Dive deep into business, brand and strategy.
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How to become a Billionaire by ignoring your customers
The customer is always right” mantra is probably the dumbest thing business school professors burnt into naive and tender minds. The real world is a classroom that destroys textbook knowledge on a daily basis. Reality is. The most successful tech companies got filthy rich by… drumroll please… completely ignoring their customers? Yep, you heard that…
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Rethinking Creativity: Beyond the ‘Pick a Niche’ Debate
Ever been told to “pick a niche” as a creative professional? If so, you’re not alone. This advice is everywhere, tumbling down from business gurus like a turd avalanche. But here’s the thing: It’s not that simple. Let’s unpack this advice and see what’s really going on. The Logic Behind “Pick a Niche” First off,…
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are you losing clients by speaking in ‘marketing’ jargon?
That’s how I felt when I started my brand consulting firm in India. Fresh out of marketing school followed by a short stint as a copywriter, I had ideas. Big ones. The naysayers were quick to chime in: “Clients won’t get it.” “They’ll never pay for it.” They were wrong. Here’s what I did: I…
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WHY ARE marketers delulu about positioning?
Think you understand positioning? Think again. Most marketers are living in a fantasy world when it comes to positioning. They’re clinging to outdated ideas that are costing their companies millions. Let’s shatter some illusions, shall we? Myth #1: “Positioning is about being unique.” Wake up, people. In today’s oversaturated market, true uniqueness is as rare…
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“Why is everyone using Slack?”
It’s not just a coincidence. It’s social proof in action. We humans are pack animals. We look to others to figure out what’s “normal” or “right.” It’s survival instinct, really. Back in caveman days, doing what everyone else did kept you alive. But here’s the thing: this instinct doesn’t always serve us well in the…
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Growth hacking your way to irrelevance
The obsession with metrics, optimization, efficiency and automation in tech marketing is a forest-for-the-trees problem. They’re missing the bigger picture. Instead, they should focus on their brand. Brand building isn’t about instant gratification. It’s about long-term value creation. But try telling that to a VC-backed startup racing against its burn rate. The irony? Many of…
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How I embraced my broken English
Most kids try to hide things they’re not good at. But I decided to try something different. My English was really bad. I couldn’t speak well or write good sentences. My grades were very low, and I had trouble understanding what people said. Here’s what I asked myself: What if being bad at something could…
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Positioning is not about what you say.
It’s far from it. Positioning is about what they think. Who’s they? Your customers. Your market. Your world. You don’t control positioning. You influence it. Think of it as mental real estate. Prime property in your customer’s mind. What’s your plot? Is it front and center? Or lost in the suburbs of irrelevance? You can’t…
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Most ‘experts’ and businesses get positioning wrong.
Tragically wrong. This isn’t just theory. It’s battle-tested wisdom. Your clever tagline? Not positioning.Your unique selling proposition? Not positioning.Your elevator pitch? Still, not positioning. And just to drive the point home, these iconic slogans? They’re not positioning either: “Just Do It” – Nike“I’m Lovin’ It” – McDonald’s“Think Different” – Apple“Because You’re Worth It” – L’Oréal“Finger-Lickin’…
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You’re running an e-commerce empire
It’s growing fast. Your servers are melting. Your IT team’s on life support. Black Friday’s coming, and you’re sh*tting bricks. What do you do? “Let’s buy more servers!” “We need to hire more IT staff!” “Maybe we should slow down our growth…” Sound familiar? Now imagine you’re Amazon in the early 2000s. This was their…
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Guinness, Michelin, and Red Bull: When your actions speak louder than ‘marketing.’
We’ve been sold a lie. The lie: marketing is about ads, slogans, and social media campaigns. But what if the best marketing isn’t marketing at all? Guinness, Michelin, and Red Bull figured this out long ago. A beer company cataloging world records?A tire manufacturer rating restaurants?An energy drink brand racing Formula 1 cars? Madness, right?…
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Ever pitched an idea and felt like you were talking to a brick wall?
Yeah, me too. It sucks. But here’s the thing: We’re doing it all wrong. I used to think selling ideas was about being the smoothest talker in the room. Boy, was I wrong. It’s not about talking. It’s about listening. Remember that client who seemed impossible to please? The one who shot down every suggestion?…
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