand creation at its core and uncover the hidden gems behind this journey. From breaking down the process to diving into their minds as they go through this start to finish. Expect nuanced, sharp conversations with creators, industry folks and entrepreneurs. THE 6% CLUB India’s first creator coaching program, designed for people with full-time jobs. Developed by mentors who built global 2% ranking content projects while balancing demanding careers. It features live sessions, 3 masterclasses from creators who have cracked it (Amit Varma, Krish Ashok, SneakyArtist, and more planned), personalised mentoring sessions, peer reviews, a vibrant community, and much more. Check out the program and sign up for the next cohort, here: https://www.thesixpercent.club/ Links Meeta Malhotra Website: https://meetamalhotra.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meeta_malhotra/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/meetamalhotra LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/in/meetamalhotra The Hard Copy Website: https://thehardcopy.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehardcopyco/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHardCopyCo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehardcopyco/
The bassist and banterer-in-chief of folk rock veterans Swarathma talks about keeping your audience in mind, crafting a setlist, adapting with technology, and more. Oh, and Ga*nd Mein Danda, of course. For the inaugural episode of To Your Heart's Content, we are delighted to have Jishnu Dasgupta with us. His band, Swarathma, has been making a fun-yet-poignant brand of folk rock for close to 2 decades. They've delighted audiences across the country (and world) with music laced with social commentary and political messages. In this episode, Jishnu speaks about how Swarathma maintains that balance, and how democracy in the band works. He gives us his perspective about audiences, and how it's the tougher crowds that help the band evolve. We speak about technology as well - how as artists they have adapted to the reality of the streaming economy. And we get his opinion on generative AI as well. We talk about Swarathma's various initiatives - from playing to underprivileged audiences, to them powering their recent concerts with renewable energy. This is not just an interview that Swarathma fans will like. It's something that anyone who is looking to become a creator will learn from. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:40 The Story of 'Ga*nd Main Danda' (GMD) 00:08:28 Philosophy, Fame and Impact of GMD 00:18:10 Evolution of Swarathma's Voice 00:22:05 Story of the political song 'Beta Sweater Pheno' 00:24:25 How Swarathma uses their differences creatively 00:27:51 Magic of Live Performances 00:35:45 When Swarathma used ChatGPT to write a Swarathma Song! 00:41:34 Connecting with Challenging Crowds 00:47:15 Art of Audience Banter 00:51:40 Playing for Shubha Mudgalji's mother in her village 00:58:11 Why Swarathma made a graphic novel with their album 01:04:23 Musicians adapting to changing media landscape 01:11:01 20 years on, why does Swarathma still create Music? 01:21:42 Why Live Concerts Matter 01:28:22 Dealing with Cynicism 01:32:45 Future of Live Concerts: Sustainability TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT This is a YouTube interview series hosted by Utsav and Deepak aka Chuck, about the aspects of content that really matter - the craft, the process, the thinking, the ambition. We interview experts to understand creation at its core and uncover the hidden gems behind this journey. From breaking down the process to diving into their minds as they go through this start to finish. Expect nuanced, sharp conversations with creators, industry folks and entrepreneurs. THE 6% CLUB India’s first creator coaching program, designed for people with full-time jobs. Developed by mentors who built global 2% ranking content projects while balancing demanding careers. It features live sessions, 3 masterclasses from creators who have cracked it (Amit Varma, Krish Ashok, SneakyArtist, and more planned), personalised mentoring sessions, peer reviews, a vibrant community, and much more. Check out the program and sign up for the next cohort, here: https://www.thesixpercent.club/ Links: Swarathma on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/6spTcexl1jDSkDzuewoQbX?si=eTTZ0tNyQfqAjS4XswN4Bw Apple Music https://music.apple.com/in/artist/swarathma/312249820 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@UC2-tJ7n-kqLuKRDO--Wk6sA Swarathma - official website https://www.swarathma.com/ Swarathma's albums on all platforms Swarathma (2009) https://lynkify.in/album/swarathma/MmjFqiMe Topiwalleh (2012) https://lynkify.in/album/topiwalleh/7iGRV9fd Raah-e-Fakira (2018) https://lynkify.in/album/raah-e-fakira/9ck4SH3v Gaand Mein Danda by Bodhi Tree on all platforms https://lynkify.in/song/gaand-mein-danda/0eJLB1I3