66 episodes

This podcast tries to decode what really goes behind the minds of people who are the best in their business or profession. It tries to explore their motivations and inspiration, attempts to understand the why behind what they do, and how they successfully accomplish what they set out to do. It provides mental frameworks, markers and mind maps for each one of you to learn and discover from their life purpose, their cultural ecosystem and their experiences. These conversations will hopefully open your mind, help you put some of their thoughts and ideas to practice both in your life and career.

The ContraMinds Podcast ContraMinds Labs

    • Business
    • 5.0 • 1 Rating

This podcast tries to decode what really goes behind the minds of people who are the best in their business or profession. It tries to explore their motivations and inspiration, attempts to understand the why behind what they do, and how they successfully accomplish what they set out to do. It provides mental frameworks, markers and mind maps for each one of you to learn and discover from their life purpose, their cultural ecosystem and their experiences. These conversations will hopefully open your mind, help you put some of their thoughts and ideas to practice both in your life and career.

    #051 Dr. Vignesh Devraj on Ayurveda’s Holistic Approach for Modern Living

    #051 Dr. Vignesh Devraj on Ayurveda’s Holistic Approach for Modern Living

    Holistic Living in this Stressful Modern World

    Modern living has wired us to overeat when we’re stressed. Nature on one hand has designed our body to live in scarcity, but on the other hand, we are also wired to be fat. Modern living exposes us to heavy, rich and sugary foods in abundance, so we have to fight that genetic gravity to live healthy. Therefore, a holistic approach to modern living comes with lot of self discipline and that self discipline comes with emotional wellbeing. Ayurveda aids emotional wellbeing.



    Balanced Diet, Balanced Life

    Success without fulfilment is worse than failure.What are you striving for if you have all the money and success but poor health, what’s the point? You have all the success and money and health but if you don't have good family and friends around you because you are not an easy person to get along with….how do you then build relationships and create memories? A balanced approach to personal and professional life lies in realising just focusing on one aspect in your life is not going to give you happiness and fulfilment. Physical wellbeing must go hand in hand with emotional wellbeing.

    About Dr. Vignesh Devraj

    Dr. Vignesh Devraj is a fourth generation Ayurvedic healer. He is the founder and chief physician of Sitaram Beach Retreat, Kerala – a space for authentic healing and transformation.

    Dr. Vignesh is a committed practitioner and researcher on Panchakarma, an ancient body purification method which activates the body’s innate healing energies, providing the foundation to true health. His expertise lies in explaining ancient healing concepts and making it more accessible to the modern world. He is an avid traveller who studies and explores the lesser known healing methods around the world. He is an international speaker on Natural Healing, Ayurveda, Meditation & Transformation.

    Connect with Dr. Devraj

    Connect with Swami



    For Selected Links, Show Notes and more insights



    This episode was made possible by the great folks at Effortless.Effortless has been designed to be user-friendly, aiding you in your journey to streamline financial tasks.

    Experience the convenience of achieving e-Invoicing and E-way Bill Generation in just a couple of clicks, simplifying your business processes. Visit www.goeffortless.ai to learn more.

    • 1 hr 6 min
    The Super CMO Show - Mahek Shah (#010)

    The Super CMO Show - Mahek Shah (#010)

     The AirAsia Media Playbook: Integrating Travel Experiences

    About The Guest:

    Mahek Shah is the Global Head of Media at Airasia (AirAsia Media & Airasia Ads).

    Mahek is an integrated marketing and communications professional with rich digital marketing and product development experience. She started her career in advertising with successful stints at Ogilvy, IPG Mediabrands, Lion & Lion and Wavemaker before AirAsia.



    Timestamps:

    00:00 - 03:40 Cold Opening, Sponsor Message, Guest Intro

    03:41 - 05:51 The Evolution of Marketing: A Marketer's Journey from Traditional to Digital

    05.52 - 07:32 Shifting Skills for Modern Marketers: From Fragmented to Integrated Experts

    07:33 - 09:52 A Two-Pronged Approach to Strategic Planning and Inventory Monetization

    09:53 - 11:20 First-Party Data Monetization: Leveraging Brand Ecosystems for Partnerships

    11:21 - 14:25 Redefining the Travel Experience: Building an Immersive End-to-End Ecosystem

    14:26 - 18:34 The Insourcing Trend: Why Brands Are Bringing Marketing In-House

    18:35 - 25:54 Redefining Agency Value: From Execution to Consultative Problem-Solving

    25:55 - 30:47 AirAsia Move: Redefining Travel as a Seamless End-to-End Experience

    30:48 - 36:45 Redefining Travel Marketing: Working with Endemic and Non-Endemic Brands

    36:46 - 40:30 First-Party Data and Ad Tech: Building Seamless Customer Experiences

    40:31 - 41:51 Marketing Campaigns that Inspired Mahek

    41:52 - 43:00 Why Mahek Admires Amazon’s Business Model

    43:01 - 44.53 Marketers who Inspired Mahek

    44.54 - 47:26 Mahek Shah’s Book Recommendations

    47:27 - 50:36 Dynamic Digital Out-of-Home: AirAsia's Campaign to sell 7 Million Tickets

    50:38 - 53:30 Advice to a Marketing Student at University



    Key takeaways from this conversation


    Marketing has evolved significantly, shifting from traditional offline methods to a digital landscape that's constantly changing.
    Modern marketers need to be multifaceted, integrating data, digital, and technology skills to deliver cohesive customer experiences.
    Brands are insourcing marketing tasks like media buying and content creation for faster turnaround times, better brand custodianship, and cost savings.
    Agencies must redefine their value proposition, moving from execution to strategic consultative partnerships that solve business problems.
    AirAsia's "Super App" vision is to provide a seamless end-to-end travel experience, from booking flights and hotels to local transportation.
    The Super App ecosystem allows AirAsia to monetize its assets through retail media and partnerships with endemic (travel-related) and non-endemic brands.
    First-party data and ad tech solutions enable AirAsia to target audiences on and off its platforms for better conversions.
    Integrating multiple technology platforms is the future of media, enabling seamless customer experiences across channels.
    Mahek admires Amazon for its progressive business model and aspires to build a similar media ecosystem.
    Philip Kotler's work and cultural literature have influenced Mahek's marketing approach.
    A recent 7 million seat sale campaign leveraged programmatic digital out-of-home advertising for dynamic, real-time targeting.
    Mahek advises aspiring marketers to understand data, derive actionable insights, and focus on connecting with consumers.
    Campaigns like Coca-Cola's "Share a Coke" and Dove's diversity campaign have inspired Mahek.
    A professor who taught her the strategic role of media in marketing has been a significant influence.
    Addressing business problems, understanding consumer insights, and delivering integrated experiences are key for modern marketers.

    Watch the full episode on YouTube

    For Show Notes, visit https://contraminds.com

    Connect with Mahek:

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/maheks/

    Connect with Swami: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sivaraman-swaminathan-9856501/

    This episode was made possible by the great folks at MovingWalls.

    Moving Walls provides a global Adtech platform bu

    • 53 min
    #050 Prof. Vasant Dhar on The Evolving Role of Humans in the Age of AI

    #050 Prof. Vasant Dhar on The Evolving Role of Humans in the Age of AI

    Prof. Vasant Dhar is an AI researcher who pioneered machine learning applications in finance. His research examines how innovations like AI impact society, focusing on issues of trust, ethics, and the future of work.

    Dhar is host of the podcast "Brave New World" exploring technology's transformation of humanity.

    Prof. Dhar is a professor at the Stern School of Business and the Center for Data Science at New York University, former editor-in-chief of the journal Big Data and the founder of SCT Capital, one of the first machine-learning-based hedge funds in New York City in the 1990s.

    Connect with Prof Dhar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasant-dhar-931175/

    Connect with Swami: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sivaraman-swaminathan-9856501/



    For Show Notes, visit https://contraminds.com



    This episode was made possible by the great folks at Effortless.Effortless has been designed to be user-friendly, aiding you in your journey to streamline financial tasks.

    Experience the convenience of achieving e-Invoicing and E-way Bill Generation in just a couple of clicks, simplifying your business processes. Visit www.goeffortless.ai to learn more.

    • 1 hr 7 min
    The Super CMO Show - Moses Gorrepati (#009)

    The Super CMO Show - Moses Gorrepati (#009)

    From Disability to Ability: How Enable India Unlocks Potential

    About The Guest:

    Moses Gorrepati has over 15 years of experience championing inclusion and empowerment for people with disabilities. As a leader at Enable India, he heads programs transforming lives through digital literacy, livelihoods, and social platforms. A catalyst for change, his mission is to build an ecosystem that unlocks the potential of people with disabilities as active citizens and nation builders.



    About Enable India:

    Enable India is a non-profit organisation that empowers people with disabilities as active citizens and nation builders through dignified livelihoods. Their vision is a world where people with disabilities are seen as change agents and taxpayers with full potential when included in society.

    Enable India serves 14 disability types across India, impacting over two lakh individuals and families by collaborating with companies to open up new career opportunities. Over 20 years they have opened 291 roles across 22 sectors, advancing inclusion and agency for people with disabilities.



    15 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE CONVERSATION

    1. Enable India's mission is to enable economic independence and dignity for people with disabilities through livelihoods and employment.

    2. They focus on ability rather than disability, providing workplace solutions to unlock potential.

    3. Marketing campaigns are designed as collectives, bringing stakeholders together around a shared vision.

    4. Language and framing is critical - they promote positive narratives about disability.

    5. Solutions should be co-created, giving agency to contributors rather than just consumers.

    6. Grassroots community platforms like EnableVani spread awareness and information.

    7. Employers are pitched on the strong business case for hiring people with disabilities.

    8. Workshops build inclusivity skills and break down barriers with personalized stories.

    9. People are transformed through nurturing potential and setting high expectations.

    10. Life skills and attitude development ready people for opportunities beyond just a job.

    11. Alignment on purpose and values matters more than money with donors.

    12. Fair compensation enables dignity but purpose drives staff passion.

    13. Marketing success requires collaboration across stakeholders.

    14. Solutions should focus on the larger context not just the immediate need.

    15. A positive, empowering narrative uplifts and brings people together.



    Watch the full episode on YouTube

    For Show Notes, visit https://contraminds.com



    Connect with Swami: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sivaraman-swaminathan-9856501/



    This episode was made possible by the great folks at MovingWalls.

    Moving Walls is a media technology group with a presence across four continents and seven markets. Moving Walls processes more than 10 billion data points and measures more than 100,000 media sites across the globe. In 2017, APAC CIO Outlook listed us as one of the “10 Most Promising Digital Technology Solutions Providers”. Moving Walls is also a Tie50 winner, a listing of 50 most enterprising startups globally.

    Visit www.movingwalls.com to learn more.

    • 1 hr 9 min
    #049 Khyati Bhatt on Understanding Body Language, Decoding Non-Verbal Cues

    #049 Khyati Bhatt on Understanding Body Language, Decoding Non-Verbal Cues

    Khyati Bhatt is the Founder, Senior Coach, and Head Consultant at Simply Body Talk specializing in nonverbal communication, helping business heads sharpen leadership and communication skills.

    Trained under former FBI Agent, Author and Public Speaker Joe Navarro and guided by scientifically crafted models, Khyati has collaborated with elite military forces and top-tier global corporations like Google, Deloitte, Discovery, Adani, Capgemini, Wipro and Panasonic.

    In this engaging conversation, Swami and Khyati discuss the importance of body language, the power of observation, visual cues and strategies to make connections, how to read a room in a few seconds, simple and effective tips to master verbal and nonverbal interactions in crucial situations like board meetings, interviews and negotiations.

    We are available on all leading platforms - Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Amazon Music

    For show notes and past episodes, visit www.contraminds.com

    ⁠Connect with Khyati: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khyati-bhatt/?originalSubdomain=in

    ⁠⁠Connect with Swami⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sivaraman-swaminathan-9856501/

    This episode was made possible by the great folks at Effortless.

    Effortless has been designed to be user-friendly, aiding you in your journey to streamline financial tasks. Experience the convenience of achieving e-Invoicing and E-way Bill Generation in just a couple of clicks, simplifying your business processes.

    Visit www.goeffortless.ai to learn more.

    • 1 hr 13 min
    #048 Anton Howes on Lessons from History on Innovation and Invention

    #048 Anton Howes on Lessons from History on Innovation and Invention

    Anton Howes (www.antonhowes.com) is the Head of Innovation Research at the UK-based think-tank, The Entrepreneurs Network. Anton also serves as the Historian in Residence at the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

    In this engaging conversation, Swami and Anton explore the fascinating role the Royal Society of Arts played in fostering innovation and invention during the late 17th and 18th centuries. Delving into the roots of the industrial revolution, they discuss the historical spread of innovation and the pivotal shift from Britain to the US in the early 19th century.

    Anton shares valuable insights into the significance of interdisciplinary learning as a catalyst for innovation. The discussion extends to pondering the future, exploring where the centre of gravity for innovation and invention might shift over the next decade or two.

    Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Amazon Music

    For show notes and past episodes, visit www.contraminds.com

    ⁠Connect with Anton⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonhowes/
    ⁠⁠Connect with Swami⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sivaraman-swaminathan-9856501/

    This episode was made possible by the great folks at Effortless.

    Effortless has been designed to be user-friendly, aiding you in your journey to streamline financial tasks. Experience the convenience of achieving e-Invoicing and E-way Bill Generation in just a couple of clicks, simplifying your business processes.

    Visit www.goeffortless.ai to learn more.

    • 1 hr 28 min

Customer Reviews

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1 Rating

pghx34 ,

Diverse subjects and Range of topics to enhance learning

As a guest myself I was amazed at how much we were able to talk. Swaminathan skillfully digs the conversation out of his guests. You learn something new from Wide ranging discussions and his guests are from all walks of life! His summaries are brilliant.

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