Think Inspired: Recent Episodes
Dhrupad Karwa
A wild weekly conversation about inspiration, and its role in the creative process. Hosted by Dhru, founder and CEO of Inspo, a search engine for inspiration, the podcast is a humble attempt to understand the elusive nature of inspiration and unravel its mysteries. Each week, a creative thinker will be invited to share perspectives and also brainstorm crazy ideas based on pieces of AI Inspiration coming from Inspo. The vibe is more 'idea jam' than interview and the episodes should help listeners think inspired.
This week, Dhru spoke with Dr. Daniel Hulme who is a leading expert in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies. He is the founder and CEO of Satalia, a company that provides AI products and solutions for global organisations such as Tesco and PwC. Satalia was recently acquired by WPP, the world's largest advertising and communications agency, where Daniel now serves as Chief AI Officer.
Dhru's known Dan since university and has always been inspired by his unrelenting commitment to purposeful entrepreneurship and innovation. Dan's mission is to create a world where everyone has the freedom to spawn and contribute to innovations, and have those innovations become free to everyone. He is nothing short of a visionary and his perspectives should definitely leave listeners thinking inspired.
For more inspiration on any topic, check out Inspo: www.getinspo.co
Say hi to Daniel on Twitter: @TheSolveEngine
Say hi to Dhru on Twitter: @dhrupadkarwa
Show notes:
0:00 - Introduction
2:15 - What inspiration means to Daniel
3:38 - Steve Jobs on Innovation
6:22 - What is AI?
8:15 - Impact of AI on society
10:49 - Data Science vs Decision problems
13:40 - Cheating death
15:36 - Future of creative industries
17:01 - Mastering context & Technology singularities
18:35 - Augmented humans
20:20 - Safety and Ethics in AI
25:00 - What it means to be human (GDR)
25:55 - AI Idea Jam x Innovation
31:45 - Who inspires Daniel
This week, Dhru speaks with Narayan Devanathan, a multitalented executive at Dentsu, the Japanese advertising giant - where he does many things, all in the spirit of Dentsu's global philosophy of championing meaningful progress. He was actually recommended by Bibhash Banerjee, a previous guest on Think Inspired, who described Narayan as an 'insight machine' and one of the most brilliant people he knows. So naturally, Dhru couldn't pass up on the opportunity to jam with him.
Narayan also happens to be a voracious reader and long-distance runner: he claims that much of his thinking and ways of being have been shaped in the time he's spent on the road, because, in his words, in the long run, everything works out.
His sagacious and wide-ranging perspectives on all almost all things are sure to leave listeners thinking inspired!
For more inspiration on any topic, check out Inspo: www.getinspo.co
Say hi to Narayan on Twitter: @twinsighter
Say hi to Dhru on Twitter: @dhrupadkarwa
Show notes:
0:00 - Introduction
2:51 - What inspiration means to Narayan
7:03 - The uninspired state
11:20 - Connecting dots
19:58 - His first job interview
24:00 - Time and Artificial Intelligence
27:42 - Technology as an enabler
37:22 - Insight vs. Information
39:35 - Creativity is not a department
43:44 - Cultivating creativity in teams
48:46 - AI Idea Jam x Travel
56:26 - Who inspires Narayan
This week, Dhru was working remotely in the hills of Darjeeling, India and spoke with Rosie Yakob who is co-founder of the nomadic creative consultancy, Genius Steals. She and her partner Faris have been living nomadically (without a home base) since March 2013, travelling for clients and being inspired by the world in between engagements. She's collaborated with some truly iconic people and brands like Jay Z, Oreo, Coca-Cola, Gibson Guitars and her work has been recognised on stages such as Cannes Lions, CLIO and the Addy's. Asides from being a self-proclaimed advertising enthusiast, Rosie has a soft spot for curiosity, good ideas, yoga and red wine.
The conversation was vast, adventurous and nomadic - much like Rosie's life! And it should definitely leave listeners thinking inspired.
For more inspiration on any topic, check out Inspo: www.getinspo.co
Say hi to Rosie on Instagram: @rosieyakob
Say hi to Rosie on Twitter: @rosieyakob
Say hi to Dhru on Instagram: @dkarwa
Say hi to Dhru on Twitter: @dhrupadkarwa
Rosie's recent inspirations:
@tenderj
@rhogan
@markpollard
@gnostica
@madidefinitely
@denimjelly
Show notes:
0:00 - Introduction
02:07 - What inspiration means to Rosie
05:15 - Lego Blocks and Genius Steals
08:03 - Her creative process post-pandemic
13:00 - It's okay to be uninspired
18:08 - On building conscious technology
26:40 - Faris's Media Pyramid
32:11 - Neuroscience for creativity
35:28 - PR for Motorola
42:56 - Art of Brief Writing
46:25 - Practising inspiration
52:39 - Advice from Dallas Clayton
58:12 - AI Idea Jam x Nomad
01:07:28 - Who inspires her
This week, Dhru spoke with one of his creative heroes: Gregory David Roberts (GDR), the author of 'Shantaram', a breathtaking novel set in Bombay that's sold over six million copies and hailed as a 'masterpiece'. He recently published a new book called 'The Spiritual Path' and is also producing music from a studio in Jamaica. Greg has lived an insanely adventurous life: from being on the run as Australia's most wanted man to forging passports for the Bombay mafia to writing international best-selling novels that have captured the imaginations of millions all around the world.
In the 72 minutes of conversation, Greg shares wisdom, perspectives and stories that are sure to stick with listeners for a long time. He's truly a master of his craft and a living, breathing embodiment of inspiration. It couldn't be a more perfect episode.
For more inspiration on any topic, check out Inspo: getinspo.co
Say hi to GDR on Instagram: @gdr_shantaram
Say hi to GDR on Twitter: @GDR_Shantaram
Say hi to Dhru on Instagram: @dkarwa
Say hi to Dhru on Twitter: @dhrupadkarwa
Show notes:
0:00 - Introduction
2:10 - On never giving up
5:35 - Finding inspiration in prison
13:56 - Writing 'The Spiritual Path'
21:07 - Spirituality and Creation
28:37 - His relationship with ambition
43:33 - The power of music
47:53 - How GDR self-identifies
50:42 - India and Jamaica
56:42 - AI Idea Jam x Spirituality
1:02:16 - When GDR inspired others
1.05.32 - Future of AI
This week, Dhru had a crazy jam with P.G. Aditiya who is the National Creative Director of Dentsu Webchutney. He and his teams work on brands like Google, YouTube, Uber, IKEA, Swiggy, just to name a few, and have collectively picked up some of the most prestigious awards for creativity on stages such as the Cannes Lions. P.G. himself was named "Creative Person of the Year" by Campaign Magazine in 2019.
To say the conversation was wide-ranging would be an understatement. In the span of 79 minutes, P.G. and Dhru discussed inspiration, ego, falling from grace, building teams, atheism, poetry, Cannes Lions, creative AI, advertising and also shared some stories that will be tattooed on brains forever - one of which involved P.G. losing his faith in God on a French summer night. All in all, the episode should leave listeners thinking inspired, feeling disorientated and greatly entertained, all at once!
For more inspiration on any topic, check out Inspo: getinspo.co
Say hi to P.G. on Twitter: @PGAditiya
Say hi to Dhru on Twitter: @dhrupadkarwa
Show notes:
0:00 - Introduction
1:35 - Inspiration means nothing
4:50 - On 'Tanxiety'
6:05 - Building cool vs Being cool
7:39 - Creativity is pragmatism
8:17 - How to inspire teams
17:56 - Humans and AI
20:05 - Language based thinking
23:41 - Garnier ads in India
26:02 - Power of awareness
33:22 - Post-rationalising success
38:06 - Ego is tech's biggest threat
45:25 - God at Cannes Lions
55:40 - Religion is like GPT-3
66:35 - AI Idea Jam x Brands
76:11 - Who inspires P.G.
In today's episode, Dhru speaks with Anuj Gosalia, who's a storyteller, an entrepreneur and a believer in the gospel of inspiration. He lives in Mumbai and is perhaps best known as the founder & CEO of Terribly Tiny Tales, a storytelling platform that reaches over 20 million people every week. But his identity extends well beyond entrepreneurial achievements. In Anuj's own words, he 'writes to find himself' and thinks a lot about content, creators, communities (and alliteration!).
The conversation feels more like a walk in the woods than anything else. Anuj and Dhru cover a lot of ground, from probing the philosophies underlying creative internet products to pondering the meaning of rain - prompted by Inspo's poetic AI thought-starters. It should hopefully leave listeners feeling rejuvenated and thinking inspired. Oh and it is probably best served with a hot cup of masala chai.
For more inspiration on any topic, check out Inspo: getinspo.co
To enjoy some Tiny Tales: instagram.com/ttt_official
Say hi to Anuj on Twitter: @gosaliaanuj
Say hi to Dhru on Twitter: @dhrupadkarwa
Show notes:
2.11: 5 metaphors for inspiration
4.00: When uninspired, then what?
8.48: Writing vs Building
17.03: Inspiration for Terribly Tiny Tales
24.58: Going back to go forwards
28.40: Art of seeking
35.00: Lost corners of the internet
39.08: Getting inspired in a pandemic
47.55: AI Idea Jam: Inspo x Rain
58.30: Who inspires Anuj
This week's episode with Anna Gát was special. She is the founder and CEO of Interintellect which is a global community of thinkers dedicated to hosting 'Salons' - the best conversations on the internet. Every day, people from all across the globe join Salons to discuss topics that span the full spectrum of human experience, with humility and without judgment. Curiously, Anna is also a big believer in the power of silence and being with oneself. She's from Budapest in Hungary and lives a truly poetic life. She loves metaphors, meaning, magic and more - all of which beautifully surfaces in this unapologetically abstract conversation. It should definitely leave listeners feeling heightened and thinking inspired.
For more inspiration on any topic, check out Inspo: getinspo.co
To attend a Salon, check out Interintellect: interintellect.com
Say hi to Anna on Twitter: @TheAnnaGat
Say hi to Dhru on Twitter: @dhrupadkarwa
Show notes:
1.50: Inspiration is a rabbit
3.39: Patterns for seeking inspiration
6.47: Being 'uninspired' is a space
7.55: How a day's personality changes
14.19: Evolution of Anna's process
18.31: Energy of show business
22.15: Story of Interintellect
29.26: AI Idea Jam: Inspo x Conversation
30.20: A silence salon
33.55: What is connection?
41.10: Conversations are 'IKEA doll joints'
48.23: Who inspires Anna
This week, Dhru chats with Marie Dollé who was the happiest human on earth when Elon Musk said "The future's gonna be weird." Marie is a hardcore believer in 'weirdness' and following one's curiosities, which she does with her brilliant newsletter, 'In Bed With Social', that explores the future of digital media. She speaks four languages, she thinks super fast and she has a sixth sense for what's next. As if all that wasn't enough, she also works at a public investment bank in France where she helps connects startups and investors.
Marie has a unique process for spotting "inspiration opportunities" and she also responds fascinatingly to the crazy pieces of AI Inspiration coming from Inspo. All in all, this is a weird, wonderful and wild episode that should definitely leave listeners thinking inspired!
For more inspiration on any topic, check out Inspo: getinspo.co
Say hi to Marie on Twitter: @MarieDOLLE
Check out Marie's newsletters: linktr.ee/Mariedolle
Say hi to Dhru on Twitter: @dhrupadkarwa
Show notes:
1.19: Introducing Marie
2.12: What inspiration means to her
6.18: How she navigates being uninspired
11.20: Inspiration strikes, then what?
14.45: Inspiring foods for the brain
27:32: Evolving her pattern recognition
28.50: Rabbit holes in Italian Hotels
42.05: AI Idea Jam: Inspo x Weirdness
51.38: Secret shout-outs to inspirers
This week, Dhru has a fun and soulful conversation with Aneesh Madani - who's a world citizen, a diehard sports fan, a lover of timeless books and an overall stand up guy. Professionally, he’s seen the world of digital media change from the front row as a member of Twitter India’s founding team and as a Fellow of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Media, Entertainment and Sport.
The conversation flows through insightful practices that help Aneesh stay inspired, like “grazing through observation”, the delight of finding “postcard moments”, “inspiration loops” and the "power of talking to strangers” to name just a few. He also uncovers how the rules of Tennis are in fact matters of the heart - using inspiration from Inspo.
One recurring theme in the episode is Aneesh's remarkably mindful approach to life and decision making. It is sure to leave listener's feeling and thinking inspired!
For more inspiration on any topic, check out Inspo: getinspo.co
Say hi to Aneesh on Twitter: @aneeshmadani
Say hi to Dhru on Twitter: @dhrupadkarwa
Check out the inspiring @jonnysun and @tinycarebot on Twitter
Show notes:
2.35: What inspiration means to Aneesh
3.52: When uninspired, what does he do?
6.35: How conscious is he when inspiration strikes?
8.29: The next move after 'grazing' inspiration
16.50: Food on Twitter
19.51: Finding "postcard moments"
21.20: Playing European Railway Roulette
26.05: Getting inspired in a post-pandemic world
30.16: Inspiration in Mumbai vs. Lausanne
36.42: AI Idea Jam: Inspo x Tennis
50.25: Shout-out to who inspires Aneesh
In this slightly unhinged debut episode, Dhru speaks with Bibhash Banerjee - who's a brand consultant to some wild Indian brands, a silent photographer, a closet physics fan, a serious coffee drinker and an ardent believer in the power of inspiration. The conversation explores what inspiration means to Bibhash, what he does when uninspired, how his process for gathering inspiration has changed post COVID-19, who's inspired him recently and also some mad ideas around 'coffee' as Bibhash responds to 3 pieces of AI Inspiration from Inspo (our search engine for inspiration).
Bibhash has a fascinating perspective (on pretty much everything) and even has a method for entering the Multiverse, which he generously shares. Save for his one uncharacteristic semi-fascist idea on coffee breaks in the workplace, the chat should definitely help listeners think inspired!
For more inspiration on any topic, check out Inspo: getinspo.co
Say hi to Bibhash: twitter.com/Perventuator
Enjoy Bibhash's photos: instagram.com/perventuator
Say hi to Dhru: twitter.com/dhrupadkarwa