B.R.I.C.K

The idea for the BRICK model was born from a blend of personal experience, observation, and a fundamental desire to answer a simple but pressing question: "What makes an organization not just function, but truly thrive and endure?" When I was running to be elected President of AIESEC in Kolkata in 2020, I reflected on the diverse experiences I’d gathered not only through my years with AIESEC, but also from my forays into various organizations.

Early in my journey, I became obsessed with the concept of "Brand". I thought that people chose organizations, and stuck with them, not because of superficial differences, but because of the deeper, less tangible qualities embodied in the organization’s identity. I questioned what truly drew customers, partners, and members in, and I found the answer always returned to the organization’s brand. But a brand is more than a logo or a slogan; it is the sum of actions, values, and culture that are consistently practiced over time.

As I prepared my manifesto for the AIESEC presidential election, I wanted a model simple enough to remember yet robust enough to drive growth in all the right places. My reflection distilled all those lessons into five crucial pillars: Brand, Relevance, Impact, Culture, and Knowledge. The acronym "BRICK" captured not only these foundational elements but also my core belief lasting strength is built step by step, brick by brick.

The image below from the manifesto back in 2019,

At the core of BRICK is a formula:
Brand = (Relevance + Impact) × (Culture + Knowledge)

• Relevance: Ensuring the organization’s offerings meet real needs and current trends.

• Impact: Making a positive, measurable difference in the community and wider society.

• Culture: Fostering a collaborative, innovative, and values-driven team environment.

• Knowledge: Committing to continuous learning and skill development at every level.

BRICK divides an entity’s strengths into:

• External (Relevance + Impact): Directly shapes how the world perceives the organization.

• Internal (Culture + Knowledge): Fuels the team’s longevity, adaptability, and resilience.

The intention was to create a feedback loop external relevance and impact would draw attention and resources, but this would only be sustainable if the internal culture was strong and knowledge continuously refreshed.

My presidential manifesto was built around these principles, with clear calls to action and definitions of success tailored to each pillar. We launched initiatives like:

• BRIClass: A peer-to-peer learning platform where members taught and learned new skills from one another. It simultaneously boostered our internal culture and positioned us as an organization deeply invested in knowledge.

• Major Campaigns: Addressing real societal issues from COVID-19 awareness to post-pandemic support which increased both our relevance and our impact in Kolkata and beyond.

• Culture Building: Though the hardest to quantify, we prioritized transparent communication, opportunities for collaboration, and rituals that cultivated a sense of belonging and pride.

Later, as I founded Felicity Inc., a supportive community for creators and artists, I embedded BRICK at its heart. We built relevant products for creative communities, ran impact-driven social initiatives, and maintained a culture where every member felt valued and supported. Growth was rapid and organic, reinforced by the same brick-by-brick philosophy that valued people and learning at every stage.

Integral to BRICK is the conviction that success comes from empowering others without expectation. Organizations grow strongest when leaders give freely opportunities, knowledge, support trusting that their investment in people will be returned in commitment, innovation, and collective resilience.

BRICK is not a rigid doctrine but a guiding framework, built from my personal experiences and the many lessons gathered on the journey.