Similarity between - Product Management and the Jetsons cartoon

So at one end there was the Flintstones. And the other the Jetsons. One based way back into the dinosaur era and other way ahead into the future.

If you ever saw both the cartoons as a child, you'd see or even feel that its our current era that holds on to too much clutter.

This I can animatedly conclude from the fact, that if we take the following in perspective and consider it our actual past and future - The Flintstones era didn't have quite as many inventions as we do and the Jetsons era was always depicted as or anticipated as clean, compressed and as being minimalists.

When we look at the symbiotic relationship of global news industry and the internet. We quite see the same in transition.

We started with news dissemination via papers. Now we have papers, TV, radio and a growing majority that uses internet for the purpose of finding and reading news. Too much clutter. or we can say, the current ear is in transition. It is the only era where everything can coexist. We haven't really short listed the one medium we will become dependent in the future on.

The Jetsons did use TV and Radio as prime means of communication. Or we can attribute that to the fact that maybe the emergence of the internet was not nearly well portrayed or was secluded to keep the cartoon series focused and simple?

What ever the case, if we draw 2 curves one for innovation and another for adoption and improvement, they probably meet at the point between the flint stones and Jetsons where our current rate or innovation in technology is being driven my minimalism.

Hence the arrival of the product managers to businesses. And the growing relevance to cutting the clutter.

The jetsons might have chosen Tivo or Radio. But when we make our clean minimalist future, rite now as we evolve from the flintstones era and evolve steadily - we might short list on mediums of technology and mediums of dissemination as key areas for reduction.

Want for the words "less is more" evolving from fashion to technology making a steady rise.

Product Idea 2: What next for Allen Solly? (Fashion Apparele-Commercebrands)

 Well boys, admit it. 

You all need help with shopping. 

Especially picking out things by occasion.

Sure you can't always have fashion stylists available (or can't afford one) but what you can is use your phone!

If Allen Solly were to take their current campaign one step further they could probably head in this direction! 

Once you you've picked your preferred custom colours from the vast colour pallet they should then Suggest clothes by occasion, time of day, weather etc they you intent to buy those clothes for. 

Well, come to think of it, any ecomm in their right mind should make this tool. After all men need it! Who says us woman are most likely to pick out clothes online and be impulsive purchasers? Intent can be initiated in anyone really. 

Plus if such a thing existed imagine it's social reach and the return traffic for repurchase it could drive?

This with the exact plan for very creative and very low marketing spends which also I've deviced should kick it off  for any existing online player really. 

Ps: This is a hypothetical case study. This idea is my own. It has nothing to do with Allen Solly. If anyone was to use this idea they are most welcome to try. I'm open to accepting a creative consultation charge of INR 30k plus taxes so pass it. 

Before i forget

Yes, its strage that 'other' ideas come to us when we really have been put to the task of brain stormning for something else!

While i'm drawing blanks for the work i'm suppose to be doing right now, i cant help but pen this down! (atleastitsonewayofunclutteringmyhead?!)

Need to put down the app ideas in my head for - 

- 4square and AR based app for Drinking community. 

- Music - need based middle ground / connector product for existing market segment. 

Phew!

Busines Idea 1: Traveller cafe and not just namesake!

This concept is Delhi, IN centirc. 

1. For whom: Travel company / independent hospitality industry person looking for a new venture / cafe concept. 

1.1 Will need three key people - a travel partner, a cafe partern, a marketing / digital partner. 

2. Catering to whom: anyone keen on traveling to India / various parts of india 

2.1 Primary audience - foreigners 

2.2 Secondary audience - local travel / photography / food junkies. 

3. Name: Traveller's Cafe 

3.1 Ironically this name is vacant, at least in Delhi NCR scenario!? Checked Zomato / googled 

4. Business model: to create an secondary opportunity/market to organize and cater to forgein clients and travelers for a travel company but thought a more legitimate approach while simultaneously also earning revenue from a cafe business. 

5. Cafe positioning: Location! location! location!: Pahardganj

5.1 To catch the market where they feel most comfortable.  

5.2 Also giving them a feeling of being self initiated rather than being duped by being dragged directly from airports and railway stations by traver agency 'cutters'.

6. Why: most travelers coming to Delhi read the lonely planet guide which specifically tells them about the places to stay (Pahardganj) and what to expect for cheap travel (cost) and how to bargain etc. 

6.1 Hence opportunity of creating a non hostile environment for capturing travel leads as the positioning is of a cafe. 

6.2 Agent can take them there rather than bring them to the travel shop from airports / railway stations to 'freshen-up'.

6.3 Also travelers who go stay there are otherwise smart / difficult to cater to or capture. 

6.4 As large traveling groups the over all cost of the trip also goes down which can again be shown as a 'USP' of the cafe.

7. Cafe concept: to cater to:

7.1 basic finger food from all over india i.e.: chats and snacks - conversation starters. 

7.2 Secondary menu to be world cuisine based (pricing according to Paharganj market pricing). 

7.3 Cheap alcohol. 

8. Back up model: even if the cafe fails as a travel company, it is an independent business model which can sustain itself to the catered market in that area.

9. Marketing model: For testimonial based reinforcement - that others have done this and come back alive!

9.1 Interiors to have walls on contributions from group travels of visitors + comments.

9.2 Polaroid photo shots for all paying customers with comments on how their visit to India has been so far. 

9.3 To hold small relics from all the visits with dates of visit / journey. 

10. Social page: Can work on 'powered by' model. 

10.1 Front end to be called: Traveller's Cafe on Facebook, Tumbler, Pinterest, Blogger and Zomato. 

10.2 In details / about section of the pages the same can be called 'powered by _ _ _ _ travel company. 

10.3 All articles and photos to be back linked to the travel partner site pages. Help with site traffic flow / building. 

11. Trip models: 

11.1 To host group travels for locals as well as forging groups. 

11.2 To make customized journey's - crowd sources destinations. 

11.3 Invite photo walk groups, adventure sports enthusiasts and related audiance for monthly, quarterly, half yearly trips.

12. Major marketing spend: 

12.1 Online: Zomato / bookmyshow / FB ads / google ad words / seo / mailer's /social media intern / depending on chosen rout/partners. Can use step by step or in phases expansion model. 

12.2 On ground: newspaper brochures and mats with updated upcoming travel plans to be put under class of the table or as mats. (to act as news letter's.)

13. Business model suited for: Travel company, someone enthusiastic about food and beverage industry.

14. Challenges :

14.1 Finding rent-able real estate in Pahardganj on long term lease. 

14.2 Ways of not letting other travel agents and brokers enter the cafe or breaking away client. 

14.3 Licensing - would it need only food and beverage or also travel company permits? 

14.4 Cracking MyBar concept for cheap booze and liquor!?  

14.5 Other unforeseen challenge from investors point of view. 

(i.e.: - will he be comfortable disclosing it as his own business to partners? (If any) 

- Will new partners be chosen for this venture? 

- Tie ups for further business to near by hotels and guest houses will he earn or travel company?) 

I guess i'm just a enthusiastic traveler? This should work! Comments / Suggestions anyone? :) 

An alternate career path?

‎We work jobs to earn money, which we wish to spend to survive, to satisfy cravings, needs, wants, basically to be happy. ‎

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Yes yes, many of us find that happiness in doing what we do, making careers out of what we like and turning them into monotonous skill sets to use them as on industrial production lines to satisfy someone else's goals and.. cravings, desires.‎

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As an artist, I understand and thoroughly hate the idea ‎of replication. A master piece is for life. Of the artist and those it has an impact on. But the 'robin hood' in me says, and constantly, what good is anything that cannot be shared with the masses? That cannot achieve the soul purpose of its existence? Which is to bring meaning to someone's life, or to make someone's life easier? Or better? Or to spread that message or feeling or desire? 

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When you come face to face with reality, where there are bills to be paid, a house to be run, we see ourselves frequently kill desire and go the distance to make ends meet. Even if the work one has to do can closely be classified as mine work. Never to ones choice, will, liking or comfort.

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But what do you do when you have a choice? Will you or are you ready to struggle a bit? Live with less, if and only if it satisfies your inner craving of desire, existence and happiness? 

Why should spending money be the end objective or means to remaining happy? What if you could do a little less, survive with a little ‎less to do a little more of what you want, where the processes itself gives you happiness?

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I'm faced with such a cross junction in life at the moment. ‎I'm humble, proactive, build synergy around me by simply being me and enjoy, take pride rather in what I do. My work involves a lot of research, hard work, patience, thinking, rethinking, in one word 'heart'.

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I've had bad days due to posity of time, due to acceptance of work that could have been done better, by being asked for crap just to wrap up things, by people who show half hearted interest in what they want, what they expect and what they accept. 

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No no, I'm no great artist to make such comment. No, not yet. But I will be, I can be with time. Time and space that currently my circumstances, age, frame of mind and talent put together allow. 

I want to pick up that camera, think aloud, write a book, study a language, read more, ‎paint. Everyday. 

If practicality is an issue, that I should tell you I'm one of the most practical people you'll ever come across. This is no pre-life crisis. This is a realisation. An inkling, that somewhere, greatness is calling out to me. And I have to let go of monotony, of the ordinary and leap forward into tomorrow to be able to embrace it.

I hereby declare, I reconsider work, life and choices on Monday. I have much too much on my mind to fulfil. Not many may immediately understand, but not many were made for greatness, or made extraordinarily. ‎

Hindi Poem: Attempt One

‎Kis rah pe tum chordh aye mujhe,

Yahan aane wale bhi aanjan,

Yanah se jane wale bhi ab aanjan.

Pukaru mai ab kiska naam?

Apne aap ko yaha bhula chuki hun,

Tumhe bhi yahi beth kho chuki hun.

Samye yahan jahan rook sa gaya hai.

Na jeene ke chaht hai, na marne ki wajha hai.
Na koi manzil hai, na hi koi mukam. 

Tere aagosh mai yu bethi yaha,

Jahan bin badal roz aasu behte hain,

Or bin suraj roz muskaan meri khilti hai.

Tere khayalo ko chordh Mera or kon hai,

Ab toh na mere khyal kisi ke ho sakenge,

Or na intazar or kisi ka ho payega.

‎Zid kar ke jo sula na kar sake hum,

Bin baato ke meri kya tu so paye ga?

‎Na mohhobat ki bakwat,

Na nafrat ki ijazat.

Uss hi raah pe janah tumne mera hath thama tha. 

Jiski na tumhe aaj wajhe pata hai,

Na hi ehsaas yaad hai.
Kis rah pe tum chordh aye mujhe,

Yahan aane wale bhi aanjan,

Yanah se jane wale bhi ab aanjan.

My journey, so far.

So much to do with life, in life.

Many things still to do, many more places still to go. 

Many more people to meet, many more friends to keep.

As I go along this journey of life, i can finally say I take with me experiences, learning, growing understanding along with acceptance of;

Hard work,

Consistency,

Courage,

Honesty,

Optimism,

Forgiveness,

Humility,

Unconditional love.

Thank you for perfectly timing the people and events in my life.

Thank you for always looking out for me.

Thank you for giving me the qualities you've given me and for making me 'me'.

Thank you god for all your love and support.

'Do you believe in magic?' The story of my initiation.

I happen to be one of those Indian people who misses god but only when there's a need. Need based prayers when I'm scared or too angry and mostly when I've misplaced something. (which happens a lot) No wait, I also happen to think of god when things begin to go too much my way. I suppose then I miss or think of god out of fear. And force myself into a silent prayer. 

I pity myself sometimes for being such a tangle of emotions and schools of thought, especially since I don't entirely follow anyone of them. 

Like sometimes I don't believe God exists at all. Yup, the watchmaker analogy of intelligent design made for a purpose as proposed by William Paley accordingly to which - when simply put - means, if there exists a watch with its complex design and functioning, there must surely exist a watchmaker. i.e.: a more superior being that held the capability to design such a thing to begin with. And thus far, I haven't met anyone who knows our creator leave alone knows where he lives. 

That being said, I still enjoy belonging to my Hindu cult and follow religious practices as advised by our guru / master, such as always being kind, not harming or killing other beings how ever big or small they might appear, not eating meat and eggs. Depending on only plans and dairy for survival since they are both replenished and if required add the least amount of negative elements to our karma cycle (plant killing - 1 element in opposition of human killing - 5 or animal killing which is 4, bird being - 3 and insects being 2 if you get the drift) why I do this? Because man is a social animal and we start to realise and acknowledge the importance of staying or being part of a community only once we become more aware of who we are, what independence is and develop basic survival instincts. After all, as kids we aren't really entitled or aware of the concept of co-dependency or religion or community, norms, rules,security  etc and we just do as we are taught or as we are taken care of. 

I believe the best magic is elaborately created illusion and visual story telling and nothing more. Nothing less. I appreciate the art. 

I think all those baba's who can make crippled kids walk or the blind see again is all staged. Or in a way - i also appreciate how they manage to use their act as a way to derive the courage in people to do what they themselves thought impossible on their own. 

I know that sometimes - people just know things. Be it about themselves, or sometimes about others. Like i very accurately and sure shortly told my sister the instant i found out she was pregnant that they were going to have a baby girl. Nine months later they did and she still asks me why i was so sure. I cant say why, but i knew. Just like sometimes in movies they quote - 'he knew he exactly how he would die or when he would die and then he did, exactly like he used to say it. Sometimes, some people just know things. There no sure logic to it. But they just know.  

Which brings me to my faith in partially believing in fortune telling being related to expression reading and horoscope apps being build on algorithm that uses probability while randomly throwing pre-fed database of predictions thought their interfaces which can either be a hit or miss but mostly accepted by us people as we want to believe in or usually end up building co-relation between our life and the said prediction about the day, month or year ahead. (Usually also occasionally swaying decisions and life choices because of what we believe to already know based on them) Cruel trick i tell you.. Especially why i dislike 8balls, however fun or addictive they might be when you're looking for answers in the unknown. 

At the same time i also believe that god, the so called higher manifestation who we hold so superior in our eyes and minds, give multiple shapes, name and meanings to is actually a projection of our own strength  and hope from whom we draw higher energy and hope from. 'In knowing we are secure, when er don't believe in ourselves, but surely someone else does', even when we haven't really verified its/his existence ever. And in the end - when something happens in our favor we thank the all mighty, or start and coincidental good luck and when it doesn't we blame it on past bad karma or bad luck. 

No no. don't call me naive. I'd like to believe in magic, in something out there that's greater than us, a more evolved and much more advance and intelligent life force. (yup, i liked the theory and concept as explained in Prometheus) So this next para is about my initiation of faith or lets say magic and my take on it. 

Before i begin, let me also state a few words of wisdom; "When you whole heatedly want something, the entire universe conspires with you to make it possible, for you to have it."  

So. What different are the Indian concept of Kundali reading and matching? That's one are that recently baffled me. My brother-in-law recently downloaded this kundli reading app. Which tells one about their life in general, human traits, personal characteristics, lucky days, numbers, colors apart from generating health predictions, monetary predictions, relationship or love life predictions and work/education life predictions apart from being able to match traits with another person based on ones name, date of birth, time of birth and place of birth. 

ironically, while he sent me mine, knowing my practicality and frame of mind he happen to say - well, we have been practicing this for hundred of years, so it might not be fully accurate, but there must be something right or correct in it? I accepted the logic with open arms and tired to read through what came next with an open mind. 

Usually I'd say when some app or fortune teller or card reader reads out my personality traits or tells me about my self i feel its just a whole lot of words and ways of saying the same common things that can be used to describe anyone. i.e.: common stuff that everyone can be classified with. But this time, shit got real. I was expecting much more trivial stuff but instead it was actually quite accurate. Especially about my health, my nature, my physical built etc. OK, so that's like the pre-build up for the story to follow this app wants me to be believe was my first thought? But i ignored it, for once. 

What got to me was the kundali matching bit. And since i had an entire past to verify the details against   i can safely say, 'maybe' i got it all wrong. Maybe there are somethings that defy logic. At least my understanding of it. 

Like the bit about matching the 36 leafs in both humans involved in kundali reading. They say the more number of leafs that match - the better the outcome of compatibility and marriage. My brother in-law's and sisters case - only 14 leafs matched yet they are one of the happier or happiest of couples post marriage that i know. (my sister didn't want to marry him at all - but that's a story for another time)

Now, like i mentioned earlier - sometimes the universe conspires with you. To give you or send across a message you most need at a particular time in your life. It has its way of reaching out to you at the exact time of your need. I suppose you just need to be open minded about accepting these signs and signals. 

He sent me the kundali match of my beloved ex and me. He said since we didn't know his time of birth he tried almost all permutations and combinations and yet (giving it margin of error even - since it is an electronics app) it threw an extraordinarily good result! In worst case it threw 28/36 and best case 30/36. Which for normal people and things is unimaginably high! And despite which in the end conclusion, it advised we don't get married! Since i was kind of struggling with this one boy, i suppose it was the universe's message to me to finally let go after a long 10 months of holding on. (which had been unrealistically long for me, even by my own standards and logic's of time to get over instead of rebounding phases) 

It also very clearly explained that despite being the perfect fit for each other in every accept - be it mental stimulation, physical attraction, consistency in mutual love, respect and loyalty for each other, emotional dependency, bringing each other happiness, smoothness in living together or satisfaction in bed, we both lacked or rather scored a zero in this one department, which is called 'Nadi'. Now since i have a 4 year long experience of knowing my ex. both as friends and a partner i related to it. What it said was - the closer we grew - the more bad luck and misfortune we would cause or bring upon each other. Which has been the case i suppose all along. And i mean quite severely. Unimaginable amount of pain and misfortune to be stating it lightly! 

This helped me in two ways. Being at peace with myself for the past, the falling apart and letting go bit of our relationship. And giving me hope for the future. As much as i love the boy and always will, i also believe in the concept of there being up to 7 soul mates in any given point in time in life that one can stumble upon in a single life time. I guess what ever i do now, I'll never let him get that close again.I wouldn't want to deliberately cause harm to anyone as my guru advises or even for my own personal gain as a fellow human being? And since it also said a thing or two about my future i believe there are other soul mates yet to be found. 

My next objective so is to explore this concept of Kundali and also Naadi astrology. (not to be confused with Nadi as mentioned above) which is an art of ancient lead reading based on ones thumb impressions. After all, there's no logic is believing in something without sufficient proof, data or logic to support it. And we were made intelligent to be able to question everything with a why rather than blindly following it to ones convenience. (even though it is what i did, for now! because i suppose i needed to hear something like it.)

Idea book: If you find/have found it, please return it

Essentially started this blog cause I lost my hard work of 2 years that I had complied in a leather bound black book with plain white pages. Most of the book was written in black or blue ink with a fountain pen. 

It had multiple beer labels I had pulled off different beer bottles and even a 1 rupee, 5 rupee, 10 rupee, note spread across pages. 

Also a few photographs and half cut post cards along with a few religious calendars, brought from religious places across india where I haven't personally been but have kind enough friends and mentors to have got them for me. Worse is I miss my random thoughts in bubbles and making the elaborate key on the first page of the book that acted as index on how to read the book. After all I followed it for 2 long years to keep unity in content / ideas / thoughts / random writing I did. I am also simultaneously cursing who ever might be reading my personal comments across the book on everything form people, places, ads, movies, crushes, food, ex's and what not!! Bloody hell. I defiantly didn't loose it and i'm convinced it was stolen. If the thief has either copied the content or read through by now to their satisfaction I advise you quietly put it back where ever you managed to pick it from. 

Product Idea 1: Lava Lamps - Bring them back!

Problem:
Younger TG uses mosquito repellents as a need based item. Not a voluntarily buy.
Usually hidden in a corner of the room.
Uses up an entire plug point in any given room.
Cannot be left on longer as the smell isn't so great - to most - bearable.

Solution:  Air freshener + Mosquito repellent machine =  As a show Piece that does more!

How: If a company decided to take out a limited edition series of Lava Lamps in which the enhanced smell based mosquito repellent can be placed in the base of.

Hypothetical reconstruction in parts (top to bottom): 

- Lava lamp top
- Lava lamp fluid area
- Lava lamp bottom
- Lava lamp bulb
- Lava lamp switch / knob + are for cord for powering the lamp and mosquito repellent.
- Lava lamp base - with insert-able / replaceable pod.

Secondary uses as part of promotion/ communication:

- Can be used as a night lamp - helps put one to sleep.
- Is soothing both to look at and cause of the pleasant smell.
- Safer for kids - they wont ever forget to switch it on again!
- Teenager friendly - isn't tacky and doesn't smell medicinal, help keep room odor out.
- For all age groups really - Can be used as a show piece or furniture / normal  lamp for home decoration.

Suggested sizes: 

1. Workstation or for side table - 1/2 feet tall
2. Home decoration for side tables - 2 feet tall
3. Room corners - 4 feet tall

Possible sellers / brand connects:

- Mosquito repellent companies
- Light companies
- Electronic / home appliance companies 

Nothing conventional | Conventional Nothing: Part 1

So far i have always 'tsk-tsk-ed' at the people who wrote about trivial things but only now i realize how important triviality is to sustain ones mental health! You can be selective about your thoughts and then the greater matter - you cant be selective about your fate or destiny.
So I may like to think, then talk and further discuss about a certain stream of thought but I have to will myself to it. Is it what the rest 70% of my thoughts are also made of? - No.

Though it isn't difficult, I cannot channelize or ignore the other - usually simultaneous - thoughts in my head! And well, the best music, noise, lyrics or for that matter art or mathematical breakthroughs have always been created or happen a midst clutter and chaos! Which makes it all the more important to try and NOT ignore triviality. But what my subconscious does rule or is rather governed by are things that either fascinate or repulse me. But that's quite a broad spectrum of thought and thinking, isn't it?

New things are starting to make a difference to me in life. I can see now that things that previously bothered me don't any more. We keep trying to justify to ourselves and the world how things don't bother us or change us but over time we do change, little by little, gradually.

'The only things constant is change' - François de La Rochefoucauld

And its one truth that cannot be changed with denial.