Last night I decided to forsake profits for market share. I slashed prices(well actually, inspired by the MSGTAG people i put up a discount coupon)by 40%. This should hopefully start bringing in the people. With the discount offering, the price is really really low and with a price-conscious Indian market its the only thing i could do. I also sat and mailed nearly 50addresses that I had collected over a few weeks. Analytics hasn't started to show anything but its early days. I actually wanted to upgrade my MSGTAG product and then send out the mails, but decided to wait till i bring in some money. I know you need to spend money to make money but i've spent enough already.
I've also activated adwords for the other site. Currently I have 2 ads running which while getting a lot of impressions havent generated any clicks. I'm targetting a niche category so i suppose that plays a part.
Waiting with fingers crossed.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
Dumped!!
Just like that. Up until a few days ago I could proudly say I was the Center Manager for the place where I worked. Even though I knew it was only temp I still enjoyed it, took it seriously. From the previous post you'll know that the Big Boss Man wasnt entirely happy with my performance vis-a-vis target sales. I've always sucked at Marketing/Sales hell my first company would have done a whole lot better if i'd been any good at marketing :D
But I still didnt expect this.
On a weekly Tuesday meeting, it was announced that somebody else was the new CM. I was shocked. When they wanted it, they asked me but if they were going to replace me, the decent thing would have been to atleast inform me about it? I spent the rest of the meeting in numb silence.
Given the amount of crazy paper work that CMs are now being asked to fill, in some ways I am glad I am no longer the CM. That still doesnt take the sting out of what happened. While I have no intention to brood over it, I havent told the family yet. I have no idea how they are going to react and I dont want to know. All i'm going to do is focus on company2, my GMAT and my MBA prep.
But I still didnt expect this.
On a weekly Tuesday meeting, it was announced that somebody else was the new CM. I was shocked. When they wanted it, they asked me but if they were going to replace me, the decent thing would have been to atleast inform me about it? I spent the rest of the meeting in numb silence.
Given the amount of crazy paper work that CMs are now being asked to fill, in some ways I am glad I am no longer the CM. That still doesnt take the sting out of what happened. While I have no intention to brood over it, I havent told the family yet. I have no idea how they are going to react and I dont want to know. All i'm going to do is focus on company2, my GMAT and my MBA prep.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
$100!!
Just closed a student :-) Not only is it my largest sale till date its worth more than all my previous transactions put together. Which is kinda sad if you think about it. I had so many hopes and dreams for this and it never did take off the way I had hoped it would. The Big Boss Man recently told me that the one thing he saw lacking in me was "Fire in my Belly" the desire to meet deadlines. I was more laid back more content to let things happen and he said that that way, I would never be able to achieve much no matter which field I chose. In some ways, I had already been wondering if that was true about me and this direct pointing out only confirmed it for me. I looked back on the website venture or any other venture and saw that each time i started something, I never followed it through. I was content to let things happen.
This has got to change. After all, even the $100 student hasnt paid up. Only promised to.
This has got to change. After all, even the $100 student hasnt paid up. Only promised to.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Prototyping Prototyping
So I finally get my hands on one model. Its a beauty!! I've shown it off to a few people as well as to the lady who's helping me with the import tax part and even she liked it!! Minor hitches with respect to hardware required ( power adaptor, card reader) but both should soon be sorted out. Once all this gets sorted, then only Marketing and Sales is left. Wishful thinking na :-D
On the other hand, for the other company i thought prototyping and then manufacturing would be easier than this. However things hardly seem to have improved. I dont even have a single prototype and that's pretty sad considering it shouldnt have take so long. Its a pretty simple thing so why on earth am i taking so long??
Many things to work.
On the other hand, for the other company i thought prototyping and then manufacturing would be easier than this. However things hardly seem to have improved. I dont even have a single prototype and that's pretty sad considering it shouldnt have take so long. Its a pretty simple thing so why on earth am i taking so long??
Many things to work.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
A look back
over the past 3months since I quit my job. Wow! When I though about writing this post I wanted to do it exactly 3months, thinking 5th. I just realised that 2nd was the day I quit my previous job so it all works out well.
So, the past 3months have been interesting. It was fun in the beginning. I got to attend seminars, bataao gyaan and talk to students abt GD/PIs and CAT. I guess after having given the CAT 3 times I am reasonably qualified so I enjoyed the process. Since the Boss Man was busy with his other venture, I got sent to the Ameerpet center where I am to this day. My responsibility there was simple-- take classes, counsel students and generally lend a helping hand.
That was 2months ago. Now I am beginning to tire of it all. Its getting boring. I havent been paid properly even once since i started work so that's on my mind too. Its the same old routine--Get up, go to the center, stay till closing time come back home. If there's a class, prep for it and take it. The annoying thing is that sometimes I get Monday morning class while there have been times when I've got early morning class Saturday to Monday!! I am now Center InCharge but that's not a big thing. As usual, there's no one at the center to handle stuff so I get the position. Funny na, even at Exaband i was becoming Team Lead because there was nobody else. If this is how I am going to get all my promotions in life, I am going to be one sad little boy in life :-p
The heat as usual is bad. The only saving grace is that unlike last year, where I was all alone, this year atleast Ronnie's in town. So every once in a while I get to catch a movie. Which is, I assure you, a whole lot better than last year :-D
Mom is putting pressure that I should seriously think abt leaving this. I had a cushier job at Exaband. Paid well too. I would have been getting 42 there compared to the 24 I am making now. Sundays AND Saturdays were off. The only way i console myself is by knowing that if we were to start what we are actually supposed to start, then its going to be worth it.
The Question is--When are we actually going to Start?
So, the past 3months have been interesting. It was fun in the beginning. I got to attend seminars, bataao gyaan and talk to students abt GD/PIs and CAT. I guess after having given the CAT 3 times I am reasonably qualified so I enjoyed the process. Since the Boss Man was busy with his other venture, I got sent to the Ameerpet center where I am to this day. My responsibility there was simple-- take classes, counsel students and generally lend a helping hand.
That was 2months ago. Now I am beginning to tire of it all. Its getting boring. I havent been paid properly even once since i started work so that's on my mind too. Its the same old routine--Get up, go to the center, stay till closing time come back home. If there's a class, prep for it and take it. The annoying thing is that sometimes I get Monday morning class while there have been times when I've got early morning class Saturday to Monday!! I am now Center InCharge but that's not a big thing. As usual, there's no one at the center to handle stuff so I get the position. Funny na, even at Exaband i was becoming Team Lead because there was nobody else. If this is how I am going to get all my promotions in life, I am going to be one sad little boy in life :-p
The heat as usual is bad. The only saving grace is that unlike last year, where I was all alone, this year atleast Ronnie's in town. So every once in a while I get to catch a movie. Which is, I assure you, a whole lot better than last year :-D
Mom is putting pressure that I should seriously think abt leaving this. I had a cushier job at Exaband. Paid well too. I would have been getting 42 there compared to the 24 I am making now. Sundays AND Saturdays were off. The only way i console myself is by knowing that if we were to start what we are actually supposed to start, then its going to be worth it.
The Question is--When are we actually going to Start?
Thursday, April 26, 2007
5/3
No! I know my Maths!! And No! I havent typed it wrong. No it isn't a date! Yes I wear specs but No! that's not my number. No that's not the number of failed to successful businesses. No its not the ratio of failed to successful love stories either.
So then???
Its my Google Rank!! Atleast for the new site. But still!!! 5 or 3!!! Depending on the way I search for the term!!!
5 if I use the term i think is most likely to be searched for and 3 with a slight tweaking.
I had a read a bit about SEO for my earlier venture and I remember, when deciding on the name, that a correctly chosen name would shoot me up the Google rankings. I certainly didnt expect to be on the first page! Ok, I hoped to be there but still to actually see it is well :-D
Have been having trouble with the image creation. I initially asked an artist friend if he would do it and at that point I told him I didnt have much money so asked if he would do it for free/some small token amount. When's he's almost done the job he asks for 5k! I mean, wtf???
We've finally settled on 1K but that experience was rather weird to say the least.
Anyway, time to go make some money off my new rankings :-D
So then???
Its my Google Rank!! Atleast for the new site. But still!!! 5 or 3!!! Depending on the way I search for the term!!!
5 if I use the term i think is most likely to be searched for and 3 with a slight tweaking.
I had a read a bit about SEO for my earlier venture and I remember, when deciding on the name, that a correctly chosen name would shoot me up the Google rankings. I certainly didnt expect to be on the first page! Ok, I hoped to be there but still to actually see it is well :-D
Have been having trouble with the image creation. I initially asked an artist friend if he would do it and at that point I told him I didnt have much money so asked if he would do it for free/some small token amount. When's he's almost done the job he asks for 5k! I mean, wtf???
We've finally settled on 1K but that experience was rather weird to say the least.
Anyway, time to go make some money off my new rankings :-D
Friday, March 02, 2007
Sabbatical!
Well it certainly feels that way. After I quit Exaband, I've been hanging out at one of India's top MBA coaching institute helping out with the place, taking classes, counselling students, pretending to be a mentor, attending college fests, acting as a judge , acting as an interviewer, ......... :-)
I've really enjoyed myself this past 1 month. Doing all of the above things is a welcome change from my old IT job. Working on my public speaking skills, presentation skills, time management-- lots of things that I probably wouldnt have done had I continued in my old job.
Feels Good :-)
p.s. Company 3 seems to have hit a roadblock but Company 4 seems to have hit an unexpected smooth patch. Win some to lose some I guess. No complaints :-)
I've really enjoyed myself this past 1 month. Doing all of the above things is a welcome change from my old IT job. Working on my public speaking skills, presentation skills, time management-- lots of things that I probably wouldnt have done had I continued in my old job.
Feels Good :-)
p.s. Company 3 seems to have hit a roadblock but Company 4 seems to have hit an unexpected smooth patch. Win some to lose some I guess. No complaints :-)
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow/Thank You EXABAND
Friday was my last working day at Exaband. For those of you who know me, you also know how much I cribbed about having to work there. Yet, when I finally had my papers in hand, I couldnt bring myself to leave. Exaband was my first job and I met a lot of people whom I know I will stay in touch with for the rest of my life. I spent only 2 years there and yet, I felt more sad at leaving that place than I did when I was leaving college. I wandered the office for a little over an hour remembering incidents at each floor. I was periliously close to tears. Nowhere have I ever received the warmth and love as I did at Exaband. The people there genuinely cared about me, the knew I lived alone so if I didnt turn up for work without prior intimation, they'd call me up to check what was happening. They put up with me during my mood swings,brought me sweets during their festivals, encouraged and helped me improve my Telugu and were genuinely happy for me when I told them I was leaving to start-up a company.
In many ways, this post is tribute, a Thank You to EXABAND. Words cannot describe how much I love you or how much I am going to miss you.
In many ways, this post is tribute, a Thank You to EXABAND. Words cannot describe how much I love you or how much I am going to miss you.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Hmm...
I remember the first time I made a sale, I was so excited I couldn't stop laughing and prancing all over the house. I called up everybody close to me and those who knew about what I was doing to share the good news.
Today morning I saw that I had made another sale. And all I could think of was "Hmm, I hope she mails in everything correctly" and quickly shot off a "Welcome" mail. No excitement over it.
Hmm...
p.s. I really should start remembering to log in to Meebo.
Today morning I saw that I had made another sale. And all I could think of was "Hmm, I hope she mails in everything correctly" and quickly shot off a "Welcome" mail. No excitement over it.
Hmm...
p.s. I really should start remembering to log in to Meebo.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Awesome Feeling!!
The other day my future boss(The Boss Man) called me because sitting in front of him was someone who was into Market Research and TheBossMan wanted to know if we should/would utilise his services :-) He ended the call saying that I should think of the type of people I would want working under me.
What an awesome feeling that was!! I get to decide whom we hire!! And they'll be working under ME!!!
He then calls the next day to know more about the same since apparently he's been meeting a lot of people who are looking for a job and who he thinks could be a fit.
Man I couldnt stop grinning all day.
I met him today over dinner and go to work tomorrow. I also have to buy a laptop :-)
Awesome feeling!!!!
What an awesome feeling that was!! I get to decide whom we hire!! And they'll be working under ME!!!
He then calls the next day to know more about the same since apparently he's been meeting a lot of people who are looking for a job and who he thinks could be a fit.
Man I couldnt stop grinning all day.
I met him today over dinner and go to work tomorrow. I also have to buy a laptop :-)
Awesome feeling!!!!
Monday, January 08, 2007
Cut your losses!
Cancelled the ad today. Man that was a bad investment. I've run it for a while and got only a few clicks early on. After that it was just throwing money away. And I really hate doing that. So I finally cancelled the ad. Pointless really.
Instead what I did was buy a MSGTAG Plus version. Really nifty little tool and I've totally enjoyed it. Since it was on Christmas sale, i got a license for the same price that I was putting on the ad. So while the ad wont run for Jan-Feb, I'll still have spent the same amount of money. This time,however, I think it's money well spent.
That's all the update for now. More later as and when it happens :-D
Instead what I did was buy a MSGTAG Plus version. Really nifty little tool and I've totally enjoyed it. Since it was on Christmas sale, i got a license for the same price that I was putting on the ad. So while the ad wont run for Jan-Feb, I'll still have spent the same amount of money. This time,however, I think it's money well spent.
That's all the update for now. More later as and when it happens :-D
Friday, November 24, 2006
Monday, November 20, 2006
New Beginnings!
In 2 hours I turn 25! A quarter of century. Wondering whether I've really achieved something worthwhile.
New Beginnings!! Isn't that what this post is all about. Isn't it what New Year's Resolutions are all about? Don't we all resolve to turn over a new leaf on Birthdays??
So here's my Resolution for this year
1. To be leaner and fitter. (Really putting on too much weight)
2. To be a nicer person!!! ( Apart from actually nice, appear to be a lot more well read, genuinely smarter, less of a jerk, more of a success.... you know the works!! )
3. To learn to dance :-) ( Now this is something I really want to do)
4. To learn to play the guitar ( This I've been saying for the past 10 years! Long time no?)
Now, since we are talking about new beginnings I have a new job in hand! One that I am really going to take up. Someone I know wants to get into the ___ and he's asked me to join him
Yay!!!
Apart fm the fact that I get a decent salary, I get a stake in the company( we are still working out the details), I get into management and I get to do something I really love. He's also asked me to quit my job! So this is pretty serious!!
Cheers to New Beginnings!!!
New Beginnings!! Isn't that what this post is all about. Isn't it what New Year's Resolutions are all about? Don't we all resolve to turn over a new leaf on Birthdays??
So here's my Resolution for this year
1. To be leaner and fitter. (Really putting on too much weight)
2. To be a nicer person!!! ( Apart from actually nice, appear to be a lot more well read, genuinely smarter, less of a jerk, more of a success.... you know the works!! )
3. To learn to dance :-) ( Now this is something I really want to do)
4. To learn to play the guitar ( This I've been saying for the past 10 years! Long time no?)
Now, since we are talking about new beginnings I have a new job in hand! One that I am really going to take up. Someone I know wants to get into the ___ and he's asked me to join him
Yay!!!
Apart fm the fact that I get a decent salary, I get a stake in the company( we are still working out the details), I get into management and I get to do something I really love. He's also asked me to quit my job! So this is pretty serious!!
Cheers to New Beginnings!!!
Monday, October 02, 2006
Time is Money
Last week I was 1 step away from paying for advertising. So why didnt I? Money!! I was going to pay by Credit Card but there were a coupla things I hadnt completed(The About Us page and 1 lesson) so I held it off. The major contributing factor was that my Credit Card billing date is the 6th and any purchase made after that is payable on the 26th of the next month. So I've postponed the billing till the 6th. Obviously my ad wont show till the 7th.
And there's my worry.
Just to save a few bucks, am I losing out big time? I like to think not. The people who are going to find me from the advertising are not likely to not buy anything simply because I am a coupla weeks late. However, the class program that I am advertising-- will that get affected?I will have lost 1 month of the academic year so how am I going to balance that out?? Today is already the 2nd and 5 more days!! That's all I need. Unfortunately 6th is a Saturday so there wont be anything happening till the 9th,Monday.
I only hope I dont lose too much because of this decision.
And there's my worry.
Just to save a few bucks, am I losing out big time? I like to think not. The people who are going to find me from the advertising are not likely to not buy anything simply because I am a coupla weeks late. However, the class program that I am advertising-- will that get affected?I will have lost 1 month of the academic year so how am I going to balance that out?? Today is already the 2nd and 5 more days!! That's all I need. Unfortunately 6th is a Saturday so there wont be anything happening till the 9th,Monday.
I only hope I dont lose too much because of this decision.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Biz Skool Business Plan Competitions
So there are two business plan competitions--One at MICA and the other at IIT-Mumbai.
The deadline for MICA's is 28th and for the other is 1st October. I've decided to submit a BP to both but the best part is I havent gotten down to writing one.I've already got enough work to do with changing the front page,finish writing the content for the site, put up a "About Us" page ASAP since the place I am going to advertise is waiting for my moolah and I'd rather have the new content up before going live.
I should mention that the plan I am going with for the Biz Skool is not the idea on which this blog is based :-). I've decided to keep that to myself and go with the other. For the other, I even ran a survey on Surveymonkey but I dont need it yet. What I really liked about that survey was that in filled in a very short time.
Ok enough rambling.
Over the past few weeks, as my site builder got busy and vanished completely, I realised I had to start learning sooner or later how to do what I wanted done to the site. So I did! I fixed the links, I got the Social Media tags working and I started writing more for content(Ok, so the onus of writing content for the site was always on me but :-P ). Plus, I found a new place to advertise and they were more than happy to knock $25 off their set-up fee if only I'd link to their site. Done!! :-D
Also new is my job hunt. I've grown tired of working at the same place, where I realise what I considered important was not considered important by the management(I was drawing on my experience as an entrepreneur and failed online marketeer) so they preferred to continue fixing the Online Leave Management System for the office and I continued to push to optimise the company's product website
Not to mention we had no perks, pay was lousy, and motivation at an all time low. Really, going there to work was a drag and hopefully I'll get out of there soon. I'm talking to somebody for a job and really, if that comes through there's a lot I can now pursue so am really praying for that!
I forgot to mention that I have a somebody who's paid up but hasnt utilised the service available to her.I think I'll be waiting for a few days before writing to her :-)
The deadline for MICA's is 28th and for the other is 1st October. I've decided to submit a BP to both but the best part is I havent gotten down to writing one.I've already got enough work to do with changing the front page,finish writing the content for the site, put up a "About Us" page ASAP since the place I am going to advertise is waiting for my moolah and I'd rather have the new content up before going live.
I should mention that the plan I am going with for the Biz Skool is not the idea on which this blog is based :-). I've decided to keep that to myself and go with the other. For the other, I even ran a survey on Surveymonkey but I dont need it yet. What I really liked about that survey was that in filled in a very short time.
Ok enough rambling.
Over the past few weeks, as my site builder got busy and vanished completely, I realised I had to start learning sooner or later how to do what I wanted done to the site. So I did! I fixed the links, I got the Social Media tags working and I started writing more for content(Ok, so the onus of writing content for the site was always on me but :-P ). Plus, I found a new place to advertise and they were more than happy to knock $25 off their set-up fee if only I'd link to their site. Done!! :-D
Also new is my job hunt. I've grown tired of working at the same place, where I realise what I considered important was not considered important by the management(I was drawing on my experience as an entrepreneur and failed online marketeer) so they preferred to continue fixing the Online Leave Management System for the office and I continued to push to optimise the company's product website
Not to mention we had no perks, pay was lousy, and motivation at an all time low. Really, going there to work was a drag and hopefully I'll get out of there soon. I'm talking to somebody for a job and really, if that comes through there's a lot I can now pursue so am really praying for that!
I forgot to mention that I have a somebody who's paid up but hasnt utilised the service available to her.I think I'll be waiting for a few days before writing to her :-)
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Yikes!!!
On August 15th, my domain registration expired. I, of course, was blissfully unaware having registered with a different e-mail address that I dont normally check(which btw i totally love Google for for not having disabled my account!) . Dufus that I am, I dont realise for quite a while, possibly because even the domain registrants didnt (whatever it is they do to unpaid domains) for a coupla days.
Then a frantic run-around to deposit the money, inform the registrants and beg them to have the site back up as soon as possible.
Just to be safe, this time I've paid for 2 years :-)
Then a frantic run-around to deposit the money, inform the registrants and beg them to have the site back up as soon as possible.
Just to be safe, this time I've paid for 2 years :-)
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
10K
That's the price somebody was willing to buy me out for!!!!
Exciting! Somebody actually thought what I did was exciting enough for them to consider buying me out.
I turned him/her down though. :-)
Obviously I would. This is still my baby. I've spent countless hours on it, solving questions, agonising over my decisions, answering kids,.....................
Still quite emotionally attached to it.
Not to mention that 10K didnt even cover my expenses till date :-D
Exciting! Somebody actually thought what I did was exciting enough for them to consider buying me out.
I turned him/her down though. :-)
Obviously I would. This is still my baby. I've spent countless hours on it, solving questions, agonising over my decisions, answering kids,.....................
Still quite emotionally attached to it.
Not to mention that 10K didnt even cover my expenses till date :-D
Monday, July 10, 2006
Big Blow.
Today, the person I was counting on to bring in new students decided to shut down her venture in favour of being able to spend more time with her kids.
The news is slowly sinking in.
I had so many hopes on this. While I now realise it was foolish to pin so much on 1 thing I so badly wanted this to happen. It would mean so many things
Freedom to quit my tech job
Freedom to do my own thing
Freedom to do something i really enjoy
Freedom from financial worries
Freedom..............
I guess its time to grin, put my chin up and go look for the next big wave .
The news is slowly sinking in.
I had so many hopes on this. While I now realise it was foolish to pin so much on 1 thing I so badly wanted this to happen. It would mean so many things
Freedom to quit my tech job
Freedom to do my own thing
Freedom to do something i really enjoy
Freedom from financial worries
Freedom..............
I guess its time to grin, put my chin up and go look for the next big wave .
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Long while eh?
Yeah its been a while since my last post. 3 months? Lots has happened in between . Lotsa good things and a few bad things.So this is going to be another long post. Atleast I hope so. I never realised how much of a job it is writing a blog. Then again, this is more like a record for me than something i enjoy doing(atleast for the time being) so I guess its bound to feel a little dreary.
Ok, let's see Way back in March, just after my last post, someone I know made a very interesting offer to me. It involved me shifting base from Hyderabad to Nagpur- something i wouldnt have minded if the work(and pay :-D) was good! So I went to Nagpur, checked out the place and the job and the offer(nearly 3 times my then salary).I come back to Hyd and my boss calls me to tell me he wants to talk to me. So I go meet him on a Saturday(when the office is closed btw) where he offers me a pay equivalent to the Nagpur offer plus 3 more. The only hitch was that half was cash and half was stock encashable at the end of the year. Funny na-- get paid peanuts for the greater part of a year and then suddenly everybody wants to give me money :-)
After a lot of talking and thinking, I turned down the Nagpur offer.
That was difficult. That offer also involved teaching as well as the freedom to run my website and to use the resources of my workplace!! What more could i ask for?? Plus they promised to pay for my MBA if i stuck around for three years(an offer matched by my Hyd boss though he didnt give it in writing but then neither did my nagpur boss) and the fact that I'd come back to Hyd in just about a year's time or less. My biggest concern was what I would actually be doing in Nagpur and the fact that it was Nagpur. If I think Hyd's a dead place and I should get outta here, nagpur's worse even by my standards.
Anyway, Nagpur got a No and Hyd got a Yes
I got an interview call from TISS!!
That was thrilling!! I was just glad I got a call from somewhere.Something to show for a year's work. Something to prove "Hey me good too!!"
Turns out they called 750 candidates for 60 seats with the usual reservation thrown in. Given that I was an engineer in a software company, well, you know what my chances were.
Moving on. Somewhere in end April, I got ripped off :-( . A kid mailed me with questions, paid up, and received the solutions. Two days later, he cancelled the payment. A friend told me that 100% of Online-Frauds are committed by Indians or Pakistanis. Unfortunately, this kid was definitely one of them so................................
And finally, one day I was just randomly surfing the net checking out a Free Online Collaboration tool when I chanced upon a post. 1 thing led to another, and I just might be coming into some serious money. Finally!! And the timing couldnt have been more perfect. I was almost going to shut this down since money only seemed to be going out and not coming in. Just keeping my fingers crossed now!!
Hmm, not so long after all. Anyway who cares :-)
Ok, let's see Way back in March, just after my last post, someone I know made a very interesting offer to me. It involved me shifting base from Hyderabad to Nagpur- something i wouldnt have minded if the work(and pay :-D) was good! So I went to Nagpur, checked out the place and the job and the offer(nearly 3 times my then salary).I come back to Hyd and my boss calls me to tell me he wants to talk to me. So I go meet him on a Saturday(when the office is closed btw) where he offers me a pay equivalent to the Nagpur offer plus 3 more. The only hitch was that half was cash and half was stock encashable at the end of the year. Funny na-- get paid peanuts for the greater part of a year and then suddenly everybody wants to give me money :-)
After a lot of talking and thinking, I turned down the Nagpur offer.
That was difficult. That offer also involved teaching as well as the freedom to run my website and to use the resources of my workplace!! What more could i ask for?? Plus they promised to pay for my MBA if i stuck around for three years(an offer matched by my Hyd boss though he didnt give it in writing but then neither did my nagpur boss) and the fact that I'd come back to Hyd in just about a year's time or less. My biggest concern was what I would actually be doing in Nagpur and the fact that it was Nagpur. If I think Hyd's a dead place and I should get outta here, nagpur's worse even by my standards.
Anyway, Nagpur got a No and Hyd got a Yes
I got an interview call from TISS!!
That was thrilling!! I was just glad I got a call from somewhere.Something to show for a year's work. Something to prove "Hey me good too!!"
Turns out they called 750 candidates for 60 seats with the usual reservation thrown in. Given that I was an engineer in a software company, well, you know what my chances were.
Moving on. Somewhere in end April, I got ripped off :-( . A kid mailed me with questions, paid up, and received the solutions. Two days later, he cancelled the payment. A friend told me that 100% of Online-Frauds are committed by Indians or Pakistanis. Unfortunately, this kid was definitely one of them so................................
And finally, one day I was just randomly surfing the net checking out a Free Online Collaboration tool when I chanced upon a post. 1 thing led to another, and I just might be coming into some serious money. Finally!! And the timing couldnt have been more perfect. I was almost going to shut this down since money only seemed to be going out and not coming in. Just keeping my fingers crossed now!!
Hmm, not so long after all. Anyway who cares :-)
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