An Offer I refused!!!

In life, we quite often make decisions based on unknown rules and theories. Life is so complicated to have a pre-defined output with given circumstances and effort you put in. Its equally true with you career, especially in the current world - where no one stays in a job for ever. A year back or so I was in such a situation - I decided to change my job, and what should be my choice? There was a offer I have turned down during the time, which could be the worst decision I made at that juncture. It was from one of my ex-colleague, Naman to join with him at a start-up - FindYogi.com. It was just a couple of months old at that it and was time of forming the initial team. Later based on reassessment of priorities, I decided to join somewhere else. Its a tough decision to define how good the opportunity was, until something the results are visible. 

To tell about FindYogi, it was purely based on emerging E-commerce culture (was targeting initially India). If you are already aware of the isbn.net.in, you are aware of the business of FindYogi. FindYogi was a product comparison based on specification - which was already available in lot many site- and the feature to get the E-commerce website where you get the product(mobiles) for the cheapest price. It searches across various E-commerce sites selling a product and get the cheapest price among all sites along with the coupons/offers available for each of them. The website was so well suited to Indian crowd where people try to save single paise possible. And finally, the recommendation engine, which was/will be the most complicated part ( from a developer's point of view). To provide the best recommendation - we need to consider what he search across multiple website, his choice of brand and price range and other factors. 

How FindYogi Prove  I was wrong?

After launching their first version a week after last year Diwali, over the period they have provided a great logo and index page. It give a lot cool feel in the blue theme with the mascot(whatever be its name). A good UI - in terms of look and feel and usability - sells half the product. It can cover lot many issues in the back-end as well. And in less than 8 month time - by last June or so - their next puzzle was also solved. The mobile search functionality with comparison or price and product was available. May be, the better  customized recommendation still on the way , FindYogi has already provided with a reasonably good recommendations on my search.  Feature Score and Value for Money were the two indexes the provide a fair enough knowledge on whether I should buy it or not.

How FindYogi Prove  I was right?

The speed of growth might be one alarming factor for key members of the team. In a web-based world with a Start-up tag, a year might be too long for initial versions, especially when there is some is competitor for you. The success of web-based product is mostly based on the popularity you have in the world also. FindYogi is not that famous till now - as they are only 2-3 months from the first stable release - things might change by this year end or so. 

When looking from developers point of view, UI is good, but an extra bit is missing. For example, in a product details page, it looks like too many text and images and overload the data. Also UI is an ever-evolving process and will be better and better over time.

What I would have asked for ?

One big feature missing is registered usage. Facebook or Google plus log-in is an easy to implement feature which opens up for lot many features like user votes, reviews etc. The success of review from public has been already proved by Zomato, IMDB.com etc. Also a social network based log-in can provide you with more publicity as well. Another index I would have added will be reliability of vendors in the list. There are so many sites selling the fake products and its very important to ignore them in future.

I am not sure how I should look as FindYogi proceeds to success - to be happy about my friends growing or to be sad about a opportunity I kicked away. I will be keep on monitoring the growth of FindYogi to feed my sadistic mind, but hope FindYogi team will have the final laugh. Best wishes guys!!

Stranger Host

Last Saturday, that is what exactly true of me. 

It was first Holy Communion of my sisters kids and I was travelling to Cochin for the weekend. Anytime I wanted to reach early, by bus would be late. But this time I never thought I will reach in time for church which was beginning at 8:30. In the same bus, during my earlier trips I have never reached even Thrissur(which is 80km before Cochin) before 8:30, but its a special day and I was getting to a trap, so how can my bus be late!!

Trap

Once I have reached early, plans got changed. I was the one who will receive the guest while everyone else except by bro and bro-in-law(had to pick some food) were going to church. So I was left behind with the maid at house with an instruction - "Just make sure everything is well in place". I have never seen that maid before and I still dont know her name even now either. She went on with her sweeping while I just placed couple of things in place.

You know how hot it is in Cochin during these days - and its not easy to be in your jeans for long hours. So I went upstairs to change to shorts. When I took of my jeans, I thought, its only matter of an hour before some else will come and why should I wear my fresh pair of shorts before taking bath and moreover I like to walk in my boxers. I decided against my comfort - its at home, people look skeptically at boxers(my uncle even asked me how is it inside-does it have some protection like swimming suit) and put on my shorts. Probably the best decision I took in recent days.

Mishap Begins

Within 5 mins after changing, there comes a call on my bro-in-laws mobile. It showed name as "Restin" and I thought it could be someone from his company - may be named something like reception or something. But it was a man asking the way home. Before I could get to the door, they were at the gate. It was a Tata Sumo. Once the doors opened after confirming the house, I started to look for a familiar faces. All I could find was a face, which I doubted I have seen before - I am not sure yet. It had more than 10 people in it, but just one man and 2 boys(not even 7years ) in it!! But the male-female ratio was even better in the other Tata Sumo that came earlier morning. Only male in it was my bro-in-law's brother. Who the hell said female foeticide has alarming - they should see these families. 

Even before they entered the house, I turned to be "the best host" ever. I told them Church is only 1KM away,  it was only 10:00AM and the church will go on atleast to 11:30(in fact everyone including kids reached back home after snacks and photo-session by 11:00). I couldn't win it at all. They have started by 7AM or so from their native and had to refresh themselves. And there came a quick question from one of the ladies - have we arranged break-fast. Luckily I have seen many packets of bread in kitchen. Soon they were inside house, I dint have to guide them to any room. They all actually made it home. Kids went upstairs and took all the toys within in their reach. Ladies invaded everywhere including master-bedroom and kitchen. Then the same lady asked, have the made coffee/tea. She soon turned out to be the lady of the house. All I did was fetched 2 packets of milk from fridge. I dont know how or from where she got rest of the things, she started making coffee - which turned out to be tea at the end as none knew where is coffee powder and fresh packet of tea was in view.

Things didn't get better. Now to have break-fast, all I could find was some 6 plates which are kind of for daily use. I dint have any idea, where the rest of the plates are. But the guests was compromising in that too. The shared plates - I mean to say, one person holding the plate and both having food from the same plate and that too with hands. My only way to share a common plate is after couple of beers with spoon and after two more without spoons. 

My guests were asking more questions than I could answer. Finally, the man in the group told me, he was - my bro-in-law's uncle. And he was speaking my bro-in-law's parents name and related details. So atleast I can confirm they were somehow invited for the day. No one knew my name but some knew my sister has a brother(in fact she has two) and even better was the people who knew I was away from home.

But, I should never miss out to say this, these people where actually doing things right way. They gave maid also a cup of tea and made sure she had it. In fact, when I came back to kitchen after some time, maid was sitting at the table and "the lady" was washing the plates.

Car No:2

There comes another car. Luckily only 3 people in it. And more interestingly, it was bro-in-laws paternal relatives(the man is in the car looked very much like bro-in-law's dad; safe deduction they could be brothers). As these two set of people dint know much about others, i made another deduction, the first set was his maternal relatives. 

Now things are totally out of control. I called my brother, "Help me Help me" was my tone. He wanted another 15-20 minutes. I was in getting in deeper and deeper ****.

Rescue

When next car came in, I looked out half-heartedly. No more strangers, please. It was a rescue car. It was my aunt and kids. Even before she got out of the car, I ran to her. You need to help me, I have lot of strangers at home, please entertain them. My aunt dint have to do much, by 10:45 the guests decided to go to church. (They were back home in another 15-20 minutes with others. I dint talk to anyone in that group once they were back home.)

Nostalgia

As its widely believed, a Christian celebration can never end without liquor. True for the particular day as well. It was vowed by all the parents of kids for First Holy Communion that, none will serve alcohol for the party, and we had to wait till every left except for us. It started-off at the garden. When last one also left, everyone came out to say a farewell. Once he left, my second bro-in-law sat down in the road, saying he felt like doing so. My uncle said, these are nostalgia and he too sat down. Remaining people had to choice but to join. Being the youngest one, I had to shift the camping from garden to road. It was a small road devoted for not more than 10 houses in the colony and it was well passed 10pm. 

Soon my sister came down to us with their trophy(her 2year old baby) and wanted bro-in-law to sleep her. My niece lay down on him for some time and then sister took her back inside. But niece could not sleep. She was murmuring at sister's shoulder- "Appan roadilla.. vandi muttum"(dad is laying downing on the road, some vehicle will hit him). By 11:30 we went back inside and continued with all types of topics - including how my uncle and took photo with Mohanlal during their honeymoon which eventually could not be processed, to horoscope, to whatever you can imagine of.

It was a fun weekend as on proceeding day, I met couple of my friends who just came back for vacation from abroad. When you wait for fun, it might be fun, but its more funnier when you dont forsee it.