The Opinionated Investor™

Unadulterated hot takes on Products, Investments, and Life!

Tag: Observations

  • Untapped Second Order Network Effects: Facebook Jobs and LinkedIn Dating

    Untapped Second Order Network Effects: Facebook Jobs and LinkedIn Dating

    When we think of LinkedIn, we picture polished profiles, professional accolades, and career milestones. Conversely, Facebook conjures images of family reunions, vacation snapshots, and local community chatter. Yet, a deeper look at their user bases and behaviors reveals a surprising twist: LinkedIn is the de facto elite dating pool, while Facebook serves as an unstructured…

  • A Creative Solution to Combat Financial Fraud by Indian Regulators

    A Creative Solution to Combat Financial Fraud by Indian Regulators

    Ever received a call claiming to be from your bank, only to find out it was a scam? This is a daily reality for many in India (and frankly most countries), where impersonation fraud has become a major threat to financial security. In fact, the problem is so widespread that Netflix created an entire series,…

  • Staying Grounded as a Product Manager: Avoiding the Moron or Maniac Trap

    Staying Grounded as a Product Manager: Avoiding the Moron or Maniac Trap

    I recently heard an analogy on a podcast that really struck a chord with me: “Most people think those driving slower than them are morons, and anyone driving faster than them is a maniac.” This simple observation holds a powerful lesson for Product Managers and Investors alike. We’re constantly navigating a landscape filled with differing…

  • A Google Quirk: Turning Bathrooms into (micro) Classrooms

    A Google Quirk: Turning Bathrooms into (micro) Classrooms

    One of the quirks that took me by surprise when I first joined Google was the concept of:  Learning on the Loo! Every two weeks, in every Google restroom across the globe, two short articles are published to share productivity hacks. These hacks range from tips on holding effective meetings to employee discounts available to…

  • Bulk Efficiency, Exit Perplexity: Reimagining the Costco Checkin and Checkout

    Bulk Efficiency, Exit Perplexity: Reimagining the Costco Checkin and Checkout

    As I was making my monthly pilgrimage to Costco this weekend, I couldn’t help but ponder the inefficiencies of: Costco is one of my favorite retailers for providing incredible value per dollar spent. It is famous for not marking its prices above 15% of the cost, whereas other retailers routinely mark up prices by 50-70%….

×