Ep. 38: Crafting an independent cultural platform with Cocoa & Jasmine founder Sayali Goyal

“When I felt like I wasn’t growing in a job, I just left. I was not there for the comfort zone, I was not there to look good! My career graph!? Let’s just say a corporate wouldn’t hire me!”

My latest guest embodies the entrepreneur’s need for freedom to pursue a vision, even when others can’t understand what it is. Delhi-based cultural entrepreneur, brand and travel consultant, Sayali Goyal, created Cocoa & Jasmine, a digital and print publication dedicated to the visual documentation of crafts, arts, and design in a contemporary Indian and global context. Hear how her agency or ‘studio’ work supports the independent publication of this gorgeous, coffee-table worthy magazine, and check out her platform to meet more creative entrepreneurs from all over the world. We chat about her Delhi favorites, her global adventures, and her wish to be mentored by Good Earth’s Anita Lal!

The full conversation is below, on your favorite podcast app, or on iTunes and please do subscribe, so you don’t miss an episode!

SHOWNOTES FOR EPISODE 38:

• Cocoa & Jasmine website and instagram

• Read how Shamil Thakrar’s dissatisfaction with the UK’s expression of Indian culture and his childhood fascination with Bombay’s Irani cafes led to the creation of Dishoom.

• Sayali’s interview of Good Earth founder Anita Lal is here

Books and other things we discussed:

• Nappa Dori https://www.nappadori.com/

• FabIndia https://www.fabindia.com/

• Lota https://shoplota.com/

• Nicobar https://www.nicobar.com/

• Eka http://www.eka.co/

• 28 Kothi boutique guest house in Jaipur http://www.28kothi.com/index.html#about

• Safdarjung tomb http://delhitourism.gov.in/delhitourism/tourist_place/safdarjang_tomb.jsp

• The Bookshop Jor Bagh https://thebookshopjorbagh.wordpress.com/

• Devan’s coffee shop https://www.devans.in/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=4

• Bikaner House https://lbb.in/delhi/bikaner-house-delhi/

• NGMA http://ngmaindia.gov.in/

• The Crafts Museum http://nationalcraftsmuseum.nic.in/

• Vadehra Art Gallery - Defence colony https://www.vadehraart.com/

• Habitat Centre https://www.indiahabitat.org/

• Odd bird Theatre https://www.oddbird.org/

• Travels of Ibn Batuta 

• Shiva to Shankara by Devdutt Pattanaik 

• Indigo by Satyajit Ray

• Essential Kabir

Follow us on Instagram for more on Sayali and everything we mentioned in this episode!

Special thanks to Varun Dhabe, Aman Moroney and the team @ Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!