tag:nelsonscolumn.co,2014:/feedNelson’s Column 2016-01-02T17:17:12-08:00Nelson Sivalingamhttp://nelsonscolumn.conelson@oneminutelondon.comSvbtle.comtag:nelsonscolumn.co,2014:Post/this-year-the-riskiest-thing-you-can-do-is-to-take-no-risks2016-01-02T17:17:12-08:002016-01-02T17:17:12-08:00This year the riskiest thing you can do is to take no risks.<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/mnx77zytzpa6fg.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/mnx77zytzpa6fg_small.jpg" alt="Risk-Taking-Cartoon.jpg"></a></p>
<p>In 1984, a young Sri Lankan man in his early 30s reluctantly fled his home, leaving behind his newly wedded wife and his four-year-old son. Uprooted from all he knew and anxious of all that lied ahead, he arrived at the borders of the UK. This man is my father. The young woman left to care for their child, in a country imploding from civil war, with dreams of joining her husband for a better life - is my mother. </p>
<p>This is the beginning of most refugee stories with only the details of where, when and who changing as history repeats itself. It is this risk that my parents took that would change their generation and mine forever. No risk I have taken until now and no risk I can see myself taking in the foreseeable future has stakes as high as the decision my parents took - and this is probably true of most of you reading this. This raises the question as to whether we are making the most of the opportunity we’ve been given? </p>
<p>Most of us are living a life that could have been predicted for us on the day we were born. School at 5, university at 18, a job for life straight after that, followed by marriage, kids and then work till we get our pension. How many of us have milestones in our life that are different to those? Are we really making full use of free will and the opportunity we’ve been given if we’re living a life that could have been mapped out for us? Whether you’re an accountant or a solicitor, thanks to someone’s decision that it takes 8 hours a day to do every job in the world, your life has become just as predictable as a bad movie. We live our life firmly holding onto the railings even though we’ve never fallen. The longer we hold on, the more our imagination of the pain becomes worse than the actual pain of falling, so much so that we’re not willing to let go of the railing - not even for a moment to explore. </p>
<p>Migrant parents may have wanted their kids to become doctors and lawyers like they were the only careers that existed, but this is nothing but a manifestation of their need for security. You can’t blame them for seeking this security when they had so much taken away from them at such a young age and they spent many years trying to reunite with that feeling of stability in a new country. They had a reason for determinedly seeking security, but what is ours? </p>
<p>My parents took a risk when their worst case scenario was losing everything they had and years of their life - for most of us the worst case scenario is no where near as bad. Our parents want us to live a life they only aspired to, which is fair, but how that is done only we can decide. It is our responsibility to tell them that they have already given us that security and it is time for us to build upon this like they would have if they had been given the chance - instead we’re stuck at the same point of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs afraid to move up. </p>
<p>Sheltered and secure in our comfort zone, we’re becoming a generation soaked in apathy. Many from my parents’ generation were civically and politically more aware in their teens than some of my peers are in their thirties. We have a false sense of safety in doing the same thing over and over again and by not interacting with anything outside of our circle of comfort, but if there is one thing the world repeatedly teaches us, it is change is inevitable. The sooner we acknowledge it and appreciate it the more constructively we will respond when we are surprised. If we spend our life playing it safe, no one will ever know who we are. Even worse, we won’t get a chance to find out who we really are.</p>
<p>So this year take that risk. The shadow of uncertainty is inevitable, but it is also part of the beauty of life. You think you’ve been driving the train, but it is the guy who laid the track that set the path so it’s time to take a risk and be that guy. It’s incredible how easily people put off the things they really want to be doing. How many times have you heard your friends say I really want to do X but i’ll do it after doing Y for 5 years although I hate it? Not only are you taking those 5 years for granted but it shows a complete disregard for the value of your own time. Life is too short to be doing stuff that doesn’t matter. Whether you want to cut down your hours to spend time with your family, take a sabbatical to travel the world and write that book, try your hand at starting a business or just take time out to find out what you actually love doing, take that risk this year. At the very least, whether the risk pays off or not, your life will make a better movie. </p>
tag:nelsonscolumn.co,2014:Post/5-books-every-entrepreneur-should-read2015-02-26T09:37:05-08:002015-02-26T09:37:05-08:005 Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read <p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/tctlxkh82grw.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/tctlxkh82grw_small.jpg" alt="business-books.jpg"></a><br>
When I was a kid I wasn’t much of a reader – in fact I would do anything to get out of it. My Dad was quite big on reading and would take us down to the library regularly but classic case of a rebellious child, the more I was told to do it the less I understood the value of it. And then it happened – on my year out before Uni I decided to start reading on my way to work and I was hooked. </p>
<p>I’ve been a cinephile since I was a kid and one of the main reasons for this was films’ inherent ability to take you into someone else’s world – great books did this for me but captured my imagination and inquisitive mind further. The experience felt more intimate where you could feel everything the character feels with access to their innermost thoughts. It gives you the liberty to be more than an observer and the opportunity to live their life. </p>
<p>But I’m not here to convince you to read although you are seriously missing out if you don’t. I’m here to tell you the books that inspired me to be an entrepreneur and continue to help me along the way. Some of the books are not specific to entrepreneurship but just great books that give you a new perspective on the world. </p>
<p>So here’s my top five: </p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/iidbdmtbp8ngia.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/iidbdmtbp8ngia_small.jpg" alt="71tDzYnZfWL.jpg"></a><br>
<strong>1. “Courage: The Joy of Living Dangerously” by Osho</strong></p>
<p>The chances are if you’ve ever met me, at some point I have probably recommended this book to you. This is a book not just all entrepreneurs should read but one everyone should read! It is a little book that had one of the biggest impacts that any book has ever had on me. It is not a business book but one about life. Now it’s not one of those self-help books that tell you how to live your life – on the contrary it only asks you questions about how you live your life right now. </p>
<p>It is based on the simple concept that courage is not the absence of fear; rather it is the total presence of fear with the courage to face it. In this book Osho extrapolates this concept across different aspects of life inspiring you to live outside of the confines of your own ideals. Read it with an open mind and at the very least it mind just reaffirm the way you are living your life. </p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/urmnkhfedf64vg.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/urmnkhfedf64vg_small.jpg" alt="walter-isaacson-steve-jobs.jpg"></a><br>
<strong>2. “Steve Jobs” by Walter Issacson</strong></p>
<p>I’m a big fan of biographies and this has to be one of the best I have read. Not just because Steve Jobs is a compelling subject but the narrative is engaging and the details are on point. Isaacson gives the reader an extraordinary account of Job’s professional and personal life with an unflinching insight into a brilliant, if flawed, man with no holds barred. It changed my perspective on how we build products and what I think is important. </p>
<p>The book shows you how Jobs was able to push others around him to excel and build two of the greatest companies of our time – Apple and Pixar. Most incredibly, it explores the psyche of a man who led the launch of three revolutionary products even after being diagnosed with terminal illness. Whether you like Apple or not, fancy starting a business or not, know who Steve Jobs is or not (where have you been?) – this book is a brilliant read about a truly remarkable man who brought beauty to the world with not just the gifts that made him a genius, but because of the flaws and eccentricities that made him a person. </p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/hatpfmmlasgova.png" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/hatpfmmlasgova_small.png" alt="founders_cover.png"></a><br>
<strong>3. “Founders at work: Stories of Startups’ Early Days” by Jessica Livingston</strong></p>
<p>This book is a series of fascinating interviews with the founders of now-ubiquitous companies such as Hotmail, Apple, Gmail, Paypal, Yahoo, Tripadvisor, Blackberry, Adobe, Flickr and many more. It is astonishing and at the same time reassuring to know that very few of the greatest entrepreneurs knew what they were doing when they first started and that many of the ideas emerged accidentally, after many failures or experiments. </p>
<p>Each chapter is a different story of a startup founder and the range of early stage experiences of such an eclectic mix of founders is inspiring whether you’re already running your own business or thinking about starting one. It is a great opportunity to learn from the mistakes and successes of others. </p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/pciaia3yhg3ipa.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/pciaia3yhg3ipa_small.jpg" alt="7113UIHw6hL.jpg"></a><br>
<strong>4. “Purple Cow” by Seth Godin</strong></p>
<p>Although this was written over ten years ago, the key ideas in this book ring true more today than ever before. Seth Godin’s concise book is not about how to become a Purple Cow but explains why you need to be a Purple Cow. What is a Purple Cow you ask? </p>
<p>Cows, after you’ve seen one, or two, or ten, are boring. A Purple Cow, though…now that would be something. Purple Cow describes something phenomenal, counterintuitive, exciting and “remarkable”. Every day, consumers come face to face with a lot of boring stuff - a lot of brown cows - but you can bet they won’t forget a Purple Cow. And it’s not a marketing function that you can slap on to your product or service. Purple Cow is inherent. It’s built right in, or it’s not there. At times repetitive but a simple book with a powerful message supported by great examples that make you question the way you think about your own business. </p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/yusqg5dw0tr9q.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/yusqg5dw0tr9q_small.jpg" alt="Creativity-Inc-by-Ed-Catmull.jpg"></a></p>
<ol>
<li>“Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull</li>
</ol>
<p>From Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios, comes an insightful book that is in parts a “how-to” on inspiring creative culture, productivity, leadership, and work/life balance in the office – while also being a charming behind-the-scenes look at how some of my favourite animated films have been made. </p>
<p>The valuable lessons in this book are demonstrated by Catmull’s own trials and tribulations while building Pixar from a small creative company that made the first ever animation movie ‘Toy Story’ to now the most successful animation studio in the world. Creativity, Inc. is a book for managers who want to lead their team to new heights, a manual for anyone who strives for originality, and the first-ever, all-access trip into the nerve centre of Pixar Animation—into the meetings, post-mortems, and “Braintrust” sessions where some of the most successful films in history are made. </p>
<p>So there you have it, my “must reads” for anyone looking to start a business or already out there hustling. I think it’s fair to say if I didn’t get lost in books, I’d be lost in life so go find yourself.</p>
tag:nelsonscolumn.co,2014:Post/3-startup-lessons-from-the-wolf-of-wall-street2015-02-10T10:07:59-08:002015-02-10T10:07:59-08:003 Startup Lessons from 'The Wolf of Wall Street'<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/k4osnkbuv9rv9q.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/k4osnkbuv9rv9q_small.jpg" alt="The-Wolf-of-Wall-Street.jpg"></a><br>
The much debated ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ based on the memoirs of real life stock market fraudster Jordan Belfort opened to packed screens and divided audiences when it released. A story of our times, a cautionary tale or a merry fable – whatever your take on it is, this film cannot be ignored. Putting aside the much talked about sex, drugs and more sex, there are a few lessons in it for start-ups:</p>
<p><strong>1. Build a great team</strong></p>
<p>Belfort, portrayed by DiCaprio starts his New York investment-banking firm Stratton Oakmont in a spare closet at a used car salesroom. The first thing he does is get together a team of talented sales people, who although might not be familiar with the stock markets, had the key skills required to learn the rest on the job. This is one of the most difficult yet crucial parts of starting and running a business. It is important you realise your strengths and focus on those, while you delegate other responsibilities to skilled individuals. By trying to do everything yourself, it is easy to lose sight of the important things that only you can do to grow the business.</p>
<p>I know you’re thinking how do I get good people to join my team when I haven’t got any money to pay them properly – well, in the scene where Belfort brings his new recruits out for dinner to pitch them the idea, you see how he passionately sells them the vision of what Stratton Oakmont could become one day. By inspiring them to feel like a stakeholder in the business, Belfort manages to get them to buy in to his vision.</p>
<p><strong>2. How to sell</strong></p>
<p>When Belfort walks into a little office with unenthused sales people trying to flog off penny stocks, it’s his sales technique that gets him the high sales and gets him noticed. DiCaprio gives a career best performance as a confident and persuasive Belfort who has a knack for connecting with people. For anyone who has done telesales, you know it is a task that takes a lot of calls but often you get sales people who reel off the same pitch while losing every bit of emotion each time they deliver it. If it’s monotonous for you then just imagine how it must sound to the person listening to you.<br>
So Belfort decides to put away the bland telesales script and engage in conversation. He gets to know his potential customer and puts forward the benefits that would apply the most to them instead of going on about how great the stocks are, as the customer can’t relate to that. </p>
<p>You can connect with people through conversation not through a one-sided monologue whether that’s over-the-phone or face-to-face. Ask questions, give answers and have a normal conversation. But this takes a very confident sales person with a great understanding of the product, the purpose of the call and that if someone says NO it’s not personal.</p>
<p><strong>3. Stand out from the noise</strong></p>
<p>Do things differently. Your product is not just the end thing that someone pays for but the way your company operates, how you look after your colleagues, the relationships, the vision and how you execute it. This will become a story in itself that can be talked about. Your brand becomes bigger than just your products but gives your business a personality. Belfort gets himself noticed by the big players on Wall Street for the way he does things differently although his ways are strongly not recommended (see the film) but the idea of doing things differently and branding yourself are great attributes to disrupt a big industry with established players.</p>
<p>As a start up it is difficult trying to get people to hear about what you do amongst all the noise but it is possible to get great PR even within a limited budget. The key thing to think about is why people would read this – if it wasn’t about your own business would you? So be a newsworthy company for the right reasons and make every aspect of your business a reflection of your values and vision.</p>
tag:nelsonscolumn.co,2014:Post/i-was-shot-last-week2015-01-13T14:55:11-08:002015-01-13T14:55:11-08:00I Was Shot Last Week...<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/trrwtuvcqxfbtq.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/trrwtuvcqxfbtq_small.jpg" alt="158296_600.jpg"></a></p>
<p>An attack on freedom of speech is an attack on you and I, whether we have the same opinion or not. The Charlie Hedbo shooting is not an isolated incident but history repeating itself and an everyday reality in parts of the world less reported. </p>
<p>The cold blooded murderers from the shooting, the vandals who are now smashing mosques in retaliation, Rupert Murdoch with his ignorant sweeping generalisations and the French state who banned the burka – they are all cut from the same cloth. The victim here is the basic human right to express and the attacker is intolerance. </p>
<p><strong>Heroes and Villains</strong> </p>
<p>The shooters are psychopathic criminals and they could have said they did it because Charlie Hebdo drew a satirical cartoon that offended blondes – if that was the case would it be fair to blame all blondes or even hair colour in general? Islam has just as much to do with this as the clothes a rape victim was wearing when they were attacked – NOTHING. The current narrative sensationalised by mainstream media is reductive and trivialises the situation by polarising society to find a hero and villain. </p>
<p>Bringing Islam into the discussion is only blinding us from bigger questions about a society that is collectively responsible for producing these killers. Why are people feeling disenfranchised from the society they live in? Why are we not able to protect the vulnerable who are being exploited and radicalised? What role does Western Governments’ involvement in foreign conflicts play in this? Why are we so intolerant as a society? </p>
<p><strong>Democracy: A nice idea?</strong> </p>
<p>The cornerstone of every working democracy is the freedom of expression. It would not be possible for people to use the right to vote or contribute to the decision-making process in their society without the access to information and ideas, or the space to express their views freely. This incident is not just about a magazine or a cartoon - this is about upholding the values of a democracy.</p>
<p>Today it’s a cartoon; tomorrow it could be another book, play, song, film – you might even be told to remove your Facebook status. It’s happened before and it will happen again if we don’t protect not just our own right to express but also our neighbour’s right even if you don’t agree with them. If not, there will be a time when we won’t even be allowed to have an opinion. It’s a sad state of affairs that this is not a case of my imagination going wild, as we can sit here and name examples of countries where a small elitist group decide what people see, hear and feel. </p>
<p><strong>I am not Charlie</strong></p>
<p>This quick-to-shut-things-down approach by banning, censoring, burning and now killing are creating an environment where decisions are now more and more being made out of fear. The fear that particular interest groups will be offended. Well, what about the rest of us? Are you not offending us by disregarding our right to choose? And who are these people who are so easily offended? If someone is offended, then that’s their opinion and of course they are entitled to it. But by allowing this cancerous fear to continue, we run the risk of creating a society that is slave to fringe elements, limiting areas of thought and expression, destroying human mind, creativity and the relationship between man with himself and man with others.</p>
<p>Think about the bigger picture beyond the fad of putting up ‘Je Suis Charlie’ as your profile picture. I am not Charlie but I will protect his right to express whether I agree with it or not – in the same way you have the right to choose whether these are words or mere sounds but more importantly I have the right to say them. </p>
tag:nelsonscolumn.co,2014:Post/the-5-things-every-creative-should-know2014-12-11T12:37:49-08:002014-12-11T12:37:49-08:00The 5 Things Every Creative Should Know...<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/fezq8ufqf0yndq.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/fezq8ufqf0yndq_small.jpg" alt="Creativity-is-intelligence-having-fun.jpg"></a></p>
<p><strong>1. Know what you can do</strong></p>
<p>Do you know what you’re good at? Well if you do, it’s not enough to just know - you need to know how to exploit that skill to your advantage. It’s frustrating to meet an individual who is evidently talented and intelligent but does not have the slightest clue on what to do with their talents. Are you a confident person who enjoys public speaking? Then have you ever thought about being a motivational speaker? Or do you have a unique and interesting writing style that people enjoy reading? Then why not explore journalism or screenwriting? Whatever it is, find out how you can exploit your skills because the most successful people are not always the most talented ones but the ones who knew how to use their talents. </p>
<p><strong>2. Know what you don’t know</strong></p>
<p>Being aware of what you don’t know is just as important as knowing your skills and strengths. It reminds you that what you know is very little compared to what is left still to learn, so know when to pipe down and keep an open mind as you never know who you can learn what from. As a creative, it is important to know how others see the world and it’s more interesting to try and understand someone else’s perspective, even if you disagree. As they say, you’ve got two ears and one mouth for a reason so start listening and let your art do the talking. </p>
<p><strong>3. Why you’re doing what you’re doing</strong></p>
<p>If you don’t know why you’re doing what you’re doing then why are you doing it in the first place? Whether you’re making a film or writing creative copy, it is important to know why you’re doing it, as people buy into the ‘why’ not ‘what’. Be sincere about your reasons for doing something because people can see right through it. If you had the same geeky excitement as me for creating new things, the same love for art and the same enthusiasm to make the things you want to see in the world around you, then I would be able to see that. So make sure you know ‘why’ because even in a job interview, it is clear when you meet someone who knows why they’re doing what they’re doing as it shows in their conviction and passion. </p>
<p><strong>4. Gambling is good</strong></p>
<p>Okay I can explain – taking a gamble on yourself is good because face it if you don’t, then don’t expect anyone else to take any chances on you. As a recent graduate it can get really tough and frustrating at times when you see your friends around you in grad schemes or in full time jobs getting a nice monthly salary and you’re still struggling to get your foot in the door. You might start doubting your ambitions, even worse - you might start doubting yourself. At times like this give yourself the benefit of the doubt – ask yourself what’s the worst that can happen? It might take you longer to buy that luxury car or you might have to give up on a few holidays. Now, ask yourself what’s the best that can happen? You have a chance to write for that magazine you’ve always wanted to or you get to be a part of a creative new start up that’s the next big thing. If the best-case scenario outweighs the worst, then surely it’s a risk worth taking?</p>
<p><strong>5. Wait for it…Be yourself!</strong></p>
<p>Yeah you’ve heard this one before and it sounds like a cheesy line out of a Hollywood blockbuster but the reason why you hear this often is because it’s true and even more so in the creative industries. People hire you for your thoughts, your ideas and your perspective on the world. A good movie example of this is Mr Quentin Tarantino – you may have seen hundreds of war movies but when he decided to make ‘Inglorious Basterds’ there was still a great curiosity to know what a war film by Tarantino would be like. As a creative looking for employment or interested in starting a business in a competitive industry it is important to differentiate yourself, so forget about what the guy before you did and what the guy after you might do, just believe that you have something unique and worthwhile to offer this world. </p>
tag:nelsonscolumn.co,2014:Post/How-To-Start-A-Business-With-Just-A-Phone-Call2014-12-02T11:00:46-08:002014-12-02T11:00:46-08:00How To Start A Business With Just A Phone Call<p>Imagine spending days writing a business plan, weeks trying to get money and months developing a website just to find out no one wanted your product from the beginning. Or alternatively you have a great idea but you don’t think you can pursue it because you don’t have enough money to do it and then one day someone else does it and then you’re cursing them for beating you to it. </p>
<p><strong>What if you could avoid both of these scenarios with a phone call?</strong></p>
<p>Today <a href="http://www.oneminutelondon.com/" rel="nofollow">One Minute London</a> is a video booking platform for restaurants, bars and experiences but back when I had just an idea it was very different to that. The initial thought was videos would be a cool way to scout restaurants - better than reading reviews that had questionable credibility and looking at pictures of empty venues. So the plan was to make the equivalent of movie trailers for restaurants - but the cool thing is we would have this interactive skin that would allow you to make bookings directly through the video. </p>
<p>Now I had this cool idea, I decided to find out if anyone else would feel it was just as cool as I did and more importantly would they feel it was cool enough to pay for it. So I put together a list of restaurants and started calling them up -yep, good old cold calling! </p>
<p>The first person I spoke to said he wasn’t interested in a video to add to his website as his website wasn’t getting much traffic so in my next call I added to my pitch that the video will be listed on a online video guide that we will be launching and also we’ll add the videos to all your existing online listings. Every time someone said no to me, I would ask them why and then add this as a new feature to this fictional product. I kept on doing this until someone was interested in the product enough to give me a meeting. </p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/ruqqqwjwlctzg.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/ruqqqwjwlctzg_small.jpg" alt="funny-kid-by-the-phone-picture-captions-445x299.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Still with no idea how much it would cost me to build this product or whether it was even actually feasible, I had a meeting with a potential client. I turned up to the meeting with nothing to show and pitched the product for the first time. Each time a objection came up I would think of a semi-sensible answer on the spot until finally he said the word…“Yes.” It took a moment to sink in but I had my first sale for a product that didn’t exist.</p>
<p><strong>No company name, No product, No website, No money invested - but I had a sale.</strong></p>
<p>So confident in my idea I could have gone off built the technology and website, spent money on marketing it and the whole shabang but I would have put all that time, money and effort without actually knowing whether anyone would actually buy my product. By just calling around I was able to understand my market and their issues better, develop the product in my mind and fundamentally make sales and generate revenue. I then went away and found out how much money I would need to build the product and started pre-selling the product until we generated enough money to fund the first version of our website. </p>
<p><strong>Now, are you ready to make that phone call?</strong></p>
tag:nelsonscolumn.co,2014:Post/start-with-why2014-11-24T09:30:56-08:002014-11-24T09:30:56-08:00Start With Why <p>For a while now i’ve toyed with the idea of putting the rants and raves of my ever so restless mind down on paper but I didn’t want to do it until I could answer the question of “Why?.”</p>
<p>According to Simon Sinek, the answer to this question is what we should start with. The thing that the brands we love, the leaders who we choose to follow and the outliers we look to in wonder have in common is that they all start with this question. The ground breakers, leaders and pioneers didn’t define themselves with what they did but inspired their audience with why they did it. If you’re not familiar with this idea, then I would strongly recommend you take 18 minutes out of your life to watch this: </p>
<iframe src="https://embed-ssl.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action.html" width="560" height="315"></iframe>
<p>Now assuming you’ve watched the video, if you’re anything like me you’re now feeling pretty inspired by how such a simple idea can have a significant impact on how we approach our decisions both in business as well as personally. So let me start with why this blog:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>It’s a better alternative than talking to myself which is what I would resort to in order to formulate my scattered thoughts and ideas. Hopefully, the process will make me be a better thinker by stopping me and forcing me to delve deeper into matters of life and the worldview that shapes them - I know deep stuff. </p></li>
<li><p>The process of writing takes discipline so i’ve been told by writers I admire so i’m hoping this will give me that and help me become a better writer - we can all hope! </p></li>
<li><p>Running a fast-growing startup, making a film and meeting new interesting people - all has an effect on who I am so this is my attempt to journal the changes. Also I would like to put some of these experiences in a film someday so since I have a memory like a fish this will hopefully be a good uncensored reference document. </p></li>
<li><p>I make a fair share of mistakes that not everyone needs to make so i’ll put them out here and you may learn from them or at the very least you’ll know you’re not the only person in the world who made that mistake. </p></li>
<li><p>I come across a lot of “cool” stuff so I thought instead of being selfish and keeping it to myself i’ll share it with the world - I know i’m nice like that. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>So there it is, my first ever blog post about why I decided to start this blog. Now i’ll leave you with this question - If you don’t know why you’re doing what you’re doing then why are you doing it in the first place? </p>
<p>P.S. Thanks Lucy for the blog name : ) </p>