Before the work day begins, Rohan Routroy starts every day with one hour of silence, followed by coffee, journaling, and reading. He then locks in at Thirty Eight, the brand strategy firm he founded after leaving Twitter the day it became X. Now, he and his team work out of NeueHouse Madison Square, on projects that shape culture and build bridges. He answers our House Q&A below:
Name: Rohan Routroy
Hometown: Bhubaneswar, India
Current City: NYC
Briefly describe what you do: I bring capital, connections and consulting to projects which fit into Thirty Eight’s view on how the world should be shaped.
Describe your ideal work environment: Most environments are designed for manager schedules— blocks of time mostly optimized for meetings. I am more geared towards environments built for creator schedules—extended blocks of time for deep work, while having enough channels and hallways for serendipitous connections.
What’s inspiring you right now (book, film, conversation, music, et cetera)?
So much to be honest – A Guide for the Perplexed, a book from the late ’70s and yet so incredibly apt for the moment we find ourselves in. This is the shoulder season for movies, but Sinners has been the movie of the year so far for me. My conversations with my girlfriend inspire me on a daily basis, and the playlists she makes for me make me smile while I am flying around for life and work alike.
What’s a non-negotiable in your creative day-to-day?
At least an hour of silence to start the day, followed by a cup of brewed coffee, which I sip while journaling followed by some reading.
After spending nearly a decade at Twitter, you recently launched your own studio. What’s the story of the name behind 38?
Three is the number that signifies finitude in most cultures, whereas Eight signifies the infinite. It was inspired by my time with my parents post covid. Not seeing them for 3 years pushed me to focus my finite time on this planet to work on projects which have infinite impact. We just finished project 4 (here at NeueHouse) and will only work on 38 projects in total.
What kind of collaborations do you find most fruitful when you’re collaborating across industries?
It’s always about the people. People who see the light through the ever encompassing darkness of the current era, who decide to show up with integrity and honesty despite business models which sometimes incentivize the polar opposite, and who care about the impact of their work on society and culture as much as the bottom line.
Your practice draws on myth, memory, and meaning. What do you think studios like yours and gathering spaces like NeueHouse play in shaping collective narratives?
All of us are navigating three pillars of stability at any given moment: people we work with, purpose that drives us and places that create the conditions for our best work. NeueHouse serves as a container for work that is both emergent and urgent. Emergent, given the energy you provide with the curation of purpose driven people; urgent as it gives us access to an engaged and passionate audience.
How has being a part of NeueHouse shaped your thinking, practice, or work?
Thirty Eight owes its origin story to NeueHouse. When I walked into this space in the fall of 2024, my studio was merely a concept spread out through various conversations, scribbles on flight napkins and a manifesto in a Google Doc. I remember seeing the theater while being shown the space and thinking to myself, this is the missing piece in my vision. A thoughtfully-designed space for intimate gatherings that people can come to satiate their desire for meaningful dialogue. We launched our practice by producing a FYC screening for All We Imagine As Light, a film which went on to receive India’s first Golden Globe directorial nomination in 30 years. NeueHouse continues to play a central role in my thinking and practice – and I look forward to several collaborations in the future.
Interested in becoming a NeueHouse member?
Learn more about our membership at our houses in Hollywood, Venice Beach, and New York.
