I have been teaching at the Founders Institute for a number of years and have enjoyed every moment of my association with FI. “Hot seats” are a standard fixture in every session at FI. This is where a founder gives a 3-minute pitch to the group that includes a set of teachers and mentors. Immediately… Continue reading
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How to be Remarkable
You and I both know that one cannot become remarkable overnight. We also know that being remarkable has many benefits – the biggest one is that you have a better opportunity to make a bigger difference in this world. So, how do you get started? How do you take a proactive approach to become remarkable?… Continue reading
The First 99%
You might have already heard or realized the importance of the last 1% of effort that is required to make a huge difference. You might win a race or a deal based on the last 1% at stake. The last 1% is important – actually very important. But… There is a “hidden trap” that you… Continue reading
Why you should celebrate noise in your life? 3 Reasons.
You might have heard about the need for “signal-to-noise” ratio in one of the fields you care about. Signals are what stand out. Signals bring out the value that matters. It is not uncommon for you to focus on the signal and in an extreme have a disdain for the noise surrounding the signals. However,… Continue reading
Lacking depth and loving it?
I had a long discussion on this topic this weekend with my friend Srikanth Rajan of SmartKapital. Let me get right to the point: What is one of the biggest side-effect of information overload? It has to be that as a society we are moving towards lacking depth and loving every bit of that experience…. Continue reading
Please put on your oxygen mask first…
You would have heard this announcement before an airline takes off. The key part here is that “if you have someone that you need to take care of, please take care of yourself first and then take care of them next.” The advice is valid beyond the scope of flying in an airline. It’s a… Continue reading
On problem solving – Interview with Kristin Merz
I recently sat down with Kristin Neperud Merz to talk with her about her new book “Unscribbling: the art of problem solving and fulfilling your desires” to find out how entrepreneurs and visionaries can best incorporate some of Unscribblings teachings. What follows is our Q&A discussion. Rajesh: Your book lays out a problem solving technique… Continue reading
The Best Feedback for a First-time Entrepreneur
First-time entrepreneurs are at a perennial disadvantage. If you are one, you know what the feeling is. There is no guarantee to you or to anyone around you that your project WILL take off. It’s the height of uncertainty. Since they are not “proven” yet, not many people around them want to actively support them… Continue reading
The Invisible Power of Bias
The other day, I was checking into a hotel pretty late in the night. Next morning, I was scheduled to speak to a group of CEOs right around 8am next morning. In my mind, I was calculating the time it would take me to get set up for tomorrow, probably rehearse on a couple of… Continue reading
Every dog has its day
When you find yourself on the wrong end of the stick, it may feel good for you to scream and shout – “Every dog has its day!” In general, this means you are on a path to make amends for what happened by taking revenge. The movies that you might have seen validate this, probably…. Continue reading