Meet Rishikesh Lokapure

Rishikesh Lokapure once had a secure career in money: a chartered accountant in a black suit and a crisp white shirt. Then he realised he was good at making other people rich with his ideas, and asked himself why he wasn't using them for his own work.

From finance to storytelling

Rishikesh trained in chartered accountancy in India and studied management accounting in the UK. But writing had been his form of expression since childhood, and he followed it: first into theatre, then copywriting, and then brand films.

Over his career he has worked with clients ranging from a small corner shop to some of the largest airlines in the world. One campaign he worked on, with a budget of around £13.5 million, won a Cannes award. He went on to work as a strategist and consultant and on wildlife documentaries, and today, as he puts it, clients pay him simply to think.

Walking away at the peak

Rishikesh has a habit most people would call crazy: he leaves every role at its peak. On the bench he talked about running away from comfort, going against what society expects, quitting a job without a parachute, and why your success is unique to you.

He also shared his thinking on what makes a brand timeless, why some brands die while others live in people's hearts, and what really kills creativity.

An author for ordinary people

Today Rishikesh writes fiction about ordinary people. His books The Trees Sing and All Stories Are have been published in the UK, and he visits UK schools as a guest author, reading stories that help children build empathy. He finds stories everywhere, even on a train, and told us about a letter he once received from a 100-year-old storyteller.

His philosophy is summed up in one line: "the real currency is kindness".

Rishikesh Lokapure joined us on The Legacy Bench for a 1-to-1 episode, "They Called Him Crazy... Now Companies Pay Him Just to Think" — read the episode story or watch the full conversation.