ES. An MBA Graduate from IIM Bangalore, what made you become a Storyteller?
Sandeep Kochhar. As a child, I was fascinated by stories – they took me to different worlds which were full of wonderous possibilities. Much like others my age, I took the commonly trudged upon road – taking up science, pursuing engineering & getting a job. But I didn’t wish to be yet another money-making machine. Additionally, I didn’t enjoy what I was doing. I was tired of the proverbial corporate set-ups – with their lack of empathy & culture. I desired to work in an organisation that promoted sustainable growth & learning. So, one day, I handed in my resignation to the company I had worked at for over 15 years & gravitated towards writing.
My stories come from my own experiences – facing fears, surmounting odds & learning through steady practice. I love working with people – adults & youth alike, & aiding them in becoming the best versions of themselves.
“I intend to be an instrument of change in the society. BlewMinds is a
dream come true, a firm of passionate folks with the desire & ambition
to transform people, organisations & in time, the world”
ES. Please highlight your career journey, major hurdles overcome and milestones achieved so far.
Sandeep Kochhar. I have worked in various roles relating to Program/Project Management, Business/Process Transformation, Organization Restructuring & Change Management in companies like Aurea Software, HT Media, British Council, Honeywell, IBM, & HCL Technologies. I moved from one domain to another, eager to learn & explore – from technology to marketing to eventually entrepreneurship. My first few ventures as an entrepreneur failed. I turned to writing to discover meaning & purpose & became a StoryTeller – writing about my experiences, helping people through my stories. I have carved my own path by sharing my learnings with the world. I have written more than 2500 stories & have reached more than 250 million views.
ES. One of the biggest perks to becoming a motivational speaker is the ability for your words to travel. What systems do you use when researching motivational topics & how do you prepare for your talks?
Sandeep Kochhar. I look for stories which my audience can relate to – stories that cultivate empathy, convey insight & set them on a path towards growth by sharing experiences from my own life journey. I wish to move my audience from thinking to doing. At IMS 2.0, my audience were leaders from an industry which was badly hit by the pandemic. Basis this, my talk was aimed at reigniting the passion of those folks, to overcoming the challenges that they had faced due to Covid-19.
ES. Your ‘Wabi Sabi’ StoryTelling style Leadership series has helped people make a big switch in their lives & radically improve their way of thinking. Can you cite some examples of those people who are thankful to you today?
Sandeep Kochhar. I started writing stories with the idea of helping people, improving their thinking & creating powerful & positive impact through unconventional learnings from Stories. I have finally discovered my life purpose after meandering around for years: it is to Touch & Transform 5 billion humans by 2030′.
ES. BlewMinds Consulting was one of your dreams and you must have set up your goals to reach this point. Where do you see yourself today and what are your upcoming plans?
Sandeep Kochhar. I intend to be an instrument of change in the society. BlewMinds is a dream come true, a firm of passionate folks with the desire & ambition to transform people, organisations & in time, the world. As an organisation, we are committed towards creating passionate & heartfelt stories for both individuals & organisations. Our team of determined folks work towards transforming people & companies, enabling in their progress & guiding them towards sustainable growth. Our culture is embedded with value, respect, empathy & self-love. Currently, we are in the process of building a platform named PaintMinds, which is aimed at aiding people who have lost their jobs during the pandemic.
ES. How do you ensure your speeches are captivating and informative?
Sandeep Kochhar. StoryTelling, in general, connects us all. It being one of the oldest forms of teaching, helps us understand the ways of the world & its people. Some stories make us laugh, some stories help us get inspired & some help us learn. We are all StoryTellers at heart & we all have stories hidden inside of us that have never been told before. The idea isn’t just to share my learnings but to inspire others to share theirs too. With Corporate StoryTelling, our aim is to bridge the gaps between the workforce of organisations, overcome challenges & grow organically.
For us, building a positive culture is more than just the spoken word, rather it is what sets us apart.
ES. The hardest part about public speaking is actually being able to attract the attention of your audience? What would you say is the most important part of being a motivational speaker or a storyteller?
Sandeep Kochhar. My aim of StoryTelling is to establish an emotional connect with people, one that is relatable, empathetic & authentic. I focus on creating stories that touch hearts, foster hope & inspire people to discover themselves – what they are passionate about, what they struggle with & how they can overcome said struggles.
ES. Do you think, storytelling benefits all, irrespective of their age? What are your views on mental health?
Sandeep Kochhar. Mental health problems are one of the biggest challenges that we are currently facing. Sandeep Kochhar. Mental health problems are one of the biggest challenges that we are currently facing. Depression, for instance, comes not only from the negative surrounding of the present but it stems from our past experiences. Often traumas from our childhood leave scars, & it is very important to heal them as we grow up. What we need now is more empathy, kindness & lending an ear towards people who are struggling with such issues & to quash any taboos that revolve around it.
ES. With each role, come different responsibilities, how do you minimize your role conflict and time pressures that lead to daily stress and strain?
Sandeep Kochhar. Writing for me is a release mechanism. It enables me to stay connected to myself. There are times when I have a topic in mind. For instance, I like to pen down the challenges I am facing, or thoughts that are bothering me, & when I do, they seem to go away, & if not, they help me in understanding & discovering a new perspective. Then, there are times when I write to destress – when I don’t know what I want to write about, but I begin writing. The results are often surprising & fruitful.
ES. Would you like to give out any message to your readers?
Sandeep Kochhar. The key is to think big & act small. Quite often, successful people do the boring things better – they innovate, reflect & think outside the box. Our goals are often so focused on the end of the road, that we forget to enjoy the journey. So, disassociate yourself from the result, associate to actions. Believing in the idea of DOTS (Do One Thing Surely) is essential for success – whether you do one thing for day, week, month. The biggest challenge humanity is facing today getting stuck, or becoming stagnant. Inculcate in yourself a growth mindset & move from thinking to doing.
