Culture in hand, Thoughts in the lead
Corporate jargon brings out the worst in me. For one, I’m not used to it. For another, my humble take is that it often complicates the simple under the guise of grandeur. Of late, I have been part of too many conversations which highlighted the phrase thought leadership. The term feels lofty. But in essence, thought leadership, I’ve come to realise, is not a label you claim. It is something you demonstrate through clarity, consistency, and the courage to stand by your ideas long before they are widely accepted.
When I started Chennaigaga® in 2010, city-pride merchandise wasn’t a category in India. Souvenirs existed, yes, but they rarely reflected the emotional texture of a place or the everyday rhythms that make a city what it is. I didn’t set out to create a trend. I simply felt Chennai deserved its own stories, its own celebrations, and designs that connected with people meaningfully. The idea grew into a brand, a store, a community, and eventually an online presence that continues to speak to Chennaiites and Chennai enthusiasts everywhere.
Looking back, I see now that thought leadership is not about declaring expertise. It is about recognising what others haven’t yet articulated, and bringing shape to an insight with persistence and authenticity. It’s about asking: What do people really feel? What do they truly need? What cultural threads are right in front of us, waiting to be woven into something more visible?
Over the years, my writing — whether articles, features, interviews, reviews, short fiction or blog posts, has allowed me to explore this same instinct for observation. I gravitate towards the human element, the cultural layers under everyday life, and the stories hiding in plain sight. If thought leadership is about offering perspective, then writing has been my compass and medium.
But the term that resonates most with me now is one that many may not have heard before: culturepreneur.
A culturepreneur is someone who recognises cultural value — sentimental, symbolic, emotional, historic — and translates it into something tangible that people can identify with. Not in a commercial sense alone, but in a way that preserves, celebrates, and elevates cultural identity.
By that definition, I realise I have been a culturepreneur for most of my adult life.
Chennaigaga® was not just a merchandise brand. It was an attempt to bottle nostalgia, humour, identity, memories, and the everyday details that endear Chennai to all. From “filter kaapi” to “dosai maavu” to “Made in Madras,” the brand carried the pulse of the city. I wasn’t trying to urbanise culture; I was trying to make culture wearable, usable, giftable, and a thing of pride.
A culturepreneur builds with emotion as much as with strategy. You sense what people will connect with on a deeper level, and you have the conviction to follow that instinct even when the market does not yet exist.
Thought leadership and culturepreneurship overlap in one important way: both require clarity of thought and a willingness to lead from the front, sometimes quietly.
Today, as I share my experiences through consulting, content, and conversations, I realise my role has shifted. I’m no longer only creating; I’m also guiding. I speak about merchandise design, customer delight, brand consistency, and about how culture can be both the soul and the strategy of a business. I write about memories, belonging, identity, and the everyday beauty of being in Chennai. I share learnings from building something for 16 years. I am not afraid to highlight the mistakes, reveal the resilience, share the struggles, and decode the evolution of my mindset behind sustaining a brand over growth for growth’s sake.
To me, thought leadership is not about performance. It’s not about opinions. It’s not about announcements. Thought leadership is a power built through thinking, dreaming, doing and learning. Thought leadership starts with empathy. Empathy has a unique power. You can comprehend something that does not affect you and still reflect deeply on that emotion.
If being a culturepreneur shaped my past, being a thought leader shapes my present … and perhaps my future. It gives me permission to speak with both conviction and humility. It allows me to take the cultural insights I’ve collected over years and transform them into something that others can learn from or adapt.
In a world increasingly driven by noise, novelty, and quick commentary, thought leadership and thoughtful leadership matter more than ever. They remind us that ideas need strong, healthy roots, as well as shoots. And culture needs caretakers, not just consumers.
As I continue to write, consult, and create, I hope to continue to stand at the intersection of both roles: a thought leader and culturepreneur carrying Chennai, creativity, and clarity into every project and conversation. If the journey has taught me anything, it is this: when you build with intention and work with commitment, your work speaks long after you do.
- Sujata Tarakesan
