Time to Build an Unique Version of Amazon

January 17, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

The way online stores like Amazon or Flipkart and others are growing makes me jittery. In some way, like others I like the convenience of buying things without any hassle.

Often, I find this kind of big shopping like a store without much uniqueness or humanness. It’s all going out like this – SALE, BILLIONS SALE, MEGA SALE, GREAT INDIAN SALE! CHEAP DEALS, FAST CHECKOUT!

Unique STORE

Just wondering if there could be a market place which sells only handcrafted, unique items. Why shouldn’t there be one such kind of eCommerce store! Why can’t it be Made In India!

What should this store sell!

1. Sell things with care – hand printed gifted covers making the delivery a joyous thing
2. Sell unique services – from beauty services to escort services
3 Promote art ( Not just mere art, anything that has an art value)
4. One-of-the-kind lamp shades, Teeshirts, printed saris, hand-made books
5. Sofas ( unique as the maker), designed helmets, customized belts
6. Pots or plant hangers

Do you think, such an exclusive store can survive in this highly competitive market, and also when these products can find a place in Amazon too.

Living with Minor Irritance

January 17, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Today while waking in the park, a little bit of pebble or stone got into my shoe. It was a wee-bit of a stone kind of thing which kept moving inside the shoe as I walked under the canopy of trees.

At first I thought of giving my walk a pause, but I moved on with the irritation it was causing. I then thought of how other person would have done in a similar situation.

Would you stop, remove the shoes and take it out? Or would you carry on the walk, hopping that this stone will move to one corner of the shoes, not causing that inconvenience.

Also, got me thinking of how we carry on our lives with minor distractions which are lodged in our mind or something physical that we hope it will disappear by itself.

Of course, there are people who act immediately to find out the problem, try to remove it and then continue their walk.

Ok! This is just a thought from today! Next with another story.

Dream a Little

January 16, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

A year just started to turn its leaflets. People like me are turning new chapters, hoping for a better story. There are many things to do, uncompleted task to fulfill and pencils to be sharpened.

How many of us will get to cross the finish line?
Out of 10 which task will get attention?
Will more goodness in our land prevail?
Who will light the lamp?
How many will slip and falter at their task?
When will they learn?
Will we prosper?

Warren Buttet Quote

January 15, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Quote

On Expectations: Honesty is very expensive gift. Do not expect it from cheap people.

This line got me thinking on people who hardly keep their word, lie through their mouth, and who are totally unreliable.

From the point of an employer, how to find trustworthy and dependable employees? Is there a way to check these traits before employing people. I have read that Warren Buffet values people who are super, super honest! Meaning, his confidante are know this rare and highly valued trait – HONESTY!

Kerala Meals Kitchen in Indira Nagar Bangalore

January 14, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Entrance of Salt Mango Tree

Outside Counter for Tea

I, Me and My Tea

Menu Board

Plant by the Path

Zoom in to see two Crows Perched on the Wire

Through the name of this shop seems a bit too cony, it’s good to see a Kerala Kitchen restaurant in the upscale part of Indiranagar in B’lore. If my memory goes, this restaurant has been here for the last two Onam – serving sadya to other Kerala dishes to its patrons.

Chai and Kadi at Salt Mango Tree
Tea here is fifteen bucks, which is an okay price. But, the tea served is just warn, not the sizzling hot, which is best on a chilly moody day.

I love the militaristic design and usage of space. The walls are speckled with black and white photographs of popular Malayalee personalities. Initially, when this restaurant opened, it took some time to attract customers, however now I see many people during lunch and dinner time.

Salt Mango Tree
Address:
971, 5th Cross, 12th Main, HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bengaluru
Ph# +919886037105

Best Wishes to the Team!

Keep dolling out tasty Kerala dishes and keep bettering!

Muralya Milk – Market Buzz

January 11, 2019April 4, 2020 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Invitation to Franchisee

Another post on Muralya Milk brand. It’s about the trending buzz of Muralya brand of Milk in different forums. I saw this post on Where in Trivandrum, a Facebook group for citizens in Trivandrum. A person has posted about home delivery option available for those who stay in apartments.

Home delivery facility is a convenience given to customers staying at high-rise buildings. Have you come such post from MILMA?

The essence of this post is all about the way a brand is spreading to new areas, acquiring new customers and spreading the buzz of a newly launched brand.

—- Story update!

I was at a funeral and I overhead this conversation between two persons. From the talk I could make out that one person is working with MILMA.

Conversation in Malayalam roughly translated like this –
Looks like MILMA is in trouble!
what trouble!
Brands like Muralaya..what do you say.
Oh, our milk quality is superior
Also, it was started by someone who left from MILMA
Oh…

Ruckus – Posts on Ruckus by Seth Godin

January 8, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

There are many ideas, points which Seth Godin keep trumping in his blog. And one of the word that I like is Ruckus. I have understood as to create something new, groundbreaking, novel, pushing the boundaries, or trying to find a solution, shortcut, standing up, leading, making the change, questioning, etc.

So, when I searched the words ruckus on his blog, here are the few blogs that came up on search.

Sharing it here so that you can read it on the go.

Ruckusmaker day

On making a ruckus in your industry

Today is the best day

The top 5%

False limits

“Summer’s almost over”

A hierarchy of organizational needs

Encyclopedia of Hartals and Bandhs in Kerala

January 7, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

During every hartal or bandh in Kerala, I just have a desire – to make a list of all the hartals in Kerala. For What! Just for reference and to get some inference from it! I am not sure if anyone has collected all the hartals and make an excel sheet on the hartals, reason for hartal and who initiated it.

In a era of data mining, data intelligence this is a small request! So, without waiting for anyone, let me make one with one entry at a time.

Date Why is this Hartal? Who Initiated it?
===========================================================
8-01-2012 Mullaperiyar Samrakshna Samiti Mullaperiyar Dam Row [
2 28-02-2012 Trade unions in India Protest against the ‘neo-liberal economic & labour policies’ pursued by the Central Government
3 05-05-2012 UDF Protest Against Murder of T. P. Chandrasekharan
4 24-05-2012 LDF & BJP Petrol Price Hike
5 02-08-2012 CPI(M) Protest Against the arrest of CPM Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan
6 15-09-2012 LDF & BJP Petrol Price Hike

Got tired copying this list from Wikipedia. I think, this is not a productive way to list things.

A good list of hartal prepared by Mani karthik https://manikarthik.com/complete-list-of-hartals-in-kerala-from-jan-july-2008/

HARTAL BILLBOARD

Probably, each town or city should have a special electronic billboard to help public during hartal. For instance, it should show places where people can buy lunch or even donate lunch packs. What if households in a certain area come together to make food packets for people who are strangled?
Also, a hartal helpline for people who require conveyance and struck at home.

Punch Word for 2019

January 7, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

What’s your punch word for 2019?

Call it the catalyst, the trigger which prompted me to choose three words – the guiding words for 2019!

So, why should one pick words or coin a phrase for each year? Many moons ago, I remember the slogans coined by the Rotary Club, but it never occurred to me then to have one for myself.

Now in 2019, I’m aiming to make it different with more focus and growth.

At first I had thought of the word – Abundance. It means, abundance of love, happiness, sharing, Money, Love, Social connection, Spiritual growth and so on.

But now, I think, abundance could be one of the thing, but not all. So, here’s my three words for this crucial year.

Consistent |Confidence |Abundance ( Guide Posts for 2019)

What the heck are these 3 Words

1 Consistency – I have a serious problem this. I start with full gusto, but somewhere I splutter and then fade away. Change only comes with heroic consistent steps.

It’s early days of 2019 so I’ve time to fine-tune these three words or will retain it. I liked the word ruckus which Seth Godin keeps mentioning in his blog. Let me see where I can fit in the word and thought behind it in my daily vocabulary.

So, have you thought of this concept? What are your three words?

Feel free to share it in the comments box or feel free to call and tell me.

Cheers!

P.S: It’s a new year – perfect time to press the reset button. A fresh year to flourish and start executing things. Another post on starting afresh. What about the thought of quitting your job in 2019?

Who Fixes Railway Loo?

January 6, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Off the Rod

On 26th Dec 2018, I went to Trivandrum Central to see off my cousin’s family. They were travelling by the evening Chennai Express. The train was at platform 4, and the 2 tier was closer to the engine side – a long walk from the stairs. To spot them I walked through the 2 tier compartment and as I crossed one bogey I passed a loo.

The toilet door was ajar, with an unrestricted view of a commode without the seat cover. The seat cover seems to be tucked behind the toilet – well placed so that it wont’ be a hindrance for users

On seeing it, I went inside, locked the door and clicked this pic.

So, this is 2 Tier train loo and the train is about to depart is some time. After seeing this, here are the thoughts that came across:

How much money will it cost to fix a new rod and attach the commode seat cover.
Who’s responsible for this job?
Who gives the requisition to fix such issues on any station? Who can order a change in seat cover? Is the facility for toilet seat cover change available at all railway stations?
If a VIP or VVIP is travelling in this train, can he or she order this to be fixed?