Respect the hustle

A few thoughts on public perception of Startups in India:

-Rahul Yadav is no Steve Jobs but Steve Jobs was also fired as the CEO of Apple and we know how that played out. Firing the founder is the best way to leave a company without vision and clarity of focus.  http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/no-more-resignations-housing-com-says-enough-is-enough-fires-ceo-rahul-yadav/articleshow/47893423.cms?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ETFbMain

-Startups should be judged on the quality and speed of their execution, not the size of their funding. In many cases, the best funded company will go onto be the market leader in a "Winner takes all" position but that is still due to the power of their execution than just funding.

-Never say "these startups are just throwing money away". Firstly, capital is cheap today (~0% interest rates in the US) and creating a market takes time, energy and money. e.g. Pre Uber -- the whole taxi market in San Francisco was about $140 million per year. As of last year, Uber's revenues in San Francisco, meanwhile, around $500 million per year. Thinking at immense scale is what builds great companies.

My Life in Gmail.

25 Apr 2006 - 10 Jul 2013 (Today) 7.2 years. 76310 e-mails. 132 collaborators.

Work is blue, Family green, Friends orange and the little purple specs that dot the sky are random conversations with random people I've been in touch with over the years.

One of the most rampant errors I find in the press is the confusion between correlation and causation in the interpretation of data.

As an example, Forbes India is carrying an article today about a Barclays study that notes how the construction of the worlds tallest skyscrapers has inevitably invited a period of decline in the economic prosperity of the region. Does the author really think that building a skyscraper causes economic doom?

You can read the entire article here but noted below are some key quotes:

"Barclays notes that “the pervasive U.S. economic recession with bank failures that came to be known as the Long Depression coincided with the construction of the Equitable Life Building in 1873. At the time the building was the first skyscraper at a height of 142 feet.” The report also states that the 1972 construction of once-iconic World Trade Center twin towers in New York, and the 1974 construction of the Willis Tower (also called the Sears Tower) in Chicago, coincided with a period of speculation in monetary expansion from foreign lending and a subsequent economic contraction. “It also coincided with the collapse of the Bretton Woods system, a rise in oil prices that caused a global economic crisis, and speculation in stocks, property, ships and aircrafts.”

The Asian economic crisis, currency devaluation and speculation in stock and property coincided with the completion of the Petronas Towers in 1997. At 1,483 feet, the Petronas Towers were the tallest buildings in the world and heralded a crisis in that region.”

The author further goes onto state that as the race to build the tallest building hots up between different countries, "the cracks in these economies are beginning to show".

Even though it may be laughable that any two variables (skyscrapers and economic crises in this case) can be pulled out of a hat to string an ideological argument that proves causation, I only wish that journalists and bloggers were more careful about making such frivolous declarations in more serious matters!

For those who love stats, I found this little gem on BusinessWeek that illustrates Causality vs Correlation (NOT). Enjoy the humor :)

Inspiring how today an Indian entrepreneur, Sanjiv Mehta is now the sole owner of THE East India Company. You could say it is the ultimate revenge on the empire! As someone who likes to study business strategy, it reminded me of how fickle the world of business really is. The one who can adapt and move with the times gives herself/himself the best chance of success. In my short career as an entrepreneur, I have tried to find inefficiencies and opportunities to maximize on.

As mentioned in this article about the man, it takes time and effort : "Buying all shareholders’ stakes took time. Some were unwilling to sell outright; some were willing to negotiate. So I took one person at a time. I did to them what they did to us: Divide and Rule. In eighteen months, I mopped up all shares.”

Enjoy the piece, as always a fascinating read from Caravan Magazine.

Can't sleep today. As a concerned brother, son and friend to the many wonderful women in my life, I am really sorry, this city does not deserve you. To the bastards that can't keep their d*** in their fucking pants, burn in hell assholes. To the central/state government, this is the ONLY way I'm judging you. Not economic prosperity, not infrastructure, not development or upliftment of the poor. If you can't make the city safe, you don't have my vote. It may not be much but if all of us decide to do it, it will make a difference.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Over the past couple of weeks, the Big Boys of technology have come to play. With Microsoft finally upping it's game with the Surface (awesome keyboard cover) and Windows 8, Apple's continuing dominance with the iPhone 5, iPad Mini, the new iMac (which is to lust for) and Google adding to the mix it's impending announcement for the 10 inch Nexus tablet and the Nexus 4 phone - this is probably the best time to be a technophile!

"Hello, Trouble. It's been a while since we last met. But I know you're still out there. And I have a feeling you're looking for me. You wish I'd forget ya.. Don't ya trouble? Perhaps it is you, that has forgotten me. Perhaps I need to come find you. Remind you, who I am."

I just read an awesome article by David Lee of SV angel where he talks about his father's struggles as an entrepreneur and why he never started a company. First and foremost, I was struck by the candor of expression in his post. It was a really touching and heartfelt story!

Starting a business is hard work. Over the last 2 years @ Avacara, there have been times of unbearable pain and there have been (fewer) times of pure ecstacy. So is it worth it? I don't know but if it's in your blood and bones, if it occupies your heart and soul at all times, what else can you do? In that sense, it's like being in love!

I know there shall be a day soon when The Struggle will be a thing of the past. Even if it's not, I'll still do it for the Love of the game.