India needs Zebras

Reading Time: 5 minutes I think India needs more bottom-up growth and less top-down growth thrust upon it. Zebra companies could be the answer. If, along the way, a Zebra company becomes a unicorn, who am I to stop them?

Zebra vs Unicorn businesses

Zebra effect

Reading Time: 4 minutes The Unicorn’s end goal is a billion-dollar valuation powered by VC funding.
The Zebra’s end goal is to build a sustainable business. That’s why they prefer to bootstrap or crowdfund over VC funding. I share the difference between both.

What is value?

Reading Time: 5 minutes Category of one moves stretch the definition of value for employees and consumers. I share examples.

Fragrance marketing 101

Reading Time: 6 minutes If a brand is nothing but invisible layers of meaning and fragrance is the invisible salesperson, then, if used well, fragrance can be a powerful tool in a brand manager’s quiver. That’s why investing in fragrance is a no-brainer.