Good People of vitruta: İnanç Gülfidan

Welcome to Good People of vitruta, İnanç! Let’s start with the classic question: Who is İnanç Gülfidan? How did it all begin, how is it going, and what are you up to?

Hello, and thanks for the warm welcome! First of all, I’m very happy to officially be a part of this wonderful community, which I’ve felt like a member of for a long time. I was born in 1984 in Burdur, a place I haven’t returned to since we moved. My childhood was spent climbing fruit trees and running around a big garden in Konya Meram, where we moved when I was two due to my father’s job. After attending middle and high school at Beşiktaş Atatürk Anatolian High School, I graduated from ITU. With the experience I gained from organizing fun events like Winterfest and spring festivals, I took my first step into entrepreneurship by co-founding an event agency in 2010. Five years later, I co-founded The Others brand experience agency and later FDR, where we opened esports facilities. For the past two years, I’ve been doing brand experience and event consulting. I must say that guiding vitruta’s communication and planning its events has been one of the most enjoyable jobs I’ve had so far.

My first question is about something that amazes our close friends: your constant positivity. How do you manage to stay hopeful, positive, and full of motivation in this country?

I’ve become interested in Gestalt therapy and karma philosophy, which I discovered through the books of my psychologist friend, Miray Şaşıoğlu. I believe that positive thinking and productivity enhance our awareness and that embracing ourselves helps us see the bigger picture. I love dreaming. Whether I’m reading, walking, listening to music, or falling asleep, I’m always dreaming. We start by dreaming, then we make decisions, take steps, and hope our dreams come true. We fail, try again, and sometimes fail multiple times, but every hope is a journey. No matter where it ends, every journey is an experience in itself.

Aristotle described hope as the dream of a waking man. Sometimes, when you realize you’re dreaming, you know you’ll wake up, but you still enjoy it. That’s how hope is for me. While many achievements come through hope, I believe the greatest achievement is moving forward with hope. Seeing life positively and staying motivated are just natural bonuses of being hopeful.

As a Civil Engineering graduate from ITU, how did you end up staying in creative and innovative fields without ever really entering your own industry? Did the path lead you there, or did you pave the way yourself?

I had a really enjoyable campus life at ITU. The vibrant and social campus atmosphere led me to pursue a more exciting career instead of engineering. I first got introduced to the event industry, and even as a student, I worked at many festivals. That experience was so fulfilling that, despite knowing I wouldn’t pursue engineering, I completed my undergraduate degree in four years and continued with a master’s degree in the same faculty. The master’s degree allowed me to stay connected to campus life while gaining experience in the event industry. During my time working at festivals, I realized that sponsor brands’ expectations could be better met, which pushed me toward entrepreneurship and the agency world. I had the opportunity to work with big brands, and the key to that was producing creative and innovative projects. Even though I felt in my early university years that I wouldn’t become an engineer, the event experiences I had as a student paved the way to where I am today.

Actually, this brings us to your first industry, but instead of focusing on that, I want to talk about festivals, which have now even become part of political promises. One of the most unforgettable festivals was Rock’n Coke, and your company at the time was handling all the university communications for it. I don’t want to make you feel too old, but this is a perfect topic for vitruta: Tell us about that last Rock’n Coke, İnanç! :) When you look back at those days, how do you view the years that have passed, today, and the future?

Rock’n Coke holds a special place in my heart. Getting involved in the behind-the-scenes of a festival I had attended multiple times was an unforgettable experience. I truly felt the last two Rock’n Coke festivals down to my core. :) Staying in a tent for days, fully immersed in the festival experience, and trying to provide that for others was incredibly enjoyable. In its last year, Rock’n Coke, which grew a little more each time, hosted dozens of bands on five different stages, creating an incredible energy with tens of thousands of participants. One of those stages was even dedicated to amateur university bands and DJs. Seeing some of the amateur musicians we selected from universities now continuing their careers professionally is a unique source of joy.

Festivals like One Love and Rock’n Coke, organized by brands without a profit focus, allowed us to listen to high-profile music groups at affordable ticket prices in the same weekend. Increasing exchange rates, uncertainties, and restrictions made it difficult for brands to invest in such events. Organizing large festivals like these requires at least six months of intense effort, meticulous planning, and significant investment. After the cancellation of the last day of One Love, brands preferred to shift their marketing communications instead of taking on these risks. Although we don’t see these rich-content events as frequently anymore, Istanbul is a city of art and festivals. I feel like we’re starting to return to those days we’ve longed for, and I’m hopeful. :)

Did your interest in music start during that time? You’ve been DJing at Kargıcak Bay frequently during summers over the past few years, and since 2016, music has been one of the fields you’ve been professionally involved in. We’d love to hear about the place music holds in your life.

Actually, I’ve been interested in music since childhood. I was the kid who wouldn’t leave the tape player at birthday parties, giving friends mixtapes of my favorite songs and even selling them to adults. Later, with CDs and digital archives, I often found myself in charge of music in various friend groups. When I got involved in the event industry, I became curious about DJing and had my first experience behind the setup at a friend’s birthday party at Indigo, one of the most important electronic music venues at the time. By the mid-2010s, I had the chance to share the stage with names like Kenan Doğulu, Hadise, Tom Novy, and Burak Yeter during festivals in Uludağ, where I spent every winter for a decade. Just between us, this opportunity was actually a little favor I granted myself while organizing the festivals. :) After honing my skills at Taps Bebek, I gained a lot of professional experience, including a residency at Kargıcak Bay. During the pandemic, when weekend curfews were in place, it was also a special experience for me to play for hours via live stream from my home, connecting with people locked in their homes. Every performance, big or small, has left a unique taste for me. Sharing the energy of crowds through the unifying power of music is an incredible thrill.

This is something we don’t often see in the business world in Turkey. On one side, there are meetings, calls, Excel sheets, and brand strategy presentations, and on the other side, you’re performing as a DJ. How do you balance these two seemingly contrasting worlds?

DJing has never been my main source of income at any point in my life. In this sense, I see myself as a semi-professional. Even though I’ve gained enough experience over the years to become professional through performing on various stages, I still approach DJing with an amateur spirit. Creating an archive and constantly updating yourself might seem like tasks that require a lot of effort, but since music has always been a part of my life, it doesn’t feel like work to me. There have been times when I didn’t play for months due to the intensity of my other work, and there were also periods when I shared my music six days a week. I like to let life flow naturally, being aware of my priorities. This flow, like water, finds its way and creates its own balance.

As someone who has spent almost 30 years in Istanbul, I'm going to ask you about your three favorite things to do in the city.

One of my favorite activities in Istanbul is spending time outdoors with my son. Walking around the streets, hanging out by the seaside, cycling, and socializing with friends who have dogs really benefits both of us. We try to map out a different route every time we leave the house, which gives me the chance to experience the city more.

Spending time in Beyoğlu, especially Pera, holds a special place in my heart, as it is filled with memories and unforgettable moments from my youth. Although it’s no longer possible to speak of a cohesive urban texture in Istanbul, just walking through places like Pera, where the architectural texture is still preserved, brings me great joy. Comedus, Aheste, Taproomx, Klein Garten, Soho House, and of course, vitruta Space are my favorite spots.

I also enjoy embracing the chaos of Istanbul and attending crowded events. Even though the social and nightlife scene, which offers so many options in one of the world's largest metropolises, has eroded in recent years, it’s still enjoyable. I closely follow major electronic music events and try not to miss them.

And finally, a question about us :) What are your three favorite brands at vitruta?

Of course, the question I feared comes at the end. :) For someone like me who forms a bond with their belongings, this is not an easy one to answer. While many brands have been added to the mix alongside my first loves, Fjällräven and Rains, 24 Bottles, which I’ve hardly been without since last year, has become one of my favorites.

Click here to check out the products styled by Melis Güven and selected and worn by İnanç Gülfidan during the shoot.