My Distant mentor

David Novak;

I am a big fan of this personality who is Chairman & CEO of Yum Brands Inc.
He has authored a book 'The education of an accidental CEO'

He has written his heart out in this book and I suppose he has been dead honest in that.
Once he graduated out of college, he got a job of selling encyclopedias. He manage to sold some on day one.
He honestly admits that, he was not a good salesman but its the old women who bought this just for a chat. Probably in that age she don't need an encyclopedia but needs someone to
share his loneliness.

He was unhappy after the transaction and quit that job and later became an account executive for Frito lay.

The second instance where he has shown intense courage is when Taco Bell was in news for all the bad reasons before an investors meet.
There was a store located in New York metro station and New York is famous for big rats. The store was undergoing some pest control activities and the team worked till 3 in the night.
They left a hole in the wall to come back tomorrow and fix it up.

The big rats came in the store and some passer by filmed a clipping through the front glass door. This was one of the top ten watched video on you tube next morning; right before the investors meet.
The top management wanted to postpone the meeting. David said no and started the meeting with a rock solid confidence. He said let me appreciate the media for making us realize where we are going wrong and then he declared to cancel the store license because of location issues.

The investors responded well and nobody raised a single question about the sensitive issue.

I get huge inspiration from him.

Mislead India Campaign

I could see a clear unethical approach towards business in the name of campaign called LEAD INDIA.

It was a scintilla which build hope across the country as if they are going to revolutionize our crippled political system.
Suddenly those leaders have disappeared and there are no updates of what objectives they are trying to accomplish.


Crores of rupees were spent on marketing the entire event and yes it paid of in a way.
They were declared as "Advertiser of the Year’’ at the Spikes Asia ’09

People voted in hope of improvement in system as they claimed in their advertisement and certainly not to get them a good Brand recognition.
I appreciate the fact that they are a business organization and the survival is profitability, but at what cost is the question here.

Now similarly their is a TEACH INDIA campaign where their is no structured format for education delivery process and under privileged kids are taught
arbitrarily by volunteers.I really doubt the improvement that the program will do in the education level.

The elections were conducted out at the people money at the rate of Rs. 7/- a minute. The other marketing materials are available online
Lead India address book Rs. 699/-
Lead India shoulder bag Rs. 699/-
Coffee mug for Rs. 249/-.

I may be sounding pessimistic but unfortunately I could not find and statistical data which could prove the improvements made so far.
The approach is purely unethical by this way of getting Brand recognition.

The man who understands India better

Here I wish to introduce you to one of my professor. Let me tell you with my conviction that I LOVE HIM.....

He is in early seventies , so you can make out how he looks. The wrinkles on his face and thick lines ;on his forehead reflects the life he has lived & he always talk about it. An IIM Kolkata alumni, worked with great Indian PSU's. Hairs all grey & skin a little loose on his face, but still look good. The lectures that are delivered in shaking voice reflects huge experience of the past. Some time when voice comes from withing it looks like fireball coming out of old cannons.

Specially when the topic is closely revolving around the labour. His views are always inclined the workforce. I don't know what he has been through, but I remember him saying him once that he has faced 400 plus gherov & handled numerous labor unions. At some point of time he used to handle as many as 75000 employees. The Hindi from Bihar add humor to the lecture & English vocabulary is just perfect.I am sure that no amount of his lecture will ever bore me.

I just love you Sir (Prof BD Singh)