My Grandpa:Riddles, Stories and Poems

My grandpa used to tell lot many stories and riddles when I was young.

He didn't get an opportunity for higher education due to circumstances and constraints. Nevertheless, he is a brilliant man with lot of wisdom.

He used to tell lot of bedtime stories such as Nalla Thangal, Malayur Mammattiyan and many other childhood stories. He used to read books like Viveeha Chinthamani. I still remember one of the poem from this book: Aavina Malai Pozhiya Villam Veezha.

It is not as safe as we think

We all invest and save money for rainy day or retirement.

What is the risk in investment? Loosing money. You invest a $1 and if it goes to 80 cents,then you lost 20%, if it goes to 50 cents you lost half the money, you lost 50%.

If you are risk-averse person and you don't want loose even a penny, then you may go with Bank's certificate of deposit or CD OR you may invest in treasury bond.

Assume that you purchase the treasury bond which pays 4% interest,you keep it until maturity and government honors the bond and pays the money back when the bond matures.

Don't assume that this is 100% risk-free

Most common people think that investing with treasury bond is an risk-free investment.

However, there is a hidden risk involved which is inflation risk. There is greater chance of inflation risk in the near future by looking at the way governments printing and spending money,not just US government but governments all over the world.

Inflation had been a major issue with developing countries as well as developed countries such as US and Germany. Not too long ago. German-after WW-II,US- 1980's, and Zimbabwe-now.

Say for example, you invest $10,000 either in CD or treasury bond and you get the money back with approx $15,000 after 10 years.

What happens if the $15,000 don't have any value after 10 years.

If you have been thinking about treasury bond or your bank Certificate of Deposit (CD) is risk free, think again and choose something that can protect you against inflation risk.

It doesn't matter, whether you are saving or investing, there is a risk attached to it always!

Speech #2: Organize your speech

Lets celebrate 10th anniversary!

Good Morning!

Let's start with a simple question.

How many of you here have your own business?

How many of you thinking about starting your own business?

Okay! I am in the second category as well.


I have been thinking about starting my own business for quite sometime, but something is holding me back.

What is that something. Fear! Fear of failure.

There is a valid reason to have fear of failure.

If you look at the statistics, 9 out of 10 businesses don't celebrate their 10th anniversary. 9 out of 10.

Very sad!

What are the main reasons for such a higher rate of failures? How to improve this statistics?


Government organizations, universities and private institutions did some study and
came up list of reasons why they don't succeed.

They came up with many reasons. I found these 4 items are critical and common for any business to succeed.

What are they?

1) Choose the right filed - Driving force
2) Define clear objective/goal for your business - your target
3) Do through market research - Identifying your customer base
4) Do competitive analysis - How to attract/acquire customers


1) Do you really have an interest in that filed? Do you love to do that work?
Do you have a passion for this?

It is not necessary that you have to start something that you have been doing for so long.

High-tech, low-tech .. it doesn't matter...

Teaching/Education/cleaning/cooking/


2) What is the purpose of your business? What is your goal to start this business?
Not about money,power or prestige.

These thing shouldn't be the primary objective for you to start your business.

Make the world a better place
Increase the quality of life
Changing the way we communicate
Changing the way we travel

Wal-Mart: To give ordinary folk the chance to buy the same thing as rich people'


Companies that are successful have this kind of meaning. If your sole reason to make money,
then you attarct wrong kind of employees.


3) Is there a need for your product/services

4) How you are going to differentiate from your competition


Select the filed that you are interested, define you goal/objective and do market analysis
and how you are going to differentiate from existing players/competitors.


Hope we all can start our own business and celebrate 10th anniversary.

Thank You!