ITV

Tag: weekend-special series

  • Weekend Unwind with: Wiggles founder & CEO Anushka Iyer

    Weekend Unwind with: Wiggles founder & CEO Anushka Iyer

    Mumbai: In this week’s edition of informal Q&As with industry executives through our Weekend Unwind series, we have Wiggles founder and CEO Anushka Iyer opening her heart and mind to us by sharing her nuggets on life and mantras to deal with the curveballs that life throws.

    As the founder & CEO of D2C pet care brand, Wiggles, Anushka confesses to having always been a pet lover, adding that it is her empathy towards the four-legged creatures that enables her to really make a difference. She has built Wiggles to be India’s first petcare brand to be certified by the IBPSA, USA, and to receive the first veterinary licence for cannabis-infused oil for pets in India. An International Management graduate from the Rennes School of Business, a Grande Ecole in France, and Canine Care at BCCS, she has been featured in Forbes 30 under 30 Asia, Class of 2021, and has been named as one of Silicon Asia’s 30 Best Business Leaders.

    So without further ado here goes…

        Your mantra for life

    Mindset is everything. The correct mind frame and perspective can make the dullest day, a brighter one.

        A book you are currently reading/plan to read

    I’m enjoying reading “Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars,” “Cure Diseases,” and “Transform Industries by Safi Bahcall” at the moment.

        Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic

    Go easy but do it, what matters is the right mindset and maximising your full potential.

        Your comfort food

    My hands always reach for dal chawal or curd rice.

        When the chips are down a quote/philosophy that keeps you going

    My pets keep me going, no quote required. The fact that I come back home to six fur babies who continue to be by my side and love me unconditionally, is more than enough to give me all the energy I need.

        Your guilty pleasure

    I love trying out all new brands and products because I believe people are doing some really exciting innovations but my real guilty pleasure is endlessly scrolling dog and cat videos!

        When was the last time you tried something new?

    I tried vegetarian sushi two days ago and I have my doubts about trying that again!

        A life lesson you learned the hard way

    Good things don’t come easy but they do come.

        What gets you excited about life?

    My purpose is to build an equitable world for all animals.

        What’s on top of your bucket list?

    A trip to Turkey. I want to try the hot air balloon experience and buy some rugs.

        If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?

    Let go just a little bit, allowing things to happen in their own course. As Bruce Lee says, be like water. Be flexible in both mind and body.

        One thing you would most like to change about the world

    Compassion and understanding towards all beings and life. We saw a lot of pet adoptions during the pandemic and also a lot of abandonment as soon as offices opened. I hope the world is more caring and kinder towards animals who can’t advocate for themselves.

        An activity that keeps you motivated/charged during tough times

    Spending time at Petsville, our boarding and day care facility, reminds me to keep going forward in the right direction and not look back. Just seeing dogs happy in a pet-curated adventure land brings me immense fulfilment.

        What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?

    My family, friends, fur babies and loved ones. Always.

        Your go-to stress buster

    My three-year-old Lhasa Apso Wiggles. He’s the apple of my eye and the inspiration behind the brand and all that we do. Would you believe there was a time people thought they had to take Wiggles paw-prints to sign cheques? That was hilarious!

  • Weekend Unwind with: Hansa Mondal, COO & co-founder of Ssoftoons Entertainment Media

    Weekend Unwind with: Hansa Mondal, COO & co-founder of Ssoftoons Entertainment Media

    Mumbai: With yet another Saturday upon us, it’s time to unwind with a dose of our weekend special series. Weekend Unwind is a tete-e-tete with an industry executive—akin to a virtual water cooler chat – an attempt to get to know the person behind the title a little better.

    This week we have with us Ssoftoons Entertainment Media co-founder & COO Hansa Mondal, sharing her nuggets on dealing with the curveballs life throws at us.

    Having left a well-secured job, Hansa embarked upon her entrepreneurial journey in 2001, co-founding Ssoftoons—a homegrown animation company—with her business-cum-life partner Sourav Mondal in Howrah, West Bengal. Being a complete novice in the industry, she had to start from scratch by learning to sketch and arming herself with the industry know-how. After nearly a decade, the company saw success in the regional market, and with an intention to have a national presence, the couple moved to Mumbai. Having delivered some successful projects, Hansa is currently working in association with Disney India. In her current position as COO at Ssoftoons, she undertakes planning and execution to keep the flow running smoothly.

    So here goes…

    Ø Your mantra for Life 
    Since childhood, I have followed “perseverance.” I am aware of my goal and remain focused and dedicated to achieve my dreams.

    Ø A book you are currently reading/plan to read
    “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek. I read each and every page more than once. It is really inspiring.

    Ø Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic
    To put it simply: inhaling and exhaling. Am a yoga lover. Yoga and pranayama keeps me fit both mentally and physically. 

    Ø Your comfort food
    Mummy-made Besan (Gram Flour) ke Pakode with green coriander chutney.

    Ø When the chips are down a quote/philosophy that keeps you going
    “One year equals 365 possibilities.” I calm down and regain the power to think and rethink to overcome the situation. I follow the philosophy of gratitude in every case, be it good or bad.

    Ø Your guilty pleasure
    Secretly taking good pens from my kids and husband’s drawers with the intention of not giving them back! I never buy a pen for myself.

    Ø When was the last time you tried something new
    I have started learning the piano. Practising and mastering this instrument requires dedication and sustained effort. It relaxes my brain. 

    Ø A life lesson you learnt the hard way
    That we all are playing our roles on the stage of life. So, no matter what happens, the show must go on. Time never stops for anyone. It doesn’t care about your worries or about your happiness. So, accept every situation because worries and fears are yours, like happiness. 

    Ø What gets you excited about life
    I started my journey from absolute zero. So, when I am out of projects or in a problem, I never regret it and instead try to give a kickstart, as I know how to grow from zero.

    Ø What’s on top of your bucket list
    Completing a management course from Harvard University Online.

    Ø If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be
    Maintaining a database of contacts and keeping in touch. I always preferred to be within myself. But later in my life, I realised my mistake because I came to know that “network = net worth.”

    Ø One thing you would most like to change about the world
    Blasphemy. 

    Ø An activity that keeps you motivated/charged during tough times
    Reading good books and doing something constructive, like developing new concepts or plots. Building good stories boost my confidence to fight back.

  • ‘Weekend Unwind’ with: Loktantra Mediatech, CEO & founder Piyush Kulshreshtha

    ‘Weekend Unwind’ with: Loktantra Mediatech, CEO & founder Piyush Kulshreshtha

    Mumbai: With yet another weekend upon us, in our latest ‘Weekend Unwind’ series, it’s time to take a peek into the mind of the head of social networking and conversation platform through a fun lens in an attempt to get to know the person behind the title a little better.

    In this week’s edition, we have Loktantra Mediatech, CEO & founder Piyush Kulshreshtha. In his current pursuit of developing Khul Ke, a homegrown social networking app that enables users to freely express themselves through purposeful and positive conversations that matter and level up their engagement.

    Through his illustrious career spanning over two decades, he’s known for holding prominent positions across leading real estate, and investment organisations. With a strong stance, he is frequently known to lend his voice to the creation of meaningful discourse.

    Prior to embarking on this project, Piyush spent years in a top-management position in Mumbai’s real-estate development industry, where he explored his skills in management and leadership, which groomed him into a poised figurehead.

    In the stock broking industry, Piyush worked for five years in brand management at Motilal Oswal and Sharekhan. During his MBA days, he worked as a radio jockey with All India Radio for three years and spent a year writing for Indian Express’ youth magazine Channel Y. Piyush is a graduate in economics.

    So without further ado, here it goes…

    • Your mantra for life

    Act & perfect, don’t overthink.

    • A book you are currently reading/plan to read

    Vibhanga

    • Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic

    Pranayama and light asanas.

    • Your comfort food

    Arahara ki daal and rice with aloo ki bhujia.

    • When the chips are down a quote/philosophy that keeps you going

    This too shall pass.

    • Your guilty pleasure

     Gulab Jamun

    • When was the last time you tried something new?

    Everyday.

    • A life lesson you learnt the hard way

    There is no moment in my life that I do not deserve. Everyone has to carry their own cross.

    • What gets you excited about Life?

    Possibility of becoming a better version of myself.

    • What’s on top of your bucket list?

    Research work on vipassana and Buddha’s discourses.

    • One thing you would most like to change about the world

    Be more objective.

    • An activity that keeps you motivated/charged during tough times

    New ideas and quick execution.

    • What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?

    Vipassana.

    • If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?

    Life is a journey, keep moving.

  • Weekend Unwind with: The Rabbit Hole business head Rishabh Khatter 

    Weekend Unwind with: The Rabbit Hole business head Rishabh Khatter 

    Mumbai: Another weekend is upon us, and so is the time to unwind with yet another edition of Indiantelevision.com’s Weekend Unwind—a series of informal chats that peek into the minds of corporate executives. In this week’s session we have The Rabbit Hole business head Rishabh Khatter opening up the windows to his thoughts.

    Having joined FoxyMoron as a senior creative innovations associate in 2015, Rishabh moved up the ranks to spearhead The Rabbit Hole as its business head (content and technology). He is credited with not only developing sustainable business units but also being the creator of The Rabbit Hole-content, successfully marrying content with technology to develop solutions for various brands.

    Under his mantle, it has evolved from being a digital video first agency to a full-service new age content creation ecosystem. Led by Rishabh, the mission of The Rabbit Hole is to turn ideas into reality and deliver outputs that cut through the clutter.

    So here goes: 

    Your mantra for Life
    Acknowledge the good times amid a hard time.

    A Book you are currently reading/plan to read
    Shoe Dog by Phil Knight.

    Your Fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic
    Swimming.

    Your comfort Food
    Chicken wings.

    When the chips are down a Quote/Philosophy that keeps you going
    This too shall pass.

    Your Guilty pleasure
    Watching films and shows below a rating of two on IMDB.

    When was the last time you tried something New?
    When I tried my hand at digital painting.

    A life Lesson you learnt the hard way
    Good judgement comes from experience; experience comes from bad judgement.

    What gets you Excited about life?
    Building new relationships.

    What’s on top of your Bucket List?
    F1 Monaco Grand Prix.

    One thing you would most like to Change about the world
    Efforts towards ocean conservation.

    An activity that keeps you Motivated/Charged during tough times
    Travelling.

    What lifts your Spirits when life gets you down?
    Travel vlogging. 

    Your go-to Stress Buster
    SimCity’s badminton.

    If you could give one piece of Advice to your younger self, what would it be?
    There is a place in this world for everyone.

  • Weekend Unwind with: Manish Solanki co-founder & COO of TheSmallBigIdea

    Weekend Unwind with: Manish Solanki co-founder & COO of TheSmallBigIdea

    MUMBAI :With yet another Saturday upon us, it’s time to unwind with a dose of our weekend special series. Weekend Unwind is a tete-e-tete with an industry executive—akin to a virtual water cooler chat—an attempt to get to know the person behind the title a little better.

    This week we have with us TheSmallBigIdea co-founder & COO Manish Solanki, sharing his nuggets on dealing with the curveballs life throws at us.

    A digital media professional with more than ten years’ experience in content, design, and technology, Manish began his career in client service with SSC&B Lintas and Publicis Ambience, honing his marketing skills. After a stint in advertising, he moved to CRISIL Ratings and later entered into the television sector with ZEE TV and Times Television Network (International Business) before being bitten by the entrepreneurial bug in 2014. An alumnus of Welingkar Institute of Management, Manish’s decade-old learning curve has taken him through diverse roles and the ups and lows of branding lifecycles.

    So without further ado, here goes…

    A Book you are reading or plan to read

    I was recently inspired to read ‘The Ikigai Journey’ by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles, courtesy of Harikrishnan Pillai (TSBI founder and CEO).

    Your Fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic

    Eat simple and focus on your breath, a mantra that the pandemic taught a lot of us.

    Your comfort food

    Jeera rice and dal fry.

    When the chips are down a quote/ philosophy that keeps you going

    Trust the universe; everything is working out as it should. You’re not behind. Have faith

    Your guilty pleasure

    Binge-watching a complete season of a web-series.

    When was the last time you tried something new?

    Three years ago, I took a solo trip to explore the lesser-known, meeting unknown people and taking each unplanned day as it came.

    A life lesson you learnt the hard way

    When you fall, get up with a smile…even if your lip is cut.

    What gets you excited about life?

    My work excites me. On days when I love my job, I do well. On days when I hate my job, I do even better.

    What’s on top of your bucket list?

    Among other things, a cycling trip through the by-lanes of an attractive town.

    If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?

    ‘Risk hai to ishq hai!’

    What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?

    One cool friend and a glass of drink.

    An activity that keeps you motivated / charged during tough times

    Introspection in silent mode.

    Your go-to stress buster

    Golden oldies.

    One thing you would most like to change about the world

    Make it kinder.

    Your mantra for Life

    If flowing with the tide is inevitable, enjoy the swim, own the sea.

  • Weekend Unwind with: Mehul Gupta, co-founder & CEO SoCheers

    Weekend Unwind with: Mehul Gupta, co-founder & CEO SoCheers

    In this week’s ‘Weekend Unwind’ series where we get to know the person behind the title a little better through a fun lens, we have on the hot seat SoCheers co-founder & CEO Mehul Gupta.

    According to Gupta, his entrepreneurial journey started way back in school, when he used his music sensibilities and sold it in the form of mixtapes & mix-MP3s for his school. At 19, he chose to create socheers.com, a homegrown social networking platform for fellow classmates. While that website didn’t last for very long, the brand ‘SoCheers’ did- taking birth as a digital-first marketing & advertising agency in 2013. 

    In his current role, Gupta manages the operations of the agency while strategically consulting with brands to build their digital and offline stories. Having won several accolades, such as Impact 30 under 30 2019, 100 Smartest Digital Marketing Leaders, and 100 Most Influential Global Youth Marketing, at a young age, he believes he’s just starting his journey.

    So without further ado, here goes…

    Your mantra for Life

    Take it as it comes, but don’t forget to enjoy each moment of the process.

    A Book you are currently reading / plan to read

    I recently finished reading ‘Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty,’ and next up on my list is ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy.’ I like how these books talk about life and they’re just a fun change of pace from the stuff I regularly read about advertising & marketing and other work-related topics.

    Your Fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic

    Fitness is as important as eating food-that’s my mantra. It does require discipline, but once in place, it’ll help you tremendously stay on track. The lockdown got me into doing yoga and meditation regularly, and I’d suggest the same to anyone who wants to take their health seriously, both body and mind.

    Your comfort food

    Khichdi!

    When the chips are down a quote/ philosophy that keeps you going

    The universe has your back and everything is eventually going to turn around in your favour.

    Your guilty pleasure

    Playing ‘Call of Duty’.

    When was the last time you tried something new?

    I like keeping things fun and am quite experimentative. I recently tried practising guided meditation.

    A Life lesson you learnt the hard way

    That force-fitting your solutions to situations or people doesn’t really work out. You need to make peace with this fact and figure out calmer ways of resolving things; it’s far more effective.

    What gets you excited about life?

    I’m always excited about the opportunities and possibilities that every new day brings with it. Along the same lines, meeting new people and learning new things, be it at the office or outside, never fails to excite me.

    What’s on top of your bucket list?

    In the work sphere, creating a campaign that is executed on a global scale tops my bucket list for this year. We’ve had some huge successes recently, and I want to amplify that momentum.

    On the personal front, I have the ambitious goal of travelling to at least six countries by the end of this year.

    If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?

    Everything will happen the way it is supposed to. No point in being anxious or worried about something that hasn’t or may not happen.

    An activity that keeps you motivated / charged during tough times

    Playing badminton or cricket, or any sport really.

    What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?

    Being with my family, my daughter, my friends and my teams – my people, basically!

    Your go-to stress buster

    Doing either of these two, somewhat opposite, activities: chilling with friends over a couple of beers or getting pumped up playing cricket or badminton.

    One thing you would most like to change about the world

    I would, maybe, have people put some extra effort into understanding each other and treating everyone with just a little more kindness. When the world comes to terms with the “phenomena” that it’s okay to not be at the centre of it, it’ll become a better place for everyone.

  • Weekend Unwind with: Unmisha Bhatt co-founder & chief strategy officer of Tonic Worldwide

    Weekend Unwind with: Unmisha Bhatt co-founder & chief strategy officer of Tonic Worldwide

    MUMBAI: Another weekend is upon us, and so is the time to unwind with yet another edition of IndianTelevision.com’s Weekend Unwind – A series of informal chats that peek into the mind of a corporate executive to get to know the person behind the title a little better.

    In this week’s session, we have Tonic Worldwide co-founder & chief strategy officer Unmisha Bhatt opening up the windows to her mind and heart, to offer a glimpse of what’s behind her professional persona.

    A marcom professional with over 20 years of experience in developing brand communication & strategies across consumer touch points, she leads strategy on all brands and enables new markets & global expansion as chief strategy officer of Tonic Worldwide. A founding member of the agency’s Dubai office for the Middle East region, and a key driving force for her team across both markets, she divides her time between Dubai and India. Her goal is to bring out the best in her team members, while setting new benchmarks & supporting them with mentorship and support as required. From the last couple of years, Unmisha has also been guest faculty for management students and conducts several training & development workshops to build young talent.

    So here goes:

    – Your mantra for life

    Live and Let live.

    -A Book you are currently reading/plan to read

    Loads of them. I have this habit of reading many books at one time. Keep jumping to my mood. Current ones that are ongoing are ‘Radical Candor’, ‘Everybody Lies’. Also, Archie comics! They are fun and take me back in time. Then there’s my all-time favourite which I keep re-reading all the time, ‘One + One = 3’. The ones on my lists are “No Rules Rules”, “Pandeymonium” and some fiction mystery novels. They help me switch off.

    -Your Fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic

    There’s no better way to be fit then house work! The lockdown taught me that

    -Your comfort food

    Home-cooked food made by my mother-in-law. She’s the best chef ever. She can give every Michelin star chef a run for their money.

    -When the chips are down a quote/ philosophy that keeps you going?

    Count your blessings

    -Your guilty pleasure

    Vadapav, beer & end a cocktail evening with Chai. Lol yes, odd but that’s me.

    -When was the last time you tried something new?

    December 2019, jumped into the sea and swam to the shore of an island where the boat couldn’t hit the shore, in Maldives. Was a fun experience. Been long time since I tried something new yet again.

    -A life lesson you learnt the hard way

    All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy (in this case Jill)

    What gets you excited about life?

    Travel, meeting, new people, and exploring different cultures in different countries

    What’s on top of your bucket list?

    Guest lectures in an international management college. Teaching is the best form of learning, and international teaching will help me learn about different cultures too

    If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?

    Spend more time with parents.

    An activity that keeps you motivated / charged during tough times

    Gratitude and keeping busy at work. I love what I do. I love my brands. I am very competitive and that keeps me motivated to do better.

    What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?

    For me it’s “who” lifts my spirits: My best friend, my partner-in-crime at work, my husband, Chetan Asher

    Your go-to stress buster

    Binge-watch any thriller series on OTTs or binge-read fiction. Helps me switch off and transport to another world.

    One thing you would most like to change about the world

    Call for peace. Live and let live.

  • Weekend Unwind with: Shradha Agarwal, CEO & co-founder of Grapes

    Weekend Unwind with: Shradha Agarwal, CEO & co-founder of Grapes

    Mumbai : In this week’s edition, IndianTelevision.com continues its series of informal and lighthearted chat that peeks inside the minds of corporate executives.

    To get to know the person behind the title a little better, we have Grapes CEO and co-founder Shradha Agarwal, who has opened up her heart and mind to us by sharing her life nuggets and mantras for dealing with life’s curveballs.

    Having essayed diverse roles from account manager to marketing manager to head digital strategy and engagement in various organisations across sectors, Shradha believes the key lies in ‘Unlearning’. For it helps think up innovative business strategies and “out of the box” communication strategies. The “intrapreneur itch” made her leave her MNC job nine years back to join Grapes (then Grapes Digital), where she took a year to understand the technology and the agency business, before starting the marketing vertical in 2015.

    So here goes:

    Your mantra for Life

    Never quit

    A book you are currently reading/plan to read

    Currently, I am reading ‘Delivering Happiness: A path to profits, passion and purpose’ by Tony Hsieh.

    Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic

    I make sure to indulge myself in 30-45 mins of exercise, a mix-up of cardio and yoga. Besides this, the other fitness mantra I follow incessantly is consuming less sugar.

    Your comfort food

    Aglio Olio (a traditional Italian pasta dish) and Pulao

    When the chips are down a quote/ philosophy that keeps you going

    I genuinely feel that “Life is 10 percent of what happens to you and 90 percent of how you react to it.” There are times when things don’t work in your favour, and it’s always best not to react at the moment but analyse, learn and experience it. Rather than panicking, have patience and faith in yourself because it ameliorates the problem.

    Your guilty pleasure

    Ice-cream & cake

    When was the last time you tried something new?

    Dance. I love dancing and used to be a choreographer in my college days. Be it school, college or any function, I was always excited to perform but with time it gradually declined. But very soon, I will be joining a dance class, and cherish the memories.

    A life lesson you learned the hard way

    Don’t get upset over small things, or have expectations from others. It is you who decides what you want in life. The sooner you realise it, the better off you’ll be.

    What gets you excited about life?

    Doing creative work and creating kickass campaigns for my clients keep me excited every day. When a client appreciates the work and the audience shower their love, that feeling is unmatched. It keeps you motivated to work hard and do better every day.

    If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?

    Don’t be afraid of failures. There are times when we are not able to discover our strengths but, after trying and failing in the journey of life we realise our strong points, which ultimately help us in reaching the destination. Also remember, to be confident but never let success make you complacent.

    An activity that keeps you motivated/ charged during tough times

    It’s my work that keeps me energised and motivated.

    What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?

    Meeting friends, or watching a web series.

    Your go-to stress buster

    Going for a candlelight dinner with my husband.

    One thing you would most like to change about the world

    Don’t be judgemental. In today’s context, I see that people in seconds start judging other people. Everyone has a different life and what is good for you may not be for the other person. Stay grounded, be humble and spread positivity as the world needs better people.