The True Journey has begun!

By Jayakishore Bayadi

It’s been a long and ongoing journey. Over eight years into work, I’ve learnt and unlearnt so many things. Finally doing the work what I liked most continue to like most.

Developing a product, marketing it and making money—in layman’s terms this is just a business life cycle. But the life cycle contains several aspects and imbibing each aspect into your blood to become a master in what you do isn’t easy thing. However, it’s an easy and enjoyable journey if you like it. Obviously, I’m enjoying it and growing day-after-day.

Marketing is my passion since my childhood. But the fun part was that I didn’t know it was marketing— the thing in which I was interested most! If you observe keenly you’ll know unknowingly we are doing marketing activities for our own benefits every day. Be it while talking or boasting about ourselves to your friends or colleagues or with any one for that matter!

Thinking on creative ideas to spread your communication/message to intended audience is indeed becoming tricky and sometimes complicated job today. Marketing isn’t just a one-way communication in these times of technological advancement. In the age of Facebooks and LinkedIns and such other virtual social networking platforms, the term marketing has acquired several meanings. It’s not a mere communication to sell your stuff, it goes beyond that. You consider any marketing firm or a company; they are more inclined towards conversing and engaging with their target group (TG) rather than relying on various age old modes of one-way communication.

As a business person you need customers; customers may not need you!—Gandhi’s thoughts are so relevant today!

Hereon I will be sharing interesting facets of my journey occasionally if not regularly. Yes. I agree I have varied interests of topics in my mind to write or deliberate on, however, now I’m full of marketing... marketing...marketing! and various ideas on communicating the right information to the right TG about my organization’s offerings, which will have the unmatchable value for any individual.

Bloombox Buzz !!!!

I was really facsinated to read about invention of Bloom Box Fuel cell by an Indian born NASA Scientist, K.R.Sridhar, whose 7 year old startup, managed to raise over $400 million funding.

However, according to media reports fuel cell experts have said that the "Bloom Box", which is an as yet unbuilt in-home "power plant" designed by the scientist, is not revolutionary, nor is it the cheapest or most efficient fuel cell system available. Check out this link for more info. Let's wait for more delibrations!!

http://news.oneindia.in/2010/02/26/indianorigin-scientists-energy-bloom-box-is.html

Wait for my post this weekend!!

Sorry!!

Many of my friends continuously ask nowadays: - Why did you stop blogging? When will your blog start working again? Sorry folks. Life has changed a lot. Easy excuse is “NO TIME”…but it’s not the truth…

Well I can only say: will start blogging actively soon!!! Let’s keep in touch!

Is this just a Transformation?

By Jayakishore Bayadi

I feel I’m losing out my senses folks. You may wonder what I mean by loosing out senses. It’s simple. I’m not a child any more. I’m not a student any more. I was a young chap till now. And now grown up and growing adult!

Life cannot be static right? Transformation is ought to happen. And that’s how world runs says Bhagavad-Gita. But have you ever wondered how difficult it is to accept the transformation? Certainly it’s not so rosy. In Azim Premji’s words, “Change is always irritating because it starts jerking success and start jerking complacency.”

All of you may aware that the new corporate mantra is “Multi tasking”. Gone are the days when you are doing things only that are assigned to you. Today got to know what actually you are doing and why you are doing? Culture is such that you are the owner of what you are doing and you must do it once the responsibility is assigned to you. No matter whether you pitch a tent in the office without bothering about home or working from home. That’s why people are now talking more about Work-work-work than ever before.And that’s the reason, perhaps, books and writings on work-life balance; stress-handling clinics having flourishing business despite the horrid economic slowdown around.

One may argue it’s good for growth as a person. Obviously, I agree. And that’s the point I was mentioning in the beginning. Till now we’re used to “doing one thing at time” kind of culture. Now we’re transforming into a multi tasking culture, a brand new work culture today’s corporate scenario demands. (Well, it may not be brand new culture, but for many it’s new, especially in India and the culture began spreading fast when economy started sinking and companies adopted strategy of squeezing more from fewer resources)

And that’s where why we are losing our senses. Corporate life has become so hectic that it’s no more a 9-5 routine job. It’s truly 24x7x365, especially if one is affiliated with U.S firms. At least once in a week we have late night calls with colleagues or customers in the US. People are not bale to spend time for their families, let alone for themselves, forcing them to lose their all senses, personal aspirations and dreams and little things that can gives some happiness in life.

Once I dreamt of busy, hectic, always busy on Blackberry phone kind of corporate job. It’s obvious that many believe such life easy, fun-filled, and glamorous, and easy money. But it’s certainly not, unless you love your job so immensely!

I do. Yet, I’m losing out my senses.

Why Silent Layoffs Here?

By Jayakishore Bayadi

What I feel a major discrepancy in the corporate India, when compared to the corporate America is the lack of audacity to “Accept the bitter facts”. In the west every thing is open, may it be economy, society, life…or anything. The practice is being seen in the times of recession as well. That’s why the American corporations openly and gallantly state even if they are at the verge of sinking or laying off people or any thing that’s bad is happening to their establishment.

However, it’s not true with regard to corporate India. Many were not at all aware that layoffs are happening in Bangalore as well, till it reached its peak in recent days. According to a news source, several IT/ITes companies are trimmed down on an average of 15 percent of their workforce. Hardly very few companies are recruiting freshers as of now. Over 5000 people have been affected due to U.S downfall driven recession in Bangalore alone, what a source said is to be believed.

That’s what the difference. If you read Forbes or Fortune Magazine nowadays you’ll get a constant update on what’s happening in the U.S economy continuously. Also, there are regular updates on layoffs as well! Sadly, I believe Indian media has failed give a clear picture of what’s really happening in the industry, except a few layoff coverages, that too of from the U.S companies. Of course, it’s not only the fault from the media guys. It’s just that, corporate India itself is hesitant to disclose the reality. In fact, media has tried its best at least to bring out the trends to peoples’ notice, though. However, corporate India should learn that openness is more effective to avoid public disconnect rather than hiding their failures, insecurities…and of course, so called brand image! And in fact, such a move can initiate public debates on what to do and not to do. Recent Citibank episode could be the perfect instance to quote here.

About five months ago, when I was talking to a top Satyam official in a press conference, he told global slowdown has got a silver lining, as this could be an opportunity well. But today nobody is talking about silver linings! The same industry leaders say: “Nobody knows what’s really happening. Nobody has the clue that when this mayhem will end?” Plus, now they are started saying openly that worst is yet to come! Alongside, many are still chanting like things will improve in next quarter…or in the end of 2009 and so on. It seems that when situation becomes hopeless, when there is nothing to hide…you cannot find better answers than these!

The lesson is crystal clear. At tough times like these, leaders should work towards instilling confidence in the industry by being bold and straight rather than just beating around the bush. That will really help.

When Will it End Man?

By Jayakishore Bayadi

It reminds me of my struggling days again. Perhaps, this is even worse than that. When the dark clouds of dotcom bust brooded over Indian IT sector, which affected whole tech job market also in 2001, it created a horrendous fear inside young freshers like us about whether we’ll get a good job or not. Those were the days, when we few friends together walking in the streets of Peenya Industrial area holding multiple copies of our resume and dropping it to every company we spotted and hoped—I may get call from this firm. But it never happened.

Seven winters passed since then. Eventually, slowdown had come down and next few years were real cheerful days for technology sector, which altered whole outlook of Bangalore. Indeed there was a paradigm shift in the way Banaglore lived! For me life has been roller coaster ride all these days. Meanwhile I diverted my career path from technology to media to become a good journalist, especially in developmental journalism or in technology space. I have achieved it. I am a pretty good technology journalist today. It’s going great!

Cut to ongoing recession stuff. All you know is that dooms days are again. Yet another slowdown is on. After effects and miseries can be seen across the globe. In Bangalore alone over 2000 people have lost their jobs! There are lakhs of freshers just out of college in desperation to get a job! Some of most respected companies are collecting money to offer a job! Some companies asking campus recruits to wait for some more time or do a BPO job, for which they are actually not at all recruited! For those who working, appraisals are on hold! Pink slip is hot topic for radio jockeys here! What is painful is that these numbers (pink slips) just keep getting scarier. Just in is that in the U.S, Sun Microsystems is laying off up to 6,000. For Pepsi Bottling it's 3,150. And that Citigroup figure still sends chills down your spine. “So there it seems like no one is safe!” writes Beth Kowitt, a Senior Writer at Fortune Magazine. (Don’t worry now, it’s the U.S figures)

That’s one part. This U.S. recession driven “Bangalore slowdown mayhem” has impacted all. I can recollect pain points of our Malnad districts of Karnataka went through, when areca prices slumped deeply during 2000-2004 period. However, Farmers’ plight is still on but not catching the attention of media, as it has become a banal thing to write about. Being in Bangalore for about 10 years, I can clearly spot the similar trend here as well. Businesses are down heavily. Real estate rates come down profoundly with 10-15 percent drop in the house prices. What is consoling is House rents have stopped going up. Before, it costed about 10-11K per month for a 2 BHK house in Domlur, now such houses are available for around 8K!

What is different this time is that the slowdown is talk of town nowadays. Even first standard kid knows about this today. At this point in time what reminds me is a mythological story of Samudhra manthana. Which is the story of churning of the milk ocean for Amrita – Nectar. Mount Mandaranchal was used as the dasher (churning tool), and Vasuki, the king of serpents, became the churning rope. The gods held the head of the snake, while the demons (Asuras) held its tail, and they pulled on it alternately causing the mountain to rotate, which in turn churned the ocean. However, once the mountain was placed on the ocean, it began to sink. Lord Vishnu in his second incarnation, in the form of a turtle Kurma, came to their rescue and supported the mountain on his back. But before getting the nectar there were so many unwanted things that were came out of the occen.

In contrast, I think the same is happening nowadays. It looks like the global economic engine is being churned out to get the best out of it. Hence I bet once this slow down ends it will create opportunity for all. It happened before as well. It’s just a correction phase I believe. Just think can you afford a flat if it’s beyond your reach? So, Slowdown is helping your dream come true. If you have some money and confidence to invest/ (repay loan) go and buy it. It’s the best time to buy. If you get some good deals for household products buy it now. If you want to invest in stocks this is the opportunity. Warren buffet's theory works better now. When others are greedy, be fearful. When others are fearful, be greedy. The situation is exactly the similar now!

This is for sure. Slowdown will end. Hope lord Vishnu to come in new avatar! But, beware. Slowdowns are going to come in future as well. These are actually testing times. It makes you learn things beyond your routine 9-5 jobs. It’s just passing phase, but also the learning phase. Don’t hesitate to learn and to win!

Time To Build Next Killer App!

By Jayakishore Bayadi

What’s hot now? A friend of mine asked. Christmas is around the corner; climate is chilly, what’s really hot then? Slowdown miseries? May be. I really wonder. Yet, I believe this is the time to build some thing new without worrying about sales part. If you build some thing great, you can sell it when situation turns around.

Leave that apart. Indian governments recent announcement of launching 3G in India is certainly true opportunity. So, what could be the next 'killer application' that could drive mass to go for 3G? In Japan it was the video telephony and downloading music. Will it repeat in India? Well, I believe imagination is only the limitation.

I can bet 3G is an opportunity creator driven by massive broadband penetration, which is extremely good for India. Perhaps it will single-handedly achieve far more in terms of bridging the digital divide than any other measure or policies. You might know at speeds that are almost 10 times the existing technologies 3G could change the very reasons for which we use the tiny pocket device! According to industry pundits, 3G could pour huge opportunity for mobile applications development for entertainment, and for segments like video broadcast and data-intensive services such as stock transactions, e-learning, and telemedicine through wireless communications, and advertisement.

Killer applications need not be entirely new ones. Novelty lies in how the Web apps can be brought into the mobile space. Hence 3G can be an extension of Web 2.0 applications on the PC to the mobile space. I hope bright minds spot opportunities right here. As 3G services will bring better video quality and faster Internet access that will enable easy viewing of advertisements, entrepreneurs can envision the opportunities to build innovative Internet advertisement platforms and applications suitable for the mobile space, just as they built it for the Internet space.

I spot here an excellent opportunity for carriers, ad platform developers to make good money. Also advertisers can reach maximum audience (can be targeted audience) for their ad and mobile users to get their services for relatively cheap! Idea is simple. My gut feeling is that what if carriers offer some discounts to its mobile customers to accept ads they receive via carriers? It’s like sharing the ad revenue with mobile customers. Hence carriers can some extra money from ads. Advertisers can reach maximum-targeted audience. Obviously, developers will gain once the whole ecosystem starts functioning. Consumers can get service for much less cost, provided they are ready to spare some time on viewing ads.

Well, this won’t so rosy as we imagine. Still it could work.

Let me know your opinions on this.

(Taken from my regular column in siliconindia Startup city. Click the heading to go to Siliconindia)

On the lap of Mother Earth!

We, some 17 from office, had been to Kumara Parvath(Subrahmanya,DK, Karnataka)trek last month. It was Absolute fun! Challenging...relaxing! Some glimpses of gigantic, green and cloudy western ghats..for you...Sorry for delay in posting the pix.

Reason is obvious...NO TIME!+bit lazyness..!

Jayakishore Bayadi

Glimpses from San Francisco and Singapore

Again see the beauty of Golden Gate bridge!





Beautiful Singapore



The great Golden Gate Bridge



American 'Dasa'



Weekend funtime near Bay Bridge, SFO

Sunnyvale snaps...

Yahoo! Campus tour bus.



Sunnyvale downtown...a calm n quiet town...



Downtown food street...minimum coughing amount $10!



Only cars..dear..no bikes...

In the eve of Yahoo! Open hack day!

By Jayakishore Bayadi
Thursday, 11, September, Sunnyvale, CA

Yahoo! Announced its this year’s edition of Open hack day this morning. In a press conference Ari Balogh, CTO at Yahoo! invited talented developers to take advantage of Yahoo! Platform to experience a hockey stick kind of turn around in their work they do, i.e., developing applications!

It’s some thing like this. If you are a developer with a dream to impact an insane number of people with your work and don’t want to start small, dazzling only a few bunch of people with your incredible codes, then Yahoo! Open Strategy (Y!OS) should be a perfect platform for you. It’s a cool and one of the most happening event where you can write code that will meaningfully reach millions of users in a single bound. That’s the promise of an open Yahoo!. You can write applications that build on existing Yahoo! applications like Yahoo! Mail, Sports, Search, our front page, mobile, My Yahoo!, etc. to tap into millions of loyal users, and make Internet experience more relevant and useful.

Today more than 500 million users use Yahoo! Services every month. They serve 120 billion page views per month. They spend 235 billion minutes a month on Yahoo! sites. Importantly, some 10 billion relationships exist on user buddy lists and in Yahoo! address books. All that represents a mind-boggling audience for developers.

Says Balogh,“We are in the process of rewiring Yahoo!, building platforms that fundamentally change how Yahoo! works." For instance, future Yahoo! Search will not be just 'content' search, but it will be 'intent' search. "Instead of giving just web links to the related search item, next wave would be understanding the needs of the user and delivering the content exactly what he wants, explains "Prabhakar Raghavan, Head, Yahoo! Research. Perhaps, artificial Intelligence(AI) should be the mantra behind this as every body is after that technology nowadays.

Back to Yahoo!’s open strategy. Being "open" is buzzword these days with lots of Internet companies are on the “open” bandwagon. “Open is not only our strategy, it’s necessity in mobility because of its complexity,” says Marco Boerries, Executive VP at Yahoo!. And with the bandwagon is getting pretty crowded, it seems that Yahoo! has been in the “open” camp for years, starting simple with RSS feeds in 2003. And now, Yahoo! claims that Flickr is the second-most popular API on the Web. And the company is leading the industry’s efforts to embrace open development.

A first taste of Yahoo!’s strategy was SearchMonkey, which lets developers mash up helpful data with their search engine results. A Japanese restaurant would no longer be a simple link. Instead, it could include a photo, address, ratings, reviews, and links to online reservations. Now, Search Monkey available and already attracting bunch of users across the globe.

And it doesn’t stop there. Y!OS will let developers make Yahoo! portable so that everywhere you go, a more relevant, social and useful online experience is available to you. Shopping on a third-party site, Web on your TV (TV widgets), Yahoo! One Search, mobile sites exclusively for mobiles with faster…beautiful experience… powerful features and many more applications in the pipeline. Just wait and watch there’s plenty more to come in the months ahead!

That’s why, though it looks like following in the footsteps of Facebook, Google, Y!OS is basically the rewiring of Yahoo, which would make perhaps make the consumer experience more social. Well, with Google’s friend list growing, Yahoo! should go social before it is too late right?
(source:Siliconindia)



It's me@Yahoo! headquarters in Sunnyvale, CA, USA

Finally i'm in America!

By Jayakishore Bayadi
@Sunnyvale CA, USA

It wasn’t so bad as expected. After a day long flight via Bangalore-Chennai-Singapore-Seoul-SFO....I expected a day long jet log. Leaving an instance of going to sleep in bathroom on the day of arrival there is nothing much body related troubles! Interestingly my body clock adjusted to the ‘local settings’ immediately and I had a nice good night sleep! Thank god!

Currently, I’m here in Sunnyvale California, right here in front of Yahoo! office at Sunnyvale. My hotel, Sheraton Sunnyvale is just a 5 minutes drive from here. Today is second day in the great tech savvy United States of America, really the great business people. Cool people!

Well, my first international experience was quite cheerful. I think anybody who wanna grow must have an international experience. Exploring the unknown place is quite interesting and challenging…but too much of exploration will burn your pockets…spending $100 is not just like spending Rs.100 right? So, I will have to continuously keep in mind that each dollar spend here will make about Rs.50 less rich in India! Plus, unknown culture, profoundly dissimilar food habits will add to your challenges list! Check out some snaps as well posted along with this blogpost.



My hotel@Sunnyvale







Cool Sunnyvale streets!