Life Mantra

Entrepreneur or a Wantrepreneur? The TradeBriefs

trying to research everything I can about investing - and I am drowning in rotten information!

In my line of work, I not only need deep knowledge about investing in stocks, I also need to know what other people are writing about it.

Obviously, then, I am reading a whole lot of terrible ideas.

How on earth do I sift through all this noise to get at what's good and valuable?

In fact, how does any professional or business leader stay updated on their sector without wasting a lot of time or losing their mind?

With great relief, I found my answer in TradeBriefs.

Sreevijay Kumar, Managing Director and Founder of TradeBriefs, took his passion for collecting information and sharing knowledge to a whole new level.

Every day, TradeBriefs shares the information they collect with more than 1.3 million subscribers.

If you are a professional or top management and you need to stay on top of your industry - whatever your industry is - you no longer have to spend your weekends pouring over newspapers and journals and websites just trying to keep up.

TradeBriefs' newsletters will keep you informed. They present valuable ideas, with the core gist summarised, analysed, and presented in a way that saves you a bucket of time and energy.

Impressed with this simple yet brilliant business idea, I asked Sreevijay how he became so successful. I find the idea of starting a business pretty scary myself, so I asked him... 'Did you do this all by yourself?'

His answer surprised me and gave me hope. And it will do the same for you. Here is Sreevijay's story in his own words...

What inspired you to start TradeBriefs?

Sharing knowledge has always been a passion for me. I like to try and make sense of the world and share it in a way that keeps people informed and knowledgeable. When we had started a retail newsletter as a side project for a previous retail training business, it started becoming popular. Hence the inspiration to do this for all business content, targeting professionals.

What content does TradeBriefs disseminate - how did you choose this subject?

TradeBriefs focuses on the needs of the professional and top management. The subject areas are business verticals like Retail, Telecom, IT, Finance, etc. Overall, we cover 14 industry verticals, as well as management theory and futurism (leading edge tech, AI, etc.)

We use a combination of data and expert editorial insight to ensure we stay interesting to our subscribers. The editors understand what's on the top of the mind of today's CEOs in various sectors. The open and click data tells us what the readers prefer to read. We use a combination of both to keep improving our content offering.

How does a platform like TradeBriefs help entrepreneurs and businessmen?

It is directly relevant to their job and career. For example, someone in the telecom industry needs to know what the competition and government are up to, as well as latest trends from around the world in their industry, in management theory and technology.

Entrepreneurs can stay updated on the latest in their industry, as well as get a bird's eye view of the business scenario in India. They can also get exposed to the latest management practices and trends from around the world - all this in one email every day.

What has the response to TradeBriefs been so far, locally and internationally?

TradeBriefs has 1.3 million daily subscribers. Most of them are from India. 20% are top management (Director, CXO), 25% are owners of small businesses. Our target audience is the HNI audience as well as the top management at companies.

What is TradeBriefs' business model?

The business model is based on niche advertising. Our advertising clients include global names such as IBM, BMW, Standard Chartered, Samsung. We work with brands that are trying to reach top management or HNIs.

So the reader doesn't have to pay to get your emails? That's brilliant. How did you get funding to start, though?

We raised a seed round from 500 Startups, a VC firm in Silicon Valley. Our traction spoke for itself. We also participated in their accelerator program in Mountain View, California, which was immensely beneficial in helping apply global best practices at TradeBriefs.

What have you learned from starting and growing this venture?

Starting up and sustaining oneself is tough. One can have a 'startup' mindset, or a 'dhandha' mindset, having both is extremely difficult. Real innovation needs deep pockets. But one can micro-innovate and keep doing that and build a moat that hopefully helps you sustain and grow your business.

That sounds like great advice for entrepreneurs! What are some trends you see in entrepreneurship in India and the world?

I think the startup hype cycle has died down now, so those remaining should be real entrepreneurs and not wantrepreneurs. Funding is great, but it is important to build a profitability DNA in every company.

Today's entrepreneurs solving Indian problems can leave a mark on society and inspire the next generation to start companies. Entrepreneurs need to be resilient, keep their eyes and ears open for opportunities and build a team that can grow with them.

What is the one thing holding back entrepreneurs in India?

The environment for entrepreneurship in India can be challenging. Small and medium businesses suffer from large customers not paying on time. Understanding government regulations is a challenge for those new to the sector. If an entrepreneur can learn and overcome these certain set of challenges, growth prospects remain tremendous.

I've heard many people complain about a lack of support for entrepreneurs in India? How did you manage completely on your own?

This is where I feel that the ASCENT program provides a strong support network through fellowship and innovation development playing a pivotal role in filling the huge gap. The foundation provides the right environment for entrepreneurs to express themselves and build on ideas.

[ASCENT FOUNDATION IS A NON-PROFIT SUPPORT GROUP FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESSMAN STARTED BY HARSH MARIWALA OF MARICO.]

Do you feel ASCENT helps entrepreneurs achieve scalable and sustainable growth?

The ASCENT group that a member is a part of acts as a pseudo-board. Members can discuss hiring, funding, basically any issue that matters to move the needle. The stepping back and discussing with peers helps in ensuring one is not stuck in a rut. Since members are assigned into groups which ensures there is no direct competitor threat, there is no hesitancy in the exchange of ideas. The platform also helps in engaging entrepreneurs which are at the same stage of growth with respect to scaling.

The platform plays an incredible role for members to get a better understanding into the mindset and concerns of investors which keep changing from time to time.

That is a great tip. Sounds like all entrepreneurs interested in growing should consider reaching out to the ASCENT Foundation. They have TRUST groups in several cities, and membership is completely free if you meet their criteria, funded by Harsh Mariwala since it's his passion project.

Any other advice for our readers who want to take the giant leap into entrepreneurship?

-Think before you leap. Do it only if you are passionate about the space in which you are starting the business. That will give you the strength to overcome the day-to-day challenges. Top line is vanity, bottomline is sanity, but only cash flow is reality!

Story

A Mindful Breath-Counting Practice for Teens and Tweens

Dr. Mark Bertin contributes to Mindful with guided meditations and courses designed to bring health and mindfulness into everyday life. He is a developmental pediatrician, an author, a mindfulness teacher, and on faculty at New York Medical College and the Windward Teacher Training Institute.

What are the best hacks to live a better life?

Most people are fucking idiots . You’ve to accept this in life,

If your relationship is struggling & you’re not married, getting married & having kids won’t make it any better. Look at yourself with brutal honesty & make changes,

Fun is a powerful key . It’s so powerful that your friends become more interested in you just solely coz you’re FUN,

Feeling offended is a choice . The moment you let somebody else’s words upset you, you’ve let somebody else defeat you,

Some people can’t function without negativity coz bringing down others make them feel better,

The more they pursue you , the more they invest in you . Don’t make he/she too comfortable with your availability

Hypocrisy’s human nature . Your inability to live alone is the reason why you don’t enjoy your relationships. Fix yourself,

Confidence & courage aren’t the same. You can’t be confident about something you’ve no experience in . Knowing the difference makes the difference,

If you don’t control the way how you think, someone else will,

If you save more than you spend , you’re unstoppable . You’re not going to be happy when you’re broke,

It’s easy to get triggered when life isn’t going your way. But if we can accept life will never always go our way , even the worst times are more tolerable,

When you don’t have money to invest, use your time & effort . Be mindful of your habits, actions & how they both compound,

Before putting someone in their place, make sure that you’re in yours ,

Taking control of your life is the only way to make it better,

Just Chill.!!

How to stop worrying

Worry is a 97% waste of time

The book "The Worry Cure" (Leahy, 2005) explains how 85% of the things we worry about have positive outcomes. And from the 15% that turns out negative, 79% of us handle the situation better than we expect. That means 97% of the times we worry; it's not a big deal.

Think this: "What's the worst that could happen?"

It's also quite ironic that if we worry about something, and we do think: "What's the worst that could happen?" Then go on and visualize the worst possible scenario; our worries will fade away! It may sound strange, but it works.

A Guided Meditation for Turning Awareness into Action

Michelle Maldonado, coauthor of A Bridge To Better: An Open Letter To Humanity and Resource Guide, shares a guided meditation for strengthening our ability to be self-aware, self-actualized, and self-determined as we co-create our emerging new reality and world together.

This is a foundational awareness practice designed to help bring about three key insights: clarity of intention; understanding of our power, presence, and impact; and opportunities for wise action-taking. If we take a moment to consider how complex, volatile, and uncertain current societal conditions are, as well as the spectrum of emotions we are feeling individually and collectively, it is easy to feel a sense of overwhelm and confusion about how to engage with the world from a place of strength, groundedness, and calm.

13-Minute Meditation Practice for Wise Action

In this practice, we will move through the four stages of human bridge-building. We’ll explore how we show up in each of the four transformation quadrants of self, family, community, and organizations. The breath we focus on is the normal flow of the in-and-out breath, allowing it to rest in its natural rhythm and cadence, as we meet what arises with self-compassion and curiosity.

1. To begin, silently set an intention for yourself to be open and curious about what comes up, receiving what arises with equanimity. You may sit or stand comfortably, just allowing whichever position you choose to let you feel both alert and relaxed. Feel free to close your eyes or cast them in a softened downward gaze.

2. Next, let’s take three deep breaths in and out. Allowing your mind to settle…your body to settle…and your breath to settle into its natural rhythm. Breathing in and out as we explore how we can build bridges with others to serve as agents of transformation.

Self

3. First, let us bring our attention to our heart space by gently placing a hand over the heart, allowing it to simply rest there. Placing a hand over the heart can often bring us comfort when we explore difficult thoughts, emotions, or experiences.

4. Next, see what you notice: perhaps the weight of your palm against your chest, or a temperature difference in the space underneath your palm, or maybe even the sensation of each heart beat as you expand your awareness. Taking it all in with a gentle inhale and exhale.

5. Over the next few moments, I invite you to consider these three things:

How did I show up in the world today?

How did my privilege show up through me?

What actions can I take to help become more aware of my privilege and its impact on others?

We don’t have to know all the answers. We are simply inviting in reflection and introspection to allow insights and awareness of body and mind to arise. Whatever arises, see if you can meet it with self-compassion and curiosity.

Family

6. Taking three deep breaths in and out, let us bring our attention back to our breath. Allowing the mind and body to let go of the thoughts just reflected on for self-inquiry.

7. Now, let us consider the next quadrant of family. For many, family is where we learned our values, roles, and the lens through which we view life and others. With kindness and curiosity, I invite you to consider what key values you learned from your family and how they might impact your view of people who are not like you. If you like, you may continue to place your hand over your heart or return it to your heart to support you in reflection on ways your family experience has informed how you perceive the world. Focusing on the breath, notice any sensations in your body. Where are they? What do they feel like? If, at any time, this reflection becomes too difficult, please feel free to open your eyes or, if needed, pause or stop to honor self-care needs.

Community

8. Bringing your attention back to the sensation of your breath. Perhaps noticing the sound of your breath or the sensation of the whole body breathing as you let go of thoughts and reflections of family. If any difficult emotions remain, you may want to curl, squeeze, and then uncurl and stretch your fingers, allowing any tension to release with each stretch.

9. Let us now turn our attention to community. Coming to awareness of privilege and the role of family in our perceptions of the world, we can now begin to see how we may be navigating the world and the quality of our presence in it…beginning with our communities. Next, let’s consider how we move through our communities.

With whom do you tend to interact in your community?

And with whom do you not interact?

Why?… Go deeper… Why?

10. And now, for these next few moments, consider how you might show up differently in your community.

Organizations

11. Let’s bring our attention back to our breath as we let go of our thoughts about community. Breathing in and out. In and out.

12. In these last few moments, let us now turn our attention to the organizations in which (or with whom) we work. At this point, we may have gleaned some insights about our privilege, the nature and impact of our presence, and how our families have shaped how we interact with and perceive the world and people around us. Bringing this forward, let’s consider how these factors influence how we show up at work or with clients. See if you can notice where your lens of perception may need broadening or clarity. Is there a specific person or group of people that you hold with judgment and certainty? If so, bring them to mind and see if you can offer loving-kindness to help you shift from judgment and certainty to discernment, kindness, and curiosity.

What do you notice?

What do you feel in your body?

What stories or mental narratives arise when you think of this person or these people?

What can you do differently to model and create a brave and safe space for all to flourish?

Let us rest here for the next few moments in contemplation.

12. Taking three deep breaths in and out, letting go of thoughts and bringing your attention back to the sensation of your breath. As you close this meditation, I invite you to journal on what came up for you and what action steps you may wish to take.

This practice is based on the four stages of human bridge-building outlined in A Bridge To Better: An Open Letter To Humanity and Resource Guide.

SPORTSMANSHIP

Everyone should required to have sportsman attitude in life.

While playing a game sportsman knows that it is only one game, he can win or lose. If he wins, he will play another game and he loses, he will have nother game to play. Further paying of each game become his routing and also passion. Till his stamina allows , he used to play. Even in one game when he is trailing behind, he knows that he can come back with playing skillfully and with more determination. He will not sulk that why he is trailing. Even after looing game, he used to shake hand with his opponent .

Same Mantra should be applied to all spheres of life. If students fails in exami, he can reapper, and even it it was last he can appear in another type of exam. So failure in one exam will not be end of road.

Similarly failure in one profession, job, love, freindship, project , acheiving goal and target will not be end of road , and all these has to accepted as routine part of life.