Very recently my focus has turned towards entrepreneurship. While I am part of the corporate slave community at the moment, the thought of entrepreneurship has been recurring. I have a feeling, something’s gotta give soon.
Proud to be married to an entrepreneur who actually has creativity and has the courage to go out in the world and make things happen. I wish I could do that as well. All I can do at the moment is share my ideas to be sponsored by my employer and be implemented within the company saving millions or making millions. It could all be so much different. I could do this all for myself.
Funnily, my mother and my sister have got entrepreneurial applications to their ideas as well. Surrounded by female entrepreneurs where makes me proud also asks some serious questions to that manly ego. Its all about the ego isn’t it? Heheh…
So, I have already decided I need to at least trek towards that thought and explore my potential. Maybe I just don’t have it. However, in order to start something of my own, I need the foundation and I am not just talking financial capital. This involves a lot of things which doesn't fit this post. It will all come in another one. But while on the same chain of thoughts, one thing sprung up which was pretty interesting which led to this post.
One of a close trusted acquaintance of mine told me that while you are trying to build a business presence remember the golden rule of trends. You have to bring in the philanthropic edge to your punch line. First I went, “Whaaaa?” A voice from within in the tone of the Godfather said, “Umar... The Philanthropic Edge...”. After the awe ended of Marlon Brando speaking to me, I still went, “Whaa???” Then the acquaintance continued, you need to add something to your product which indicates that you are not just trying to make money but also doing something good for others. The sociological impact. You have to at least show you are giving back to the society in some way. He further indicated to look around at what the biggest corporations are doing and I would know what he is saying.
So all those advertisements and celebrities, even government officials marketing came like a slide show and a few PowerPoint presentations in the head.
It started making sense. Sympathy sells. If I say, 1% of all of our earnings goes to charity; it is supposed to increase sales. If I say, a part of every sale goes to feed the poor or pay for a poor kid’s school fees, it sells. Oh yeah, another cool thing these days is "Go Green". If I say, my product is a little more expensive because I support going Green, low carbon foot print, recycle, save the sun etc etc, it sells at whatever price I want.
Do you get it how we are being fooled? How pathetic. Whats more pathetic is they actually call this marketing and being creative. HA!
My mother works at a regional social support organization. She helps build livelihoods for talented skill-workers from villages. She has helped them realize the value of their talent. The women are saving money to spend on education for their children or expanding their business. The work from villages has gone to be noticed by some designers internationally as well. Quite cool right? Read further.
Another lady buys that stuff from my mom in PKR (Pakistan Rupee) and sells the same stuff in an international market without converting the amount. She only converts the currency. It sells as well, same amount different currency. The selling tactic, sympathy. She has a scam of pictures of some artisans she downloaded from the Internet on her web presence. She has a real nice story to go with her marketing gimmick. Do people buy it? They already bought it. I am going on a mission to cut this stupid scam and try to get the money back to where it really deserves to go. If a 3rd person can sell it for that kind of money. Why not the 1st person? Maybe make some money for my mom as well in the process who deserves it for her efforts.
The biggest sympathy selling has been observed in the recent elections of Pakistan. A certain nobody in politics is sitting on the highest chair of the country. Everybody knows how. Nobody dares say it. Here I am bringing on an assassination threat on to me. Sympathy votes. Sympathy selling. Who gained the most from the recent assassination of a major political player in Pakistan? It wasn’t Zorro. It was some other Z who pees his initial on the wall of our beloved country and on the whole of the population of Pakistan.
Anyway, let’s end this here. I got my point across. Needed to let out some frustration of how easily we are being fooled. If you want to help somebody. You don’t have to go and buy a pack of washing powder to give 1% out of it. You can just go and give that 1% yourself directly to the needy. If you want to sponsor somebody for education, you can find it yourself. No need to get into this marketing gimmick of getting your sympathy money.
These people will do anything these days to make a sale. They can even kill for it so watch out. That goes for me as well :P.
Beirut - Paris of the Middle East
Now almost at the end of the project, I reached Beirut, Lebanon this December. With Germany, Egypt, Jordan, Korea, Morocco, Tunisia, UAE, Pakistan & Russia implemented, it is already quite an impressive resume. Isn't it, head-hunters?
Beirut also known as the Paris of the middle east and it did not disappoint at all. Though much of it was destroyed in the local tensions, they have done a great job in reviving it in the recent years. Great weather, we saw the sun, some heavy rain and while we were leaving it, snow on the mountains as well.
I think that's the biggest attraction for tourists. In about a 90 minute drive you could go from the beach against the Mediterranean Sea to the Ski Slopes on the mountains. Just an amazing work of creation by The Greatest Creator.
We went to the Harriri Mosque which was sponsored by the recently assassinated good guy president. Beautifully constructed and wonderfully hand-painted ceiling inside. Harriri's burial ground along with his companions was next to the mosque where we paid homage also.
Next trip was to the mountains to Moussa Palace which is more of a Museum. They had preserved the life in this region many years ago in form of Wax sculptures. Quite interesting. They had also preserved some guns from the very old war times. Very informative and interesting how artillery has developed over period of time.
After that we went to the President's Summer Palace which is also depicted mainly as a museum as well. The President comes and stays there in the summers. Also a huge ground exists where all the great concerts happen with celebrities coming from around the world. Again a beautiful place holding history from hundreds of years. It was amazing to see royalty exist through the saunas and the other grandeur of construction. The saunas had huge platforms with sunlight poring through the ceiling. With taps and baths built where possibly the masseurs of the time took care of the kings and rulers.
Next place to visit was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Jeita Girotto. Nominated as one of the seven wonders of the world, didn't make it. I keep wondering why. These are caverns with thousands of years of ice and snow frozen to create an amazing display of the beauty of Nature. The Lebanese Government had done a good job preserving this as well. There were no flash photography allowed inside. But, I was told that sometimes they get orchestras in and conduct concerts. I could only imagine what a wonderful experience that would be. Sounds of music echoing the caverns. There were 2 levels. One was on the upper level where it was a view walking on foot. Then on the lower level there was icy cold water on which boats moved. We were inside a huge mountain made hollow with caverns and icicles frozen through time.
Next place was Byblos. Ancient ruins from the Ottoman empire and the amazing view of creativity and how they managed their defence. It was actually a fort by the sea connected to the fort on land. It was quite interesting to understand life so many years ago. There was a great display of fossils found in the region as well as in the mountains. Its the latter that impressed me in particular. Seeing sea-life fossils found in the mountains indicates how high the water level was and how the truth of the whole world flooding in some time in the past holds good.
Lebanese food was an experience every time we were taken out by one of our colleagues. They order a whole list of appetizers of Hommos, Fatoush, Tabouleh, Vine Leaves, etc.You enjoy that and you feel you are done, you couldn't have more. But then you realize that was just the appetizer. The main course contains bar-be-cued stuff. The thing I observed was on none of the meals, you finish stuff. It was kinda customary to leave something on every dish. It was wasted which I didn't like but had to go with the flow. It was kinda bad hosting by the host if something got finished it seems. They order at least 3 times more than what would be eaten.
Tried Sheesha for the very first time. I think it would be the very last time also. Injurious to health and anyway, I didn't understand the charm of mindless smoke swallowing and blowing.
It was an eventful trip, probably the most where we got out and looked around compared to the other places. This of course thanks to our colleagues who didn't let us spend time stuck in the hotel.
Beirut also known as the Paris of the middle east and it did not disappoint at all. Though much of it was destroyed in the local tensions, they have done a great job in reviving it in the recent years. Great weather, we saw the sun, some heavy rain and while we were leaving it, snow on the mountains as well.
I think that's the biggest attraction for tourists. In about a 90 minute drive you could go from the beach against the Mediterranean Sea to the Ski Slopes on the mountains. Just an amazing work of creation by The Greatest Creator.
We went to the Harriri Mosque which was sponsored by the recently assassinated good guy president. Beautifully constructed and wonderfully hand-painted ceiling inside. Harriri's burial ground along with his companions was next to the mosque where we paid homage also.
Next trip was to the mountains to Moussa Palace which is more of a Museum. They had preserved the life in this region many years ago in form of Wax sculptures. Quite interesting. They had also preserved some guns from the very old war times. Very informative and interesting how artillery has developed over period of time.
After that we went to the President's Summer Palace which is also depicted mainly as a museum as well. The President comes and stays there in the summers. Also a huge ground exists where all the great concerts happen with celebrities coming from around the world. Again a beautiful place holding history from hundreds of years. It was amazing to see royalty exist through the saunas and the other grandeur of construction. The saunas had huge platforms with sunlight poring through the ceiling. With taps and baths built where possibly the masseurs of the time took care of the kings and rulers.
Next place to visit was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Jeita Girotto. Nominated as one of the seven wonders of the world, didn't make it. I keep wondering why. These are caverns with thousands of years of ice and snow frozen to create an amazing display of the beauty of Nature. The Lebanese Government had done a good job preserving this as well. There were no flash photography allowed inside. But, I was told that sometimes they get orchestras in and conduct concerts. I could only imagine what a wonderful experience that would be. Sounds of music echoing the caverns. There were 2 levels. One was on the upper level where it was a view walking on foot. Then on the lower level there was icy cold water on which boats moved. We were inside a huge mountain made hollow with caverns and icicles frozen through time.
Next place was Byblos. Ancient ruins from the Ottoman empire and the amazing view of creativity and how they managed their defence. It was actually a fort by the sea connected to the fort on land. It was quite interesting to understand life so many years ago. There was a great display of fossils found in the region as well as in the mountains. Its the latter that impressed me in particular. Seeing sea-life fossils found in the mountains indicates how high the water level was and how the truth of the whole world flooding in some time in the past holds good.
Lebanese food was an experience every time we were taken out by one of our colleagues. They order a whole list of appetizers of Hommos, Fatoush, Tabouleh, Vine Leaves, etc.You enjoy that and you feel you are done, you couldn't have more. But then you realize that was just the appetizer. The main course contains bar-be-cued stuff. The thing I observed was on none of the meals, you finish stuff. It was kinda customary to leave something on every dish. It was wasted which I didn't like but had to go with the flow. It was kinda bad hosting by the host if something got finished it seems. They order at least 3 times more than what would be eaten.
Tried Sheesha for the very first time. I think it would be the very last time also. Injurious to health and anyway, I didn't understand the charm of mindless smoke swallowing and blowing.
It was an eventful trip, probably the most where we got out and looked around compared to the other places. This of course thanks to our colleagues who didn't let us spend time stuck in the hotel.
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