Author: Shubhadeep B.

B-Schools & Start-Ups

Nice post at avc.com & a few insights that might be useful to many:

  • Early in a start-up, product decisions should be hunch driven. Later on, product decisions should be data driven.
  • Hunches come from being a power user of the products in your category and from having a long standing obsession about the problem you are solving.
  • Ideas that most people derided as ridiculous have produced the best out comes. Don’t do the obvious thing.
  • If you have an idea that you can’t get out of your head, do a start-up. Otherwise join a start-up.
  • Take risks when you get out of business school. If you don’t take risks, you won’t find yourself in an interesting job and career.

Read the full article at http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2011/02/mba-tuesday.html.

YES To News, NO To Paper

Newspapers_Jaymi Heimbuch(Photo courtesy Jaymi Heimbuch)

A lifestyle experiment brings in an era of no newspapers at the Shub household.

It first started with my early-to-office routine to beat the dreaded Bangalore traffic. The start was so early, that I missed the arrival of the day’s newspapers on most days. The news reading routine got relegated to the evening. Though I found myself in the dark on some topics over coffee table discussions, I didn’t really miss the newspaper much. 

Another phenomenon that enhanced the disillusionment with newspapers was “commodity journalism”. Non-newsworthy items becoming front page articles. Lack of expertise & perspective in reporting. Internet articles making it to print 2-3 days later. More & more items are worth skipping (amongst the newspapers I read, Mint was an exception).

Finally, the pain of storing old newspapers in a small metro apartment was the clincher. Space & cleanliness issues (roaches love the old paper storage area) were just not worth it. Good riddance. 

So, the beginning of the new year witnessed an astonished newspaper vendor being told to stop the delivery. It is an experiment yet. During this time, we will switch to laptops, iPhone & the Kindle to access our news. Through these channels, news is more current, we get to pick & choose what we want to consume, and maybe save a few trees being felled to print “Page 3” kind of a crap. We sure will miss the weekend routine of reading newspapers over a lazy cuppa. But I am hoping we will get used to the switch. 

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5 New Year Resolutions To Be More Innovative

Innovator

In this post on Fast Company, the author Kaihan Krippendorff suggests the 5 new year resolutions that could make you more innovative.

  1. To be more innovative, you need more diverse sources of information and inspiration. Resolve to read magazines you’ve never considered, watch movies you think you’d hate, and attend lectures of topics apparently unrelated to what you do.
  2. Innovators are “intense observers” and so are able to spot customer needs and emerging “weak signals.” This year put up your antenna. Pretend you are the producer of Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show and need to know which issues and topics people care about this week and this month.
  3. Innovators try things just to see if they work while others want to know if they will work before they try them. Decide that this year you will start taking small risks. Force yourself to conduct, say, five low-risk experiments in your business this year.
  4. Innovators are curious, and they ask questions not just because they are after something but because they enjoy the journey of discovery. This year find yourself continually asking “why?” and “how?” Read the newspaper, not just to absorb the decisions CEOs and other leaders make, but to challenge them. Ask “Why should CTS focus on growth & not margins?” and come up with three reasons why they should.
  5. Innovators are great networkers and they network without a precise goal in mind. This year thrust yourself into new networks. Join a club, pick up a hobby, and plan lunches that will put you face-to-face with people who have no obvious networking value for you. You will be surprised by serendipitous opportunities they open up.

Read the full post here.

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Visiting Taj Mahal – Quick Tips

Shub - Taj 

A recent visit to Agra for a Taj Mahal experience was awesome! A few travel tips though could’ve elevated it to an out-of-the-world experience.

Tip #1: Use the train service between Delhi – Agra.
Tip #2: Schedule to enjoy Taj at sunset & sunrise.
Tip #3: Schedule your Agra visit for a weekday (except Friday).
Tip #4: Allocate some non-guide time.

Shub - Agra Traffic

Tip #1: Use the train service between Delhi – Agra.

Trying to be adventurous, I opted to do this trip by road & wasted almost 10 hours on the road. Road traffic is BAD on both sides of the trip – Delhi & Agra. Train service is the preferred option saving you time & effort. Check here for more information on the train options.

Shub - Taj by Dusk

Tip #2: Schedule to enjoy Taj at sunset & sunrise.

Day 1 (4-5 pm): Arrive at Agra by early evening (4-5 pm)
Day 1 (6-8 pm): Catch a glimpse from across the Yamuna. Get a moonlit view from within the Taj complex. Note that the closing time is 7 pm.
Day 2 (6-10 am): Sun rise view followed by a detailed tour of the Taj. Note that the opening time is 6 am.
Day 2 (rest of day): Agra Fort & other attractions in / around Agra.

Shub - Taj Crowd

Tip #3: Schedule your Agra visit for a weekday (except Friday).

The difference between a Taj experience and a great Taj experience could be the huge tourist crowds. Apart from using a crowd avoiding schedule (like above), you could also plan to visit Taj on a weekday. Note that the Taj complex is closed on Friday. 

Shub - Taj Non-Guide

Tip #4: Allocate some non-guide time.

While a good guide is recommended for a truly appreciative & studied experience of the Taj, do allocate for some non-guide time. More often than not, the first few minutes of a visit (especially if it is your first visit) pass by with a dropped jaw, eyes focused on the Taj & you turning deaf to people around you. A non-guide slot will allow you to soak in the beauty of the monument without the verbal or time pressures of the guide.

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