Is leadership Skill or Trait?


Last two week I’ve been working with my Project Managers to understand;

 

Why there are slippages in delivery?

What they are unable to keep up to the commitments?

 

After throwing those two questions… They immediately wanted to defend them and came with many explanations and at last they explained their working process and their challenges… What I got from them took me by surprise and these are issues with them;

  •  They assume things and they create their own version about things…
  • They get contented on their own performance as well as their sub-ordinates… They never challenge themselves…
  • Then they said they have fear of Karma by being strict…

The third point took me by surprise and shock… But I forgot to understand the cultural values… In Hinduism Karma means getting back the bad deeds we do and mostly it is believed that we will get it back or our children will be affected…

 

I’m sure by conducting workshops I can help them to over first two blocks; but I’m not sure how I can make them understand / realize that cultural values are different from professional values…

 

Then I remembered a scene from Tony Jhaa’s movie where his mentor will tell him that “Killing and being merciless is the last trait of a leader”… Likewise I had to explain them that knowingly or unknowingly there is a culture created in IT and we have to be demanding and strict to be competitive…

 

I don’t know how far I can succeed in making them understand the difference between Cultural Values & Professional Values… If any of you have come across such challenge and if you have any solution please share it here…

 

So, I’m preparing a presentation for my leaders with example for them to overcome the challenges / blocks they have in the pursuit of becoming a leader… And my presenting will be mostly covering;

 

  • Communication which is very much important for their first challenge…
  • How excellent leaders challenged themselves and their peers to gain excellence…
  • Collecting clips from leaders to show them why they are successful as leader… Also explaining them about what Democratic, Autocratic & Laissez Faire leadership traits are…

 

And let me see how they understand it and transform…

Interview with Mr.Ajith Laxman, Founder eBizLeads


It is nice to be with Mr. Ajith Laxman, Founder eBizLeads. Ajith hails from an entrepreneurial family and entrepreneurship is not a buzz word for him… He had a 2 year stint with HP and a short 4 months with another startup before starting on his own… Come let us get back to him and know more about him…

 

Q. Hello Ajith. Can you tell us about yourself?

 

A.  I graduated from Crescent Engineering College (Chennai) in 2005. My first job was with HP, where I was working as a Java/J2ee Developer for 2 years. I also worked for 4 months with a startup based in Chennai handling marketing and sales. Currently I consult for internet based businesses.

 

Q. When & how did your entrepreneur desire started & blossomed?

 

A.  I did not enjoy working as a software programmer and felt I wanted to do something that I am really passionate about. Also, I had no clue what I wanted to do. The month I completed my 2nd year with HP, I felt if I don’t venture out now, it could be never. I had a bank balance of Rs.50,000 when I quit. I moved to Chennai (from Bangalore). The cash I had would sustain me for 6 months and I told myself if I were smart enough I need to find something that I was passionate about before the time and resources run out. If I fail, I had to get back to a software job.

 

Q. What are your hobbies other than your business?

 

A.   I read books, listen to music, play the guitar and enjoy travelling, visiting nature’s most virgin un-touched places, star gazing. I am right now working on a pet project of mine, which would be a community portal that would bring people of interest groups like star gazing/ astronomy, nature lovers, photography, travelers etc. together.

 

Q. Tell us how eBizLeads took shape?

 

A.   I read a book called the Long Tail by Chris Anderson. This was an eye opener for me on how Internet is changing our lifestyle and commerce. I started studying how various internet businesses work and got to understand their models.

        I started promoting websites on the internet and soon started offering the services for clients. My first client was from Ireland. He was retailing mobile phones and accessories through his portal. Right now, I have my own internet based business where we do online retailing of gift items and collectibles in US by partnering with one of my past clients.

 

 

 

Q. Tell the challenges you faced (Pre formation & post formation)?

 

A. Pressure from family and relatives was a factor before formation. They were concerned I was losing a lucrative career in software. But when they started seeing some progress in what I was doing, they were supportive even when things were down for me. Post formation, the biggest challenges were in creating a system and process to make sure things go on smooth and organized.

 

Q. Tell us about eBizLeads business model & Services?

 

A. We consult for businesses/websites, offer them services like search engine marketing (SEO and PPC).

Who can use our service?

People who are interested in selling their products or services on the internet can use our services. Also small businesses who wish to get more leads to their business using the internet. Internet is a powerful medium today. Just like advertising in radio, TVs and Newspapers, a lot of people turn to the internet for attracting customers and increasing their brand reach.

 

We also own our own internet businesses where we sell products targeting the US market.     

 

Q. How did you raise capital for starting eBizLeads?

 

A. There is a lot of thrill in bootstrapping. There was no capital to start with and I was offering services through freelancing sites. Slowly we started scaling up and now we are a team of 5.

 

Q. Will this recession have any impact in your plans? If yes how do you plan to overcome this recession?

 

A.  Obviously it will have some impact as customers will think twice about spending. Whether there is recession or not, there will always be products that get sold and people that need such services. In fact, in times like this people tend to spend a lot on effective advertising. Cost per acquisition of a lead for a business is the least through the medium of internet so I only see a spike in people taking such services.

 

Q. What are your future plans?

 

A. Currently all our customers are either from US, UK or Australia. We are planning to extend the services to local Businesses in Chennai too. For Indian market, the rates need to be competitive and you need to score in volumes. Hence, you need a well equipped team with clear defined process to execute the projects.

 

Q. What is your advice for new startups and wannabe entrepreneurs?

 

A. My advice is do one thing at a time. Take a task; see it through to the end and only then move on to the next. A lot of times you may be pursuing an idea and all of a sudden something else comes along that you find interesting and you divert your energies into the new one. It’s like pushing a car to get it to start and just when it is about to start, you move on to the next and so on and the cycle keeps continuing. Stay away from that habit.

 

Thanks for the interview Anand.

 

=========>End of interview<=========

 

Thank you very much Ajith for sparing your valuable time with us and it was really inspiring and informative to be with you. We wish you all the very best…

Happy Birthday Sachin


250px-sachin_tendulkarItz been 20 years of international career and still going strong and we are talking about none other than our cricketing wizard Sachin Tendulkar… The day still reminds in my eyes as ever… I was studying in my Grade 5 and my uncle said this is the youngest player in the world and I was unable to pronounce his name… For some time was calling him as TENDOS…

 

From that moment I’ve been following each and every birthday of him and he has come a long way in his life and career… What a man and his contributions to game and country is unquestionable… There are lots of sites that were offering statistics of him… But I want to know how many days in this 20 years he has played professional cricket… Here is the stat;

Matches

Total Matches

No. of Days

Total Days

Years

Test

159

5

795

2.2

One Day

425

1

425

1.2

First Class

261

3

783

2.1

List A

512

1

512

1.4

 

 

 

 

 

Total

1357

10

2515

6.89

He has spent one third of his career in playing competitive cricket which comes to six years and eight months…

 

Let me take this opportunity to wish this legend a Happy Birthday and wish he plays for the country for atleast next 2 years…

AMMA addressed gathering in Madurai!!!


Yesterday leader of AIADMK J.Jailalitha (AMMA) addressed a gathering in Madurai… The dais was stone throwing distance from our office… By evening the read leading to our office was blocked… The road is called North Veli Street and road is the heart line of Madurai as it connects to Madurai Railway Junction and Central Bus Stop…

The arrangements for the dais were happening from yesterday morning and today it was spectacular with lightings and there were loads of supporters who crowded the entire stretch…

Today AMMA reached the dais by evening and I think her address was more than 30 minutes… As I was not allowed to take camera beyond a point I was unable to shoot while she was addressing the gathering… But I took a snap from my office terrace unfortunately the picture was shacked…

Here are some snaps which I shot…

jayalalitha

AMMA returning after returning from the gathering… The picture got shaked…

53

This is 1/10th of the crowd that attended the gathering…

My MOM the greatest!!!


120x240This is the first blog I’m dedicating to my mother, in fact this is the first time I’m dedicating something to my most beloved person in this earth… I feel ashamed of myself for getting inspiration from Indusladies.com; without them announcing the Mothers Day contest it didn’t even strike to do something like this… Many a times I was thinking hard for a blog topic for a blog post and I don’t know why this didn’t strike me… Anyways thank you Indisladies.com for striking a nail in my head…

 

I personally owe a lot to my mother for without her I’m not in this world… I don’t know how many times I’d have provoked her but ever time what she gave in return was her kindness… Further more she is one of the smartest person in the world ever I’ve seen… Let me share this experience;

 

I bunked my classes for the first time when I was in my grade 10 and got caught!! Can you all guess how?? While washing my uniform there was no dirt in the collar and she caught me…

 

She always taught me the value for money and how to lead a life within our means… Though I differ with his point what I admire from her is the way she managed things when my father was the single earning member and the no. of people who are dependent on his income were more (myself, mom, sister, fathers mom, fathers elder sister)…

 

Mom was always good when it comes to money and she saved a part of my father’s salary without his knowledge and she was able to buy a ground / plot of land and she was able to use some money for constructing our house… I’m sure my father would have built a house for himself (he would have spent more for me, my sister and his siblings instead of saving)…

 

I’ve always been very poor in my academics and I was the biggest head ace for my mother and after my graduation I ventured into entrepreneurship and was fairly successful and I’ve not done anything to my mother…

 

What my mom expects from me is simple things like having breakfast/dinner together and taking her to temple… But I’m unable to fulfill her small wishes like this… I’m planning to take oath for this mother’s day to make my mother happy by fulfilling her wish at least one day in a month…

 

Also I’m wondering what gift I can get for my mother for this mothers day… Please help me by giving some suggestion…

 

I take this opportunity to wish my mom and all beautiful mothers a Happy Mothers Day…

 

For sure I’ll make a blog post on 10th May 2009 on what gift I’ll be getting to my mother…

Internet best route for startups!!!


Internet has created lot of opportunities for creating wealth, sharing knowledge and created new type of hobbies… There are lots of success stories on the Net and these are something that we all use in our daily life Yahoo, Google, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and many more which all became big in a very short span of time…

 

But all the above are well known stories and there are many more untold stories of Netpreneurs who maintain a low key profile and still making it big or using internet to make a decent living…

 

There are thousands and millions of individuals are directly benefited because of internet… To my knowledge following types of business are possible with low investment;

 

·        Offering programming & technical services for internet and other applicable requirements.

·        Offering Search Engine Marketing, Internet Marketing & Search Engine Solutions.

·        Webmaster services like running websites that caters to user needs.

·        Even hobbies created revenues (Eg:Famous bloggers will get paid for some posts).

 

Classified services can be further broken into several options and also there could be many options which I could have missed… Over all making a living out of internet is easy and also you can carve your niche and can create a USP (Unique Selling Preposition) quickly…

Most Wanted!!!


Are you suffering from recession?? You are out of job and looking for some income?? Or is your financial commitments are too high that you are unable to make ends meet??

 

So, here is an opportunity for you to win some money… But BEWARE!!!! You are engaging on this expedition on your own risk…

 

Warning: Individual on the picture is not responsible for any loss / damage to your life or property…

Find the celebrity….


Can you find the celebrity in this picture??? Answer has been tagged :)…

20sli4

Wines i’ll be tasting…


So as promised in my previous blog I’m sharing the list of wine I’ll be tasting and a small brief about those wine…

 

Four Seasons Shiraz 2008, India

four-seasonsIn Maharashtra, all wine trails lead to Nasik. Excellent climate, great soil and history of grape-growing all make Nasik a natural choice for any wine producer in India. It thus came as quite a surprise when United Breweries set up their maiden winery in Baramati, and their vineyards in the nearby Sahyadri Valley. But in Sahyadri they found the perfect terroir, and a climate which afforded cool nights,warmdays and less rainfall than Nasik. And in Abhay Kewadkar, they found India’s foremost winemaker.With decades of experience, first at Chateau Indage and then at the helm of Grover wines, Abhay Kewadkar became a natural choice. His exceptional winemaking skills have produced a Shiraz with a deep ruby core, a smoky nose of dark berry and spice, and a well-structured palate with gripping tannins and great acidity. This stellar first offering fromFour Seasons will embrace Indian food!

 

Errazuriz Carmenère 2007, Chile

The Judgement of Paris – organized by the Chairman of our Board of Wine Advisors errezurizSteven Spurrier – is famous for not only establishing the credibility of California’s wines, but for also acting as an impetus to California’s burgeoning wine industry, stimulating both demand and sales of its wines worldwide. Inspired by this event and its consequences, Chilean wine producer Eduardo Chadwick set out to do something similar for the Chilean Wine Industry. In what has now become known as the BerlinTasting of 2004, Chadwick invited 36 journalists (including Steven Spurrier) and wine buyers to Berlin to taste blind a selection of wines from Chile, France and Italy. Classics from France (including Chateau Lafite, Chateau Latour and Chateau Margaux) and Italy (including Tignanello, Sassicaia and Solaia)were pitted against some of Chadwick’s wines from the same vintages.

 

Chadwick’s wines remarkably came out on top, and Chile suddenly found itself prominently perched on the world wine map. Initially famous for its juicy Merlots and mouthwatering Cabernets, Chile really brought to the fore the Carmenère, which is thought have originated in Bordeaux, where at one point it was widely cultivated for blending. Owing to the fickle nature of its growth and its low yields, it was phased out after the Phylloxera attack that destroyed most of Europe’s vines in the late 1800s. The “lost grape of Bordeaux” was thought to have disappeared forever, until it was rediscovered in the valleys of Chile, where until 1994, it was mistaken for Merlot.

What better an offering than a Carmenère from Eduardo Chadwick’s own winery? Its deep red robe, black berry nose and mocha palate are destined to please. Utterly enjoyable by itself, or with a good steak.

 

 

Cavalieri Di Moasca Barbera D’Asti 2007, Italy

barberaBarbera is the second most widely planted grape in Italy after the Sangiovese. Traditionally, it was considered to be an ordinary grape variety that was either used to make “people’s wine” (wine for everyday drinking) or to improve the colour of wines made from other grapes, specifically those made from Nebbiolo. It was then given a new lease of life by the winemakers from the Piedmont region of Italy, who by severely pruning the vines to produce smaller yields, vastly improved the quality of Barbera. Piedmont, already renowned for its wine, food and highly sought-after white truffles, was now famous for the quality of its Barbera. Nowhere is it better than in the city of Asti. This Barbera D’Asti is naturally high in acidity and soft on tannins, and will pair extremely well with most Indian food.

 

Waterford Estate Pecan Stream Chenin Blanc 2007, South Africa

South Africans speak of Stellenbosch with twinkles in their eyes. Its Mediterranean pecanclimate with hot dry summers and mild wet winters are ideal for the production of perfect grapes. Considered to be the prettiest wine-growing region anywhere in the world, Stellenbosch is the spiritual home of winemaking in South Africa. The University of Stellenbosch is responsible for nurturing many of the country’s better winemakers, who (more often than not) join one of the many leading wineries that make Stellenbosch their home. As winemaker for several leading wineries over the past three decades, Kevin Arnold has called Stellenbosch home since 1979. In 1998, he decided to join the Ord brothers to set up the Waterford Estate, also in Stellenbosch. Today, Waterford Estate has one of the best Cellar Door experiences worldwide. It also produces some of South Africa’s most exceptional wines, all of which embody the philosophy of the Waterford Way, a philosophy that celebrates prosperity, life, food, wine and family! The Pecan Stream Chenin Blanc is no different, and reflects hues of melon and peach on both nose and palate, making it utterly delicious with seafood. Bound to please every fan of India’s favorite grape type!

 

J LangaCavaBrutNV, Spain

langaIn the 1860s, after a particularly inspiring tour of the Champagne region of France, Spanish winemaker José Raventós decided to give Spain its own sparkling wine. He imported equipment from Champagne, and in 1872, used local grapes to produce Spain’s first methode champenoise sparkling wine. It was initially called champán, but later became Cava, to reflect the Spanish term for “Cellar” or “Cave”. Local producers took to it immediately and soon every still white wine in and around the Penedès region of Spainwas used to make Cava. Cava’s popularity spread rapidly; it is now used for any occasion, from weekend picnics to family traditions. Spanish babies get their first taste of Cava at their baptisms, where their pacifiers are dipped in it! Cava is today the world’s most popular sparkling wine.

Typically Cava can be made from a handful of grape varieties including the homegrown Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada and the champagne-producing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The J Langa Cava is 70% Macabeo and 30% Chardonnay, reacquainting it to most champagne drinkers. This bright young wine will charm you with its citrus and shortbread aromas and slightly sweet yet crisp finish. It is most

enjoyable by itself, but can also be paired with delicately flavoured food.

 

TriventoTribuTorrontés 2008, Argentina

From almost the very moment that this wine was delivered to our offices, we knew that trivento-torrenteswe’d stumbled on to something special. However, nothing prepared us for the manner in which the aromas of this wine’s bouquet struck us squarely in the face! Aromas of grapefruit and peach leapt from our glasses. Even though Torrontés – a white wine varietal almost exclusive to Argentina – is known for its aromatic whites, we weren’t expecting such an incredible nose. With floral notes and the slightest hint of aniseed on the palate, this wine received unanimous approval from our entire tasting panel. Enjoy by itself as an aperitif, or with spicy food or smoked meats.

 

 

In spite of all this as a Citibank Platinum Cardholder, I’ll receive a FREE bottle of Bouvet-Ladubay Brut and here is the description of this fluid… Ok now comes my generosity part :)… I’d like to share this with my friends, twitter mates, my blog readers and acquaintance… This might happen in Chennai or Bangalore based on the response… Please comment your interest for participation and place based on that we might fix up the city and place… Now let me wait for the day I’ll be getting those bottles…

 

Bouvet-Ladubay Brut NV, France

 image005The Bouvet Ladubay Brut NV (non-vintage) is a sparkling wine from the Loire Valley in France. It has wonderful fruit aromas, and delicious flavours of spring flowers. It is a well-balance sparkling wine with a refreshing finish.

 Grape Variety: 90% Chenin Blanc, 10% Chardonnay

 

Tasting Notes: Bright yellow in colour with green highlights and fine, persistent bubbles. It has a dominant fruity nose with milder aromas of flowers.  On the palate, it leaves a subtle floral taste. The finish is brisk yet refreshing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok now comes my generosity part :)… I’d like to share this with my friends, twitter mates, my blog readers and acquaintance… This might happen in Chennai or Bangalore based on the response… Please comment your interest for participation and place based on that we might fix up the city and place… Now let me wait for the day I’ll be getting those bottles…

Now I’m The Wine Society of India Member


Today I enrolled for a membership with The Wine Society of India and they were very fast in getting me enrolled… I got a call within 5 minutes of Faxing the application form…

 

Wine making, tasting and itz culture attracted me for almost a decade and being in Chennai I was deprived of learning the nuances of wine making and managing a Vineyard… Four years back I also took lot of steps to prepare a Business Plan for Wine Making unfortunately I didn’t have much contacts and I had to scrap the project for lack of exposure in the field…… Now I got an opportunity to explore and make my dreams a reality…

 

Now being their member I get following benefits;

 

  • 6 wines every 3 months; handpicked by an independent Board of Wine Advisors, chaired by Steven Spurrier, the world-famous wine authority.
  • Difficult-to-find wines, right at your doorstep
  •  Affordable prices (lower than retail)
  • Permanent Founding Member status for first 1000 wine-buying members
  • Prestigious membership card with vintage chart
  • 7-part Home Study Wine Education Course sent in quarterly installments along with your wine shipments
  • FREE two-year subscription to Sommelier India, India’s premier wine magazine (value INR 700), delivered to you with every shipment
  • Access to WSI ‘lifestyle’ classroom wine courses (Novice and Intermediate)
  • Invitations to WSI Wine Tasting events together with VIP’s from the wine world
  • Arrangement for a one-year Liquor License for those who do not possess one – FREE! (NOTE: Maharashtra Only)
  • Special helpline to answer any questions about wine and wine-related matters
  • Global Vineyard Visit Programme including VIP introductions to wineries and winemakers around the world
  • Exclusive restaurant privileges (in development)
  • Discounted pricing on world’s best wine magazines:
    • 25% discount off annual subscription to Decanter
  • Discounted pricing to The Wine & Spirits Education Trust range of wine courses
  • Discounted pricing at Oxford Bookstores
    • 10% discount on a range of WSI recommended wine titles
    • 5% discount on all other titles in the store
  • Discount at Classic Wine Shops in Bangalore – 5% on all purchases
  • Discounts on wines available at BIN END Sales held at prestige restaurants, where you can taste before you buy
  • Preferred pricing on carefully chosen wine accessories:
    • 20% discount on Haier home wine storage chillers to preserve your wine
    • 10% discount on Riedel crystal wine glasses and decanters
    • 10% discount on Screwpull wine-opening products
  • Access to investment-grade wines and en primeur offerings
  • Preference in the event of an IPO of The Wine Society of India
  • Also as a Citibank Platinum Cardholder, I’ll receive a FREE bottle of Bouvet-Ladubay Brut.

 

So what is the cost of membership is what will be in your mind? Simple every quarter they ship 6 bottles of wine which costs Rs. 6,500/- + Rs. 650/- (Transportation Charges) and we must commit to buy atleast 2 shipments in a year…

 

If you want to enroll you can download the form from The Wine Society of India site and you can email it or fax it or Snail mail it… If you give my name as reference I’ll get 2 wine bottles as reference gift and I’m ready to share one with you :)…

 

So this is what I’m getting in my first shipment? That will be my next blog post… For now I’m getting wines from 6 different countries and for more details keep your fingers crossed….