Episode Details

Non-obvious thinking is an essential skill for marketers who want to innovate and stay ahead in their respective industries. By being open to new ideas, recognizing patterns between seemingly unrelated things, and fostering a curiosity-driven mindset, marketers can unlock significant opportunities that others may overlook. Non-obvious thinking enables individuals to explore new territories and challenge conventional wisdom, leading to breakthroughs in marketing strategies and business growth.

During the conversation, Rohit Bhargava discusses this crucial aspect of thinking and its relevance in today's rapidly changing world. He shares his journey of developing the non-obvious platform through his books and thinking, emphasizing the importance of intersection thinking and breaking away from media bias. By adopting non-obvious thinking, marketers can effectively navigate the ever-changing landscape and consistently deliver exceptional value to their audiences. In this episode:

• Tap into the significance of non-obvious thinking for exceptional marketing and business approaches.
• Discover the magic of storytelling as a powerful method for resonating with and engaging audiences.
• Develop a savvy mindset to detect non-obvious trends within data to stay ahead of the game.
• Embrace the indispensable roles curiosity and observation play in cultivating trailblazing ideas.
• Transform your perspectives to see a brighter and more promising outlook on the future.

• 00:00:00 - Introduction, Melina welcomes Rohit Bhargava: a bestselling author and speaker on trends, innovation, and marketing. Rohit talks about his background and expertise in non-obvious thinking and behavioral economics.
• 00:06:30 - Non-Obvious Thinking, Rohit talks about his platform, Non-Obvious, which emphasizes the importance of being a non-obvious thinker and finding ideas in unusual places. Melina talks about combinatorial thinking, and Rohit shares his framework for intersectional thinking, which involves seeing connections between seemingly unrelated things.
• 00:09:00 - Importance of Diverse Perspectives, Rohit emphasizes the importance of exposing oneself to diverse perspectives and media to avoid being manipulated or outraged. He notes that this approach can also lead to creativity and innovation.
• 00:14:45 - Non-Obvious Examples, Rohit shares the example of Starbucks and how Howard Schultz's visit to Milan led him to discover the importance of coffee shops as community spaces. (An idea he would have missed if he had been looking down at a phone.) He also talks about the importance of non-obvious thinking in marketing and advertising to creatively solve problems and understand people's behavior.
• 00:20:25 - The Future Normal, Rohit discusses his latest book, The Future Normal, which offers insights into what the future may hold. He emphasizes the importance of being adaptable and open-minded in a rapidly changing world.
• 00:15:03 - Importance of Being Observant, Rohit Bhargava shares the story of how Howard Schultz's observant nature led to the creation of Starbucks. He emphasizes the importance of being observant and paying attention to the things around us instead of being distracted by technology.
• 00:17:01 - The Five Habits of Non-Obvious Thinkers, Bhargava talks about the five habits of non-obvious thinkers, which include being observant, curious, thoughtful, fickle, and saying things elegantly. He explains that these habits can be learned and practiced to improve communication skills.
• 00:21:24 - The Importance of Understanding People, Bhargava emphasizes that people who understand people will always win, even in the age of technology. He explains that emotions play a big ro