Teaching entrepreneurship is difficult. Teaching it to 50 smart kids can at times get rough. Teaching it to 150 students distributed across 50 groups with very interesting ideas across 25 odd domains will make you get up at 4 am in the morning after catching a few winks past midnight just so that you can…
The myth of a unique idea – one
How important is it to start off with an idea that no one has ever thought of before. Something absolutely unique, different and able to stand up on its own. A concept that would win you grudging respect from your friends, colleagues, class mates and neighbors. “That is one smart dude” they’d whisper as they…
A walk down memory lane – A case for heading back home – ‘nuff said
“The same conversation at TechLahore needs to be blamed for this walk down memory lane. Dated but still relevant.” BBS and AKU Sunday evening – 20th February 2005 As I write these lines sitting outside the Neo Natal ICU at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), I don’t need any reasons to thank Allah for…
A walk down memory lane…The case for Pakistan in 2006
“Wrote this piece in July 2006, pissed at the Economist’s attempt to writeoff Pakistan, while a little dated, it is still largely relevant. A conversation at techlahore triggered the desire to dig this out from under the many folders it was hiding under…” The Economist piece on Pakistan If you believed the Economist, there…
Linking Pain, Features, Pricing, Segments and Reach
Teaching entrepreneurship is difficult. Teaching it to 50 smart kids can at times get rough. Teaching it to 150 students distributed across 50 groups with very interesting ideas across 25 odd domains will make you get up at 4 am in the morning after catching a few winks past midnight just so that you can…
The product feature grid – describing your product
We tried to put a process around describing our customer in my last post. Can we do something similar for products? The tool that I like and use regularly is the product feature grid. No rocket science just basic common sense. Here is what it looks like At the top of the grid we put…
Risk Frameworks and applications
I never thought that I would ever get round to writing a book; much less three in less than a twelve month period. Such is life. So after Reboot and after Understanding Commodity Risk, comes Risk: Applications and Frameworks. Just finishing the final draft before it goes for typesetting. Expected out in print in early…
The new Reboot cover
Finally got around to getting a formal cover done for Reboot (Thanks to Nida Faizi, an absolutely brilliant designer). The first print run of 500 copies is now completely sold out. One of the last few copies ended up on Dr. Jawaid Ghani’s desk (courtesy of Jehan Ara), the new Chairman PITB (Punjab IT Board)…
What is happening with the Rupee – Two
Earlier in March I asked What is happening to the Rupee? Despite two weeks of digging around, I still don’t have an answer. But I have numerous pieces of the puzzle that can be used to form the outline of a partial answer. Here are the conversations I have had with Interbank trading friends. Opinion…
Finding the voice of the customer
Startup Insights – Finding the voice of the customer I have been teaching entrepreneurship as a practitioner for 8 years and the format that I follow is very simple. Start with a group of students willing to express their ideas in less than one hundred words. Mix in between 18 to 36 hours of instruction….