A Traveller’s tale!

Everyone’s a traveller. Yes, we have heard this phrase enough and its corollary even more which goes “Life is a journey”. And no matter how clichéd it sounds, if you think of it strongly (or when you have downed a couple of drinks) the phrases do make sense. We undergo this journey by going through innumerable experiences, some routine, some strange. There are several pit stops across this journey – schooling, higher studies, career, looking for a prospective mate, getting married, settling down, retirement and god knows what else.

And these pit stops are very intriguing, because at every one of this juncture, we re-discover and re-invent ourselves. It could happen many times, or it could happen just once. But it’s these crossroads that eventually lead us to our destiny.

Today’s tale talks about one such turning point, in the journey of someone who seems very much like us. Today we talk about techie turned photojournalist and writer, Hema Narayanan. Hema took the travel writing workshop with iReboot long back, and has since begun her journey towards a whole different path-way. After several years, she stands an accomplished Photojournalist and writer with a huge fan following of her own.

We called Hema up for a cuppa chai and to have a conversation talking about how her journey has been. We strongly recommend you get yourself a hot cuppa too! It’s the monsoons and nothing beats a hearty conversation over chai.

• Tell me something about yourself before you made the switch. What did you do for a living?

I was in the Information Technology (IT) domain for more than a decade. With a Masters in Technology degree & many engineering thesis from IISc, IITs and ISRO in tow, I joined an IT company a decade ago. In here, I have dabbled with several technologies (core, being Telecommunications) and held different hi-cadre roles, both in TCS & Wipro Technologies. From being a Software Developer, I progressed the IT ladder fairly fast, from becoming a Tech Lead to a Project Manager to a Technical Manger to a Business Development Manager and finally came around to be an individual contributor in the form of a ‘Senior Technical Architect’ in the Consulting Division of Wipro Technologies. In my career, I had worked with blue-chip companies such as Cisco, Microsoft, Nortel, Santera, Sequent, Smiths Medical, EMC, Nissan, Sprint, Vodafone, and the likes across geographies. 

 

This pretty much is what I did for a living! It was enriching, a learning experience with many takeaways, which I put to use in my next shift! 

As of today, I do three things and am a Photojournalist, Writer and Technology Consultant.

 

• Did you understand how difficult it would be to change? What were the difficulties and how did you convince yourself?

Understanding difficulties was important because it is a practical problem. But telling myself that I must overcome these difficulties, regardless, was even more important. To chase what I wanted to do in an absolutely virgin territory, after being a post graduate in Engineering, took courage and self confidence. It is better to not think or over-analyze the difficulties. The approach I followed was to just solve them, as they arise. This is how one leads life, is it not? I applied the same rationale to my shift from being an IT Technology Consultant to a Photojournalist & Writer. 

Convincing myself was not hard, because I realized that I was skilled in Photography and had been writing for quite a few years (in-frequently though). People around me, thought I was a fool to give up on a plush hi-paying, hi-comfort, high-travel-involved IT job for a venture that I was not even sure, where to start. I remained indifferent to these free opinions/advices and rather spent effort & time in getting myself better at my core skills w.r.t. the new domain.

 

Difficulties were several. The primary being, the realization, that there is no place to go (to work) from tomorrow! Where to start? How do I start? Whose doors do I knock? Who would respond? Why would they? How do I market myself? How shall I position myself? List goes on…

 

I resolved these gradually by answering three simple questions: (a) What were my key strengths? (b) What do I really want to do, each day morning? and (c) Did that something, line up or lead me to the eventual goal I had in mind? [Money was definitely never my goal, else would never give up IT, would I?]

 

• How did you break into Travel writing and photography? What have been the keys to your success?

Writing has been strength much earlier than Photography. I have always been a unique traveller – right from the past 15 plus years, as memory goes. Simply because I travelled differently compared to my friends or family. I observed more intently, I recorded things in some media or the other about local people, aspects, essence, I veered a little off the usual paths, collected souvenirs and maps and guidebooks every place I visited. Finally, no journey was complete, without a travelogue in my personal diary with pen and paper (no digital pads please!). And over the years, I realized that I had a story to narrate, each time with its right dosage of facts, humor, observations and authentic local information – very holistic!

Photography hitchhiked a ride with me 10-11 years ago when I travelled extensively, thanks to the IT company project requirements. Then there was no looking back. Having travelled to more than 10-12 countries, I realized that apart from expressing through words, I also started cherishing expressing through photographs. This is how I arrived at pursuing ‘Photojournalism (not Photography alone, mind you :)) and Writing’. I write Technology pieces as well.

Keys to Success: It is hard to attribute my path, to anything other than my unfluttered dedication and single-mind focus, perseverance, Improved quality of delivery, Attempting relentlessly and with absolute patience and importantly, acceptance of the fact that I am no longer in an IT job which takes care of everything for me. 

I became my own Marketing & Business Development person, worked on my website (www.hemanarayanan.com) with a good friend, and became my own brand ambassador. This apart, I delivered as a Writer and a Photojournalist.

By now, I know that I had not anticipated 50% of the difficulties at the starting point. So it’s best to plunge in!

 

• What have been the highlights of your new career?

My biggest highlight has been: Never once have I been De-motivated, not once did I give up and never was I lured back into an IT job (though I get a few good ones)

 

On a moderate scale, the highlights have been:

– Today, I write for many newspapers today (The Hindu, Deccan, TOI, DNA), magazines (travel and couple of in-flight), Home & Interior Decor, Online blogs and Portals [ On a side note: I ensured my “first” piece of publication was for The Hindu since their editorial team is the hardest to impress. My first one was published in Dec 2007 [http://www.hindu.com/mag/2007/12/16/stories/2007121650310800.htm]. Then there was no looking back]

– I undertake lot of photography assignments today, teach whole lot of photography genres to people of all age groups (youngest being 8 years) in Bangalore and work on photo-journalistic themes. The feedback I receive from my students suggests that I have come a long way in the skill that I have learnt (the hard way with perseverance!)

– I have registered a proprietorship firm, named ‘Wider Angles’

– I sell my photographs in different mediums, exhibit them in the city and license them with Image Stock Agencies [Ex: Getty]. I get invited on panels for judging photo contests and do travel writing for prestigious firms.

– Shortlisted as the Top 35 (worldwide) in the 2011 Travel Scholarship conducted by National Geographic & World Nomads

– Edinburgh International Festival 2011-12 used my photograph for their hoardings, banners, pamphlets and brochures, to depict the essence of Rajasthan (in all over Scotland)

– A photograph published in the 2011 Canon Calendar on the theme of Children and Celebrations

 – Selected as one among the PRO Travel Photographers to critique Amateurs for GuruShots.com [http://www.gurushots.com/pro-p/hema-narayanan]

 

• Knowing what you do now, if you were to start from scratch today to become established as a travel writer, what steps would you take to ensure success?

It’s hard to put them in points. Remember I am not just a travel writer. I am a Photojournalist as well. So I have a double vision-mission statement making things more complicated. I want to excel on the “journalistic” part both thru writing and photography. Some of the things that one can do:

– Reach out to everyone (editorials) who you think would like travel pieces (knock on the door is more like it)

– Understanding the types of books, magazines and journals that are available today is important

– Work on a compact profile and market yourself in an interesting way

– Start doing articles pro bono a few times, THEN charge (but NEVER do free work apart from the first 2-3 pieces)

– Build on every step you achieve

 

• Finally, there are so many people who wish to try something new and even though they have all the info they have, they just cannot take the plunge. What advice would you give them?

– Like they say, the worst question is the one that is never asked. IMHO, the worst risk is the one that is never taken!

– Build a reasonable bank balance before venturing out (feels secure at times)

– Easier to Dream; Harder to Execute. Plunge, first, without over analysing the what-ifs 

– Passion is a good term. But Perseverance is a better one. Passion without perseverance is non-consequential.

– Think of it as a Marathon Race – its easier to achieve your goal, if you start small, do small things, achieve smaller things and then build up. Avoid starting on a big scale with fuzzy visions. 

[This is how I started: to me, thinking of 0.42 Kms was easier than 42 Kms! 

Today, I am mid way and I know I will get where I have envisioned myself to be, sooner or later!]

 

Talking to Hema told us how important it is to follow our dream, and how glad one feels once you have walked enough miles tracing that dream! The journey truly seems worthwhile.

 

To talk about more inspiring stories like these, or to discover your own, contact iReboot on 9035789474 or contact.ireboot@gmail.com

Discover Yourself – the way I did!

Unleashing your true potential

“I put all my genius into my life; I put only my talent into my works.” – Oscar Wilde

There comes a time in every one’s work life when they stop seeing the purpose behind their reports, their reconciliations and special projects. Mine dawned upon me when a dear friend came over to meet me one evening; seven years past college. I thank her to this very day for having awakened me from my slumber. The moments I spent with her, changed me for life.

Contrary to what Oscar Wilde has said, I had put all my efforts, my genius and my talent into my work; Just poured it out until nothing had remained inside of me. Not a drop to call my own… not a trickle to trace ‘me’ back to the work I did. We were one entity – my work and I and I was truly in love, in a manner of saying. 🙂

Life was all good until Sabbie came visiting, on a dull Monday evening; like a ghost from the past, she had brought back many memories of the days gone by. After a round of pleasantries and gushing about who was looking better among the two, we decided to sip some coffee and take a walk in the park close to home.

We exchanged stories of how life had changed and where we both were now. Life in flashback had been much simpler (not that we gave any credit to it then). We had both seen a lot, been through a lot, earned a lot and as life would have it, had lost a lot too. 🙂 Friends had grown apart, hearts were broken and mended, bosses were bossier now, promotions had come for the rescue of the ego and of course, the feeling of accomplishment had had us both agree upon having made it well for ourselves.

And then she had asked the question – “What happened to Us?” A question that wiped the smile off my face.

As students, we had both been crazy about Advertising. We would talk for hours about the kinds of ads on television, radio or print media. We’d pick a product and then challenge each other to come up with whackiest advertisement idea for it. Our dream was to work with the best in advertising industry, but we had landed jobs with entirely different organisations. She was working with an Insurance company and I was into Investment Banking. Those were the days. 🙂 We were now too far from it all. And we didn’t have much to say, except for feeling nostalgic and remorseful at the same time. We had let the evening wind itself up in silence.

A week later, I had received a mail from her that read, “Sweetie, I quit my job. I finally mustered up the courage to give up the life I’ve got accustomed to and start afresh. I’ve decided to get into advertising and will be taking a copy test tomorrow at this company a friend has referred me to. All I want to know now is this… Are you willing to do the same?! Love, Sabbie.

(P.S: Please say Yes!)

A rush of excitement had brought colour back into my face. I had clicked on the reply button and said – Yes! 🙂

That was it. That was the moment I had been waiting for my entire life. Sabbie and I had finally taken the plunge into a world that was completely new for us. We were excited and uninhibited by the thought of being a couple of nobodies.
That feeling had made me so alive – like I had finally found my true calling! Have you felt this way before? Have you had a moment where you Discovered Yourself?!

Author: Poonam Kulkarni

 

 

How to register for an iReboot course

To register Please click here to fill up the online registration form

We accept 3 modes of payment :

1. Cash :  Our Indiranagar office address is: iReboot, #3095, 6th A Main, 13th Cross, HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar , Bangalore 560038. Landmark: ESI hospital. 

2. Cheque : You can courier a cheque to
iReboot, #3095, 6th A Main, 13th Cross, HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar , Bangalore 560038 (the cheque should be in the name of ‘iReboot’)

3. You can make an online bank transfer. Please find the details below :

Account details (Current Account)

Account Number: 016905500054

 Account holder: iReboot

 Bank: ICICI

 IFSC Code is ICIC0000169

Branch: Indiranagar, Bangalore

iReboot’s Calendar for 2011

iReboot's calendar 2011

Interested in any one particular course?

You may find this easier to view:

Discover Yourself

Jan 15th-16th

Feb 5th-6th

Mar 5th-6th

Apr 2nd-3rd

May 7th-8th

June 4th-5th

July 2nd-3rd

Aug 6th-7th

Sept 3rd-4th

Oct 1st-2nd

Nov 5th-6th

Dec 3rd-4th  Start your own restaurant Jan 22nd-23rd Apr 9th-10th Oct 15th-16th Learn to DJ Apr 22nd onwards Jun 11th onwards Dec 10th onwards Music production Jul 16th Modeling & Fashion Feb 19th Photography – level 1 Feb 12th-13th  Wardrobe Styling Jan 29th-30th Oct 8th-9th Fiction Writing Mar 12th onwards Voice over/RJ/MC Apr 16th onwards Aug 20th onwards Entrepreneurship Mar 12th onwards Sep 10th onwards Interior décoration Jun 11th-12th  Event Management Feb 19th-20th May 21st-22nd Stock trading Apr 30th onwards Jul 30th onwards Oct 1st onwards Travel writing Jun 18th-19th Copywriting Nov 19th-20th Bartending Dec 17th-18th Studio Photography May 14th-15th  Make your own website Jun 25th-26th Nov 26th-27th Wildlife Photography Jan 22nd-23rd Mar 26th-27th Aug 13th-14th Nov 12th-13th Personal Finance Jan 29th-30th Oct 22nd-23rd Oct 29th-30th Wildlife – Masaimara Sep 7th-14th

Wildlife calling: where are you?

Weekend coming up. Usual plan: movies, shopping, relaxation! Unusual plan: 2 whole days capturing “wild” moments at the Bannerghatta National Park. Sounds interesting? Read on.

iReboot is back with its wildlife photography workshop, the only one in the city to combine a truly outdoor experience with the chance to learn from the best in town. Here’s what you could expect.

A 30 hour module where you will:
* learn the technicalities of using your camera (SLR or any other)

* get hands-on experience in capturing wildlife shots at the most apt moments

* be mentored by one of India’s finest photographers who has contributed to NatGeo

* have one-on-one’s with the mentor

* connect with people with similar passion

* get your photos reviewed by the mentor

To ensure that you don’t miss out on any of the action, we figured you’ll have to be a full-time photographer for two days, and so the residential format.

The best part: it doesn’t stop there. Here’s more you can look forward to after the workshop.

Monthly follow up meets- where you can meet all the previous batch participants as well and learn from each other’s experience
Photography assignments – to ensure we keep the fire within you alive, you get exclusive access to paid/unpaid assignments
Event opportunities – with iReboot’s extensive reach and involvement in events, we provide in house opportunities to cover events.
Tie-up with photography magazines- iReboot is a platform which constantly endeavors to promote your talent in various forums like “Better Photography” magazine.
Exposure to other photography initiatives- these could be anything from complimentary fashion photography classes to lectures by other photographers, etc.

Take a look at some of our participant’s work from earlier workshops.

With the monsoons just easing off, catch nature in its most pristine form.
Come. Click. Capture.

Workshop Details
Dates: 18th, 19th September, 2010
Venue: Bannerghatta National Park
Last date for registration: 30th August, 2010
For further details and registration, get in touch with iReboot at 9663857828, or email  mail@ireboot.in

iReboot Entrepreneurship Bootcamp

A 3 weekend immersion experience that will ignite the entrepreneur in you, challenge traditional beliefs and myths about entrepreneurship and bring new insights into the art of creating, building and sustaining an entrepreneurial venture that’s designed to succeed.

Being an entrepreneur is something that excites more and more people today, right from young college grads to seasoned corporate executives. Coming up with that breakthrough idea, unleashing huge new value, charting one’s own destiny, gaining accelerated learning, earning rewards a typical job-oriented career cannot provide – these are the many motivations that attract people towards entrepreneurship.

Yet, very few take the plunge. Of those who do, only a tiny fraction (many studies indicate 1%) succeed and sustain. That’s not all, every venture that fades quickly into oblivion, manages to dissuade many aspiring entrepreneurs.

In our experience of founding our own ventures and interacting with scores of entrepreneurs as well as investors, it emerges that most startups undershoot their promise due to shortcomings not merely on the ‘hard’ (strength of the idea, capability of the team, the executing and the funding) but probably more so on the ‘soft’ (lack of passion and commitment, getting locked in to paradigms, team mis-alignment, lack of flexibility). It’s like what it takes to be a master chef – unless you get both the ‘hard’ (ingredients, proportions, method) as well as the ‘soft’ (passion, creativity, inspiration and the deft touch), you will not reach your potential.

The iReboot Entrepreneurship Bootcamp is an effort that aims to expose budding entrepreneurs to the hard and soft of building a new business. Note – it’s not about how to write a business plan or how to raise funding, it’s about how to build a business, rather one should say a ‘value creation engine’.

After attending this program, participants will gain both a conceptual and ‘actionable’ understanding of:

• The mindsets that differentiate successful entrepreneurs, through this a window to recognize and challenge your own mindset
• How to gain unique, first-hand insights about the unarticulated, under-served needs of the customer and the market
• How to derive and craft innovative, breakthrough and highly differentiated offerings from above insights
• How to drastically increase the ‘strike rate’ of market success through in-market prototyping
• How to write a high-impact, high-utility business plan that is a compelling draw for potential investors and partners
• How to navigate the early days of a new-born venture and take it to a steady course of rapid growth

The program is designed around immersive learning. Participants will make small teams and pick up a potential ‘white space’ opportunity area which they will work on to conceptualize a business venture. In-class sessions will be highly interactive and thought-provoking, including live interaction and learning from practicing entrepreneurs as well as a session with a VC. Not cold figures and charts or dour theory, but very real trials, tribulations and triumphs of people and organizations, that braved the odds, pushed the envelope, refused to fail.  Participants will also gain immensely from the experience of seeking insights by going out in their respective market.

The program will go much beyond the traditional surfacial ‘business-plan’ focused know-how dished out in most entrepreneurship programs.

To register for this course, please call us on 9663857828

About the mentor

Rahul Agarwal

Rahul has 13 years of rich experience across business domains and geographies. He started his career with the Aditya Birla Group in Mumbai, which included two years in Thailand as a Business Development executive with the group’s international textiles operations. Post MBA, he went on to join consulting major Accenture’s Business Strategy practice at their London office. After honing his skills as a consultant, he decided to jump onto the entrepreneurship bandwagon, starting with an Animation Services firm run on a networked outsourced model. Later, he started Infiniti Research, a firm that leveraged India’s knowledge capabilities to provide Business Research & Advisory services to Fortune 1000 companies worldwide as well as the Private Equity industry. After an eight year innings in the UK, Rahul sold his company, relocated to India and presently works with Erehwon Innovation Consulting, a Bangalore based Innovation consultancy, where he leads the Operations Innovation practice. This practice focuses on helping clients make orbit-shifting leaps in Business Efficiency, Effectiveness and Productivity.

His core areas of interest are: Innovation for Quantum Value; Entrepreneurship; Business Strategy, Ecosystem architecture, Business Model Innovation, Customer Insight, Business Research, Green business, Inclusive Growth.

Clients worked with during his career include Siemens, Cisco, Nokia, Samsung, SonyEricsson, Salesforce.com, Philips, Johnson Controls, Novartis, Logica, Ferrari, DeBeers, Centrica, Societe Generale PE, Bank of Scotland PE, Titan Industries, Mahindra Auto, Ingersoll Rand, Whirlpool, among others.

Rahul has done a MBA from INSEAD, Fontainebleau; Masters in International Business from IIFT, New Delhi; and B.Tech from IIT, Roorkee.

Other Achievements

• Mentored IT/Telecom startups of the 2008 batch of IIM Ahmedabad i-Accelerator Incubator program.
• Empanelled mentor for 2010 Economic Times ‘Power of Ideas’ India-wide program.
• Taught ‘Applied Innovation’ as an elective at three leading B-schools in India. Course was taught primarily by taking on a live business innovation challenge from a corporate ‘sponsor’. Course was highly popular: 66% of students rated it as ‘best course’ in their MBA tenure.
• Wrote a background paper “ICT Innovation in India” for FICCI-ASQ Business Excellence Summit 2009.
• Currently leading a pioneering ‘Indo-Israel Innovation’ study on why India has been successful in services and Israel in Hi-Tech products. Study based on interviews with 44 Indian & Israeli organizations, to be released in Q3 2010.
• Conducted ‘jury audits’ of 35 organizations who applied for the 2010 ‘India Innovation Awards’. Audits comprised deep-dives into claimed innovation including user and 3rd party expert reviews.

To register for this course, please call us on 9663857828

Anil starts his own Restaurant – Northern Route.

Celebrity Chef Paul Prudhomme once quoted “I’d like to have the first restaurant that can deliver incredible quality food to your table at your house at any time-right where you live.”
Northern Route, a quaint little restaurant tucked away in the busy by lanes of St.Marks road, Bangalore (14, St. Marks Road 8, St. Marks Plaza, Bangalore, Karnataka 560001, phone: 080 65681119)  started its operations on a similar belief and that is to serve the delectable cuisines of the North at affordable prices without comprising on the authentic taste or quality what so ever! A much needed relief for our worn taste buds which have so gotten used to the tested and failed tasteless solutions available in every corner of our city.

Started by an ex CFO of an IT company, Anil ventures out into his golden years with a vision to deliver the best of the North Indian cuisine at unbelievable prices to the food craving souls of the south. Here’s an excerpt from the candid interview over a sumptuous Chola Bhatura meal.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Tell us a bit about your life and career before you thought of starting your restaurant.

I am a chartered accountant by profession; my family being from the armed forces.

I was also the CFO of an IT company, juggled different realms of the corporate world in my tenure so wanted a break from clearing the mess in organizations and shouldering others responsibilities hence decided to start something of my own.

What factors helped you in deciding to start your own restaurant?

I always wanted to be an entrepreneur and was determined to do something for the corporate

where they could get good value for money and food so decided to bring in authentic North Indian food in the South Indian market.

What steps did you take in realising your dreams?

It took me 6 months to find a suitable location but my persistence and determination finally paid off.

How did the course at iReboot help you?

It gave me an insight to restaurant business; the mentor’s experience helped me tremendously as we got to experience the workings of 5 star backend kitchens as part of the workshop.

What were the hiccups you faced along the way?

Finalizing the location, getting the right architect, language barriers and lethargic attitude of the labourers took me 3 months to set up the restaurant.

How did the name Northern route come about?

It is cuisine related pointing towards the North. On a similar note i want my revenues always go upwards i.e. point to the North!

What has been the audience response so far to the restaurant?

It has been great as I have repeat customers who have become friends now.

What is the one special cuisine /thing that people can look forward to at your restaurant?

Chola Bhatura, Rajma Chawal (they were absolutely delicious just to remind you!)

What are the future plans for the restaurant? Any special events to look out for?

To start another one without comprising on quality and quantity.

Any advice you’d like to give for future restaurateurs?

Be sure about your interior designs, designers and the restaurant location.

Describe in one word or sentence what this restaurant means to you – My bread and butter!

Anil and iReboot – Anil did a session with iReboot on “Discover yourself” where in we delve into the innate preferences of a person to identify his/her strengths, weaknesses and personality types. Just after that, he did the course “Start your own restaurant”.

If you would like to be the next restaurant owner in town, make sure you join us for iReboot’s next “Start your own Restaurant” Workshop. For details, call 9663857828.

‘Finance & Accounts for business owners’

Be a part of iReboot’s workshop on ‘Finance & Accounts for business owners’ & even for those who want to be business owners! Course content Why does “finance” matter? The Key Building Blocks of Financial Control Decoding the profit and loss account Analysing the balance sheet Cash Flow: The Lifeblood of Organisations Managing a Cost Center Costing as the basis for unit pricing Analysing costs to gain competitive advantage Distinguishing between direct and indirect costs What happens to profit – especially that retained in the business? Liquidity: How can a company have substantial retained profit, yet still be short of cash? How do we measure Profit? What are the differences between Cash and Profit? What role does Depreciation play in the story of cash? How can we control cash – especially Working Capital? Basic understanding of taxation What can simple ratios tell us about company performance? Workshop dates : 10th – 11th April 2010, May 8th – 9th 2010 Timing : 10 am to 5pm Program fee : Rs.3000 until April 11th, Rs.4500 post April 11th. Please click here to register Call 9663857828 for more details or visit www.ireboot.in About the mentor Jaya N is an accomplished mentor with a proven ability to develop and implement  strategies that support business and financial objectives for SMEs and MNCs. She has led key initiatives that has reduced operating budget by  more than 20-30% in several organizations. She is a recognized expert in applying financial concepts to asset management decisions. Brought to you by :

“If you hate what you are doing and rely on the money you earn to make you happy by buying stuff, then I think that you are living a life of meaninglessness” – Adam Khoo

Well, I’m taking the liberty to post an article written by Adam Khoo , he has been Singapore ‘s youngest  millionaire at 26 yrs.  owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of S$30 million.

Power of  Money,By Adam  Khoo

Some of you may  already know that I travel around the region pretty frequently, having  to visit and conduct seminars at my offices in Malaysia , Indonesia , Thailandand Suzhou( China ). I am in the  airport almost every other week so I get to bump into many people who  have attended my seminars or have read my  books.

Recently,  someone came up to me on a plane to KL and looked rather  shocked.  He asked, ‘How  come a millionaire like you is traveling  economy?’  My reply was,  ‘That’s why I am a millionaire. ‘ He still looked pretty  confused.

This again  confirms that greatest lie ever told about  wealth(which I wrote  about in my latest book ‘Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires’ ). Many  people have been brainwashed to think that millionaires have to wear  Gucci, Hugo Boss,  Rolex, and sit  on first class in air travel. This is why so  many people  never become rich because the moment that earn  moremoney, they  think that it is only natural that they spend more, putting them back to  square one.

The truth is  that most self-made millionaires are frugal and only spend on what is  necessary and of value.  That is why they  are able to accumulate and multiply their wealth so much  faster.

Over the last 7  years, I have saved about 80% of my income while today I save only  about60% (because I  have my wife, mother in law, 2 maids, 2 kids, etc. to  support).  Still, it is way  above most people who save 10% of their income (if they are  lucky).

I refuse to buy  a first class ticket or to buy a $300 shirt because I think that it is a  complete waste of money. However, I happily pay $1,300 to send my 2-year  old daughter to Julia Gabriel Speech and Drama without thinking  twice.

When I joined  the YEO (Young Entrepreneur’ s Orgn) a few years back (YEO) is an  exclusive club open to those who are under 40 and make over $1m a year  in their own business) I discovered that those who were self-made  thought like me.  Many of them with net worth well over $5m,  travelled economy class and some even drove Toyota ‘s and  Nissans, not Audis, Mercs, BMWs.

I noticed that  it was only those who never had to work hard to build their own wealth  (there were also a few ministers’ and tycoons’ sons in the club) who  spent like there was no tomorrow. Somehow, when you did not have to  build everything from scratch, you do not really value money. This is  precisely the reason why a family’s wealth (no matter how  much) rarely lasts past the third generation.

Thank God my  rich dad foresaw this terrible possibility and refused to give me a cent  to start my business.

Then some people  ask me, ‘What is the point in making so much money if you don’t enjoy  it?’ The thing is that I don’t really find happiness in buying branded  clothes, jewellery or sitting first class.  Even if buying  something makes me happy it is only for a while, it does not  last.

Material  happiness never lasts, it just give you a quick fix. After a while you  feel lousy again and have to buy the next thing which you think will  make you happy.  I always think  that if you need material things to make you happy, then you live a  pretty sad and unfulfilled life.

Instead, what  makes me happy is when I see my children laughing and playing and  learning so fast. What makes me happy is when I see my companies and  trainers reaching more and more people every year in so many more  countries.

What makes me  really happy is when I read all the emails about how my books and  seminars have touched and inspired someone’s  life.

What makes me  really happy is reading all your wonderful posts about how this blog is  inspiring you. This happiness makes me feel really good for a long time,  much much more than what a Rolex would do for  me.

I think the  point I want to put across is that happiness must come from doing your  life’s work (be it teaching, building homes, designing, trading, winning  tournaments etc.) and the money that comes is only a  by-product.

If you hate what  you are doing and rely on the money you earn to make you happy by buying  stuff, then I think that you are living a life of  meaninglessness.

‘Be More’ this summer at iReboot’s Summer Camp

Traditionally speaking, the image of a summer camp that’s been imprinted in most of our minds, thanks to the over whelming influence of western cinemas is of a nicely secluded wooded place out of the city limits where parents drive in with their kids who have completed their terms at school. All laden with their backpacks containing their favourite snacks and daily nitty gritties, children come in with  much excitement and enthusiasm on their faces in anticipation of what all fun ‘n’ adventurous activities are in store for them over the next one or two months without having to ponder or even recollect the exam stress and tensions that went through theirs or their parents minds prior to this.

Summer Camp

Well our desi style of conducting summer camps isn’t much different from our western counterparts except for some facts where the then nicely secluded place gets replaced by well lit indoor AC rooms within institutes now designed to conduct workshops, and more so to beat out the ever increasing scorching summer heat!

The activities planned out at iReboot’s summer camp in Bangalore is not just about fun but also to equip students in the age group 9 to 16 with skill sets to enrich the quality of their lives even more!

So GenX get set to beat out the summer heat by learning and having fun all the way! Presenting to you the ‘Be More’ summer camp at iReboot, one of a kind camp where in you will not only get to have loads of fun but gain life skills as well!

iReboot summer camp

Activities undertaken:

1. Career Awareness and Guidance – Learn about the opportunities that are there in the world for you and figure out what you want to do in your life. Take up our career assessments to help you focus on goals in your life.

2. Public Speaking – Control the junta with the help of power speaking fundas!
This skill set is often overlooked as being unimportant, but 60% of your success depends on how you can effectively communicate to a large group. Acclaimed veterans from the Toastmasters will be taking this session.

3. Mind Power techniques – Be a topper and not just a teenybopper!
Did you know the way you think could shape your destiny? Train your conscious mind to open up a whole new life of power and opportunity. Learn mind power techniques that will help you concentrate better and make your thoughts work for you in all spheres of life!

4. Photography – If you love to shoot then this will be your loot!
If you think a picture can speak thousand words then learn to capture what is important to you & let the world see it through the eyes of your camera. All of this done under the trained guidance of Nat Geo travel and wildlife photography expert. Enjoy memorializing the moments of your life!

5. Dhamaal Dance – Groove to hit Bollywood tunes & make people swoon
Keep all your worries at bay when you learn to dance and shake in the true Desi way! Sway to the tunes of a Hit Bollywood choreographer & learn to express your emotions, feelings, opinions like a professional dancer!

6. Cooking without Fire – A survival tactic which you must practice!
What can you do when mum’s not around to make you a meal? Learn to make tasty treats without the risk of burning yourself. Start from the basics  and you will love to equip yourself with this skill further.      

7. Pottery – Learn the mystery of this earthy creativity!
Leave your PC’s aside for a while and flex your hand muscles at this cultural creativity for a while! Make your own pot with the help of our famous globetrotting Potter.

Be More camp will be catering to 20 students only aged between 9- 16 yrs & students will be divided into two batches as shown below
Batch I
Workshop days: Mon, Wed, Fri
Timings: 9.30 AM to 1:00 PM
Commencement Date:  5th of April, 2010
Graduation Date: 18th of April, 2010

Batch II

Workshop days: Tues, Thurs, Sat
Timings: 9.30 AM to 1:00 PM
Commencement Date:  6th of April, 2010
Graduation Date: 18th of April, 2010

So don’t look any further; enroll yourself here,
For time doesn’t wait for any one,
Be more this summer & we’ll make sure your learning is an absolute fun !! 🙂

For more details and reservations contact: 9663857828. Hurry Limited seats only!