Property prices to go high

This is good news to me, especially considering the plans I have. Also a good news for our clients. The next two years are expected to be extremely high growing markets for real estates and people are already preferring property purchase to gold! Here is the post.

Riding high on improved market sentiment, especially after the Narendra Modi government took charge in late May, more and more investors are going for real estate compared to stocks and gold, according to a survey.

Nearly 67 per cent of respondents in the survey preferred to invest in real estate compared to only 18 per cent in stocks and and just 15 per cent in gold, India Property said.

The property portal surveyed 2,583 people, of which over 30 per cent were above the age of 46, while 40 per cent in the 25-35 years bracket.

"With a new government at the centre, sentiment across sectors seem to be positive and real estate is riding the wave. Investors expect the first budget from the Modi government (due next week) to favour property seekers with reduction in home loan rates and a sector regulator, besides providing a boost to infrastructure segment," the property firm said in a statement.

According to the survey, nearly 79 per cent of the respondents are looking at the realty sector as a long-term investment option. Also, Mumbai tops the chart for property investment followed by Bangalore, Chennai, Pune, Kolkata, Delhi-NCR and Hyderabad.

Investors also feel the property prices will go up in the next two years, it added.

Monday blues: Fore give

This happened last Sunday at Sarjapur and fits my Monday Blues series.

A sudden jerk, horrible screeching sound and a clanking of metal and then I realise that a vehicle has hit me from behind.

I pull over, park and get down. As I get down I see the driver has hopped out and his friend who is in the passenger's seat is frantically shifting to the driver's seat. A group of 7-10 people has already gathered and are waiting in anticipation. The car has Kerala registration and the driver who was in the driver's seat before rushes to my side and is almost trembling and is whispering sorry. What do I do? What would you do?

As I inspect the ugly scratches on my car, in less than 30 seconds the crowd starts shouting at him and now there are close to 20 people! The other guy has come down now and we are blocking traffic. I look at the guy and his sorry face and I know I am in full control. What would you do? I look at him and tell him its ok. Frankly speaking both of them are stumped. They offer to pay and say something about insurance. I wave them off and say drive safe and get into my car. The smile and relief they have on their face is worth more than the few scratches on my car.

Try it next time. When you get a chance to screw someone's happiness, stop. You will feel up!

Pic is from here. 

Bengaluru belebath

Local is the new style. Bengaluru belebath's mobile outlets reach out to several people who cannot get up in the morning and prepare boxes for their lunch, or would like to taste something outside.

This seems to be an excellent idea especially because of the price tag @ 25 INR for lunch. Moreover the cuisine is something that would remind you of traditional tastes of Karnataka, something you had taste3d from your granny's kitchen.

The success or failure of this venture might depend on several factors like the quality, cost and the quantity of the offering and how it would like to reach out to its customers in the longer run but one thing is for sure. It has got the takers from the huge working class who wouldn't mind shelling out the cost for what they have.

Brands can tap in to your space with an excellent offering anytime, only once. But if the offering is good and improves everyday with something or the other and keeps you engaged and smiling then that would be the path to success. Unfortunately, you don't find many such brands around. Here is wishing luck to Bengaluru Belebath's team

My cocaine pill

On nippy March evenings, you can also use a little sweat if you can gain fitness. It can brighten the comforting face and savory shape that our chilled bodies still crave. 

Every time I tie my shoe laces, I find myself asking this question. Do I really need to run, jog and slog to get a figure that I always wanted to? Ain't I enough handsome? Why don't I skip the run for today and watch cricket instead? Sipping a can of chilled Coke with popcorn, or grilled chicken can be a cool combination. 

After a long day's work, I am totally strained and drained. Running would just make it worse and my body, sorer! But the satisfaction in sweating makes me have fun. Jogging a few rounds with friends chatting about non-related topics like the new item song, an ad in the paper, new offers online, different kinds of fish and stuff in the park helps me unwind the tension that is built up and cool my senses. I have given up on the iPod as it makes me feel bound, literally. I reach home, take a warm & cold shower; relieved and untoxicated.

Finding a hobby that relaxes my mind, helps me cope with the work pressures is awesome and has made me a better person. All this jogging helps me gorge on the chicken, sweets and whatever I want with ease for longer periods of time.

Jogging is my cocaine pill. What is yours? The warm bright summer is coming. And I am loving it!

What more

How can you retain customers when you don't have what they are looking for?

"No, we don't have it," sounds normal.

"I am afraid, we've run out of stock. Can I call you back when we get it?" is a better answer.

"Oops! Sorry we don't have it right now. You can find it at the store a few blocks away. Let me show you the way," is my kind of answer.

We were at Bangalore Central and this board at foodbazaar shows they care. Good customer service '=' repeat walkins.

Can you do this to your business? Service? Why don't you?

Good job Vatal

Staying in news has its own advantages. And with nothing to offer, how do you get there? Well ask Vatal Nagraj from Namma Bengaluru. Kannada Vatal Paksha leader Vatal Nagaraj knows how to stay put in news, whether by peeing or by selling coconuts. No I don't see any links there. What makes me wonder is his appetite in doing that.

Brands may not always have a story to sell but can always have a news to make. Staying up for the wrong reasons? Well if all you want is a recognition, why not? Check out the chefs of controversy. What Vatal makes me think is his ability to stand away and novel in his protests and he manages to grab enough attention all the time. This is interesting as it is very hard to do. People may not vote for him or follow his model but one thing is for sure, he will not be ignored. This is exactly what he intends to do. Good job Vatal.

Save ME!

All Bengalurians please pick up tees at Lifestyle as part of the proceeds would go towards the well being of the animals at the Bannerghatta National Park. The collection reflects the animal theme and has various options to choose from. The prices are reasonable too. What I would have picked up is anybody's guess.

Precious

Clicked this while on a field visit outside a medical shop in Shivaji Nagar. Liked the message and the theme. How true that the Lord sees every precious thing!

Fruits anyone?

That's right. Was floored with the idea and the response. You would find this tela near Cubbon park, Bangalore. The placement is too good and so is the offering. A bowl of fresh cut fruits with a coat of salt and honey served for you for just 15 bucks. We were there around lunch time today and within 15 minutes saw some 100 plates being sold. Leaving the calculation in your good hands, let me speak about few learnings that you can take away.

• Don't complain that there are no jobs
• Food, health and education are evergreen
• Place, price and positioning accentuate the offering
• You don't need advertising if your product is good and you are reaching the target clientele
• Never feel ashamed of what you do for a living
• If there is a will, there is a .... (you know)

Next time you are around this place, go nuts... oops... go fruits!

Oye Amritsar!

Well... wanted to post about it since Dhiru took us there. Oye Amritsar is a wonderful restaurant to get away from the regular closed environs of a restaurant to chat, eat and catch up with your friends. I loved the place, their taste & variety of food. Ambiance is awesome too. Ever wanted to get out of the buzz in the city and enjoy a good meal on a road side dhaba, travel in a truck with careless abandon but couldn't? Decked up in mass estyle, for some 300 bucks you can get that here. Worth a try.

Here is MJ's review.

The entrepreneurial touch

Receding hair lines, some bald heads, whitened hair, slightly overweight, protruding bellies and a group of forty somethings were all around the room. If you are thinking of a group of old men having a gala time at a party in the evening, its true. This group has a difference. This wasn't a meeting after a golf thought it could have been. The happy eager and bright faces said it all. These were men and women who had dreamt to be different from others in life and achieved it.

Click on the image to enlarge

They were entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, executives with the common thread being achievement. IIM Alumni, IIM B and CIIE gathered to celebrate the hundred thousand'th copy of Stay Hungry Stay Foolish by Rashmi Bansal. The event also saw the launch of the Kannada version of the book. CIIE initiative mentorship program Mentor Edge was launched.

The event was Celebrating the Spirit of Entrepreneurship at Royal Orchid Hotels, Bangalore with nice snacks thrown in. It was amazing time with many experienced people willing to share their thoughts and ideas. I am not going to talk about the book because either you have read it or heard about it. If you haven't then go grab your copy today. What I liked at the event was that the room was filled with energy, spirit and success. Thanks to Rashmi I was a part of it, got her autograph on my copy bought last year when it released.

Read Rashmi's views on the event at Youth curry and see a few pics I managed to click. I got my first IIM A card too :) Hopefully will not be the last.

The Nagarjuna Experience

We went to Nagarjuna Restaurant at Jayanagar 4th block the other day for lunch. My right thumb was bandaged and hence eating from a banana leaf is not comfortable to eat with a spoon. The food was good as expected but they didn't have a plate.

Why can't you keep a few plates? I have this question for others as well. Malls don't have facilities for handicapped people, not enough washrooms (even if they exist, they stink), escalators don't have attendants, trail rooms don't have fans, CCD doesn't have parking, many malls don't have emergency exits, working fire extinguishers and what not. Why can't you be ready and be ready for emergencies.