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The content economy-an ecosystem of creators, platforms, brands, and audiences that has emerged in India over the last ten years-is one of the most significant developments of this era, economically and culturally. The content economy has created new career opportunities, new business models, and new opportunities for individuals who never had a footing in the old economy.
Of the individuals who have been one of the most discerning participants in this economy, Varun Duggirala is among the most thoughtful. As the co-founder of The Glitch, one of India’s more esteemed digital creative agencies, and as a podcaster, speaker, and creator of his own kind, he has a lived experience of creativity and commerce on all possible fronts.
The conversation he has with Ankur Warikoo on Figuring Out is among the most candid and pragmatically useful of all conversations I’ve had or heard regarding what the content economy really is, how it works, and what it means for individuals navigating and making a business or a career in it.
What the Content Economy Is Actually
The podcast opens with a discussion about what the content economy actually is. It is not what the masses visualize: the world of YouTubers and Instagram influencers that most people imagine. It is the broader restructure that has occurred in value creation because attention has become the most limited resource on earth. In this economy, the capacity to produce and create content that gets, holds, and retains the attention of users, is a core business capability that almost every organization is competing for. The implication for individuals in this economy is the imperative of not whether to be a content creator or not, but how to hone your ability to connect authentically and communicate with clear intent and value, given that every organization on Earth is competing for a limited finite resource.
Creative Business- The Untalked Tension
A large chunk of the conversation addresses a particular tension underlying any and every creative business-the tension between creative integrity and commercial viability. Varun Duggirala has navigated this tension throughout his career-whether it was as the co-founder of The Glitch, balancing creative ambitions and clients’ commercial interests, or while producing content on his own accord, balancing creative integrity against the demands of an ever-growing and ever-more-monetized audience. His observation is that long-lasting creative businesses are those that discover how to achieve a state of alignment between creative strengths and commercial need, not through compromising the creative for the commercial (or vice versa) but by finding the spot where genuine market value intersects with genuine creative value. Ankur Warikoo shares a similar experience: some of the content that has performed the best commercially is that created with the minimum possible commercial calculation. A willingness to connect and be honest, and be genuinely useful, without worrying about whether it will become popular.
The Economics of Content Creation in India
Some of the most useful discussion from this entire podcast-or actually, any content podcast in India for that matter-relates to the very specific economics of content creation. Varun Duggirala outlines the multiple streams of revenue available to a serious content creator-advertising, partnerships, sponsorships, paid courses, books, speaking opportunities and the latest addition-paid subscriptions. He explains the inherent risk in depending on any single stream of revenue, and how lasting businesses of content creation are those that have found an approach to growing and earning revenue, without necessarily jeopardizing creative independence. He also touches on how long it typically takes for content creation to become economically sustainable, which often longer than individuals expect. The gap between getting something going and having a financially sustainable business to show for it takes outside support or other income streams; usually, individuals fail at content creation not because their work is bad, but because they run out of money or time before they see the economics pan out.
Creativity as a discipline not a skill
Perhaps the most memorable point from the conversation-is how creativity can not and should not be looked upon as a magical talent you either have or you don’t. Creativity can and should be treated as a discipline like any other. It should be cultivated through rigorous consistent work, unending curiosity and by producing work-irrespective of how you feel about it. The romantic, mythic view of creativity visiting individuals when they have ideal conditions to be productive, is challenged here. Varun shares that the most creative people that he knows, show up everyday regardless of inspiration, and the act of producing work actually breeds inspiration, and not the reverse. He also shares a couple of simple practices that he finds extremely useful in maintaining creative output: an eclectic consumption of widely diverse kinds of content; constant reflection on what he has learned and how it connects with other things he already knows; and importantly, finishing projects instead of leaving them in the almost-finished state.
About Varun Duggirala
Varun Duggirala is the co-founder of The Glitch, a digitally native creative agency that is known to create unique and engaging brand experiences. He also is the founder of The Whole Truth, a podcast and platform where he interviews inspiring individuals from different walks of life about their journeys and insights on topics ranging from business and creativity to leadership and innovation. His work has been widely recognized, and he is considered one of India’s leading voices in the creative industry.
Varun Duggirala Social Media Accounts:
Varun Duggirala Instagram Account
Varun Duggirala Twitter/X Account
Varun Duggirala Podcast – The Whole Truth
Why you should watch this podcast
This is the most useful and honest conversation that I’ve heard about the content economy and the creative businesses that operate in it. It is absolutely imperative viewing for anyone, who is currently working on or thinking about starting a creative business and also for anyone who is keen to learn how to communicate and engage with others authentically in an age where attention spans are shrinking.
Conclusion
The podcast episode featuring Varun Duggirala on Figuring Out is among the most practical and grounded conversations about the content economy available on Indian digital content today. It successfully tackles complex aspects of this emergent business and offers insights that are instantly applicable to any aspiring or existing creative entrepreneur in India.
1. Who is Varun Duggirala?
Varun Duggirala is the co-founder of The Glitch, a leading digital creative agency, and a podcaster and content creator known for his honest and thoughtful content on creativity and business.
2. What does the podcast cover?
The conversation covers the content economy, building a creative business, the economics of content creation, creativity as a discipline, and the intersection of creative integrity and commercial viability.
Watch Full Podcast Here:
Varun Duggirala Podcast with Ankur Warikoo – Creativity, Business & the Content Economy
