A few years back, during our early days in business, we used to yearn for good clients and when we got any, our only motto was to keep them happy. Soon we understood that it’s easier said than done because if you go out of the way and provide additional value-added service without premium charges, people start treating you cheap. We realised that giving value-added service is always necessary but charges should be premium as well. We used to charge less and above that, we started giving certain value-added services. This was a mistake because some clients took this as an advantage and started asking for some more work and when we used to ask for money for this additional service they became unhappy. We then realised that because we acted cheap initially, some people are taking advantage of the situation.
As days moved on we realised that its not possible to keep on giving extra services for free. Most clients understood because if you get good service then it should be paid for but some people did not understand this. One fine day when I was interacting with one such client, I was getting pretty irritated because he thought getting free service was his right. Out of nowhere, I suddenly uttered, “There is no free lunch, Sir”. I am not sure what the client understood but he definitely did not come back asking for free service again. 
This became a theme for my business partners and whenever any discussion happened related to value-added service or extra work that a client asks for, they used to say in unison, “There is no free lunch”. Soon this sentence was something with which they used to pull my legs and I used to retort back, “Is there any free lunch available?”. This continued for a few months.
About 3 years back, me and one of my business partner along with our respective families went for a trip to Rajasthan. It was a memorable trip with lots of fun and each destination of Rajasthan needs a separate posting no doubt. That’s for some other time.
One particular day in Rajasthan as we were travelling from Mount Abu to Udaipur, one of the kids had an urgent nature’s call. We asked the driver to stop the car nearby any petrol station or restaurant. Thankfully within 5 minutes, we saw a restaurant. As I went out and spoke to one of the attendants asking for permission to use the rest room, I realised it was a newly opened restaurant. As the attendant showed us the rest room, I asked for a couple of cups of tea. The reply I got was that the restaurant is being inaugurated today so they are not selling anything today. I think the owner of the restaurant overheard this and came over and asked us to take our place and insisted us to have some food since it was the inaugural day of his restaurant. We insisted that we are OK with only tea but he was adamant on us having food with rest of the invitees. It was quite awkward for us because though we saw what the 3 idiots did barging into the marriage party of Virus’ daughter, but that was movie and this was real and we actually did not barge in. 
As these thoughts went through my mind, our empty plates started filling up with Puris, Rice, Sabjis of various kinds, kheer, etc. We did not have proper breakfast that day and it was approaching mid day, so needless to say, all of us were pretty hungry. So we stopped thinking and started eating. At the end of it all, they gave us a cup of tea as well.
Once we were done, I went up to the counter and asked for the bill. The owner was right there and he was not ready to take any money. I said that we were not an invitee so we should pay but the person would have none of it and we ended up having, “free lunch”.
As we returned back to our car, a voice from behind said, “There is free lunch”. I turned back, smiled, and never uttered that sentence (There is no free lunch) again to date.

As I write this, we are less than 24 hours away from the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. As a sports enthusiast, I am excited. I am excited to see the world-class athletes competing against each other for the next 15 days across so many sporting events. With the Olympics being held in London, we in India get more Olympic footage because most of the events can be followed on TV post office hours. Beijing Olympics could not be followed so much on TV other than on weekends because office hours used to clash with the timings of the main events. Add to that, it is for the first time that a private broadcaster (ESPN) will be broadcasting the Olympics in India. Previously it was always used to be  Doordarshan and I must say the commentary and viewing quality was not that good but with ESPN we can be guaranteed a world-class viewing experience.

As a kid, I started following the Olympics from the year 1984 when it was held in Los Angeles. I remember the heartbreak that the entire nation went through when P.T. Usha missed out on a bronze medal by One-Hundredths of a Second in 400 Meters Hurdles. After this, 2 Olympics (1988 Seoul Olympics & 1992 Barcelona Olympics) went by with the Indian contingent getting no medals.

Things started to turn around from the 1996 Atlanta Games. After a long gap, India got a medal thanks to Leander Paes who won the Bronze medal in Tennis – singles event. Finally, we were visible in the medals tally first time after the 1980 Moscow Games. Sydney games in 2000 saw us winning one more medal – Karnam Malleswari winning a bronze medal in Weight Lifting. In the year 2004 when the games were held in Athens, India won a Silver Medal in Shooting – Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore bringing glory to India.

But India’s best performance happened in the 2008 Games held in Beijing. India won 3 medals including 1 Gold by Abhinav Bindra in Shooting. The Indian national anthem was played in the Olympics Medal Ceremony for the first time in 28 years thanks to this superlative effort from Abhinav Bindra. India won 2 Bronze medals as well, one in Boxing (Vijender Singh) and the second in weight lifting (Sushil Kumar – The Indian flag bearer for 2012 London Olympics).

The Beijing Olympics gave India hope and instilled a faith of belief that we can also compete among the best across various events and now the 2012 Games give us this opportunity to enhance our reputation further. The hope is high and there is this feeling inside that we will and we can do better than the 2008 Games. This hope comes from the fact that India has sent their biggest athletes contingent to the Olympics to date (81 to be exact) and will be participating in 13 different sports events for the first time. The performance and the results of many of the Indian participants have been world-class in the past couple of years. Be it Saina Nehwal in Badminton, Mary Kom in Boxing, Gagang Narang in Shooting, Deepika Kumari in Archery all have done exceedingly well in their individual events over the past 2-3 years and if they can keep this up for the next fortnight then India can have a Golden London Olympics.

Medal Hopefuls

This list is totally based on my prediction. The list is a very optimistic one and if we are lucky then it will be the best possible medal haul at the end of the next 2 weeks. Please note that India will be participating in 13 sporting events with 54 medals up for grabs.

Archery – 0
Athletics – 0
Badminton – 1
Boxing – 2
Hockey (Men) – 0
Judo – 0
Rowing – 0
Shooting – 2
Swimming – 0
Table Tennis – 0
Tennis – 0
Weight Lifting – 0
Wrestling – 1

Boxing and Shooting give us the biggest hope and I sincerely hope that India gets at least 5 medals in the 2012 London Olympics to make this year’s event the best ever for India.

Let the Games begin!

Natural source of proteinWhat Exactly is Protein and Why Do You Need It?
Protein makes up the vast majority of the human body, outside of water. Muscle and other connective tissue, as well as the skin and hair, are all made up of protein, and all of these require protein from outside sources in order to function properly and remain healthy. In addition to this, protein plays a major factor in the function of nearly every other part of your body, including your hormones, neurotransmitters and your fluids.
Although much of the protein in your system gets reused, your body is constantly burning through it, especially when you’re physically active. For this reason, consuming adequate amounts of protein is essential to maintain optimal health. As the body does not store protein like it does carbohydrates or fats, any lapse in its supply will typically cause it to start to break down muscle to obtain the protein it needs, which can be detrimental to one’s health.
Amount of Protein Needed for an Average Person
The amount of protein you need will depend on your weight, height and your activity level. For the average person who is at a healthy weight and is moderately active, such as playing a team sport once or twice a week, walking daily or working in a physically demanding job, body weight can be used to determine how much protein he or she needs. In general, you can multiply your weight by .8 to determine the grams of protein that you should consume in a day. For example, a man weighing 80 Kgs needs to consume a minimum of 64 grams of protein per day.
Those on a calorie restrictive diet who are looking to lose weight can also generally go by this guideline if they are relying on diet alone to shed the pounds. However, when using a combination of diet and exercise to reach a healthy weight, going by the amount of protein recommended for physically active people can be beneficial.
Amount of Protein Needed for Physically Active People
As previously discussed, consuming inadequate amounts of protein will typically cause the body to begin to break down muscle in order to get the protein it needs. As those who are physically active tend to burn through the protein they eat more quickly, they typically require significantly more than the average person does. Those who engage in heavy resistance training, long distance running, or generally spend a fair amount of time at the gym can typically benefit from eating more protein than their less-active, yet still healthy, counterparts do.
Can I Eat Too Much Protein?
Barring any health issues, one cannot typically eat too much protein provided he or she is still obtaining the necessary vitamins, minerals and other nutrients from other food sources. Individuals with kidney disease should be careful to not exceed the amount of protein set by their doctors, as the kidneys play a pivotal role in breaking down the protein so it can be used by the body. For otherwise healthy individuals, however, the body will dispose of any excess protein without issue.
What are the Best Sources of Protein?
When it comes to the “best” sources of protein, this is determined by how many amino acids each protein source contains. Animal sources, including beef, chicken, lamb, pork, fish and eggs, each contain all 20 of the necessary amino acids, and are often labeled as “complete” sources of the nutrient. While plant sources such as nuts, seeds and legumes also contain some amino acids, they are not considered “complete” sources of protein because they do not have all 20. However, when varieties of vegetable sources that contain protein are consumed, one can generally receive adequate amounts of this nutrient without consuming animal products.
Protein Supplements
Since average human beings do not get the adequate amount of protein per day, it is suggested to take protein supplement like protein powder.
Protein powder supplements can be expensive, so it is important to choose a protein powder that not only works effectively but tastes great as well. You are less likely to use the protein powder if it tastes bad.
Protein powders come in two types. Traditional “pure protein” powders contain little to no added sugars while the weight gainers and meal-replacement powders contain a higher ratio of carbohydrates to proteins.

A strong focus on building healthy relationships goes a long way in establishing your brand.

Focus on developing friendships first, and work on business deals later. One should never seek out relationships with people just for doing business. This is a mistake many people make. They reach out to someone and instantly think about how that person can benefit them professionally or in their business.
One should never discontinue someone as a friend or business contact even if you don’t see any potential to do business in the near future.

Why?

Build Friendships First and Business Later

Alright.  So what are the keys to building friendships first and not focusing on how that person can help you make money?

Here are a few things you should always focus on when you introduce yourself to someone new.

1.  Ask Questions

There’s nothing more people love than to talk about themselves and their success.  Ask about what their passions are, what they like to do for fun, and about their life outside of business. Asking questions shows you are interested in them and that you are not a selfish prick.

2.  Be Genuine

Be interested in what they have to say, don’t just nod and act interested as people see right through that.   Make sure you are genuine.

3.  Make Connections on the Spot

When you learn about what type of business someone is in, you should instantly think about people who would be perfect connections for them.  Call that person right on the spot and make a quick intro on the phone, then follow up with an email intro that day with others they should connect with.

4.  Use Eye Contact

Eye contact can make or break a relationship.  When listening to others, always focus on their eyes (with a pleasant smile of course) as this will encourage them to be more open and welcoming to you.

5.  Continue the Follow Up

You are not a real friend with someone unless you stay connected.  Otherwise, you are just an acquaintance of someone you met one time.  Make sure to follow up with them by connecting in person, via the phone, email, and through social networks.  The more you continue to interact with that new friend, the stronger the friendship becomes and more potential opportunities will come in the future from it.

Finally

Business relationships are great, but they are even better when you have created a friendship first.
If you are looking to gain more influence or build your business then these are just a few principles you should follow when meeting new people.

Are you relationship focussed or money focussed?

NeelOn a cloudy morning, 8 years back, I was sitting along with my mother-in-law at a hospital in Central Bangalore. Time was not flowing by and what it felt like ages, I suddenly heard a baby cry from a distance. I was so much engrossed in my thoughts that I almost did not hear it but my mother-in-law whispered in my ear, “Looks like you have become a father”. That brought me back to my senses and now I could hear the baby cry continuously. As the nurse brought the baby out from the OT and showed us the face, I realized that I am indeed a father now. As I took my bundle of joy in my arms for the first time it was an overwhelming feeling which is hardly describable in written words. That day, 19th July, 2004 changed me and my wife’s life forever.
My son was born on the Bengali month of Shravan and the day was Monday. Since the month of Shravan is considered as Lord Shiva’s month and Monday is Lord Shiva’s day, my mother proposed to keep his name as Neel (Neel came from Neelkantha, which is another name of Lord Shiva). That is how our son was named.
From a very early age he was a friendly kid. He was not like other kids who won’t go to strangers’ arms. He used to spend countless hours at our neighbour’s house and since he never created any tantrums everyone around us were too eager to play with him. In fact many of our neighbours became friends with us after Neel was born. And because we never stopped others mingling with him, a friendly nature grew within him which still exists till date. Today also he is great friends with his grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, everyone. Since we live in a joint family it helped him further and even today he shares everything with everyone. He is not like other kids who never want to share their toys or gifts with others. We have been very lucky to have a son like him because as parents we enjoy the fact that each and every one in our family and friend circle love and adore him so much.
As a kid he loves his comics and cartoons. He loves drawing and I must say that as a 8 year old he draws really well (must have got this from his mom, who draws exceptionally well). He loves singing and dancing but both these activities depend a lot on his mood. The evenings these days are spent by playing cricket with the neighboring kids and his practices with me on the weekends seem to be making him a better player.
Studies are not his priority yet and that’s quite understandable at this age. My wife forces him to study and he has been doing OK till date with his results. And the good marks that he scores in most of his subjects are only because of his mother’s hard work. I hardly get time to spend with Neel in his studies so I am ever so grateful to my wife for taking care of this entire activity. It’s often said that a child is a reflection of his mother’s characteristics and Neel is no different.
As a 8 year old he is a bundle of energy and always has a lot of questions. It sometimes become very difficult to answer all of his queries but me and my wife try to answer all of his questions in a way that he understands best. He is a foodie buff just like me and loves his Biriyani a lot. Not an avid cricket fan as yet but follows IPL very closely and is a great KKR supporter. He religiously wears his KKR fan gear while watching the matches involving KKR and all 3 of us enjoy a lot during the IPL season. This season was even better because KKR went on to win the IPL.
He looks forward to his Bi-annual trips to Bangalore where my In-Laws stay and has a lot of fun with his Grand Parents, Maternal Uncle and Aunt and his little cousin. His summer and winter vacations are the time when I miss him a lot because he is away in Bangalore.
As Neel turns 8 today, I as a proud father wish him a great future and I pray to God that with my hard work, I may able to provide him with all the necessary resources that he may require for his future growth.
Happy Birthday, Sonny. Let the party begin!

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