Have not written about specific stocks here so far, so venturing into them for the first time. So I will start with a list of good businesses at a decent price. Most of these businesses are good business models, many of them with repeat revenue potential, most have a strong brand in the eyes of … Read more
“I attended a corporate training program on Customer Engagement Skills, and one of the things they taught us was how to deal with an angry or upset customer” Jigneshbhai told me and Swami as we had our coffee last weekend. I am not sure why our broker friend attends such programs. He was quick to … Read more
“For years the financial services have been making stock market forecasts without anyone taking this activity very seriously. Like everyone else in the field they are sometimes right and sometimes wrong. Wherever possible they hedge their opinions so as to avoid the risk of being proved completely wrong. There is a well-developed art of Delphic … Read more
“The ocean in Mauritius is just wonderful, blue-green and pristine. Truly is a paradise island”, said my South Indian friend, Swami who had just been back from his vacation. One of the few times I had seen him happy, without much to complain about. Just when I thought he was in a good mood, he … Read more
My simple-hearted friend Swami was in a restless mood the other day when we met over coffee. ““कृपया प्रतीक्षा करें, आप कतार में हैं” – isn’t that what they said, when you called customer service numbers in those days?” he asked us. “Some of them said ‘Please wait. You are in queue’,” my wise friend … Read more
“Have you seen that play called ‘Waiting for Godot’?” asked the wealthy man living in the sprawling bungalow next to my house. He was known to speak sparingly and in a cryptic manner when he did. We had just met him at a common friend’s wedding reception. “Have heard and read about it, but never … Read more
“Thukrao Ab Ke Pyar Karo, Main Sattar Ka Hoon!” Jagjit Singh started his concert with these lines earlier this year, which I was fortunate enough to have attended. At the end of that concert around 10.30 pm or so, people started a chorus for ‘once more’ for some more time and ghazals, when again he … Read more
Standard Operating Procedures used in service industries like technology and healthcare bring in standardization, process orientation and overall efficiency, and are increasingly bringing the same benefits to politics. Politician comes to position of power and sets in place a proper system to implement corrupt practices. Initially he makes sure everyone in the chain is satisfied … Read more
“One thing that is different in our players of today and our players of yesterday is that earlier our players used to play mostly not to lose, and today they very often play to win”, said my broker friend Jigneshbhai over our Sunday evening coffee. Continuing, he remarked, “The difference may seem minor but is … Read more