5 Great Things about Working in a Start-Up

working-with-start-up

When you are in a start-up, you need to absorb pressure and deliver the goods. No excuses, no tantrums. You need to be at the top of your game consistently. It’s not easy, but certainly worth it.

The digital world has changed many things in our world. But this is just the start of the disruption tsunami; there will be many more changes that radically transform industries.

So, as someone who is building his career, the most important thing you need to learn is adaptability. People who are happy with what they know become outdated very soon. But start-ups give a unique opportunity for professionals to hone and sharpen their skills.

Here we look at what makes working in a start-up invaluable:

1. Unleash Creativity:

Unleash Creativity

Start-ups don’t succeed doing the regular and the mundane stuff. You are typically working on some innovative aspect of building a product or service. You need to be creative and resourceful.

A start-up gives you ample opportunity to be creative. You get to work on building end to end solutions and also get noticed in the process. A multinational job might not offer so many opportunities for creativity like a start-up.

If you love your job and are creative, start-up can be a heaven for you.

2.  Find Solutions to Complex Problems:

You spend most of your time solving complex problems in a start-up. Your attitude is geared towards finding solutions, not complaining. It makes a world of difference. When you know, you cant get away by making excuses, you have to find a way to find the solutions.

The best start-up employees learn the art of focusing their energies on solving problems. They become solution centric and this attitude helps them become successful.

The time spent solving complex problem shapes their thinking, builds their skill and makes them lucrative for business.

 3.  Your Efforts & Work define Your Success:

Your Efforts & Work define Your Success

There is a law of cause and effect at work in a start-up. It is quite apparent; the quality of your efforts and work directly affects your success.

There is no hiding place in a start-up. You have to give it your best shot. When you are giving your best at what you do, you have the best chance of succeeding. You push yourself and constantly strive to do better.

A start-up career prepares you for taking the toughest challenges head on. It helps you build capabilities that are required for you to be successful.

4.  Amazing Learning:

Constant learning is the first step towards preparing for the future. We no longer live in a world where what you learn in college is relevant to your future. It gets outdated even before you pass out.

A start-up gives you learning opportunities like no other place. There will be constant changes, innovations and tough deadlines.

You learn to handle different aspects of life working in a start-up and at the same time you build a tremendous knowledge base by experimentation & doing things.

5. Work Ethic for Long term future

Work Ethic for Long term future

Start-ups also prepare you for the long run. There is no easy day in a start-up. You need to constantly learn, adapt and deliver. No ifs and buts.

This shapes you as a top professional. You learn to get things done. You are also well equipped to handle shifting priorities, new challenges and even acquire new skills to rebuild your career completely.

In the age, where technology and automation will take over jobs, only people who have a strong work ethic will survive. A start-up work culture prepares you to handle uncertainties, apply yourself and build a long term career.

Not all is Rosy

Not everything is rosy about what working in a start-up. As long as you’re determined and enjoy your work, you can make the most of the start-up environment.

Most of your efforts will end up as failures, you will have to work really hard & stress will be a companion for most of your journey. But this is the breeding ground for greater things for those who believe in what they are doing.

The hardwork and the efforts you put into creating things is your karma. Believe in your sincere efforts and give your best day in day out. When you stay committed and unwavering in your work, you attract great opportunities and build something magnificent in a start-up.

Roads or Temple

Roads or Temple

There has been a 50% increase in accidental deaths due to potholes on roads in the country. Who is to blame? The common man doesnt want temples or mosques, but proper roads first.

HCL Announces Acquisition of Select IBM Software Products for $1.8 billion

HCL

In a regulatory filing HCL Technologies Ltd., an Indian MNC founded  by billionaire Shiv Nadar’s family, has announced acquisition of several IBM software products for $1.8 billion.

The all cash deal is the biggest acquisition ever by HCL and among the biggest in the technology industry. HCL will borrow $300 million to fund the deal, which is expected to close around mid 2019.

Shiv Nadar

HCL further mentioned that the seven software products are in the areas of marketing, security, & collaboration solutions. The purchase includes IBM Connections that enables streaming from social networks, document authorization, blogging, bookmarking, reporting expenses and reviewing emails etc for enterprises.

The software products represent a total addressable market of more than USD 50 billion, HCL said in the filing. Apart from Connections, the other IBM software products bought by HCL include Appscan for Secure application development, BigFix for Secure device management, Unica for marketing campaigns, Commerce for ecommerce development, Portal for digital experience, Notes & Domino for email & rapid application development.

BigFix

The market’s initial response hasn’t been buoyant for HCL. The HCL shares slid 5 percent at the close of the day at BSE Sensex. Some investors questioned the price tag and the return potential of IBM assets which were acquired by HCL.

However, C. Vijayakumar , CEO HCL, remarked, “The deal will help HCL acquire 5,000 customers, a task that would have otherwise taken two decades.”

“It’s a mix of products, some of them are cash cows and some of them will keep growing,” Vijayakumar said. “Some of the products will need some infusion of fresh life to allow them to grow faster.”

As per a market analyst, “Post this deal, the IP business will contribute roughly 20 percent to HCL’s revenue from the current 12 percent.”

The software products are highly scalable and a lucrative investment opportunity for technology firms. The profits from HCL will be invested to buy the IBM software products. The intellectual property and software assets are breeding ground for investors.

HCL with its proven expertise in IT services, consulting and implementation will be looking to make the most of this acquisition. With the push for software products and services on the cloud, scaling up to serve a global market has become more feasible than ever before.

The acquisition of IBM assets also augurs well for the Indian software products and services market. The software industry in India is growing at a rapid clip, despite many predictions of its growth stalling. The traditional services companies are reinventing themselves with digital capabilities.

IBM

The software revenues touched $160 billion in 2017-18 and will continue to grow at 8-9% according to NASSCOM. The Indian software industry is expected to achieve a revenue target of USD 350 billion by 2025 as per NASSCOM.

The HCL acquisition is a reflection of the growing clout of software products business in India. The software services companies in India are also looking at software products and digital business opportunities as the next growth frontier. The Indian software industry offers an unmatched value proposition & would be expected to continue on its growth trajectory.

The era of digital businesses is putting pressure on traditional IT services companies. So, they are looking at good software & digital products for diversifying their business. The digital products are typically SaaS products accessed by customers over internet, which provide scalable and fast growing business opportunities for companies.

6 Great Leadership Lessons from George H W Bush

George Herbert Walker Bush

George Herbert Walker Bush was the 41st President of America. He breathed last on 30 November. He served as the American President from 1989 to 1993. He served as the Vice President of USA from 1981 to 1989 when Ronald Reagan was the president.

He was called Bush Sr. to differentiate him from his eldest son and 43rd President George W Bush, who served two consecutive terms from 2001 to 2009.

The world needs great leaders to steer the fate of humanity to a graceful future. In the echelons of the global leaders, George H.W. Bush remains known for his unassuming style and great statesmanship. He passed away at the age of 94.

He was the son of a Senator. George H.W. Bush also had the distinction of being the youngest fighter pilot in the US Navy in World War II. He also served as the director of the CIA.

Here we look at some of the great words of wisdom on leadership from the former President, George H.W. Bush.

 1. “No problem of human making is too great to be overcome by human ingenuity, human energy, and the untiring hope of the human spirit.”

George H W Bush

Leaders solve problems; they inspire people and believe in their ability to do remarkable things. Persistent efforts can solve the toughest problems.

The greatest leaders inspire their teams to persevere, strive and solve the toughest challenges.

2. “Be bold in your caring, be bold in your dreaming and above all else, always do your best.”

George H W Bush

George H W Bush

 

A leader inspires others to dream and do their best. You will only reach your best, when you give your best. Leaders bring out the best in their people by setting high expectations and making everyone strive to do more.

3. “We know what works. Freedom Works. We know what’s right. Freedom is right.”

George H W Bush

Freedom is an expression of everyone on the planet. Leaders understand that everyone should bring in their uniqueness and give them freedom to be themselves.

4. “I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don’t always agree with them.”

George H W Bush

George H W Bush

 

The mark of a great leader is that he is open minded. Even though he may believe something very strongly, but he is able to change his mind when presented with the right facts.

A successful leader has to be open minded and know when to embrace things contrary to his opinions and beliefs.

5. “I do not mistrust the future; I do not fear what is ahead. For our problems are large, but our heart is larger.”

George H W Bush

Leaders instill courage and faith in their teams. They help them take on big challenges and view them as opportunities without being fearful. They encourage people to look at future with a lens of positivity and enthusiasm.

6. “We are not the sum of our possessions.”

   George H W Bush

George H W Bush

 

A great life is never about what you possess, it is about what you give back. Leaders give back more than they receive. They think beyond instant gratification and temporary possessions.

The best leaders are able to visualise things that align people for a greater purpose, mission and accomplish unimaginable heights.

21 Motivational Quotes that Help You Win the Day

Motivational Quotes to Help You Win Your Day

Everyday is a blessing. What you do in your day goes a long way in creating your identity. Your everyday attitude and what you do defines you.

Great people make everyday count. They create simple and powerful routines that help them accomplish what they want in their day.

Our life is shaped by our days. When you give your best everyday, stay committed, disciplined and work hard, you attract great energy & power from the universe.

You can win your day by making the most of it. Here we look at some great quotes to make your day:

1. “You will never win if you never begin.”

Helen Rowland

Helen Rowland

2. “Good, better, best. Never let it rest. ‘Til your good is better and your better is best.”

St. Jerome

3. “Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence.”

Colin Powell

Colin Powell

4. “Self-belief and hard work will always earn you success.”

Virat Kohli

5. “Your deepest prayers are your sincerest actions. They are always rewarded.”

Apoorve Dubey

Apoorve Dubey

6. “You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life.”

Anonymous

7. “Who are we to decide: what will be the outcome of our actions? It is God’s domain. We are just simply responsible for the actions.”

Bhagvad Gita

Bhagvad Gita

8. “Hard work never brings tiredness, it brings satisfaction.”

Atal Bihari Vajpayee

9. There is no substitute for hard work. Never give up. Never stop believing. Never stop fighting.”

Hope Hicks

Hope Hicks

10. “Do your work with your whole heart, and you will succeed.”

Elbert Hubbard

11. “Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”

Stephen King

Stephen King

12. “No matter who you are, no matter what you did, no matter where you’ve come from, you can always change, become a better version of yourself.”

Madonna

13. “Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.”

Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn

14. “If you can see yourself as an artist, and you can see that your life is your own creation, then why not create the most beautiful story for yourself?”

Miguel Ruiz

15. “Without hard work and discipline it is difficult to be a top professional.”

Jahangir Khan

Jahangir Khan

16. “The only way to improve is to set yourself harder goals.”

Joanne Whalley

17. “First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen? Then prepare to accept it. Then proceed to improve on the worst.”

Dale Carnegie

Dale Carnegie

18. “To question your own process is a necessity. If you don’t question yourself, it’s impossible to improve.”

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

19. “Having no competition is a bad thing. Competition makes you try to improve yourself all the time.”

Shu Qi

Shu Qi

20. “A champion needs a motivation above and beyond winning.”

Pat Riley

21. “Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.”

Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnson

This is the No. 1 Thing that Makes People Successful

Makes People Successful

What makes people successful? This is a question that has fascinated researchers for centuries. While some people attain massive levels of success and achievements, others bite the dust.

How does one predict the success of an individual? Well, a fascinating study from Stanford research gives us the clue. Carol Dweck, Psychologist at Stanford, who has spent her entire career studying attitude & performance has revealed something quite startling. Your attitude is a better predictor of your success than your IQ.

The study found that people’s attitude fall into two categories, a fixed mindset or a growth mindset.

people’s attitude

With a fixed mindset, you face hurdles to change. You believe who you are and cannot change it. It creates serious hurdles when confronted with new things. These people get overwhelmed and feel lost in the midst of challenges.

On the other hand people with growth mindset believe they can improve themselves with effort.

They constantly work hard to improve and adapt better when confronted with challenges. Intriguingly, they even outperform people who are more intelligent than they are, but have a fixed mindset. People with a growth mindset treat challenges as opportunity to learn and grow.

constantly work

The inherent tendency of a person to put in efforts to enhance himself day in day out plays a huge role in determining his success. While some people stagnate, become overconfident and surrender to difficulties, others continue to grow, learn and use opportunities to succeed.

To succeed in life, one has to handle setbacks and failures. When presented with a hard task, the growth mindset people acquire skills, work hard and keep learning until they crack the code. The fixed mindset gives up early. They accept things as they are and find it hard to change themselves.

It is not uncommon for talented people with great ability to fail. But persistent people who learn continuously, embrace setbacks and difficult challenges find a way to succeed.

persistent people

According to Dweck, successful people deal with failures better. She illustrates how people with growth mindset view failures. She says, “Failure is information—we label it failure, but it’s more like, ‘This didn’t work, and I’m a problem solver, so I’ll try something else.”

Successful people are problem solvers. They persist until they find the solution. In the process, they acquire new skills and keep improving themselves. It’s your attitude and willingness to learn & adapt that shapes your destiny.

You can adopt a growth mindset to view challenges as stepping stones in your life. It makes a world of difference when you can continue to improve and grow in your life as opposed to staying with a fixed mindset.

Here we look at the three traits of people with growth mindset that help them accomplish success:

1. Turn Setbacks to Success:

People with a growth mindset are not afraid to be wrong. They constantly seek out ways to push their boundaries and learn when they can. They are not afraid to put their hand up and take initiative to try new things.

They view failures & setbacks as opportunities to learn, experiment and ultimately achieve what they want.

2. Work Hard:

Work Hard

In a world, that is constantly changing; you need to work hard to keep yourself up to date. Growth mindset requires a good work ethic, pushing yourself everyday and finding the solutions to problems.

By constantly pushing your limits, you can achieve anything you wish. Hard work helps you cultivate the skills and qualities for long-term success.

3. Persistence & Grit:

If there is one thing that makes a difference between success and failure, it is persistence. Successful people are persistent. People who have a growth mindset don’t give up. They try until they solve the problem. They are very gritty and determined.

The fixed mindset says, “I am not smart enough to solve it.” Whereas the growth mindset says, “I am not smart enough to solve it yet, but I will try until I solve it.” And when you approach the problems with this mindset, you invariably find a way to solve them.

Conclusion:

The people with growth mindset never give up, thrive under pressure and keep growing until they succeed. It’s the attitude with which you approach life that creates a difference & makes you successful. Don’t accept your limitations, if you want to surpass them.