HELPING CREATORS CONNECT IDEAS THAT MATTER

THEME: CONNECTING THE DOTS

Re-imagining the future will require an understanding of how disparate industries converge…how the dots between different ideas and perspectives connect.  Understanding how the dots connect is the difference between those who consume the future vs those who create the future. Unusual Intersections provides its festival goers with a front row seat amongst those who are shaping our world’s future. What are the cultural drivers that will shape the experiences of tomorrow? We believe the intersection of these ideas will create a re-imagined future that will help define our lives.

• On Originality & Creativity
• On Transformation
• On Authenticity
• On Movements & Virality
• On Purpose & Social Responsibility
• On Grit & Hustle
• On Resilience
• On Humor & Delight
• On Curiosity & Learning
• On Loyalty & Engagement
• On Impossible

We are all ‘verbs“…a community of creators, original thinkers, and do-ers.

Are you the type of leader who seeks inspiration from events like burning man, TED, or Aspen Ideas? Are you a leader seeking creative approaches to innovation for your organization? Are you tired of hearing outdated ideas at cookie-cutter events where you get little interaction with the key experts and speakers? If so, then read on….

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The age of average is over. Applying the usual ‘go-with-the-flow’ approaches to innovation is suicidal for any business.  For an organization to thrive over the next decade, it will require an unusual ability to create transformational innovations that stand out and sustain. We must ‘think unusual’ and challenge the status quo. We call these backyard innovators ‘unusual suspects’ because they embody the courage to do what’s right irrespective of the uncertainty that lays ahead. While most may only see them as the crazy ones, they unquestionably possess the ability to see what others do not. They go against the grain, have disdain for the ordinary, and are fearless in challenging the status quo. Their unusual perspectives help us open our eyes to what’s possible, and make us continuously ask “what if?”

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Does this describe you? If so, you are an unusual suspect and we want to hear from you today. Go ahead and and sign up to request an invitation and be notified of future unusual events.

Moochers, business card pushers, event voyeurs, assholes, and people without a unique perspective. Please, don’t bother.

This event is 100% participatory. We invite only those who embody our mission and values…and quite frankly, those whom we would personally welcome into our homes for a delightful and intriguing conversation over dinner.

The event is designed to cross-pollinate ideas from divergent industries to solve common problems. That said, we have carefully curated our speaker and attendee list to represent a comprehensive cross-section of a variety of industries, including, but not limited to:

Retail | Technology | Healthcare | Media | Transportation & Energy | Education | Real Estate | Consumer Packaged Goods | Film & Entertainment | Sports | Publishing | Food & Beverage | Financial Services | Government & Policy | Non-Profit | Human Resources | and more.

Don’t see your industry represented? Fret not. We are open to having folks from any and all industries with ideas to share.  Just reach out and tell us.

We believe most leaders of organizations fail to recognize their full innovative potential. This is oftentimes a factor of groupthink where we are silo’d in our thinking and only surround ourselves with people and ideas that are most familiar to us.

Unusual Intersections is designed to challenge that preconception by creating an intimate and productive gathering that gets us out of our comfort zone and into a wilderness of the unknown. In our experience as innovators, leaders, and entrepreneurs we know that some of the best ideas come from exploring the unexpected intersections between divergent industries.

What most fail to realize, is that although you think your business problem or challenge is unique, odds are there is some other person in some seemingly random industry that has tackled that similar issue successfully – or at least in a creative way that can help spark new ideas.

As far as we know, there is no other event that addresses this core innovative challenge. And so we set out to create one for you. We hope you enjoy it and would love your input.

At this time, the event is by invitation-only.  You are welcome to request an invitation by submitting an application. (3-5 minutes)

Our goal at Unusual is to help leaders & creators break free from silo’d thinking and gain as much cross-industry exposure and perspectives as possible. If everyone in the room had the same ideas with similar backgrounds, well then, that would defeat the purpose, wouldn’t it?!

Through a brief application process, we can ensure we get a desirable mix of folks with both the greatest value to add and gain from the intimate 100-person gathering.

IF SELECTED, WHAT IS THE COST OF THE PRIVATE EVENT?
The price to attend is $599. This includes full day access to the event/speakers, a custom farm-to-table brunch, open bar (wine and beer), swag bag full of goodies, and countless ideas and conversations with the worlds most intriguing people under the setting of an iconic barn in the middle of a national park.

The age of average is over.

We believe the future belongs to those with grit.

To those willing to step out of their shell and experience something different, something unusual.

We believe the unusual inspires a sense of wonder and new perspectives.

We believe that within the unusual, we find extraordinary thinking  powered by curious people.

We believe in the power of these people to change the world.

We are Unusual, Inc.

We have a modest goal: reimagine a world of innovative possibilities that create moments of serendipity using the power of perspective.

We know we can’t do it alone, so we welcome you to get involved as a volunteer, sponsor, member, in-kind vendor, or anything else you can creatively imagine.

Dr. Gautam Gulati is a globetrotting expert on innovation.  While on paper he is typically defined by the two letters that proceed his name “DR”, he is most valued for his diverse (and seemingly random) collage of experiences, interests, and skills spanning across a wide range of industries that have come to represent his signature trademark as being simply ‘unusual’.

For decades – whether it be in the form of delivering keynote talks, conceiving innovative products, advising client strategies, or throwing dance parties – Gautam has been at the forefront of delivering memorable experiences. Along this journey, he has become unusually obsessed with the power of perspective to help reimagine a world of innovative possibilities.

To achieve this lofty goal, he founded Unusual Inc., a storytelling media expedition celebrating human ingenuity, diversity, and imagination. With a simple mission to help bold change-makers curate and create moments of serendipity using the power of unusual perspectives, Gautam is launching his flagship event Unusual Intersections to help leaders of all industries break free from silo’d thinking and collaborate across organizational lines.

Want to learn more about Gautam? Click Here and Here.

Follow him @drgautamgulati

You bet!  Given the high demand to participate, we have decided to make Unusual Intersections an annual event series.  It will forever remain small to maintain a level of of intimacy, so we recommend you sign up below to get notified of subsequent events and secure your spot.

To keep updated on future unusual happenings, just sign up via the link below.

Unusual Intersections is no ordinary event. As a private, invite-only event, our audience consists of the industries most influential thinkers and leaders to allow for creative discourse in a nonjudgemental setting. Benefits to our sponsoring members includes:

• A unique green room like experience that fosters friendships, partnerships, and innovative breakthroughs
• Comprehensive promotional coverage (web assets, email communications, PR, marketing collateral, logo banner displays, program inclusion, and more)
• Complimentary access for 3 staff members
• A conflict free environment with no BS IP concerns. frieNDA rules apply.
• Eliminate groupthink by building relationships across industry borders
• Access to reports and collateral produced by Unusual, Inc.
• Access to all videos and post-event materials
• VIP access and discounts to ongoing media events and materials produced by Unusual, Inc.

We are currently looking for motivated people and in-kind vendor support who are excited about helping out in organizing the 2nd annual Unusual Intersections at The Barns at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA.

For volunteers: Whether you can help us blogging and spreading the word, or you want to help with our speakers, be on site for the event, help with ticketing, assist us with your graphics or visual skills, whether you want to be part of the team acquiring partners for the event – or anything else that you would like to invest your time in: what you get in return is the experience of creating a memorable event together with fun people that are determined to change the world. (note: you don’t have to be on site for every position – i.e. we are also open to applications from people not living nearby.)

For in-kind vendors: We are seeking in-kind support for food, beverages, gift giveaways, audio/visual support, design, and anything else you can creatively imagine.  In return, we get to make history together and you get free marketing exposure in front of an influential, high profile audience at Unusual Intersections.

We would love to hear from you! Please, just take a couple of minutes to fill out the form via the link below and we will happily be in touch – hoping to have you with us as part of the Unusual, Inc. team soon!

I Want to Volunteer
I Want to Provide In-Kind Support

We have nothing to pitch you. We hope to let our event speak for itself.  That said, we invite media journalists to directly participate in the event to experience history in the making.

Unusual Intersections will fundamentally change how we collaboratively solve business challenges. We help leaders break free from silo’d industry shackles and experience perspectives from innovators across diverse industries.

Invitation is by request only! We would love to open it up for everyone, but then that would take away from the intimate nature of the event.  With only 100 spots available, we will select attendees based on an individualized basis. Want to apply to attend? Request an invitation by clicking the link below.

THEME: CONNECTING THE DOTS

Re-imagining the future will require an understanding of how disparate industries converge…how the dots between different ideas and perspectives connect.  Understanding how the dots connect is the difference between those who consume the future vs those who create the future. Unusual Intersections provides its festival goers with a front row seat amongst those who are shaping our world’s future. What are the cultural drivers that will shape the experiences of tomorrow? We believe the intersection of these ideas will create a re-imagined future that will help define our lives.

• On Originality & Creativity
• On Transformation
• On Authenticity
• On Movements & Virality
• On Purpose & Social Responsibility
• On Grit & Hustle
• On Resilience
• On Humor & Delight
• On Curiosity & Learning
• On Engagement
• On Impossible