Goofyspeak

  T The Dichotomous Professional Today's professional often exhibits a dichotomy: one side is genuine, the other contrived. The contrived aspect is typically cloaked in corporate attire, communication, and protocolled behavior. Thus arises the question: Is it necessary to be a dichotomous professional? While conventional wisdom urges authenticity, honesty, and directness, the pressure to conform can lead to a dichotomous existence within the corporate world, suppressing an individual's true nature by compelling them to adopt a facade that aligns superficially with the organization. This self-deceptive dichotomy sets a precedent for expected behavior, solidifying what are considered standard corporate practices; deviations from this norm are deemed unprofessional. Yet, there is hope in the form of innovative start-ups. These companies have challenged the archaic norms of corporate conduct with groundbreaking, radical thinking and disruptive business models that empower individua...

Banking in 2020 Henry Ford once remarked, "It is well enough that the people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning." Looking back at the banking landscape of India in the 1980s, I recall, as a child, how visiting a bank was quite the expedition. Bank officers, with their domineering demeanor, seemed to lord over people's finances, dispensing money as though it were a favor. Customers often spent hours in line, awaiting a summons from the teller—akin to a capricious deity—who delighted in power plays, ill-timed breaks, and even abusive language. This was tolerated because banks, under state control, were heavily regulated. Despite the benefits of state ownership, like financial inclusion and risk mitigation—which, if absent, could spell disaster for banks as witnessed with some international banks—it also quashed the entrepreneurial drive vital for national progress. T...

  Shrinking  Dimensions: Sales and Distribution in a Fintech Startup March 13, 2016 There is an exaggerated hyperactivity in fintech space these days. Couple of years back fintech was anybody’s guess, not so anymore, today every person worth his salt (me included) has heard, read, wrote or spoke on fintech. What took precedence? Finance, technology or potential need of the customer, I think it is a cumulative idea whose time has finally come, a great idea, an even greater delivery platform which satiates a specific need of a customer hitherto un-catered using tech as a tool. However, the challenge still remains in having a sales and distribution structure which is cost effective, gives accelerated customer on-boarding and scalable in nature.Which aspect took precedence? Was it finance, technology, or the potential needs of the customer? I believe it's a combination of all three, an idea whose time has come. It's a brilliant concept, supported by an even more impressive deliver...

Years have passed, yet I cannot forget the poem I read in my 7th grade. Back then, it held only academic significance, aimed at affecting my grades. Subconsciously, it deeply touched my mind, body, and soul. Now, with a 3-year-old child and having lost my father at 62, its relevance has dawned on me. As my father lay on his deathbed, my child's visits sparked a twinkle in his eyes, an innocence matching that in my child's gaze, both unaware of life's impermanence. In his final days, my father became as frail and vulnerable as an infant, signalling the last of man's seven ages. I, too, am traversing these stages, anticipating the transitions that complete life's full circle.

Life is akin to a 100-meter sprint; it's brief, so let's make it sweet. When you think about it, what's so serious about life? Whether it's the seven ages of man or our Hindu philosophy of ashramas, the journey is swift and decisive. Life has its own design, with the beginning and the end being remarkably similar, like two ends of a rope. You are born a child and die almost as one. You arrive with nothing and leave with nothing for your final destination. Yet, everyone must play their part in this rope trick—let life ascend to its highest level. It's not about money or fame. It's about being a good son, daughter, father, mother, friend, brother, sister... What's more pleasurable than being with your loved ones, sharing joy, laughter, sorrows, and even money and fame? Home is where the heart is, and my heart is with those I love. What use is money and fame if it can't be shared with them? This rope is uneven, filled with knots that must be untied together...

What I feel about myself isn't necessarily how you would feel about me. Who I truly am is a completely different question. I was astonished when an associate remarked that I have an attitude. An attitude, me? Upon further introspection, I realized it might be true. Attitude is open to various interpretations, which lead to perceptions. My sense of independence, liberation, and freedom is an expression of my self-belief. If this is perceived as attitude, then it's merely a perception. Ultimately, you are the game changer. You make decisions and are responsible for them. The world will perceive you in its own unique ways. The bottom line is who you are and what you aspire to be. If you aim to be good in life and feel you're not there yet, it's all about your self-perception, which manifests as your attitude in the real world. Drawing from Neo's experience in The Matrix, if you can decipher the codes, you can reach a level where your aspirations and reality merge. You ...