No farewells

I don't need to pack my bags,
I don't need any lengthy farewells,
I'm ready to go,
Just call me when you want me God.

Innovation & belief

Innovation and self-belief will get you to the top

Who the fudge makes all these effigies?!

For all you budding entrepreneurs and businessmen, here is an interesting business proposal. Have you ever wondered who makes all these effigies which are being burnt in the middle of the streets every time a minor issue comes up in the society? Effigies have been burnt of almost every imaginable person or thing. We have had effigies of Greg Chappell, Darrell Hair, the Iraq war, producers of Big Brother and even onions. Nowadays if you haven't burnt an effigy, you haven't done anything significant to help society. Looking at this craze, I feel there is a very good opportunity of starting a profitable business in making effigy-models. Demand from all over the world will ensure that our business won't be restricted just to India. We can export these effigies to our neighbouring countries and the Middle-East as well, where there is already a fledgling market thanks to Dubya and his dubious war.

I mean what would be the investment? The public isn't looking for an exact look-alike of the person being burnt. All you need is a resemblance of a human figure. Two hands, two legs and a head. The face of the celebrity can be printed out easily and cheaply (We can charge a premium on laser-prints). Of course, the final price will be decided once we develop a proper business model. And with all the media channels in a hyperactive mode, we are sure to have a profitable cash flow as well. Moreover the social work we are doing by letting people vent their frustrations through burning effigies will work wonders for the Corporate Social Responsibility crap.

Thirty five sq. metres of land has been acquired adjacent to the proposed Maha Mumbai SEZ for our manufacturing facilities. Our tagline - 'Making efficient effigies in indigenous SEZs'. It rhymes too.

This would be just a sample of our services
* 24-hour delivery
* Black and white or colour effigy
* Different sizes - Economy, Medium, Large, Premium etc.
* 7-day money back guarantee (Conditions apply)
* Scented effigies - sandalwood, rose, orange etc.
* One box of matches free with every effigy.

The downside. The pollution issue. How much does effigy burning contribute to global warming? George Bush would find a reason to invade a country - Weapons of Global Warming. But shhh, this information will stay within the Board.

Ping me if you want to finance this venture :)

Good To Great - book review

Well I currently don't have the time to write a full-fledged review. The book was good, applicable not only to companies but to individuals as well. The central point of the book revolves around The Hedgehog Concept which is based on three circles:-

1) What you can be the best in the world at
2) What drives your economic engine
3) What you are deeply passionate about

Cutting through all the jargon, it basically means do a job which you like, which you're good at, and which provides sufficient income. A job which I love and it still provides me money? Almost close to an oxymoron.

The second most important point (for me) in the whole book was the concept of preserving the core ideology of a company while at the same time changing operating practices in line with the environment. This point is very simply put in the book I'm currently reading. 'It happened in India' by Kishore Biyani. Rewrite rules and retain values. I'm tracking my reading here.