Yesterday happened to see Rocket Singh Salesman of the year movie.

Let me get the good out of the way.

There is corruption everywhere. Wrong decisions, inflated bills are accepted with a bribe to get the sale. Bad for the company, bad for the industry, bad for the end consumers. This segment is the only good part of the movie.

Other than this – I was squirming while watching the movie.

Bad 1

Misusing company’s (AYS corporation) resources while building his company ( Rocket ). They do justify in the movie that our hero is insulted as zero by AYS’s boss. Rocket’s employees will use AYS’s van for transporting equipments, they will work during the night and sleep during the day in the office – while drawing salary from AYS.

Bad 2

Rocket team had the honour not to divert existing leads that come to AYS. However, they dug out the old leads which have declined AYS. AYS would have spent lot of marketing dollars, WoM to generate leads. Also the reasons for declining AYS might have been – lack of budget that time, not a good champion at the other end, no requirement etc. Rocket cannot steal the old leads of AYS.

Bad 3

This pissed me off. The whole bane of Indian Startups – undercutting to get a business. Rocket’s differentiators – undercut AYS and also offer 24×7 Support – which is not sustainable. This kills the industry as it creates unreasonable expectations.

I would have appreciated Rocket if they had charged more than AYS’s support to offer 24×7 and quick turn around time and convinced the customer – which is harder to sell. How could they sustain at cheap rates and give quality support? [ If your employees draw salary from another company – AYS – may be. ].

Undercutting, giving cash back, giving discounts, throwing freebies – it is the easy way to sell – and is not sustainable. Company will lose eventually. Customers will lose. The Industry dies.

Selling a quality product at a price it deserves is the hard way to sell – which is sustainable. Customers will win. Company wins. The industry they both operate will thrive.

Rocket Singh is a bad movie for budding entrepreneurs.

1. Thou shalt not steal your existing employee’s resources.
2. Thou shalt not steal your existing employee’s leads
3. Thou shalt not capture business by undercutting your competitor at unsustainable rates.

Some good lessons where there though

1. Say no to corruption – everywhere – even in Private sector
2. Business is about People.

My only prayer is hope these wrong lessons are not picked up by young entrepreneurs and they ask these questions before mis-using existing company’s resources or starting a race to the bottom death match with their competitors.

I wish there is a Rocket Singh – II. And the movie continues where it left so we know how Rocket manages the low costs he is giving.

I ran 10K last on 06th August 2017.

After that the maximum I touched was 8k – rarely. Most of my runs were 4 5 or 6 kms.

Partly because I did not find any good audio book. I fondly remember the days when I used to run with Three Body Problem, Ender’s world – all kept me on my toes ( literally ).

Summer heat, difficult audio books ( Ubik, Diamond Age ) – weren’t helping.

Today my running friend – Akshay – joined me. This is how usually runners talk

He : How much today?

Me : Trying 10. 2 down. How about you?

He : 21 yesterday, planning 10 today.

Me : Wow. Lets do it.

I switch off my audio book. I know Akshay tells Ohm while he runs. When I dont listen I keep telling Om Ma Nee Pad Me Hum.

I think about these mantras. They are powerful and slowly chip into your soul.

2 or 3 rounds around the lake, we run across his son. 14 year old – he comes with us for a full round as we talk about cricket. He is a fast bowler. We egg his ego. But he drops off after a round.

I complete my 10k. Satisfying run.

I do my stretches and lie on the grass spread eagled. It starts drizzling. It was magical.

Here are a few photos of the lake – It is in AECS layout. Mud track. Trees are growing up well.

A huge Thank you lake activists. You have no idea how much I love this paradise you guys have helped create.

BBMP – The corporate body in charge of Bangalore – which keeps roads pot hole free, streets free of trash, lakes without foam, keeps underpasses dry during monsoon – was able to carve out free time to brainstorm and come up with a new law – to regularize pets.

BBMP has put up a list of allowed breeds in Apartment Complexes. Sufi who happens to be a Beagle is now an illegal immigrant as of today. Sufi, Trump also hates you now.

And it is not over – there is a new rule now – only one pet per apartment is allowed. And Indies are not in the list either. Good luck Carbon ( Sufi’s friend living in a nearby Apartment ).

To tackle pet breeders they justify. I tell this to Sufi and she does a face palm with her cute paws.

Instead of punishing all pet lovers – why can’t they legalize and regularize pet breeding. Right now it is done illegally and the poor animals are exploited. The mothers are made to give birth every 6 months for 14 years at a stretch and are reduced to machines and then let loose on the street – and not knowing how to fend for themselves – die a miserable death.

BBMP’s intention – I appreciate and am grateful – is right. But their law will just be like the trash clogging the storm water drains – is of no use and will cause more problems for everyone.

This law is not going to curb pet breeders. Now they will give you an additional service. Apart from selling a puppy out of their puppy mill – for an additional charge will get you a license. More money for breeders, the officials. Ka-Ching.

This reminds me of how the IT Department went after Angel Investments in Startups.

Startups get investment on the valuation suggested by the founders ( ahemm.. on a huge discount ). This is not an income to the startup. Even a 3rd grader knows this.

One wily politician ( no names here – dont have energy to fight lawsuits ) – used this route to park his ill-gotten money as investment in fictitious companies.

The IT Department was asked to go after such investments. Now that everything is automated – the IT Department officials did a Select-All, Mail Merge and sent threatening letters to all Startups who raised Angel Investment – to treat this investment as income – and so you should pay tax. Some – like us – have used up all the money in building the business. Some had shut down and the founders had moved on.

All the Startup founders collectively face palmed, panicked and had one more reason to lose sleep upon.

Startups now engaged their Auditors – who relished such a battle – replies were sent, demands to appear on such and such date was made, personal appearances were made on behalf of the startup by the auditor ( everything billed to the Startup once again – with GST mind you ).

And the wily politician? Oh they have the means and resources to tackle such notices.

Being the victim of 2 such laws ( Pet Law and Angel Tax ) – cannot help laughing at the situation.

So what will happen to Sufi?

I am not too worried. Sufi is backed by Beagle Brigade. The group which rescued such Beagles from the clutches of Laboratory which used Animals for testing cosmetic products. I am confident they will get Beagle included in the list.

My real worry is – why is BBMP burning its midnight oil on such Pet laws. Monsoon is charging up as we speak and Bangalore is going to become one big messy pool. The road to our apartment complex has been dug up on the left for GAIL gas pipe line and a drainage on right. Not yet relaid. It is a muddy mess with vehicles getting stuck. When it rains what will happen?

Sigh.

My last post was in January 2018 and it was an effortless post – just a book round up of 2017 books I read.

From then to now lots have happened.

Rajinikanth has announced his entry into politics.

Flipkart got acquired by Walmart.

CSK won the IPL tournament.

BJP struggles to win

Trump is not yet impeached.

Spectre Bug

Bitcoin went up and down and out of news now.

And yet it all went unobserved by me.

So my future self on a rebirth who somehow discovers this blog – or an alien race researching on why the Earth imploded – a big part of history will be missing.

My future Self and aliens – I am resuming my blogging.

Unblocking the Bloggers Block – let my ideas flow and live in the ether.