Here Is The Thing Podcast

Hello!

This week, we welcome Dolunay Kocabag, an inspiring artist whose journey traverses the realms of acting, music, and the complexities of pursuing an artistic career. Dolnae's story is not just about her artistic passions but also about adaptability, and the courage to follow one's dreams.

Dolunay Kocabag's artistic journey began in Turkey, where she was first drawn to acting.

Relocating to New York City, Dolunay Kocabag faced the realities of being an artist in a competitive environment. She juggled multiple jobs, to support her artistic endeavors.

Her experiences ranged from working as a Christmas elf to navigating the challenges of being visually impaired in a demanding city. Despite the struggles, Dolunay Kocabag found that New York's energy fueled her creativity and productivity.

After a challenging period, Dolnae returned to Turkey, where she discovered a renewed sense of happiness and privilege. She reflects on the importance of community and the value placed on her experiences from New York, stating,

Dolunay Kocabag's journey exemplifies the intertwining of personal challenges and artistic aspirations. Her story encourages us to embrace our unique paths.

As we continue our own journeys, let’s remember Dolunay Kocabag words about adaptability in the pursuit of our dreams.

Feel free to listen to the full episode for more insights and stories from Dolunay Kocabag's life.

#careermotivation #careeradvise #arts #sciences #music #psychology #podcast #genz #generation #technology

In this episode of Here is the thing podcast, Board-game enthusiast and startup co-founder Egecan joins hosts Ayça Yılmaz and Kunal Dugar to explain modern board-game mechanics, cooperative and solo play, and how games can develop transferable problem-solving skills. He also lays out how a designer might build a team, test a game, and use crowdfunding to bring a board game to market.

keywordsboard games, board game design, board game mechanics, Kickstarter, crowdfunding, cooperative games, solo board games, 4X games, game design entrepreneurship, career , career advice, motivation

key topics

• Egecan traces his board-game hobby to the pandemic-era first year of university and names Beyond the Sun as his first game.
• He explains 4X strategy: explore, expand, exploit, exterminate, and why Beyond the Sun feels closer to a 3.5X game with area control rather than direct destruction.
• Cooperative games such as Sleeping Gods make the table work together toward a shared outcome; choosing a game and balancing experience levels can help new players participate.
• Board games preserve a consistent, replayable experience, while digital games can change through updates, new releases, and server shutdowns.
• Egecan compares learning game mechanics and adapting to a new ruleset with applying existing skills in a new workplace or case-study environment.
• He describes Inventions as a metaphor for his career: ideas evolve through collaboration, setbacks, and the work of bringing them into the world.
• For aspiring designers, he recommends assembling a team with strong art and design, combining familiar mechanics thoughtfully, and playtesting with digital tabletop tools.
• He describes crowdfunding through Kickstarter or Gamefound, including funding thresholds, backer rewards, stretch goals, production, and the role of presentation in attracting supporters.
• Egecan discusses social groups, stereotypes around being a board-game nerd, bluffing and roleplay, and how many campaign-style games support solo play.
• His five favorites are Arcs, Inventions, Ark Nova, Dune: Imperium, and The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship.

key frameworks4X: explore, expand, exploit, exterminate

action items

• Start by forming a team that can contribute to the game’s story, visual design, and other creative elements.
• Combine established mechanics with a distinctive theme, then test the experience repeatedly before launch.
• Use a digital tabletop platform to prototype and playtest before committing to a physical production run.
• Study existing crowdfunding campaigns and plan the funding goal, campaign presentation, rewards, and stretch goals carefully.
• Ask Egecan for recommendations if you are choosing a board game to try.

Chapters

00:00Meet Egecan: board games, startup building, and strategy

02:03How the pandemic led to a first board game

05:21Making complex games welcoming for new players

07:56The four Xs, area control, and cooperative play

13:19Choosing teams and sharing decisions in co-op games

16:08Why board games stay the same while video games change

22:18Can game experience transfer to workplace problem-solving?

24:26Inventions, career lessons, and why ideas can be reused

28:19Finding your gaming community and embracing the nerd label

37:03Board-game mechanics and the foundations of design

39:32Building a game-design team and playtesting a prototype

41:07Crowdfunding: goals, rewards, stretch goals, and production

58:03Why designing board games could be a dream career

01:02:33Licensed games and Egecan’s top five picks

01:11:17How solo board games create an unpredictable opponent

01:15:22Closing thoughts and board-game recommendations

In this episode we present you a unique career journey that Zeynep Kızmaz went through, she broke the prejudice to become an inspiring hero for those people who want to pursue a career path that truly motivates, them, or sometimes just pursue both careers. Enjoy this bonus episode of Here is The Thing Podcast. For more motivational contents like these, make sure to follow us via social media platforms. #career #motivation #careeradvice #personalgrowth #careerpath

Harshit and Umang bring inspiring perspectives to the consulting industry through engaging podcast conversations focused on career advice, motivation, personal growth, and diverse career paths. Their discussions aim to shed light on the dynamic and ever-evolving world of consulting, offering listeners valuable insights into the skills, mindset, and experiences required to build a successful career in this competitive field. Through their conversations, they explore the challenges aspiring consultants face, the importance of continuous learning, effective problem-solving, strategic thinking, communication, and adaptability in professional environments. By sharing experiences, practical advice, and thoughtful reflections, Harshit and Umang encourage listeners to look beyond conventional career trajectories, embrace new opportunities, and develop the confidence to navigate professional transitions. Their conversations also highlight the importance of resilience, self-awareness, networking, mentorship, and lifelong learning in achieving long-term career success. Whether discussing the realities of consulting projects, professional development, leadership, workplace expectations, or the lessons learned from different career journeys, their podcast aims to make industry knowledge more accessible and relatable to students, early-career professionals, and experienced individuals seeking growth. By combining motivation with practical career guidance, Harshit and Umang create a platform for meaningful dialogue that inspires audiences to challenge their assumptions, discover their strengths, and make informed decisions about their futures. Their emphasis on personal growth and inspiring conversations reinforces the idea that success in consulting is not solely about technical expertise or business knowledge, but also about curiosity, collaboration, emotional intelligence, and the willingness to learn from setbacks. Through distribution across platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music, these conversations can reach a wider audience and provide listeners with accessible resources for exploring consulting careers, understanding industry trends, and developing a growth-oriented mindset. Ultimately, Harshit and Umang seek to inspire listeners to pursue their ambitions with clarity, confidence, and purpose while gaining a deeper understanding of the opportunities, challenges, and possibilities within the consulting industry.

In this episode, Harshit Bhalla and Umang Khandelwal share insights into the consulting industry, discussing what it takes to succeed, the importance of cultural understanding, and how to navigate international career opportunities.

Keywordsconsulting, career advice, international opportunities, problem-solving, client management, interview tips

Key Topics

• What consulting is and how it functions as an industry
• The day-to-day life and workload of consultants
• The importance of cultural understanding and relationship building
• How to approach problem-solving and case studies in consulting
• The process of getting into consulting and interview tips
• Differences between domestic and international consulting careers

Sound Bites

• "Consultants are the innovative doctors of the business profession"
• "Understanding culture is crucial for building trust and effective communication"
• "Strategy on paper can fail if not implemented properly"

Chapters

00:00Introduction to the episode and speakers

01:28Explaining consulting to a high school student

02:09Role of consultants as business doctors

03:36The human skills and implementation in consulting

04:44Workload and project lifecycle of consultants

07:18Responsibility and accountability in consulting

09:19Analytical ability vs. understanding people and culture

11:10Importance of cultural awareness and relationship building

14:00Approaching problems from different academic backgrounds

18:29Landing a consulting role and interview process

24:21How to prepare for consulting interviews

33:23Final thoughts and advice for aspiring consultants

In this snapshot, Ege explains Human touch and the AI impact, and how his company values organic creativity. Enjoy #podcast #viral #newgrads

#global

In this Episode, Ege takes us through his entrepreneurial journey starting from the age of 15.

Ege Tuna Diken is an entrepreneur, creative strategist and the Co-Founder & Head of Agency at Influera. After studying Industrial Engineering at Boğaziçi University, Ege co-founded Influera in 2020 with the ambition of building a new-generation, TikTok-first social media and creative agency.

Since then, Influera has grown into an agency working with major brands to create social-first, culturally relevant and highly engaging content. The company has earned recognition from prestigious industry awards including Effie Awards, Brandverse and Felis, and has collaborated with brands such as Duolingo, SuperFresh, QNB Türkiye, Midas, Unilever, Flying Tiger Copenhagen and Activia.

Ege’s work sits at the intersection of entrepreneurship, creativity and social media strategy, with a particular focus on building platform-first brands that understand how to behave natively on social media. His work spans shaping distinctive TikTok identities, developing culturally relevant content systems and helping brands become active participants in internet culture rather than advertisers simply publishing into it.

Through Influera, Ege focuses on creating campaigns that people genuinely want to watch, share and talk about rather than content that simply feels like advertising.

In this Bonus Snapshot from Episode 1 of Here is The Thing Podcast, Rishi and Eren takes us through AI's role in Artistic creativity. Enjoy!

In this episode, Zeynep shares her unique journey balancing a career in medicine and music, exploring how music therapy can aid in healing and personal growth, and discussing the importance of authenticity and vulnerability in art. Go check out her new album: Graduation...Finally out on Spotify! 💗

Keywords: music therapy, medical career, independent artist, emotional expression, songwriting, genre, cultural influences, mental health, artistic identity, career balance

In this episode, Dara Bahrami shares insights into the future of hydrogen technology, its challenges, and its role in the global energy landscape. We explore technical, environmental, and policy aspects of hydrogen as a key renewable energy vector.In this episode, Dara Bahrami shares insights into the future of hydrogen technology, its challenges, and its role in the global energy landscape. We explore technical, environmental, and policy aspects of hydrogen as a key renewable energy vector.

hydrogen technology, renewable energy, energy storage, electrolyzers, hydrogen production, energy policy, decarbonization, sustainable energy, hydrogen storage, future energy

• Hydrogen as an energy vector rather than a source
  
• Storage and transportation challenges of hydrogen
  
• The role of electrolyzers and their market development
  
• Impact of policy and government support on hydrogen infrastructure
  
• Environmental considerations and water security in hydrogen production
  
• Future prospects of hydrogen in transportation and industry