This article is the fifteenth in the Startup Series on FirstPost’s Tech2 section and first appeared on May the 10th, 2017. As a professional and an advisor, I have been on both the founder’s and the early employee’s sides of the question of equity for early employees. In an early stage venture, equity is an … Continue reading Early employees and the art of equity distribution
Tag: technology
How to be a valuable non-tech co-founder
This article is the thirteenth in the Startup Series on FirstPost’s Tech2 section and first appeared on April the 3rd, 2017. The excessive media focus on techies as startup founders often makes non-techies doubt their ability to found and build a startup and create value. Many non-tech persons I meet believe that they won’t get … Continue reading How to be a valuable non-tech co-founder
Brand leadership has to change
A few years ago, shortly after the 2008 crash, American Express in the United States paid many of its less profitable customers to close their accounts and go away. The move garnered much attention and analysis then. It was seen as a de-leveraging move. Whatever hubbub surrounded the brand then has since died down and … Continue reading Brand leadership has to change
The real story in India’s demonetisation saga
“Who benefits if we all go cashless?”, asked a friend* of mine. This is indeed the money question in India’s demonetisation saga with its moving goal posts. “I am not here for the enrichment of Visa, MasterCard etc.,” she added. Apart from convenience and fraud protection, the economic case for an individual consumer is near … Continue reading The real story in India’s demonetisation saga
Luxury’s talent conundrum
A version of this essay appeared on Hudson Walker International's Opinion section published on November the 4th, 2016. The Luxury sector is facing headwinds. Single digit growth seems here to stay. The behaviour and the expectations of the elusive but coveted millennial consumer remain somewhat a mystery with conflicting trends emerging. For instance, millennials seem … Continue reading Luxury’s talent conundrum
On fancy job titles
This article is the fourth in the Startup Series on FirstPost’s Tech2 section and first appeared on Oct the 19th, 2016. In one of my corporate venturing roles with a large Indian conglomerate, I served as the country manager of a European country. That was also the job title on my card and in my … Continue reading On fancy job titles
Autonomous cars and luxury marques
Aston Martin, James Bond's car of choice (except when he went through a BMW phase), showcased a powerboat at Monaco Yacht Show this year. Writing in the Financial Times, Philip Delves Broughton laments that Bond's legacy is being junked by this luxury marque and outlines the dangers of brands diversifying into unrelated categories, especially those … Continue reading Autonomous cars and luxury marques
