Team BHX 8/5/24 Team BHX 8/5/24

Creativity Is Calling From The Forests, And I Must Go

It all starts with an epiphany.

A massive film with a budget of $281 million and ten times the box office collection, was once an idea in someone’s head. A powerful one.

What thought did J.R.R. Tolkein think first? Did he put the orcs in there- the bad in the world, and then decide that we need the elves, dwarves and the hobbits too?

What is the very first idea, and where is it born?

Creators ask this question several times, often in the span of a single day. Do painters paint the whole picture in their heads first? Do writers see the full story? Do dancers know the routine even before they begin?

F of X was created to answer these very questions. Over the span of four days, we have a singular aim- to help you find what makes your right brain tick, what makes you see the colours, and how you can conjure up some of the magic you’ve only been a witness to.

Until now.

I Need Inspiration. I Just Don’t Know Where To Get It From

Creativity thrives in safe spaces, vibrant spaces. It grows and multiplies in the presence of people who see that mist hanging over your head, and know that an idea is just about ready to condense.

India is home to several creators- you only need to look at the number of startups coming out of here to know that that’s true, and Adobe’s annual report on creative professionals in Asia proves that much.

Their topmost priority- learning, with over 60% of all respondents upgrading their skills every six months.

But there’s a gap, and we know you feel it. That’s why you’re still reading.

India as a country is sorely lacking in events that bring these brilliant minds together. To be sure, we have quite a few famous creative festivals, but they are usually restricted by medium- a music festival, a dance festival, an arts festival, a flea market, a wellness retreat, but not all of them at once. Moreover, creativity does not come from one source, or even three.

When it comes to pushing those boundaries, the more inspiration there is, the merrier the results will be.

The Story Of An Epiphany

The Experience Co., the festival’s parent company, was dreamed up as an endeavour to create experiential conversation & collaboration spaces for people like you to interact, grow and flourish in.

No more two-day conferences and workshops, and people going back with their heads full of theory, and little else. No more suits and a black tie and the potential for judgment that follows.

Instead, every trip hosted and facilitated by the company would be a curated, invite-only experience for a select few people who think alike and create differently.

And then, the new idea appeared.

The creators swear it just jumped out of nowhere, but as we know, that’s not true. It was always right there, waiting to be found, growing to massive proportions in the meantime.

The idea itself was fairly simple.

Why create with a few people? Why limit what creativity means? Why not open the doors to people who let creativity flow, and to people who have stifled it over time; people who’ve fallen in line with expectations and those that have fallen out of it, too?

That’s how F of X was born- in someone’s mind. As a function of their X, a festival celebrating the X.

Because your big idea is lurking around too, ready to be found. And we think it may just be hiding among the trees of Jim Corbett National Park.

150 Creators x 30+ Creative Leaders x 1 Forest Festival

F of X is a festival for creators to grow their magic, learn the tricks of the creative trade and find a tribe to belong to. Feb 21–24, you’ll see Jim Corbett abuzz with creators from all over the country.

To come join this creative intervention, head over to www.fofxfestival.com and request an invite!

Team BHX 8/5/24 Team BHX 8/5/24

A 10X Platform For 10X Dreams- The Time Is Now To Find Your F of X

There are some trips you take that you pay for, and then there are some that pay you back tenfold. F of X falls in the latter category.

Are you ready to invest, to truly invest, in yourself?

You probably still have questions about whether this is the right experience for you- one you should invest in. We get where you’re coming from.

You haven’t yet had a chance to experience that which we have planned for you. There is no reference point, at all, for what you might expect from a creative carnival. Never before has such a festival been designed, and on such a scale. So, you really don’t know what to look forward to.

Which makes you wonder, “Am I just paying for a holiday, after all?”
Well, that’s one question we can answer right now- no.

You’re making an investment in yourself and your journey, and we know that that is going to pay off.

How do we know for sure?

Because of what our earlier adventures have done for people so far. Here at The Experience Co., we have cracked the code for what a mix of experiential travel and upgraded networking can do for professionals.

One resident from an earlier experience actually called us ‘Networking, On Steroids’.

Still not convinced?

Here’s Why You Should Give It A Try Anyway

It Has To Start Somewhere!

Feel that uncomfortable itch? That knowing in your gut that you are meant for greater things? That thought of living your dream that just won’t let go?

Decades of social conditioning has taught us that having dreams is a bad thing. And yet, when the time comes to heap praise, we’re always looking out for the creators, the dreamers, the path-breakers and the explorers!

Be honest- can you clap from the sidelines for even a minute longer? Isn’t it your time to shine?

At F of X, we have

Chats and Curated Workshops for a direct download of knowledge from the experts, to you
The opportunity to live, work and engage with your creative idols every minute of every day
A chance to truly understand what floats your creative boat, and get that ship sailing already!
A space to showcase your ideas and get focused feedback
The best shot you’ll ever have at starting or growing your own creative venture

Now, that’s what you’re really paying for. But there’s more.

With us, there always is.

What Better Place Than Here?

The forests of Jim Corbett are home to one of the most majestic animals to have ever walked the Earth.

Hidden in the dense thicket of ideas is your inspiration, waiting to pounce on you. We’re giving you a chance to go on this adventure in style. Your home in the forest is an absolutely gorgeous property so you’re not camping out in tents. You will have a safe, comfortable and absolutely drop dead gorgeous space to live, work and collaborate in while you’re here.

We have four designated festival zones to explore your creativity on your terms- there are events to engage your heart, your mind, your body and your very soul.

Plus, you’ll find the people you’re looking for!

Join the tribe and find those that share the same dream and a complementing skillset. There’s really no better place than here to find the people, the skills and the motivation you’re looking for to begin creating magic.

What Better Time Than Now!

Say ‘yes’ to the experience that is going to change your life. And do it now, because everything else can wait, but that dream cannot. Not anymore.

To come join this creative intervention, head over to www.fofxfestival.com and request an invite!

Team BHX 8/5/24 Team BHX 8/5/24

Help’s On The Way! A Full Spread Learning Buffet Awaits At F of X

We do like to get to know our people.

That’s why, the F of X application is full of questions to get to know you, the real you. We want to hear all about your achievements and your fears. We want to know how we can help you.

Our guides are people who have addressed the same challenges you’re facing right now. And, they’ve done it several times over. Let us take a look at the stellar cast and crew that’s going to help you bring your dream to life.

I want to grow as a creator

In exercise, regular training is important. If we keep doing the same thing for a very long time period, we often cease to see any results whatsoever.

And so it goes with creativity.

Finding yourself in a limbo? Not sure if you’re going in the right direction, or if you’re moving at all?

Your guides at F of X can help.

Reach out to Sofia Ashraf with questions on finding your voice and projecting it out loud. It could be that your creativity has been forced to be tempered to meet external needs. Sometimes, the answer lies in breaking out, and we cannot think of anyone better to do it with than Sofia.

Speaking of offbeat choices and limitless expression, Prathamesh Tambe is your go-to guide to understand how to give structure to your creative potential. A singer-songwriter, he has actively mentored a Dharavi-based hip-hop group, written and performed soul-stirring music, and is joining us at F of X to help you see yourself in a new light.

I’m there, but not quite

Already have a creative initiative going?

Good for you!

There’s no better time than now to find ways to turn it into something bigger- maybe even bigger than you.

We’re giving you time with Anuj Gosalia, founder of Terribly Tiny Tales. Crowdsourced storytelling is as offbeat as it gets and Anuj knows all there is to know, and then some, about driving organic growth.

If you’ve got something unique going and are unsure of if there’s more, or how to get there from here, look no further than Raghava KK. Contemporary Artist is a word that does not even begin to describe this creative genius. CNN named him one of ten fascinating people the world is yet to know of, and he creative-counselled the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Jeff Bezos.

Now, you’re getting sessions, closed-door mentoring and so much more from him at F of X. Look out for his session on how you can find your X.

How Do I Get In!

Creative professions are hard to get into, not in the least because there is no specific structure or skillset alone that can get you there. Some of the world’s most prolific brand managers and marketing heads are also creative geniuses.

Luckily for us, though, creativity is a muscle that gets stronger as you practice.

So, come flex those muscles with The Creative Indians. Brothers duo Manil and Rohit Gupta are all about taking the creative scene by storm, even if they have had to make the inroads all by themselves. Is passion a planned activity? What do all creatively successful people have in common? Learn how you can follow a better-lit path to living your dream.

If you want to get right down to business, Saurabh Kulkarni’s session on Climbing the creative ladder- Identifying opportunities and acting on them, is where you need to be. Saurabh has as diverse a work portfolio as is possible, and he’ll show you just how he did it.

I’m Ready To Start My Venture

Well, that’s amazing! If you’re coming to F of X with that much of a vision, we can guarantee you that’ll you’ll go back with your own company.

Because there’s no better place than where a hundred and fifty creative individuals and thirty guides gather for four days- to help you.

Look out for sessions from Alankrita Khera, Marketing Head at CRY India for tips on creating a brand that stands tall today, and decades later. She’s the one to look to for advice on creating impactful campaigns on a budget, and telling stories the right way.

Plus, for those taking the plunge, we’ve got panel sessions on footing the post-plunge bills. Select creative companies get the opportunity to meet Jagruti, an angel investor for startup advice.

Is that all?

Well, of course not! This is just the very first speaker lineup and what they can do for you. We have more, and they’re here to guide you on your chosen path.

Take a look at the festival’s full session lineup, and take a look again tomorrow, because we are adding guides and sessions every day!

To come join this creative intervention, head over to www.fofxfestival.com and request an invite!

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

Talent. Desire. A Blank Canvas. The First Edition of F of X Wraps Up

Two hundred and fifty creators.

Over forty guides who have cracked the code.

One amazing location in the forests of Jim Corbett National Park.

Those were the ingredients that went into the most magical festival for creators that took place in India over the third weekend of February, 2019. If you’ve been keeping up with us, you know that we had one goal in mind- to bring you, and creators like you, together to India’s first residential forest festival for creators.

So far, we’ve had festivals of all kinds- music, art, theatre- and each one of them has set the precedent for something even bigger- a festival for creative cross-pollination that we pulled off with F of X.

A bit of science, because this writer just couldn’t resist! In an atom, the charged particles occupy a very small percentage of the atom itself. 99.99% of an atom is empty. Before you go pooh-poohing that observation, think about it- most of the universe is actually a blank slate, quite literally!

And that’s what we strived to create at the festival, too. We wanted to create the blank canvas on which other people could draw, paint, sing to, dance on, and discover their X in the process.

Each of our spaces- Heart, Mind, Soul and Hand were designed to help people explore where their dominant creative energy flows from. Our guides came with the most versatile backgrounds possible- we had angel investors, marketing and brand communication specialists, storytellers, artists, lifestyle coaches and so many more people come together to make a difference. Each of these stimuli only served to further help people discover their X in an environment that they were most comfortable in, using means and inputs that resonated best.

People May Say I’m Too Old, But…

These are the excuses that we absolutely adore! The excuses for why we should take that leap, the excuse for not wanting to settle- that’s the ‘but’ that’s going to take you very, very far.

“I’m 36 and married. People might say it’s too late to take a step and request you to play safe. I don’t want to be regarded as just another designer or a creator who did what was asked of her to be done. I know I’m a multi-potentialite and this festival helped me realize I’m not wrong. I’m on the most fertile ground to collaborate and grow with some of the best minds in the country” — Divya Reddy, designer by profession who found her X at the soul zone.

Now, that is a creator who discovered her true potential all over again, and how! One of our guides, Durga Gawde, shares a memory from their early childhood of watching their father sit and seemingly do nothing for hours on end before the potential burst out onto elaborate canvasses. At the end of the creative process, he would say, “It wasn’t me.”

Blank spaces, anyone?

Indeed, if the creators can themselves become the media, how does it matter how the story is told? This is an eye-opener for those in traditional creative professions as it allows them to look beyond just their core skill to express themselves fully.

If Creators Are Stars, Let There Be Constellations

“The concept of 250 creative, like-minded people coming together opens up possibilities that one can’t even imagine. And then you have 40 creative leaders who are different from the norm of speakers you see at other festivals and conferences. The idea of hosting it in a place like Jim Corbett where one is forced to come out of their comfort zone is just euphoric. Hence, a big big yes.” — Sandeep Achanta, Entrepreneur by profession who found his X at the Heart zone.

Deepak Ramola, one of the guides at the festival, gathers life lessons from around the world and converts them into workshops and experiences. F of X Founder & Festival Director, Jay Ahya, and Deepak have several things in common, but the thread that binds them together is that of collaboration.

Jay has experienced firsthand the magic of collaborations through projects that The Experience Co. designs and creates. In a candid chat with us on day three, Deepak shared with us that there is no greater joy for him than to see people supporting people.

As creators, we often suffer from the Imposter Syndrome, or the feeling that our work somehow pales in comparison to that of the others, and therefore that we do not belong.

Neil Gaiman has a very famous anecdote to share about the Imposter Syndrome. Don’t we all feel like outsiders sometimes? Well, he did too.

At an important gathering for artists and pioneers around the world, he felt like an outsider who didn’t belong until he bumped into his famous namesake who said, “I just look at all these people, and I think, what the heck am I doing here? They’ve made amazing things. I just went where I was sent.”

That’s the moment it clicked for him- if Neil Armstrong could feel like an imposter, maybe the rest of us can be forgiven for feeling that way too!

Mohit Satyanand at the Dreamcatcher making workshop.

At the F of X Festival, no one had to feel like an imposter because everyone could see how unique each person was.

We had artists, activists, painters, writers, brand professionals, startup founders, creative investors, one-man armies, culture shifters, angel investors and above all — people with good hearts and undying intent — in the mix.

What’s more, the workshops were designed to help people step out of their comfort zone to discover what really clicks for them- from mandala-making and acro-yoga to music performances, impromptu jam sessions, open mics, portrait sessions, photo workshops, movement therapy and masterclasses with the leaders -there was space to ‘be’ as much as it was there to accomplish something. For these were sessions filled with wonderment, curiosity, and magic.

From the feedback we’ve received from nearly two hundred people, it is safe to say that people discovered just how different they were from each other, giving them more reasons to feel like they’re part of one big tribe.

F of X was like a big play-ground, a space of endless possibilities, a space where i could just be me, and be welcome. I couldn’t have known the importance of attending a festival like that without actually experiencing it, because that feeling of belonging has remained with me.- Mahi Baid

When’s The Second Edition?

If you were there and got to experience the magic firsthand, you know that it was truly one of a kind.

If you weren’t there, well, you did miss out.

However, fret not because there will be a second edition. And when we do make the announcement, you’ll be the first to know. Sign up here to join our email list and take the first step in the creative journey of a lifetime.

— — — —

Here’s a glimpse of the magic that was created — through freedom, courage, thought, action, growth and creativity — at India’s first residential forest festival for creators.

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

BHX Unplugged with Vekutholu Vero | Stepping out of my Comfort Zone at BHX Mountains

Events like the BHX Project were never my thing. The quintessential ISFP type wouldn’t allow me to be part of one. The idea of Kashmir did sound appealing though. I imagined myself putting on a sweater and going for a walk, admiring the change of scenery, boat rides in Dal lake, immersing myself with the crowd. But, I envisioned partaking in these activities for the most part, alone!

Put me in a social setting, I’m that person hearing every word that comes out of you but let her speak? she’s better off doing the listening bit!

The period between having my application accepted to the last minute flight bookings was for me, a self-examining phase. In short, chaotic!

Common everyday creative questions ranged from
“Would I fit in?”
“Will my work be relevant to anyone at all?”
“What do I tell these humans with intimidating resumes, what could they possibly learn from me?”
“What hacks do I know that no one else knows yet?”
“What is my life’s purpose? What drives me? how did I get here..why am I here..why do I do what I do..” you get the picture.

But again, why not BHX? How about a travel itinerary that besides suiting your wanderlust ideals, also promises you a fresh start, ideas and perspectives and furthermore, extensively invites you to meet a whole lot of others experiencing the same “creative life” as you?

Yeah, definitely a good bargain. It could work. It must. Should!

Kashmir would then go on to become the kind of place when, as you recollect, you got to let out a sigh. A happy sigh? A longing sigh? A painful sigh? Or nostalgia perhaps!

Kashmir would then go on to become a place that brings soothing feelings.
The feeling of being fooled by nature. The feeling of being adored by strangers.
The feeling of being more self aware.
Of being OK to be shy or vulnerable even.
Of being OK to be just you and thriving at it!

Kashmir would then go on to become the place where you realise the things you thought were wrong with you could actually be your assets. That you don’t have to be anyone else but you, you-authentic, you-genuine!

And how did all this come?

With a subtle switch in position for perspective’s sake and a little bit getting out of your comfort zone.

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

BHX ChatBox | The Client’s side of things with Arjun Vaidyanath

Meeting Arjun- a digital marketer and an Agency Analyst who crossed paths with BHX when he was getting out of managing brands, taking a break and looking out for new perspectives. Read below to see how Arjun found his imagination away from corporate communication to a place that was intimate and real and never exhausting:

1. Define your BeachHouse experience as a short story.

The shortest story I can iterate here would be something like ‘confused guy looking for multiple things and trying to contextualize the meaning of life through creativity’ *chuckles*. For me, BHX was that turnaround in life. Meeting people who are in the same profession or otherwise and the plethora of things they are involved in helps understand why people think and how they make it actionable. There is a constant friction between ideas in a space like this and that helped me develop various forms of artistic ingenuity.

2. Why was it important for you to apply for BHX? What was it that you were looking for?

The primary objective was to understand and materialize my creativity and get a direction. In simple terms it’s like rethinking what I usually think and in that process visualize the many perspectives I could embody. I was also trying to get closer to my passions that were dormant for quite some time- getting back to writing, finishing a comic book I was struggling with, being able to play with expressions. Getting the juices flowing both personally and professionally was essentially what I was looking for and it’s safe to say the same has been achieved. I see what I need to do next and time stands to be the only enemy here.

3. What did you find?

Quite a lot, actually! It was marvelous to see the kind of creative expressions people possessed. One such example was this person who would look at everyday objects- mushrooms to tables and turn them into art. Another one would take experiences around everyday things and make a short poem or stuff of artistic value. It was being able to get in touch with sense of wonderment around our simple, sensorial everyday reality. Talking to Kush about ways in which I could get back to my writing again- a new clarity and a new plan. These things are all growing out of conversations. It’s not just about looking at things in different ways, but how can they drive their perceptions to inspiration

4. How would you describe your tribe?

My tribe was extremely fun! It was this mix of craziness, madness and so much learning. Nobody intended n the learning- it just instrumentally fit into the way of things. There were some people operating on matching frequencies and altogether, it was like the group had known each other since forever.

5. Mention your possibilities of growth and scope after BHX?

I am now back writing- a blog for myself, the omic I previously mentioned. I am helping a couple of friend Writing becomes easier, the flow is natural and it does not need effort. Acquiring the faculty of effortless writing that makes a lot of sense to me. It’s a great defining moment in my journey and the scope beyond this is endless.

6. Being on the client side of things, how do you maintain a relationship with the agency?

Agencies are a source, a sort of a lifeline for me. Something that gives me hope that my brands are doing well, my agencies don’t just exist, they push me onwards to work further and invest time and effort into them. It pushes me to parallel think- extremely important to what I do and how I do it. It’s almost like saying they are my extended brain and my extended arm and my extended everything. And when I say agencies, it’s more often than not, a couple of people who make things possible for a certain brand or a product. People do come and go in and things do change but it’s about finding that sweet spot of comfort with your agency because that rapport helps you survive even when nothing else is working!

7. Mention some difficulties you deal with being a client and how do you tackle them?

Ah, one of the biggest difficulties is that while relationships are important, they require extended work. When I say something is my extended brain, it needs to substantiate what my brand is and what I need to convey.

Finding that understanding that lacks between both the parties, crystallizing the perspectives on where we want to go as a brand. That helps two parties to work much coherently, in that, I feel having that futuristic perspective is important. If we are not looking forward, the brand might falter. It has to be an organic process- there’s no working around it.

8. How do you bridge professional and personal writing in terms of your time balance?

I can’t speak so much for everyone else but I have a little realization I like sticking to- Professional writing can only take me so far. I love being creative, I love exploring expression. And while I tried meandering similar values and liberalisation through my professional work, I have come to conclude that it will always be incomplete. At some point, it will always be dependent on what the brand wants, or how does one convey what’s required- which won’t ever feel complete for my own self. The need of the hour is dependent and therefore limiting and hence not enough. But it makes the choice easier between what I want to do and what I have to do. It’s not keeping my mind off things but overarching what I really want to be doing. It’s like having a larger goal-one extends to the other, give all to one and the other is dead.

Signing off on a pleasant note from Arjun- When we are wearing a professional hat, we usually circle around people who are wearing the same ones. As such, the problems, creative process and mind mapping all walk similar paths. When one comes across experiences like BHX , it enriches the process of elaborating perspectives. You broaden your insight levels, meeting and picking brains of people who you might have previously worked with but never interacted in course of your work hierarchy. It’s essential and so far, almost redemptive.

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

The Hack Room with Venkat Varadhan : 6 Steps to build a Superbrand

The one thing that I have seen over the years during my time in Advertising is that no matter how big or small the brand is, every single one of them launches a campaign with an aim to improve consumer engagement or brand traction.

While some campaigns fail spectacularly and some just produce an ok-ok response as far as the brand is concerned, there are some campaigns that literally transform the fate and future of their brands. It’s always the third kind of campaign that every brand shoots for, but not all of them get it right.

So if you’re an upcoming startup that is focussed on a consumer-centric product or service or an existing small time brand that aims to expand in the near future, this article will tell you how to create an industry defining campaign in six simple steps.

1. What does Your Product do? — Get down to the root of this question. What was the reason that you created your product or service and how does it help your prospective consumer? Answer these two questions in simple terms as if the question was posed by a five year old and you are 15% closer to achieving your successful campaign.

2. Know your Market and Consumer; but more importantly, Know Your Competition — The first part of this is fairly simple. You should know your market and consumer statistics like the back of your hand. If you don’t, heed my advice right now and quit the business while you still have money to startover fresh or else, you’re going to go down fast. There are no ifs and buts about this. It will happen.

The second part is where most brands lose the plot. It’s not as simple as saying that they do this and we do that. In fact, it goes much deeper than that. It’s all about understanding everything you can about your competition. Everything they have done to everything they are doing to everything they are bound to do in the future. Everything from the logic of it and reason behind it to their aims and objectives.

You do these two things correctly and you will be 20% closer to designing that perfect campaign.

3. The Big ‘CREATIVE’ Idea — Always remember, that as human beings, the things that attract us the most are the ones that involve simplicity or a human connection. So the best way to go about this is to think of your idea in terms of explaining it to a five year old child or a seventy year old grandpa or grandma.

If you can manage this, you have a perpetual gold-mine on your hands in terms of a campaign, that can never go wrong.

But then, there’s another side to this coin. The side that will cater to majority of your teenagers, young adults or middle-aged consumers. Don’t get me wrong, the human angle works with almost everyone, but then you need to understand that there are certain products and services where you just cannot bring about a human or an emotional angle. In those cases, fall back to the next best fool-proof option. Humor. It never fails. Get yourselves an idea that revolves around good, tasteeful humour and you’ll hit that bulls-eye every single time.

And this step right here will help you take a leap of 25% in building that successful campaign.

4. Medium vs Money — The step where more often than not, majority brands screw it up. Remember the following words, for they will change your life. EVERY VIDEO IS A CAMPAIGN, BUT NOT CAMPAIGN IS A VIDEO.

Please do not ever make this mistake. Somehow in today’s times brands have this crazy idea that a campaign means a video or a film. That’s so far away from the truth that it is not even funny.

You have to choose a medium that is best suited to your brand and consumer group. There’s no other way for me to say this. You have a lot of options in terms of media. Analyse your product and consumer base and choose an appropriate medium.

And just so there isn’t any confusion, let me list out all the mediums available out there;

§ Print: Newspaper, Magazines, etc. (National & Regional)
§ Radio (National & Regional)
§ Television (National & Regional as well as option of choosing between DTH & Cable)
§ Digital Posters — Facebook, Instagram & Twitter
§ Digital Video — YouTube, Facebook & Instagram
§ Outdoor Advertising — Billboards, Banners, etc. — Regional
§ Out-Of-Home (OOH) Media — Regional
§ On Ground Activations & Events (BTL) — Regional

And that brings us to the second part of this step. The money. Again this will be a follow-up from the first part. The moment you decide your medium you will have a clear picture about the money you will have to end up spending.

Sometimes, brands decide to do it the other way round as well. Decide on a budget first and then choose a medium. The truth is that in that case it’s a toss-up. The campaign may or may not work. It truly is a gamble of long odds. So in case you go down that route, be smart about it.

Completing this step right here will gain you another 15% on that perfect campaign scale.

5. Duration — Calling this an entire step would be wrong. But then again, saying that it is not important would be a tragedy of epic proportions. Every campaign has a life. Learn to identify it.

Sometimes when brands see a campaign doing really well, the stop everything and concentrate on extending that campaign as long as they can. BIG MISTAKE. Because not only are you killing all the goodwill you created with the campaign by annoying the hell out of your consumer group. YOU ARE LITERALLY BURNING A HOLE IN YOUR POCKET by running a campaign that is way past its saturation point; meaning it is not going to do anything for you, anymore. So please, identify as to when to call it quits.

If you can manage to escape this devil of a challenge lying in slumber, you are 10% closer to that successful campaign.

6. The Review — Last but just as important as the rest, The Review is where you sit down with your team to analyse the response and traction generated by campaign once it is live and in case it is required, you do the necessary modifications for it to become that much more popular. And in case that’s not required, then you just choose to concentrate more on a singular aspect of the medium over the others, based on your analytics.

And that ladies and gentlemen is the final step that will get you that last 15% to gain that perfect score of 100% and an amazing campaign that will most definitely catapult your brand into the league of SUPERBRANDS.

So get down to them boards and follow these steps and pull out that amazing campaign to transform your brand. After all as that old Hindi saying goes — ‘Jo Dikhta Hai, Wahi Bikta Hai.’

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About the author
Venkat Varadhan, our resident from BHX Deserts is a journalist by qualification and a writer and advertising filmmaker by profession. He has founded an advertising production house called Primate Studios that believes in creating films that are both innovative and inspiring. Also, like the article mentions, he’s a brand guru and has worked with most of the brands that must have run by your mind!

Connect with Venkat: https://www.linkedin.com/in/venkatvaradhan/
Check out his work at : https://www.primatestudios.in/

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

BHX Challenges | Emotions v/s Practicality : Why do we think the way we do?

Why do you feel the way you do: Emotions and the Practical

(This section draws upon challenges that were highlighted tremendously during the projects and talks to the tribe about how they meander around it)

Talking to Cheelu- a practicing psychotherapist for the last 20 years, it was evident that the stigma surrounding mental health issues was far more crippling than the issues themselves. It is but a constant confrontation between befuddling emotions and a reasonable need to keep both our feet on the ground. So, emotions or practicality?

Starting with talking about the way we see emotions and practicality pitted against each other on a daily basis- take unrequited love, a decision to move to another city- Cheelu drives the conversation around quirky corners to tell you, ”Emotions and Practicality are seen as distinct processes that don’t go hand in hand whereas emotions themselves are extremely practical because we live and work with them every day.” Building up on anecdotes from her own life, she continues, “Why do you feel the way you do? “. Cheelu, quite impressionably, shines light on common emotional narratives and how to navigate around them better; how emotions are such a driving force in decision making that it’s funny how we still haven’t made it a part of the conversation. I mean, why after all does the doctor need to know about your emotions, right? Spoiler alert- s/he does.

1. How important is mental health and wellness today?

Simply put- it’s the key, a basis, a foundation for everything. Putting it in context, India is not alien to its challenges either. The population: a huge chunk of them being teenagers, are struggling to make sense of the world they are about to get into, probably dealing with other emotional and personal changes, need to be duly assured, ‘It is okay if you are not okay ‘. Talking about her tryst with her own daughter and how they sail those waters with ease and lightness she adds: unless parents truly acknowledge these issues, give due recognition to days when you feel okay and when you don’t, these concepts stand relevant. “It’s not an invisible force not to reckon, it’s not a phase, it’s not going to be all right if you don’t pay attention to it and it’s definitely in our heads and it deserves its outstanding scrutiny. When it comes to wellness, I am reminded of the time I had a stroke and pretty much lost my life to it.” It was in those grey hours that she befriended nutrition and stands by to strongly advocate wellness as a skill that every individual should work towards every day. Now having experimented with multiple diet patterns, Cheelu proposes a ketogenic diet and keeping a strict tab on the unnecessary calories. Concluding she weighs in, “It’s important to realize the relationship between mental health and physical health and carefully nurture it.”

2. What are some of the measures you have taken to improve mental health and fitness?

Coming from the field of counselling now for over 20 years, Cheelu shares a rich relationship with it. Having bared a lot personally, she understands, condoles and legitimizes the concern in a very unique way. There is no doctor-patient distinction when it comes to her- she’s just a person lending an honest ear. “The way I handle it first is acceptance”, she says, stressing on how it’s important to communicate to the other person that she comes within a safe space. “People can talk the way they want, get angry, get sad- albeit objectively- no harm. I am not trying to change your life. All I can do is hold your hand and help you build the bridge together. I don’t bother with suggestions- the power is always in the hands of the person. Walking the talk helps- I lead an unconventional lifestyle, I don’t not use cuss words, I don’t have a strict body language, I want to come off approachable. Pyjamas are okay too*chuckles*”. These are things that get lost in our jargon a lot. She strongly champions how long a way little things go. Fitness on the other hand is more closely related to mental health than we usually attribute. Daily life ends up making an endless loop between your brain and body.

Exercising is a powerful method to break this loop. And also discharging endorphins in the mind, physical movement loosens up the muscles and alleviates pressure in the body. Since the body and psyche are so firmly connected, when your body feels good, so will your brain.

3. As a creative professional, it’s usually difficult to stick to a routine. How do you tackle issues then?

When it comes to Cheelu, routines sometimes work and sometimes don’t. She isn’t afraid to take breaks- “It’s okay to say fuck this, I want to lie in bed and eat ice-cream today”. The conversation smoothly moved on to emotions coming in the way of routine on one end. It was interesting to notice how it incorporates the premise of the challenge- there’s guilt for not sticking to your routine. But the mind is a monkey. Feel everything you are feeling- stick to your comfort zone. It’s important to create spaces for individuals, not oust them and. “Sit back, lie down, that break is necessary. Whatever you are feeling right now, feel it to the fullest. It’s like a child throwing a tantrum, these emotions just need acknowledgement. Practically managing emotions is allowing yourself to experience them. What’s the need to contain, cover, question or resist it?”, I quiver with delight.

4. How do you create a gap between emotions and practicality when it comes to work and daily life?

We constantly misinterpret: emotions are not to be dealt with or managed. They need to be felt and understood. It’s imperative to make them work with you. Let’s take a corporate environment, most common of our daily life monotonicity. It’s post lunch and you can barely take it anymore. Write it down and take it up when you go home.” Penning it down takes it out of your head, and that’s not the end game. Sometimes the delayed gratification about emotions really help put things into perspective. Telling yourself it’s okay. I need 5 things done through the day and I will get it to it once I am done with them”. I cackle, “It’s either too trivial or I am too tired for it by then” and why not she adds, “Just 20 minutes of acknowledgement triggers a kind of objective response to what you feel. It’s too clouded in there sometimes. You might not even be angry anymore. I am not dealing with it; I am feeling it”

This may appear to be ridiculous, in light of the fact that the attempt to maintain a strategic distance from negative feelings has all the earmarks of being a sensible thing. In addition, we are for the most part comfortable with the feeling that avoidance provides. It’s best not to thwart emotions in the benefit of practicality, however. Life today is loaded with enthusiastic challenges and difficulties, nothing new. It brews to bring out unpredictable mixes of feelings. Who wants to be an internal pressure cooker, anyway?

—

About the Author

Cheelu Chandran has been a practitioning psychotherapist for the last 20 years. With a life journey that has been full of ups and downs, she has been a combat warrior of all things that have driven her to take decisions practically and emotionally. She is also a ketogenic diet advisor and loves all things soulful. Also, she defies age like a boss!

Connect with Cheelu and know more about what this bosswoman does : https://www.cheeluchandran.com/

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

We often bottle up things not just in the heart, but a lot more in our minds.

After six years of being in a committed relationship, when Jigar’s marriage hit the rocks, no one asked him what he was going through. Today, at 36, he is steadily and consistently learning to build up his self-worth.

When Nathasha went against her parents’ wishes to come to India and build something by herself, she couldn’t have foreseen the turn that life took. Recovering from an accident, it took about three months for the first ray of sunshine to come along.

In life, challenges are the only constant. As creative professionals, we face them in some very complicated ways, or perhaps being so in tune with our intuition makes us that much more susceptible to pain and suffering.

May is Mental Health Month, and we’re using this opportunity to talk about mental health as that spectrum that falls well outside clinical diagnosis. We’re talking about those blues that just won’t go away, but don’t get worse with time either, the constant self-talk that takes you down a bad rabbit hole, and of course, the external commentary that makes you wonder if indeed there’s something wrong, and if you need to do something about it.

Over time, several residents at BHX have shared their mental health challenges. These are their stories.

**Jigar Vora, Co-founder Simply WIsh — BHX Nainital 2018**

JIGAR’S STORY

For a very long time, I didn’t quite know who I was. It didn’t help that social conditioning was very strong while I was growing up.

It took me several decades of soul-searching and the institution of marriage to discover who I truly was. By then, one may say that it had been too late.

But that’s the thing! These experiences and the constant self-doubt has led me to believe that we can be in charge of our self-talk. It does seem ridiculous at first, but come to think of it- would you ever be as harsh to someone else as you are to yourself?

“Oh, I just tend to forget everything!”

“I just cannot be on time, no matter how hard I try.”

“I’m just not that good.”

We say these statements to ourselves in one form or another and the underlying message we’re giving ourselves is clear- “I am not enough.”

But you are! And that’s where there’s so much scope for transformation. I haven’t undergone therapy in the typical sense of the word but I have worked with life coaches professionally and I’ve begun to realise that it all starts with you.

Quote: On day one, saying something like, “Oh I did so well on this project” may seem utterly unbelievable, but I have just one piece of advice for you- keep at it, until it becomes believable enough. That’s the only way to make it true.

***Nathasha AR Kumar, Founder — Vajor, BHX Nainital 2018***

NATHASHA’S STORY

Achievement is such a strong motivator, but there comes a time when it can turn on you. I went well against my parents’ wishes when I chose to come to India and start something by myself.

All my life, I kept hearing the same thing, “She can do it. She can do anything!”

Now, one would argue that that’s a really good thing, but here’s some food for thought- there’s no guarantee that any kind of messaging, positive or negative, will have the desired impact on a growing child. In me, this created the insatiable need to be good, to be better.

In some ways, it drove me to create a thriving business but in others, the need to always be better eats away at me.

When I moved to India, I had a fire-related accident and I knew then that this was the point of no return. From there, I could go on do something truly phenomenal but my instinct drove me into sadness and depression instead- just a protective mechanism at play, I guess.

After three months of suffering and agony, all it took was one person coming out and asking how I’m doing. He didn’t have to do it and there’s no saying what my life would’ve turned out to be, but he did and that made all the difference.

Quote: When you’re in a bad space, reach out. And if you suspect even mildly that someone else is in a bad space, reach out. Be kind. Pay it forward. Overall, we could really use a culture of acceptance over one of shunning people, and ridicule.

***Varun Pande — Actor, Poet, Fitness Enthusiast — BHX Kashmir 2018***

VARUN’S STORY

We all have periods of self-doubt, times when we question everything, and phases when nothing seems to get better. That’s the rabbit hole and I daresay it isn’t one you really want to get to the bottom of.

Oftentimes, being in a bad space could be a product of not stimulating the mind in new and different ways. Personally, I believe that physical fitness and mental stimulus go hand-in-hand. Research, too, shows that being consistent with physical activity releases the happy hormones. But be sure to commit to something you truly enjoy.

Also, life isn’t a race. You don’t have to get anywhere, and you certainly don’t have to do it on a tight deadline. Chalk your own path, and never feel like you have to explain it to anyone. Easier said than done, I know!

But we need to collectively take a stand against social pressure and refuse to follow the straight-line path.

Also, if you’re really afraid of failure, it means that you also really, really want to succeed. Focus on that instead. Fear is a good thing- it gives you boundaries. But don’t let it control what you do and don’t do.

Quote: Do you remember the time when you prayed vehemently to have the things that you do today? They say change is the only constant, but perhaps growth is. You will grow. Trust that the process will work.

There’s so much more to do and there’s so much more to tell. Make that mind a beautiful home for your story to reside and grow. Make every page a colourful one. Stay unforgettable.
Image credit: Artidote

The Beachhouse Project is where fifteen creative minds meet in one secret villa for seven days. The result? Magic. We are now a tribe of over 150+ creatives who continue to learn and grow from each other well after their residency ended. To apply for your chance, go on over to https://bhx.theexperience.co

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

Voices Of BHX: Dealing With That Pesky Thing Called Self Doubt

What should you do when you just don’t feel good enough? When the first sign of trouble brings up all the fears and insecurities you think you’ve dealt with?

As professionals, and particularly those in the creative field, we often face massive amounts of rejection. In fact, one of the most common statements we hear at the Beachhouse Project is that a successful, skilled and accomplished professional just does not feel good enough.

Shocking as it may seem, some research shows that the more we learn and grow, the less sure we are of ourselves. When BHX Bali resident Akanksha was in her late teens, she started her first job. Very soon, she realised that she wanted more, and felt that pursuing an MBA would give her the skills, and the street-cred, she needed to build something more for herself.

The only issue? Mathematics.

If that sounds like your story, know just this- the similarities do not end here. In Akanksha’s case, the worst thing that happened was not her fear of a subject, nor self-doubt, but the fact that no one ever expected too much from her. That’s the thing about social expectations- too much and too little can both do harm.

When she didn’t eventually make it to the B-School she wanted to, Akanksha immediately assumed that it was an inherent flaw in her that caused her to fail. Today, as the head of a successful PR firm, she is able to detach from the situation and look at it more objectively.

Luckily for us, she has time on how to deal with quicksand when you’re actually still in it.

Not Feeling Good Enough Is A Great Experience To Have!

Can you take some clay and make something beautiful from it? Can you look at every failure, over and over again, and challenge that failure to try pulling you down once again? Every successful individual in the history of humankind has failed. You’ve probably heard that often enough, but let’s really put that into perspective.

Galileo Galilei is in all our science and history textbooks today, but back when he was alive, he was tortured and exiled for telling people that the Earth goes around the Sun and not vice-versa. Vincent van Gogh killed himself at the age of 37, unable to bear the rejection of his work and abject poverty. Do any of these instances look like success?

These are, of course, the worst-case scenarios. Best case, you die as one among a team that made a breakthrough innovation, and the world doesn’t know too much about you.

What we need to tackle, then, is the feeling of not being good enough, itself. We have several different ways of doing that.

You can choose to tackle the feeling itself and weed it out from the root. This is where Jigar’s story from an earlier journal entry comes in. Sometimes, too much criticism, even the kind that starts from within, can do more harm than good. The best thing to do, then, is to get rid of it entirely.

However, some people find that a degree of uncertainty in the path, a certain amount of trepidation is actually a good thing. It clears up the mind and makes you sensitive to threats. In other words, it ensures that you start something new with full disclosure on what to expect.

In Akanksha’s Words

When you have doubts about your own worthiness, nothing anyone else says on the subject can resonate with you. I have experienced this, too. But what I also did is find a thought framework that allows me to treat the situation more objectively when I do face rejection or fears about how well I might or might not do.

Every thought is basically an amalgamation of three things. When you are faced with a situation that puts you in conflict with yourself, you have your emotions which are instantaneous responses. Then, you have your feelings which point to specific instances in the past when you faced a similar situation. Lastly, you have reality, which often gets the smallest amount of our attention.

The key is to process the emotions, soften the blow of the feelings and magnify reality. It takes immense amounts of practice but it really works. When you place the highest weightage on what is actually happening as opposed to what you perceive as happening, you can look at things with a more detached perspective. More significantly, you get to observe as an outsider and not make it about yourself, which in turn means that you do not criticise yourself.

When you start doing this and don’t quite get it yet, talk to people and ask them to help you see what’s real. You don’t have to do it alone!

Quote: Marco Pierre White once told me, “In business as in life, you must learn to be vulnerable.” I am who I am, and it is enough for now.

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

5 Ways To Discover Your X At The F of X Festival

Hello there! Have you heard the call from the wild yet?

We bet you have! You’ve probably even answered, or maybe you haven’t yet. The second edition of the F of X festival is happening in February, 2020 and the applications are flooding in already!

But maybe, you’re not entirely sure why you should attend, or if this is the right place for you to be. Maybe you’ve convinced yourself in the rut of everyday life that your X is not worth discovering. Worse, you may know what your X is, but are worried about acknowledging it.

If you’re nodding your head right now, if there’s that tug happening on your heartstrings, that’s what it feels like to finally listen to what you’ve wanted all along! We daresay the F of X festival is the place to be in 2020.

“But, will I really discover my X?”

We hear you! Which is why we’ve put together five perfectly perfect ways to discover your X at the festival. (Yes, we know that sentence is full of redundancies, but how else do we tell you just how awesome finding your X feels like?)

Experience The Cycle Of A Creator

Author Jack London of Call of the Wild fame once said, “You can’t wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club.” Any good creator will tell you that being good at something is more about practice and actual doing than it is about waiting for the bell of inspiration to ring.

At the F of X festival, we have clubs lined up in four zones- Heart, Mind, Hand and Soul. Engage one or engage them all- the tools you need to shift gears on your creative potential are all here.

Be Wild!

When was the last time you were utterly, completely spontaneous? The discipline of everyday life isn’t a bad thing but it certainly pushes spontaneity to the back of the room.

At edition one of the F of X festival, we had creators who had never taken to the stage come up and share their deepest, most instinctive realizations. We had creators promise to make different choices and live the rest of their lives differently. Hell, we had creators who quit their jobs on a public platform!

When you’re willing to make the changes that promptly throw you out of your comfort zone, you discover your X, because that’s the one thing that can drive you when nothing else will. Are you ready?

Brainstorm With Over Forty Guides

At the festival, you get unrestricted access to over 40 guides who have literally been there and done that. We have artists, performers, creative entrepreneurs- people who have found their X and followed it with passion to get to where they are today.

What better way can there be to discover your X than to hear it straight from a guide? At the festival, unfettered access means that you can brainstorm over coffee, or catch up over drinks. Whatever works for you works for us, too.

Discover Your X With 250 Others

There’s a certain comfort to be had in sailing in the same boat as a couple of hundred others. At the festival, you will meet and brainstorm with over 250 people who are asking the same question as you,”What is my X and how do I follow it?”

Choose your setting, and your people, and get started with stimulating, engaging, sometimes tough conversations that help you find what you’re so fundamentally looking for.

Find Your Tribe

The great outdoors is great for a reason. At the festival, we’re all about open spaces and outdoor engagement. Take a walk by the riverside, listen to a fellow creator speak, or just soak up the collective vibe next to a bonfire.

After a long day, let all the information you’ve gathered stew a little bit- leave it alone and chill. Maybe the answers you’re seeking will come to you when you’re not thinking about them at all.

“I feel like the things that I “should” do have always overshadowed the things that I want to do. But now, I realise that fuelling what naturally drives me is the only sustainable way to achieve the things that are important to me. There’s really no going back from this feeling.”- Mahi

The F of X festival is the stimulus you never knew you needed. Come, find your X and go back a transformed creator.

F of X is a festival for creators to grow their magic, learn the tricks of the creative trade and find a tribe to belong to. Feb 20–23, you’ll see Jim Corbett abuzz with creators from all over the country.

To come join edition 2 of this creative intervention, head over to www.fofxfestival.com and request an invite!

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

9 Ways To Convince Your Boss To Let You Attend The F Of X Festival 2020

If you’re reading this, you’re well on your way to making 2020 your best year yet.

How?

By attending India’s first (and only) festival for creators, of course!

But for those who want to come, but have that niggling issue we all call work, we have some very convincing arguments you can make in your favour.

Here are nine ways to convince your boss to say, “Jaa, Simran, Jaa…Jeele Apni Zindagi!”

Promise Them You’ll Do Even Better When You Come Back

Because you will, and that’s guaranteed. No one is going to walk away from the festival feeling anything less than changed, and that change can be pretty awesome when you take it to work.

Promise new ideas, renewed enthusiasm and working with a strong sense of purpose. That should earn you some brownie points and brush up your pitching skills as well.

Talk About How Much You’ll Network

We’re putting you in the same space as 250 other creators. From musicians to storytellers, fusion artists and makers, the people you meet here are all on a quest- to find that one thing that keeps them going when all else fails.

Can you think of a better cohort of people to meet and interact with? Not to mention, the possibilities for collaboration are endless! All contacts that can come in very handy at work.

Promise A Workshop When You Get Back

Tell your boss to free up the Friday after F Of X because you’re coming in with a ton of new learnings. Even better, as an incentive for letting you go, you’re going to do a workshop on your learnings for your team.

Falling a little short on confidence? Don’t worry, because you’re going to find your voice at the F Of X festival.

Tell Them It Isn’t A Vacation

Well, it isn’t. What were you expecting? We’re going to put you to work. But we’re going to make it fun.

Choose your spot, plonk yourself there and get absorbing because you really don’t want to miss a single minute here. But we promise that it isn’t going to feel like a conference.

Got something to say? Step up and grab the mike. Jam impromptu with your favourite creator, ask guides questions, dance the night away and turn those dreams into reality.

Ask Them To Come Along

Two’s always better than one, and 250 is better than everything else. Why not invite your boss over to the festival?

Learn and share together, and bond in ways you haven’t had a chance to at work. The best companies in the world thrive on vulnerability- did you know that? Connect with your boss on a deeper level and discover how you can synergise.

There’s also the option of quitting your jobs, and bracing for a whole new adventure together.

Tell Them More About The Awesome Guides You’ll Meet

Who better to learn channeling your passion from than Sofia Ashraf, the voice of Kodaikanal’s environment herself?

Or, tell us who you’d rather learn storytelling from than Raghava KK, contemporary artist and one among the ten most fascinating people the world is just getting to know?

Keep an eye out for our guide lineup on Instagram, and it’s only going to get more compelling.

Offer To Plan An Offsite

Has it been way too long since the team stepped out of the office together? There’s probably no better place to be than F Of X in 2020.

Is everyone complaining about the logistics? Offer to plan it all yourself, get your team to fill up the curation form, and get in touch with us. We promise we’ll make your logistics skills look good.

Remind Them That Shorter Workweeks Just Work

Microsoft has done it in one of the most work-obsessed countries anywhere in the world, so why shouldn’t you?

And we’re only whisking you away for two working days, so what’s the issue, really? Gather stats and data on shorter workweeks and tell them that working fewer days and having longer weekends should be official policy.

If All Else Fails, Quit!

Just do it, really. If these nine reasons aren’t good enough, then the place is probably not worth hanging on to, no?

You’ll probably come to the festival and realise the same thing anyway, so do it beforehand and come in peace. You will definitely find what you’d really like to do while you’re here.

To come join edition 2 of this creative intervention, head over to www.fofxfestival.com and request an invite!

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

Here’s How The F Of X Festival Can Help You Make 2020 Your Best Year Yet!

It doesn’t matter where you’re in life right now, as long as you’re willing to move.

Sometimes all it takes to change your life is a simple, brave “Yes!” Say yes to something that captures your imagination, even if it takes you into the vast unknown.

This is the spirit of the F of X festival. Make it your own. Others have, and it has changed their lives.

Try something you’ve never tried before

If you’ve never been to a festival like this, here’s your chance. For many attendees of the last festival, F of X was like one giant playground- a space with endless possibilities where they could be themselves, and feel welcome.

Envy, competition and the fear of being upstaged make people hold back. Well, we’ve replaced them with support, guidance and unconditional acceptance. The F of X festival is a safe space to air your ideas to a tribe that is willing to embrace them and help you take them forward.

Discover what makes you, you

“I’m not a big, fat panda- I’m the big, fat panda!”, says Po, offering a life lesson we all need sometimes.

A space that encourages you to freely express your true self.

People who want to see nothing but your authentic self, develop and nurture it.

Activities that are cathartic and help you shed baggage that’s holding you down.

The F of X Festival is the most conducive atmosphere to help you discover what makes you tick, what you are made of, what you can do to achieve your best self.

Discover who you were before all the social conditioning took over.

Break some barriers and look over those walls

The festival was like a big bar of oxygen in chocolate wrapping for so many people in 2019.

Coming from stifling, conservative backgrounds and social circles, just being present at such an event was, for them, an achievement- a barrier destroyed and the first step on a new road.

What chances are you willing to take in 2020?

Find Your X!

After all, that’s the big thing that changes all things big and small in life.

Awesome things happen when you’re in the midst of 250 creative, open, like-minded people. It opens up possibilities you can’t even imagine! Add to that 40 guides and leaders who have redefined areas of expertise, created from scratch, have loads of wisdom to share, and unlike at stuffy conferences, are approachable. This is the stuff of real connections.

Whether your USP, your X Factor, your unique self is buried deep, or just below the surface waiting to break out, this is where you get to do it. Talk, discuss, learn, create.

Does everyone find their X?

Mahi, one of last year’s attendees, discovered new aspects of herself and what energises her. She cast away notions of what she “should” do according to social norms, and started thinking about what she “could” do, what she wanted to do.

Isn’t that the beginning of a new chapter of who you are?

Get out of that comfort zone

There’s a reason why we’re hosting the festival at Jim Corbett National Park! It’s out of many people’s comfort zone big time. There’s nothing like the great, big outdoors, to trigger new thoughts and make your brain form new neural connections!

Be charged up by distancing yourself from the familiar. Be inspired by differences and the sheer variety of the human condition. Make a new tribe with people you’d otherwise never have met, but who resonate at the same frequency as you.

It’s a well-known cliche that life begins outside of your comfort zone. It’s a cliche because it’s true!

At the F Of X Festival 2020, we’re here to help you make 2020 your best year yet- beat that! If you have the will to change some crucial aspect of your life, to rediscover your wild side, to realize your simmering potential, sign up.

To come join edition 2 of this creative intervention, head over to www.fofxfestival.com and request an invite!

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

Oh, The Problems You Can Solve! (At The F Of X Festival)

On social media, we asked you what challenges you’d like to address while you’re at the F Of X festival. From pivoting to focus and mental health to collaborations, we received an overwhelming response! This showed us that in designing a space for the wild ones, we have several aspects to take into consideration.

While it is impossible to answer all of these questions in a virtual setting, we picked the three most commonly discussed issues, and what our guides said about solving them, at F Of X 2019.

How do you prioritise wellness in a busy world?

Wellness can take many forms: self-care is probably the most underrated but there’s also self-help and improvement on a spiritual, mental or practical level, or getting fitter and healthier on a physical level. Take some time to get in touch with your inner being and see which one is your particular wellness need. Spend some time in nature or simply meditate to shut out the noise.

A participant at last year’s festival shared what is probably the most important aspect of self-care- stop apologising!

We should be who we are and live fearlessly. This is not to say that we must exclude others, especially loved ones, from our sphere, but we certainly need to know where to draw the line.

Mohit Satyanand, Founder, Teamwork Arts said at the last edition that it is not important what career you choose; it’s how you balance that career with your personal life that matters. Not having spent time with loved ones and not having lived each moment with purpose is one of life’s worst regrets.

And Llamas have no regrets!

How do you focus on one aspect of development?

As with discovering what aspect of wellness you need to work on, it is helpful to zoom in on the area of development that matters the most to you, personally.

Put multitasking aside, shut out the noise, and get down to business. Deepak Ramola, founder at Project Fuel and one of our guides, puts this across perfectly. “The joy is in the verb, but people focus on the noun.”

When you say you want to be a writer, many people actually get wrapped up in the “notion” of being a writer, rather than actually writing. Maybe this is one area where you can take a page from the GenX and Baby Boomer handbook- roll up your sleeves and dive wholeheartedly into whatever it is you want to learn. Be disciplined and go the distance.

If you’re writing a book, write. Stash the worrying about the social media campaign for later.

How do you beat isolation in times of the gig economy?

Today’s gig economy is a direct by-product of the digital phenomenon. Once associated with musicians, “gigs” could apply to many areas of short-term work contracts these days. Certain digital work channels such as writing, designing or graphic artwork could be isolating.

Freelancing, where you have to compete for work, even more so. While true introverts welcome this revolution and build their social capital through digital media and online forums, none of us can actually live as an island.

This is where peer-to-peer interactions and opportunities like the F of X Festival for idea exchange, illuminating talks and growing your tribe can help. In building the concept for this festival, one of our core ideas was to build a tribe that just ‘gets’ you. It is a chance to hang out with others of your species that are like you, and unlike you, and all of it is for you to be better.

Got more questions? Send them in! Even better, come to the festival and experience the answers for yourself.

To come join edition 2 of this creative intervention, head over to www.fofxfestival.com and request an invite!

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

More Than Playdates: Bonding With Your Child At The F of X Festival

Hi there!

Today, you get to meet Hasita who is one of the voices of The experience Co. and by that, we mean she writes the blogs that you read (and love?), including this one.

The one thing we all have in common as creators is that our journeys are vastly different from each other. For me, being a working mother is not a strange concept- I started my first gig when my daughter was one year old. In hindsight, I can say that it wasn’t the most well thought-out decision, but it surely was an immensely rewarding one.

The greatest lesson I learnt being a mum and running my own thing is the discipline of getting things done. For one, I would rarely, if ever, have the luxury of time.

Turning out work sooner than it was expected was just me preparing for sick days, cold days, I-want-to-cling-to-mothership days, and so on. Recently, I attended the first ever SEMrush conference in India and discovered that one of the things that most clients value highly is adherence to timelines.

Who knew?! I was just doing my two jobs.

My Introduction To The experience Co.

After about three years into the wakeup-work-parent-repeat routine, I felt the need for a good shakeup. Call it serendipity, or call it Instagram’s insane targeting that can read minds, I discovered The Beachhouse Project.

Conceptualised by Jaytirth, the idea was to help fifteen curated residents take their conversations beyond a conference room setting. Frankly, we all know the pain of meeting that one person that twenty others are queuing up to meet.

I was ready to sign up but I had one concern- my daughter was four years old and had never been left anywhere without me for more than a couple of days. If I were to come, I would have to bring her along. I was almost expecting some amount of hemming and hawing before the ‘no’ was said. The response that I got from Jay is something I’ll remember for a long time to come, “Of course, Hasita, you can bring her along. We’d be glad to have her with us.”

Every parent knows how insanely rare it is to hear that statement, from anyone, and least of all in a professional setting.

As creators and as professionals, it is natural to feel isolated when we step away to tend to the most important change in our lives when we become parents. Often, this isn’t something we discuss freely- social conditioning teaches us to be grateful for what we have, but people rarely talk about unhappy parenting.

Bonding Amid The Blues

And these were blues of the good kind, okay?

Off we went to Nainital and my daughter N became the centre of every conversation and every dialogue. Apart from adding immense value to my professional journey, I also had a roommate who never grumbled about the fact that all the hot water went to the child (in fact, I only discovered this when I used the restroom on the last day after everyone was done).

I also had folks peeping into her room to make sure she was comfortably snuggled while we chatted outside late into the night. Then, there were those who brought back lost toys on the occasional bad day often through a bitterly cold evening, and those that showed her, above all, just how much she was welcome.

As a result, I had a chance to see her not as the infant she always was in my head, but as a growing person with a mind of her own.

Professionally, I rediscovered who I could be, bolstered in part by the unconditional encouragement I got from fourteen other creators who were behemoths in their own right. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

I learnt how much more I could do with Content Strategy, took the first steps towards content marketing, dreamt a little bit bigger than I had up until that point. And all of this was made possible because of a completely safe, non-judgmental setting where both my child and I could fully thrive.

Now, which conference offers that!

Since then, N and I have been on several trips together. She climbed a particularly tough section of the Great Wall at five, and got bitten by a leech shortly thereafter. Today, she’s off to the beaches and the ‘snowy mountains’ with equal gusto, and it all started at a place where we were both accepted for who we were- she, a quickly-growing human being and me, a professional who also happened to be (I know this now) a great mum.

What You’ll Find At The F of X Festival

When Jay told us that he’s making special arrangements to help mom and dad-creators join the F of X festival, I knew he’d have thought through every little detail. And boy, does he know a thing or two about kids!

For one, they need happy parents, and happy parents are a product of a supportive environment, which I’m sure of finding, once again, at the F of X festival.

What’s more, the festival is also an experience for children, from professional nannies to play rooms and more. Kids are also allowed access to the Hand and Soul zones so they can participate in sessions suitable to them.

Here are just a few other facilities you can avail of:

A private room for yourself and your child, or the option of sharing a room with another parent-creator or your spouse.
Playrooms are open from 9 AM to 9 PM and are easily accessible from the festival venue.
Dedicated pick up/ drop facilities for transport between the festival venue and where you’re staying.
A safari to the national park can be arranged for parents and children.

There’s something quite magical about growing in the company of your own child and that’s an experience worth having. If it can happen in the midst of ‘snowy mountains’, forests perfect for walks and every a gurgling stream with stories to tell, sign me up!

In its second edition, the F of X Festival is open to parent-creators and guardian-creators who are ready for that giant leap, but wouldn’t want to do it without the kids.

From caregivers to scheduled pickups and private rooms, we’re creating spaces where the kids can make the most of the trip even as you take in all sessions and learnings, knowing that they’re well looked-after.

Take a look at how the festival is making kid-friendly arrangements here, and apply here!

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

Quarantine Finds: A growing list of really cool resources, tools for Creators

If you are a creator, of any kind, this is for you.

A growing list of resources, tools & products that you can use as a Creator to take your business online, grow rapidly, automate your marketing and generate revenues.

Are you ready?

This list is special because I wasn’t looking for these solutions, but I stumbled upon them. ❤

Quarantine List #2

June 7th, 2020

5. Streak — It allows you to see when someone opened your email, how many times and from where. It’s important especially when you are writing to brands or hiring experts.

It also allows you to Mail Merge. A small yet important skill everyone should learn. It allows you to send personalized emails to long email lists — not bcc — but personalized. Note-this is a chrome extension, just add it to your chrome and open gmail.

4. Printrove — This is a cool platform that lets you put your designs on almost 40 different kind of products and sell it to customers across India (maybe the world too). They handle printing your merch, packing it safely, shipping it to customers and managing returns. Also, they only print and ship when you sell something. So, you don’t need to pay till you are making money :) Convenient to test out quick merch ideas for the next giveaway on Instagram? or Launch a merch line. As they have no minimum order quantity, their prices might seem premium, I am recommending it for testing new ideas and initial 1000 customers.

3. Word Clouds — These tools are very 2000s but they still seem to find relevance for an entirely different purpose. If you have tonnes of feedback about your service/product on Instagram comments, or google form — just take all that data and paste it into the word cloud generator. What it will do for you — it will create a word cloud where the words that appear the most in your feedback from users, will have a bigger font size — quickly giving you a mind-blowing insight of what someone is saying. When we pasted introductions of 1000+ creators who applied for Beachhouse Project into it, we found such amazing patterns. As a bonus I have attached one of the images we created with this email.

2. Miro — Life Saver — I have been using this to brainstorm everything from Social Media to Process flows and for brain-dumps. I have created at least 5 large boards with over 10 collaborators from the tribe in the last 4 weeks. It’s too much fun, and they have templates to get you started.

1. Inspectlet — See how your users are behaving on your website. This tool simply allows you to add a video camera on your website. You can see where your users are getting stuck, what are they spending time on, what they are clicking and where they are dropping off. You don’t need to be a tech ninja to use it. Just copy-paste a code on your website and you are live. I use it to test different CTAs, find experience breaks in my design, etc.

Quarantine List #1

May 30, 2020

5. Remove.bg — As the name suggests it removes background from your portrait pictures. This is helpful when you are updating your picture on your website or linkedin.

4. Design Assets & Web Inspiration — Really cool website that has paid and free design assets. — https://www.thepentool.co/

3. Build your own mobile app without code — Adalo — This is like squarespace but for apps. You can publish these apps on iOS and Android Store too. I have been using it to build quick MVPs.

2. Active Campaign — If you are a marketer, or a founder — you will be interested in this one. It allows you to automate your marketing to a great extent. You just need to get creative.

1. Video Ask — This one blew my mind. It’s by typeform and changes how you can replace forms with bandersnatch-like video form. It lets you connect deeply with people accessing your website. We might even try these for F of X & Beachhouse Project!

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

Feeling stuck? This gift is for you

Wrapped up neatly in a big box, 2020 showed up as that birthday present we couldn’t get our eyes off of. We had all sorts of ideas about what it held. We couldn’t wait to open it and bring in the new joy into our lives. This was it. This held what we wanted. In the middle of the party, our eyes moved towards it the way the tongue reaches for a missing tooth.

After the party was over, it was time to relish the joy of this new present. Butterflies squirmed within our bellies. We tore at the wrapping paper in our building anticipation and fished our present out of the massive box. But it wasn’t quite what we’d expected, let alone wanted.

If it was a toy, we didn’t know how to play with it. Moreover, it didn’t feel safe. Play shouldn’t feel life-threatening, should it? We tried to use it but were worried if we’d hurt ourselves in the process. We looked at it every day and resented it, more so for all the dreams it shattered, than our complete lack of ideas on what to do with it. We even felt obligated to use it, since we had it and it occupied such a large space in our homes, and our mind. But we didn’t get too far on that journey either.

One day, our cool cousin came over. Her eyes went wide in wonder as she looked at our gift. She said that it was the best thing ever. She showed you how you can fly on it. All you had to do was step on it and feel the breeze hitting your face. If you take it to nature, it’s even better.

Over time you learn that this might be the best present you’ve ever been given.

You also learn that the best of the presents are not the ones that you wanted but the ones that show up unannounced demanding you to think, to imagine, and to create something new. They stretch your imagination and show you a world you didn’t think was possible. And in this new possibility, you find a better version of yourself.

Sometimes, all you have to do is change the view. Perhaps you need to get out in nature. Those stucco walls are probably blocking the sight. Or maybe you need to take off those jaded, blue spectacles.

But you’ve thought of that already. Multiple times over the past few months.

We know the deal. It’s NOT safe anymore. As a responsible earthling, it’s your duty to stay in and ensure that the pandemic stays in control.

But what if we were to tell you that it IS possible to find beauty in your present and stay safe at the same time?

Within the expanse of nature, a home awaits you. This home has a wide playground at the back where you can twist and turn this present you have been gifted and see how you can use it. If you find it difficult, we have masters who can help you. Your friends, who are like you but also different, are here with their own toys. Your cool cousins are invited as well. This is a home you call your own. We take care of everything here for you so that you have all you need to soar higher in the sky or feel the drizzle hitting your face. You will have ample time to soak in golden sunsets with your friends or watch the stars at night with a cup of your favorite hot chocolate.

Now, since you’re going to be a very crucial member of this family, we are revealing a very special treasure hunt we have organized here for you. What you will be looking for and definitely finding (You are amazing at treasure hunts, we know it) is FLOW. You can use some clues we give you or trust your own instincts to find it. We have one promise to make- you’ll love the game as much as you love the prize.

We don’t have any rules as such in this home, just a few policies to keep you safe. As the river needs banks on its two sides to flow in one direction, we’ve made little plans to help you flow.

Let’s look at it this way…

Working from anywhere is becoming a norm. So, of all places, why would we want to be sequestered within four walls?

If anywhere is a possibility, why not a place you dream of working at?

A home where dreams meet stardust, ideas meet people and aspirations meet skills; we are calling it Tribe House.

With our hands on the door jambs, our eyes set on the gravelled path and our hearts fluttering with excitement, we wait for you and your present: our brand new app

Tribe house is a dream workspace for creators and professionals to disconnect from routine, manifest thoughts and create magic. Check in according to your requirement and convenience at Sakleshpur or Assam.
Learn more: https://theexperience.co/tribehouse

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

In Conversation with fellow Creators: Decoding FLOW

In Daoism philosophy, there exists a principle called ‘Wu Wei’ translating literally into ‘inaction’ or rather, effortless action. A state where you just go with the flow. In his book, Flow, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi defines flow as “a state of joy, creativity and total involvement, in which problems seem to disappear and there is an exhilarating feeling of transcendence.“ Research says that the flow experience is the closest we can come to experiencing pure bliss.

Flow also lies at the center of the creation of Tribe House, and this is why we got into conversations with our favorite creators of the tribe to understand how they experience flow in their lives.

5 questions about FLOW

**Abhishek Choudhary, Illustrator, Designer (@abhishek_draws)**

What is it that you love doing & how does that get you into flow?
There are a few activities like meeting people, consuming art, reading books and watching movies get me into a state where I want to create. What also works really well for me is working with people. I feed off of other people’s energy. As long as I am collaborating on a creative project with interesting people, I am flowing.

But are there times when you feel out of it? What causes those creative blocks?
There are times when I keep working on something for too long, that leads to a burnout which is what my creative block looks like. Or when a project goes on for so long that it almost becomes stagnant, then I feel as if I am hitting a wall.

And how do you get rid of those creative blocks?
Disconnecting helps, whether it’s in the form of naps or travel.

And once you’re back in the flow, how would you describe that feeling?
I feel energized. It’s as if I am flowing with the river but in the direction of its currents so there is very little effort on my part.

If there was an ideal setting for you to get into flow, how do you imagine it to be?
I have dreamt of this space so often in my head. A place in the hills with a wooden house. Ample of light crashing in through the windows. A place where I can work in my own space but I can also access interesting people easily.

**Tanya Gupta, Mood manager at RTX, BHX, FofX (@wandercurls)**

What is it that you love doing & how does that get you into flow?
There’s no particular action but I love doing that can get me completely involved. For me, that happens when I am in the perfect setting- a place where i can hear the sounds of nature whether it’s the leaves whispering to each other or water flowing.

But are there times when you feel out of it? What causes those creative blocks?
Doing something that doesn’t exert my mind completely does it for me. Now there might be two reasons for it- either the task has been too repetitive or the setting is uncomfortable in a way to my being.

And how do you get rid of those creative blocks?
Music helps if I can not be close to the sounds of nature. I change how i do the task at hand or I make minimal changes to my surroundings.

And once you’re back in the flow, how would you describe that feeling?
The concept of time changes. I could spend hours working on my projects without remembering to eat, sleep or rest. I become a horse with blinders and the task in front of me is all I see.

If there was an ideal setting for you to get into flow, how do you imagine it to be?
This space has to exist in nature with a weather like that in Bangalore. A wide, open space with lots of natural light. Voices of nature. I’d like to add a hammock and an inexorable source of coconut water to the setting.

**Prathamesh Tambe, Musician (@prathameshtambe)**

What is it that you love doing & how does that get you into flow?
I love being a conduit through which music creates itself. Flow is an ephemeral concept in my head and I like to keep it that way.

But are there times when you feel out of it? What causes those creative blocks?
Identifying a creative block is a major part of my process. I try to keep an eye on myself whether the process is spontaneous or forced. When I feel that I am forcing that process rather than it happening effortlessly is when I know I have encountered a creative block. And this forced action is what creates it because then the piece becomes more about me than itself.

And how do you get rid of those creative blocks?
The key is knowing when to stop. I allow myself to step away from the project. I engage myself in something else whether it’s a book or a movie. Or I just spend time being.

And once you’re back in the flow, how would you describe that feeling?
There’s a rush of confidence that surges through me. I trust in what I bring to the table, I trust my own perspective, my instincts and my ideas.

If there was an ideal setting for you to get into flow, how do you imagine it to be?
It’d be me on my own with nature around.

**Nidhi, Writer and Illustrator (@travel.illustrator)**

What is it that you love doing & how does that get you into flow?
I love exploring and expressing. New vistas, people, experience and stories energize me like no other.

But are there times when you feel out of it? What causes those creative blocks?
A very excited mind can often also bring in a block, rather than opening it. I tend to get too absorbed too quickly, and sometimes I chew more than I can swallow.

And how do you get rid of those creative blocks?
Letting go helps. I try to reconnect with how I am feeling in the moment through journaling or meditation. An entirely different activity also helps.

And once you’re back in the flow, how would you describe that feeling?
It feels like an awakening, like those first rays of sunlight after a long, dark night. A feeling of contentment dawns upon my being mixed with a sense of purpose and drive.

If there was an ideal setting for you to get into flow, how do you imagine it to be?
I can describe the exact setting to you. I am sitting on a wooden bench at the edge of a hill looking over a stunning view of a meadow stretching out for as far as my eyes can see; I am savouring the view while sipping on hot chocolate. Trekkers or passersby halt occasionally for an enchanting conversation. But while I sit alone, I have a sketchpad and the song in my head.

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

India’s Willy Wonka is Here

Do you remember those Buzzfeed quizzes we used to take on our lunch breaks 5 years ago? There’s this very specific quiz that stuck with us — Answer these Questions & Find Out what your Dream Job is. Their answers seemed so unrealistic until we actually met a professional chocolate taster who is in fact living his dream!

An exchange of ideas and perspectives seen between Mandar and Praveen at our Nainital edition.

Developing exceptional knowledge and experience in chocolate is just part of a larger vision that Mandar has for chocolate. He recently busted some myths about chocolate at BHX Nainital — 90% of the chocolates we consume aren’t even pure chocolate, they’re all compound.

Mandar has a plan of building a Chocolate Museum near Mahabaleshwar with the motive of promoting pure chocolate, our culture and the communities that are involved in agriculture and the chocolate-making process. An important point that he mentioned and which resonated with us was — “This museum isn’t only built on the objective to sell, but for people to really connect with themselves and their roots.”

“Why doesn’t India have chocolate museums like Switzerland does?”, was one of the few questions he sprung up sitting in the den with other residents. Then he quickly went on to add, “I’m going to make it happen here.”

After working in hospitality, sales and marketing for many years, he realised that his true passion centred on chocolate and curating experiences around it. Like every creative leader, he too believes that he had to go through a journey to get where he is today. There are a lot of things though, we wish we knew when we just started out… For him, it is, “Anything is possible!”. That is something we all can relate to: we tie our dreams down with ropes and toss them aside, but forget the possibilities that can exist if we really consider working on making them a reality.

The Tribe would huddle up in the den every evening and listen to stories and ideas from each other.

Our Chocolate Boy wants to create a legacy that lies at the intersection of education, experience and culture — and the Tribe is here to support him.

“If I were a flavour of chocolate, it would be called ‘Imagine’ because there are so many possibilities that can open up when you sit down and imagine. When people bite into my chocolate, that’s what I want them to feel!”

Team BHX 8/4/24 Team BHX 8/4/24

A Home in the Mountains

A beautiful drone shot clicked by Ajinkya at BHX Nainital.

The mountains hold a safe space for a diverse group of creators and visionaries to come together and really remove all the layers each of us put up in our daily lives. It allows us to be vulnerable, challenges us and more than anything, gives us a space to grow. After a tumultuous year that 2020 had been, people went through enormous life changes and epiphanies. BHX Nainital was the edition that gave our residents a home away from home, to reel back from their paths and really focus on what mattered the most.

The fresh air, the rustling trees and the golden morning hour, collectively fostered our creative spirit at the edition, no matter where we came from.

Our 22nd Edition saw a bunch of diverse people coming together from different parts of the country — from marketing heads to professional chocolate experts, entrepreneurs to app developers, writers to game designers, user experience designers to chefs. All of them had something in common though…

They all wanted to be heard, understood, and grow into their potential.

Nishi, who heads a creative studio believed that since designers design for humans, it is very important for them to get various perspectives from a diverse group of people. We wholeheartedly believe that too. Perspectives, insights and ideas are all we need to make a great, tangible shift in how we operate.

Nishi listening to other residents’ pitches in the den.

Mahesh taught us how important it was to understand our employees, their dreams and goals. It is so important for entrepreneurs to help the people who work for them, reach their individual goals. That’s when loyalty and trust is built, the most vital elements in a professional relationship.

Varun, who is an internationally recognised dancer left with a perspective he didn’t even know he was looking for. He recently won a dance championship after an 11-month pause and dedicated his win to all of us. And we’re all so humbled by that!

Nainital took in a group of strangers and gave them a family to leave with. A family that would cheer their every win and hold them when they fall. And for this, we’ll always be grateful…

Creating Good Vibes since 2014.