What we learned together this week

This was an exciting week on Network Capital with the launch of Utkarsh’s book “The Seductive Illusion of Hard Work” (Sage Publishing), inauguration of the Network Capital Serendipity Tool, cohort setting for the CEO Fellowship and the unveiling of the NC Insider Directory.

In this newsletter, we will briefly discuss these new announcements and reflect on what we learned together as a community.

Programs and Announcements

1. Insider Directory: Our community continues to grow and we are constantly seeking ways to further strengthen peer-peer connections based on complementary learning needs. We welcome you to take a look using your login details and connect with those you wish to. If you have any issues logging in, please write to [email protected]

2. CEO Fellowship: The first cohort of the CEO Fellowship starts this week. In addition to much hyped hard skills which are important, one needs the ability to think clearly, write succinctly and speak powerfully. Our cohorts are designed for both students and young professionals. Being part of the fellowship is free for Insiders (subscribers).

3. Serendipity Tool: We love to create moments of adventure and possibility for our users. Towards that end, the serendipity tool is a fun way to meet new people and forge strong bonds. This is over and above our structured programs, peer engagement, happy hours and shared learning interventions.

All About Community

Today every company is a subscription company and every company is attempting to double down on community. We reached out to one of the world’s best community builders, Lola, who hangs out often with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to give wings to her mission which is to unite women in a judgment-free zone through the power of stories. We recommend watching her masterclass on Network Capital TV.

Key Takeaways of the Week

1. Warren Buffet Turns 90: The sage of Omaha turned 90 and we thought of revisiting our newsletter that analyzes his adventurous career. His life, work and ideas for the world are worth reflecting upon not only because he is monumentally successful but also because his clarity of thought offers profound lessons to students and young professionals around the world. Catch up on that story here. 

2. "Don't Try" - Charles Bukowski: After years of toiling away for nothing, Bukowski’s writing finally started getting noticed. He became an overnight success except that overnight meant 30 years of fluttering consistency.Very few people achieve overnight success that lasts. Diligence and persistence are often considered prerequisites to success, and they are. Bukowski himself hustled for well over three decades to get what he wanted since he was teenager getting knocked around at school and at home by his dad.That is why it is baffling to know what his gravestone reads —“Don’t Try.” A message that on the surface seems exactly opposite to what he actually did to make his mark as a writer. Read more about Bukowski here.  

3. Power of Your Invisible Audience: Believe it or not “Make Mom Proud” is an integral piece of cultural code at a billion dollar e-commerce company in the US. It is an effective, easy to understand mental model. Be it the quality of your product or your essay or the ethical choices you face, the “Make Mom Proud” (replace mom by XYZ depending on your context) filter offers an easily implementable reference point. Read on here.

4. The Video Game that Went Wild: Fall Guys manages to masterfully tie the chaos together with a Takeshi’s Castle-esque charm and competitive nature that makes the frustration of messing up bearable, if not even desirable. Losing is just as entertaining as actually making first place when you’re a bean dressed in a hot dog costume being launched across the map by a rotating stick. Understand the power of simplicity here.

5. Teach a Micro-Course: The best way to learn is to teach. Utkarsh’s larger goal with his book “The Seductive Illusion of Hard Work” is to flip the relationship between the reader and the writer. Towards that end, he wants to invite you to co-create the learning experience for other community members by sharing how you are applying the principles discussed in the book. As a community, we have ventured into these ideas before and it is time we start applying theory to practice. Intrigued? Figure out the next steps here.

6. Short Story Saturdays: Stories have a fascinating way of making a point without trying to do so. We hope this story leaves you with more questions than answers. However, if you don’t have time for stories, check out our most popular articles here.  

7. Key Pillar to India’s Tomorrow: The great Indian dream, if any, has to be beyond glowing quantifiable numbers on crisp pink financial reportage. India needs to shed its avatar of stark binaries and contrasting stories – superpower and super-poor, land where women have been worshiped and brutally raped, safe home to diverse and distinguished groups of minorities and also the epicenter for their exploitation. Essentially there is need to reimagine India for the 21st century, which is sure to throw even more involved challenges requiring innovative solutions. Towards this end – reimagining India and striving for growth, with social, economic and political equity - the role of women in pivotal. Read on.

Podcast Recommendation

Network Capital, thanks to your love and support, has a rating of 4.9/5 on Apple. We would love for you to rate us, comment on our episodes and suggest speakers you want to listen to.

As we concluded the NC Policy bootcamp this weekend, we thought of suggesting CEEW CEO Arunabha Ghosh’s podcast on meaningful careers in public policy. Feel free to listen to it here.

Book Recommendation

The Great Gatsby

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

Once the pandemic is behind us, we will throw a Gatsby themed party for all our Insiders. Enjoy this classic that played no small part in helping Bill and Melinda Gates discover their love. This is a quote on their wall.

"He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it."

Twitter Chatter

Join the chatter here.

We hope this was fun. Have a charming week ahead.

Your INSIDER Team,

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