Spotlight on… Amar Batra, Content Manager, USA 

What advice would you give to your teenage self? 

This is going to sound really clichéd, but I’d say you’re allowed to not succeed. Not succeeding doesn’t mean failure. I didn’t graduate from college with a math degree like I thought I would. Instead, I got to spend my evenings (and very early mornings) working for the student newspaper, making lifelong friends, and eventually graduating with a comms degree, something that aligned a lot more closely with my interests. I started my career as a photojournalist and while I no longer work in that field, I learned so many things that I still use today. Success and failure aren’t the most important things, learning and growing are. 

What recent book would you recommend and why? 

I’ve read quite a few books this year but the one that has stuck with me the most has to be “Crying in H Mart” by Michelle Zauner. This book so easily encapsulates the feelings associated with growing up within two cultures and what that means. It impacts so many things especially the relationship between Zauner and her mother. There’s also a fantastic underlying theme of food and culture and how they can connect two people and their heritage. As someone who’s spent the year trying to cook more Indian food to get better in touch with myself and as someone with immigrant parents the book hits close to home. It’s a fantastic read! 

What country would you travel to if you could go anywhere? 

This is really tough because I love to travel but a country that’s been at the top of my list for a while is Iceland. I’m a photographer at heart and the country was just designed to be photographed. I’ve wanted to go there since I saw Chris Burkhard’s documentary “Under an Arctic Sky”. From stunning coastlines to interior mountains, plus the chance to see the northern lights makes this easily my choice. I’m constantly looking at ticket prices and can’t wait until I have the chance to go.  

What’s your go-to productivity trick? 
 

Ready for the nerdiest answer ever? I listen to adventure music – like the soundtrack from the Lord of the Rings. It helps for a few reasons. It’s mostly instrumental, so there are no words to get distracted by and start singing along with; these songs have strong, driving beats that help me zone in on my work and zone out distractions; and I personally find this music comforting. I was a violinist growing up and in college, so I’ve really grown to like this music. 

How do you see the future of events? 

I am very hopeful and excited for the future of events. At every event I’ve attended since we re-opened post-pandemic, people have been so excited to be back in-person, being able to catch up with old friends and connect with new people. It would be wrong to say things are back to normal though, the pandemic did change things. It showed us that people would still actively try to find ways to learn and grow. Whether by accessing virtual events, watching webinars, or reading various articles and blog posts. Post pandemic, people have shown they want to go to shows but also want to be able to access information year-round. As a content manager I get to strategize and execute with my team the best way we can represent our content year-round in relation to our event as a whole. I see both our in-person shows and 365-digital content continuing to grow and expand in-tandem as we continue to serve our customers. 

What makes you proud to work at RX? 

I am privileged and honored to be the chapter chair of the RX US Pride Chapter and I am continually impressed by the compassion and talent of my fellow RX employees. Every day I get to watch people take time out of their busy days to help educate and spread awareness about how to support and be a better ally to the LGBTQ community. As a chapter we work within RX but also spend time in our community helping local groups like Kids-In-Crisis. We work with closely with our fellow Employee Resource Groups in RX to make sure we are offering the best content and creating a safe space for all who want to learn and grow. I am proud to work for a company that values diversity and inclusion and actually works towards DEI goals as opposed to just talking about it.