Today we’d like to introduce you to Mauro Gatti.
Hi Mauro, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Originally from Italy, I Live in LA where everyone surfs except me.
I’m a creative entrepreneur with 15+ years of award-winning creative experience (including an Emmy Award). My career spans across a variety of companies and projects, from illustration to creative direction, children’s books, GIFs and game design.
Humorous, sharp and creative, my work has been commissioned by clients such as Google, Giphy, Snapchat, Nike, MTv, Barilla, Vans, Disney, etc.
I’m passionate about storytelling, creating content that makes people happy and mental health.
In 2018, I launched The Happy Broadcast, a counter hate and fear culture project that features illustrated positive news from around the world. The project so far has gained an audience of 1M+ followers on social media and has now become a new entrepreneurial adventure along with my friend Keith Bonnici.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Everything we do, whether it’s working or just living our life, comes with highs and lows. The thing that makes the experience memorable and rewarding is the passion that fuels whatever we do. I love being a creative person and tell stories in different medias. Even in the most challenging moments, I can still resort to creativity to uplift my spirit. The Happy Broadcast was a direct response, fueled by creativity, to the growing anxiety that was taking over my days. Doing what we love is paramount to our mental health.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I suffered of anxiety and I realized that the fear-mongering and click-baiting headlines were making my condition worse.
While it’s important to report problems and issues so we can prevent bad things from happening again, I believe there is so much good in this world that just needs to be found and promoted.
So, one day of mid-2018 I’ve decided to use my talent (I am a creative person) to spread some positivity and highlight the good happening in the world.
That day The Happy Broadcast was born, it’s a counter hate and fear culture project that features weekly illustrated positive news from around the world. I call them Anxiety free news, an antitode to the doom and gloom portrayed by the media.
It’s a collection of news stories that highlight the work of the fixers, doers and problem-solvers in order to inspire and show that the world is not the frightening place portrayed in the media.
Feel good stories (like inspirational stories of human kindness) can help us achieve a positive mood (a quick dopamine rush) but The Happy Broadcast is more focused on positive news that offers a solution to a problem that is affecting us all.
For instance, climate change is a problem that worries us all and is constantly in the news and it creates a lot of anxiety. I offer good news that gives us hope but also inspires us to do something to be part of that positive change.
After three years of hard work on The Happy Broadcast, I met Keith who is now my partner in this amazing company that wants to become the one-stop source for happiness.
We created WHOLE, an umbrella brand that included The Happy Broadcast and other projects focused on mental health and happiness.
Ultimately people are not seeking to be “meditators,” “mood trackers,” or “journalers” they want to be happier. WHOLE is a brand, community, and all-in-one mobile app focused on delivering all the “spokes” of mental health training within a single app that guides users towards the ultimate goal of increased happiness. The first big milestone was the launch of our WHOLE app, now available in the App Store and Google Play Store.
Our goal is very simple yet ambitious: To provide comprehensive solutions that increase the overall happiness of individuals while improving society as a WHOLE.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Working hard on a project is the first step. I’ve never liked to sell ideas, I prefer to spend more time to develop a concept and test it in the real world. That also makes it easier to find people that are willing to believe in you and your project. Networking is also important, being kind and supportive of the people around you will definitely help when it comes to reaching out to find support for your project.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: getwhole.co/download
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_happy_broadcast/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehappybroadcast
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/happybcast
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-5cgXLYJIGo8hYi0ysHHJA
Image Credits:
Mauro Gatti / The Happy Broadcast
