Kaizen (Book) by Sarah Harvey

10 Valuable lessons from the book "Kaizen" by Sarah Harvey

"Kaizen" originates from Japanese business philosophy and refers to the practice of continuous improvement. It is often applied in the context of productivity, quality improvement, and personal development.

1. Continuous Improvement: The concept of Kaizen emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement in all aspects of life, work, and business. It encourages individuals and organizations to constantly seek ways to make incremental changes and enhancements.

2. Small Steps for Big Results: Kaizen emphasizes the power of taking small, manageable steps to achieve significant and lasting improvements over time. It suggests that even the smallest positive changes, when consistently applied, can lead to substantial progress.

3. Empowerment and Inclusivity: Kaizen encourages the involvement and empowerment of all individuals within an organization. It emphasizes the idea that everyone has a role to play in the improvement process, fostering a culture of inclusivity and collaboration.

4. Elimination of Waste and Inefficiencies: A key focus of Kaizen is the identification and elimination of waste and inefficiencies in processes and operations. By optimizing workflows and reducing unnecessary activities, organizations can enhance productivity and achieve better results.

5. Problem-Solving and Root Cause Analysis: Kaizen promotes a systematic approach to problem-solving, emphasizing the importance of identifying root causes rather than just treating symptoms. It encourages a thorough analysis of issues to implement effective and long-lasting solutions.

6. Quality and Standardization: Kaizen emphasizes the importance of maintaining high standards of quality in products and services. It encourages the establishment of standardized processes and procedures to ensure consistency and reliability in outputs.

7. Employee Engagement and Satisfaction: Kaizen recognizes the significance of employee engagement and satisfaction in driving continuous improvement. It emphasizes the value of creating a supportive work environment that encourages employee involvement and feedback.

8. Adaptability and Flexibility: The philosophy of Kaizen underscores the importance of adaptability and flexibility in response to changing circumstances and market conditions. It encourages organizations to be proactive in embracing innovation and adapting to new challenges.

9. Customer-Centric Approach: Kaizen emphasizes the importance of a customer-centric approach to business. It encourages organizations to align their improvement efforts with customer needs and preferences, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.

10. Long-Term Vision and Commitment: Finally, Kaizen promotes a long-term perspective and a commitment to sustained improvement. It highlights the importance of setting clear goals and consistently working towards achieving them, fostering a culture of dedication and perseverance.

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What is Deep State ?

Deep State is a parallel government or a powerful group that controls the nation in spite of not being officially in power. Deep State exert influence and control over the officially government of the country to fulfil its goals and serve its purpose. Deep state refers more to a hidden organization seeking to manipulate the public state. It is an alleged secret network of especially nonelected government officials and sometimes private entities (as in the financial services and defense industries) operating extralegally to influence and enact government policy. The power of the deep state comes from experience, knowledge, relationships, insight, craft, special skills, traditions, and shared values. Together, these purported attributes make nameless bureaucrats into a super-government that is accountable to no one. That is a scary prospect. The term "deep state" gained popularity in some circles during the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election in opposition to mainstream Republican and Democratic candidates.

The modern concept of a deep state is associated with Turkey where a secret network of military officers and their civilian allies trying to preserve their secular ideology. 

You may often wonder how is this possible i.e. how come people outside the government can exercise their power like this ? Shockingly this is true in almost all nations. Though Pakistan has an elected government headed by the Prime Minister, it is actually the Army that controls the governance of Pakistan. Till date, no prime minister of Pakistan has yet served their full five year term.

The Congress Party led by Nehru-Gandhi dynasty remained in power for almost all terms of Indian government till 2014. The last two terms came under Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) from 2014 onwards. However BJP found it very difficult to run the government in spite of full majority as the parallel bureaucracy, local bodies, students organizations, judicial lobbies, education boards and universities were entirely controlled by Congress Party. It has taken lot of time and efforts for BJP to handle this control by Congress.

In the USA,  since 1963, the deep state has enabled a  hybrid association of government elements and parts of top-level industry and finance that is effectively able to govern the United States without reference to the consent of the governed as expressed through the formal political process. Donald Trump administration has accused the Intelligence agencies such as the CIA to thwart its policy goals.

In UK, the deep state is controlled by the Civil Service of the nation. The Prime Minister has mentioned how the Civil Service controls the government. They genuinely see themselves as the true guardians of the national interest, and think that their job is simply to wear the elected politicians down and wait them out. 

Deep State is seen in all nations. One has to see and analyze carefully how these powers control the functioning of the nation and accordingly take decisions related to business, commerce or trade accordingly.

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Warren Buffett’s 5/25 Rule

Warren Edward Buffett is one of the richest persons in the world. He is an  American businessman and is famous for his way of wealth generation through investment. He owns Berkshire Hathaway, one of the most admired and richest companies. Buffet has a net worth of $104 billion as of March 2023, making him the fifth-richest person in the world.

Often he shares his financial wisdom publicly. He is a generous philanthropist and never hides his philosophy for success. One of his famously known wisdom for success is the  5/25 Rule.

Warren Buffet’s 5/25 rule is a productivity strategy based on three simple steps:

1. Make a list of your top 25 goals.
2. Circle the 5 most important goals that truly speak to you. These are your most urgent goals and the highest priorities to focus on.
3. Cross off the other 20 goals you have listed that hold less importance. 

It is easy to do the Step 1. The Step 2 is the most difficult part. It prompts you to be strategic and serious about your priorities. Remember that your time is non-renewable and it will never be. You cannot spend your life chasing too many different things and being mediocre at them. The 5/25 principle starts with the understanding that your time is limited and must be used wisely. 

The 5/25 rule helps you to focus on the most important accomplishments that are most meaningful to them. The 5/25 rule can be applied to personal or professional goals, family time, or career aspirations, making it an effective, simple technique for prioritizing all aspects of life. 

It’s humanly impossible to give all your time and energy to many things at once. It will only make you fail at everything and accomplish nothing. It is said that Warren Buffett’s 5/25 rule came out of advice he gave to his airline pilot Mike Flint. Supposedly, Flint asked Buffett for life advice and how to find time to get everything in his life done. Buffett replied with a three-step approach to solving the problem. 

The 5/25 rule is a reminder that it’s not what you do but what you don’t do that drives your productivity and performance. The 5/25 rule works because you’re acknowledging that you can’t focus on lots of things at once, which we humans tend to do all the time.

Buffet has famously quoted:

“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” 

The 5/25 rule allows you to split time and energy resources across a smaller number of goals, increasing the chances you’ll achieve them. By adopting the 5/25 rule, you’re one step closer to truly spending time on what matters most to you and becoming more productive, whether in your workplace or at home.

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Way Of The Wolf - By Jordan Belfort (Book)

Way Of The Wolf is a book authored by Jordan Belfort. Born in Queens, New York, Jordan Belfort was always inclined to business. When he went bankrupt at the age of 24, he had $100 with him. He used it to set up America’s largest brokerages, Stratton Oakmont.

In the book, the author presents tried-and-tested techniques and sales strategies that have worked well in real-life. You can learn how to overcome a setback, learn the art of persuasion and amass wealth. The author shares the system he used for himself in a step-by-step manner.  This book is for anyone who wants to learn the art of persuasion regardless of their age, educational background, or skill set. It can help you become an expert salesperson, negotiator, entrepreneur, or speaker. After reading this book, you will get to know things that you had never thought about before.

Way Of The Wolf by Jordan Belfort is a great book if you are in any type of sales job! And as the book says, even if you are not in “sales”, you are still always trying to sell something: an idea, your CV, your life, etc.

Jordan breaks down his state of art, Straight Line sales system and shows you how to get a client from the opening to the close down the straight line. Every day we are trying to convince and persuade people and this book will immensely help you to do this. The book gives access to exclusive step-by-step system-the same system Jordan used to create massive wealth for himself, his clients, and his sales teams. The book explains the power of persuasion to a whole new generation of readers, revealing how anyone can bounce back from devastating setbacks, master the art of persuasion, and build wealth. Every technique, every strategy, and every tip has been tested and proven to work in real-life situations. Written in his own inimitable voice, this book cracks the code on how to persuade anyone to do anything, and coaches readers, regardless of age, education, or skill level, to be a master sales person, negotiator, closer, entrepreneur, or speaker.

Summary of the Book in One Sentence : With the right persuasion techniques, it is possible to generate wealth. The result can cause an upheaval in Wall Street!

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The Welch Way (Book)

John Francis Welch Jr. (November 19, 1935 – March 1, 2020) was an American business executive, chemical engineer, and writer. He was Chairman and CEO of General Electric (GE) between 1981 and 2001.

Jack Welch was heralded by many as the greatest leader of his era. As CEO of General Electric from 1981 to 2001, he transformed it from a company known for appliances and lightbulbs to a multinational corporation that stretched into financial services and media as well as industrial products. He was initially criticized for cost-cutting and layoffs, which earned him the moniker “Neutron Jack,” but as GE’s revenues expanded and its share price soared in the ensuing years, he was lauded. 

Jeffrey A. Krames is a famous author. He writes extensively on leadership and CEOs. Krames has written nine books with three of them focusing on Jack Welch. His book titled "The Welch Way" is a brief and small booklet which gives very good insights on 24 lessons that one can learn from Welch.

The Welch Way is the first book written specifically to help employees infuse their careers with the actions and success strategies of Welch. This accessible, fast-paced book draws on Welch's career to explain how workers can follow the proven Welch model to:

• Face reality
• Use change as a competitive weapon
• Defy tradition
• Fight fear
• Overcome bureaucracy
• Pounce on every opportunity
• Set stretch goals
• Move beyond boundaries
• Spark others to perform
• Get good ideas from everywhere
• Have fun

Jack Welch transformed GE into the world's most valuable corporation and became one of history's most admired and successful CEOs by cutting through bureaucratic noise and letting hands-on, frontline employees tell him what needed to be done. The Welch Way shows you how to work the Welch magic in your career and reach new heights in today's wide-open, idea-driven workplace. This book allows you to gulp in quickly the easy to apply and often powerful bite-size success strategies of Jack Welch. This book is the perfect buy for any manager who wants a condensed version of the Welch Way, with an opportunity to apply the lessons learned on a personal level.

If you are working in a corporate world, this book is a must for you. Enhance your insights and broaden your vision on growth and leadership through the wonderful tips given in the book. It will make you think and act upon almost all areas relevant to your corporate job. The book is available on Amazon and many other shopping sites. Get your copy and take your next step towards exemplary leadership.

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The Founder (Movie 2016)

It is very likely that you must have enjoyed a burger or a meal from McDonald's at least once or may be several times in your life time. You might even have your favorite type of McDonalds's burger or ice-cream that you look forward to enjoy only at McDonald's. You will get exactly the same type of burger in McDonald's even if you are in a foreign country. McDonald's Corporation is an American fast food company, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in California, USA. McDonald's is the world's largest restaurant chain by revenue, in over 100 countries across 37,855 outlets. McDonald's is the world's second-largest private employer with 1.7 million employees [figures as per year 2018].

To know how a simple concept of selling burger became such a huge success, please watch the movie " The Founder" released in 2016. The film portrays the story of creation of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain.  It is a very enjoyable movie and takes you through the success journey of McDonald's. In 1954, Ray Kroc is a traveling salesman selling Prince Castle brand milkshake mixers. What he finds is McDonald's—a highly popular walk-up restaurant with fast service, high-quality food, disposable packaging and a family-friendly atmosphere. Ray meets with the two McDonald brothers, Maurice and Richard. Ray begins building a McDonald's restaurant in Illinois. This proves successful, and new franchises begin opening across the Midwest, with Ray representing himself as the creator of McDonald's. Despite his success, Ray begins to encounter financial difficulties as his share of franchise profits is limited due to his contract, a share that the McDonald brothers decline to renegotiate. Ray incorporates a new company, Franchise Realty Corporation, and attracts new investors. Ray renames his company to the McDonald's Corporation and demands to be released from his contract and buy the McDonald brothers out. The brothers agree to a $2.7 million lump sum payment, ownership of their original restaurant in San Bernardino. The film closes in 1970 with Ray preparing a speech where he praises himself for his success in his elaborate mansion with his new wife, Joan. An epilogue reveals that the McDonald brothers were never paid their royalties, which could have been in the area of $100 million a year.

The movie teaches us many valuable lessons on business, relationships, personal and professional life. While Ray makes a grand fortune, he divorces his wife Ethel who stood by him in his hard times. Though you want to praise Ray for his success in business, you feel equally disappointed with his marital life and the divorce that follows. The McDonald brothers are progressive in their views. Yet they are not fast enough to move with the changing times. They fail to see the valuable contribution of Ray in their business. This costs them their business itself. Also the failing health of one of the McDonald brothers due to diabetes teaches us that health is finally the biggest wealth. Nevertheless, the movie motivates us strongly in achieving success in business and inspires us to be persistent in our efforts.

The movie is available on Netflix and it is strongly recommended to watch it with your family and business partners.

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Who Moved My Cheese (Book)

Who Moved My Cheese?  is a world famous book by Spencer Johnson that was published in 1998. It has sold more than 26 million copies worldwide in 37 languages and remains one of the best-selling business books. 

The book is a simple parable that reveals profound truths. It follows the physical and emotional journeys of four characters – Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw – as they search, find, lose and must rediscover their favourite food, cheese, in a large, twisting maze.

In the book, the cheese is a metaphor for what you want in life – a good job, a loving relationship, money, possessions, health or spiritual peace of mind. The maze is where you look for it – the organisation you work for, the family or community you live in. The problem is that no source of cheese lasts forever. Life changes, whether we like it or not.

Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw’s stories explore the various ways we all respond to this change. And though it’s disarmingly simple, Who Moved My Cheese? captures and explores powerful and resonant truths that could have been written just for you.

Its ultimate conclusion? Change is inevitable. Anticipate it, adapt to it, learn to embrace and enjoy it. Do so and you won’t just suffer less stress and unhappiness, you’ll enjoy more success and fulfilment in every part of your life and your work.

The six lessons in the book can be summarised as 

1. Change Happens -"The Cheese keeps on moving". Online business has replaced many traditional business models. The change is inevitable.


2. Anticipate Change "Get ready for the cheese to move". If you are running a grocery shop, accept the fact that online shopping is the future way to buy goods.


3. Monitor Change "Smell the cheese often so you know when it’s getting old". Keep your eyes and ears open to see how the online business is affecting your store.


4. Adapt To Change Quickly "The quicker you let go of old cheese the sooner you can enjoy new cheese". Switch to the new system of selling online and don't rely of your grocery store alone for physical sale.


5. Change "Move with the cheese."  Adapt to the change  to boost the sales with the new payment system. Through brainstorming and creative thinking, come up with several techniques that would encourage more buyers to purchase from you.


6. Enjoy Change "Enjoy the taste of new cheese." Be happy that your work paid off. Your success doesn't end here. Create more opportunities and situations  to boost your business.

Buy your own copy and always read it at least once  a month.

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The 5 C's of Excellence

If you think it is enough to make a lot of money in life and enjoy it, you are mistaken. Your purpose in life is deep. Try to answer "What is that you want to be known for?"

While this question is too abstract to answer, you can get clarity if you understand the 5 C's of excellence namely

1. Clarity


2. Competence


3. Credibility


4. Courage


5. Concentration

Clarity: It is very important that you enjoy the work you do. Do you love getting up in morning and going to work ? If not, then please think clearly to understand what is that you like doing. This clarity is very important to know as the base of your happiness comes from here

Competence: Always remember that it is your talent that is your most important asset. It is like the sword whereas the other things like ethics and value are the cover of the sword. If you are an accountant, then your accountancy knowledge and skills have to be the best. Honesty and principles play a role only if you have that talent.

Credibility: You seldom focus on credibility. You focus more on technical skills.  Credibility means that when a person sees you, he says that "I can trust this person". Your high qualifications are important. But more important  is your credibility. Your gold medal will not help you in your difficult times. It is only your credibility that will establish you successfully.

Courage: Courage means being gentle, firm, respectful and yet being able to say there is a better way. Always have a voice of your own and stand by it. This quality will make you stand apart from the crowd and bring out your uniqueness. Only courage will make you stand on your ground without antagonising others and at the same time bring out that special person in you.

Concentration: If you are being continuously told by your boss or company to multitask, then please quit your job and find one where you can focus on one thing at a time. Human brains and bodies are not designed for multitasking. Moreover, all of us are constantly distracted by social media, mobile phones and other things. Know this for sure, a task gets accomplished successfully only with good concentration. Avoid multitasking and distractions. Work with 100% concentration on any task or work that you do.

The above 5 C's have to be followed meticulously and once it becomes your second nature, you will surely feel happier, calmer, confident and empowered.

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What is Quantum Computer ?

Ordinary computers use technology that has information in bits i.e. 0 and 1. In layman terms, all information is in terms of "Yes" or "No". There is no third information.  Various combinations of 0 and 1 form numbers and characters. But Quantum Computers encodes data into bits that can represent 0 and 1 and another quantum entity. ( In physics, a quantum is the minimum amount of any physical entity in terms of physical property involved in an interaction ).Such a combination is known as qubits. So what advantage it gives ? In simple words, quantum computer performs operations with computational speed and possibilities not available to classical computers. A quantum computer harnesses some of the almost-mystical phenomena of quantum mechanics to deliver huge leaps forward in processing power.

Quantum machines promise to outstrip even supercomputers. There is an increasing amount of investment in quantum computing by governments, established companies, and start-ups. Current research focuses on building and using a powerful and error-free quantum computer. It is not that classical computers will be wiped out. Using a classical machine will still be the easiest and most economical solution for tackling most problems. But quantum computers promise to power exciting advances in various fields, from materials science to pharmaceuticals research. Companies are already experimenting with them to develop things like lighter and more powerful batteries for electric cars, and to help create novel drugs.  Quantum computers can be used to simulate the behavior of matter down to the molecular level. Car manufacturing companies are using quantum computers to simulate the chemical composition of electrical-vehicle batteries to help find new ways to improve their performance. And pharmaceutical companies are leveraging them to analyze and compare compounds that could lead to the creation of new drugs. Quantum machines can crunch through vast numbers of potential solutions extremely fast. Aircraft companies use them to help calculate the most fuel-efficient ascent and descent paths for aircraft. Some researchers also think the machines could be used to accelerate artificial intelligence.

It could take quite a few years for quantum computers to achieve their full potential. Universities and businesses working on them are facing a shortage of skilled researchers in the field—and a lack of suppliers of some key components. But if these exotic new computing machines live up to their promise, they could transform entire industries and turbocharge global innovation.

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The Power of Tithing

Tithing is giving one tenth of your income to charity. It is practiced in many religions and few people follow it. Fewer people understand the importance and power of tithing. If you always think about your own happiness and prosperity, you sometimes fail to understand that the wealth you are accumulating is not raining from the sky. It is flowing to you through people. Wealth just keeps on flowing between various people. It is like a river. A fresh water river with clean water keeps on flowing continuously. Same applies for wealth. Wealth is not meant to be hoarded for your own selfish aims. It is meant for the welfare of the society and the world such that all entities in the world fulfill their Divine destiny. It is perfectly okay to enjoy material comforts. All you need to do is just give one tenth of your income every month to charity. This is a very powerful and highly beneficial karma which all should practice. The world is one big family. We cannot live in isolation as we are dependent on this family for everything. Yes, we depend on the world for everything we have. Can you conduct business on an isolated island with no people and earn money ? It is impossible. Whatever income you earn in your job and business has actually flown from someone. When you spend this money, you actually pass on this money to someone else. This is how economy works. This is how the world works. So why do tithing, you may ask ? Since you take so much from society in so many ways, it is necessary that you replenish it with the same. A better society will only make your own life better. Imagine if you plant lots of trees as service to the society. Won't you too benefit from cleaner air generated by the trees planted by you ? The Law of Prosperity says that " Give so that you receive". The Universe is a meticulous onlooker and accountant. It ensures that you get only what you deserve. You should do tithing lifelong. You will surely see the blessing and  benefits that it will bring in your and your family's life. Try tithing for one year and see the power of tithing yourself. All you need to do is just give one tenth of your income every month to charity.

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Keep Your Company Staff Healthy

You have a very good personal assistant in your office. She is very punctual and can be trusted for important tasks assigned to her. However, you never know when she will call you in the morning to report sick. This is the most annoying problem you have with her that she falls ill unexpectedly and quite frequently. But she is so trustworthy and responsible that you don't want to replace her either. So what do you do ? Suffer ! No, that's not the way to solve any problem.

Firstly, please understand that in today's times, maintaining fitness itself is a full time occupation. City life of current times invariably causes high level of stress. Sometimes you may not even know that you are under stress. Most of us live a hurried and fast paced life in urban areas. Wrong food habits, erratic sleep patterns, lack of exercise, work pressure, commuting to work build up extreme amount of stress within us. No wonder, your employees will always have some health issue affecting them thereby affecting their productivity at work and your company's profits.

A recent survey showed that  companies do not have an effective health and wellness strategy for their employees. Most companies just offer medical insurance plan to their employees and think that's enough.  Companies pay a high premium cost for the staff insurance. But this high cost doesn't improve their yearly profitability in any way. Instead it is more important to focus towards long term health and fitness of the employees. Research shows that if a company has a good and effective health and wellness program for the staff, then there is 34% more revenue per employee.

Your staff may be present at the office and working too. But if he isn't well and fit, he will surely under-perform. During appraisal, he may keep his point on his working hard everyday whereas you will counter him by saying that he isn't good enough in his work. He will not accept your observations as he will feel he is working hard and best to his capacity. On the other hand, frequent absentism by the staff, will pull down productivity of his team too as it is dependent on him for many things.

So strategize and implement a long term health and wellness plan for your staff through following means:

1. Start a gym in your office which will encourage your staff to exercise conveniently within office as per time availability.


2. Periodic medical check up programs in the company for various health parameters will proactively track the health of staff.


3. Engage services of a psychologist to counsel your staff on personal, professional and health matters.


4. Ensure your office canteen doesn't serve junk food. Offer healthy, wholesome, vegan food options.


5. Enlighten staff on healthy food habits through mailers, reach out programs.


6. Introduce work-from-home facility to help your staff cope with travel issues or other emergency conditions.


7. Introduce Yoga and meditation sessions in office schedule. This will help people immensely to calm their mind and perform well at work.


8. Play soft music for short intervals in music at very low volume in background. Research has shown that music has a calming effect on the mind and helps the person feel joyful.


9. Let the day in the office begin with a quick work out, simple dance or zumba steps. This will charge everybody mentally and physically.


10. Fill your office premises with lot of indoor plants. Such plants help fight pollution in the office and also enliven the surroundings thereby making the staff feel happier.


11. Encourage your staff to have more of herbal/ green tea instead of ordinary tea/coffee/aerated cold drinks.


12. Keep automatic massaging chairs in the office lounge for people to relax during breaks.


13. Encourage usage of harmless alternative therapies like acupressure, Bach Flower Remedies, Reflexology, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). These therapies are gentle and effective and go a long way in healing people from within.


14. Sponsor weight loss programs and events to help your staff cut fat and become lean and more muscular.


15. Organize weekly sports events such that everybody will like to participate in it. For example, young men can play rugby while older women can play simple enjoyable games.


16. Drawing and painting has high therapeutic value. Organize events for people to participate in various arts and crafts such as drawing, sketching, painting, knitting, sewing, crocheting etc.


17. Ensure employees have a deep connect with Nature at least once a week. This includes walking barefoot on earth, exposure to direct sunlight, spending time in greenery, listening to the sound of birds, walking on beach. Connection with Nature heals people from within and energizes them subtly.


18. Deploy principles of Vastu and Feng Shui in office to optimize the flow of healthy energy in office.

The above are few pointers towards working on health and fitness of your staff. Try implementing simple ones first. Be patient and see the wonderful effects it has on your company's profits !

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Ransomware Protection Tools for Business

Malware (malicious software) is any software intentionally designed to cause damage to a computer, server, client, or computer network. Malware does the damage after it is implanted or introduced in some way into a target's computer. Some kinds of malware are largely referred to in the media as computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, ransomware, spyware, adware, and scareware, among other terms. Malware has a malicious intent, acting against the interest of the computer user. (Source: Wiki).

There is a type of malware called ransomware which is specifically dangerous for small and medium businesses today. Ransomware threatens to publish the victim's data or perpetually block access to it unless a ransom is paid. While some simple ransomware may lock the system in a way which is not difficult for a knowledgeable person to reverse, more advanced malware encrypts the victim's files, making them inaccessible, and demands a ransom payment to decrypt them. Ransomware attacks are typically carried out using a Trojan that is disguised as a legitimate file that the user is tricked into downloading or opening when it arrives as an email attachment. Starting from around 2012 the use of ransomware scams has grown internationally.(Source: Wiki).

Small and medium enterprises are especially vulnerable to ransomware attacks as they seldom have expertise and budget to deploy tools to check such attacks. Here are some excellent protection packages to deal with ransomware menace:

1. Symantec Endpoint Protection Cloud:  Symantec Endpoint Protection Cloud (SEP Cloud) is an easy to use security-as-a-service that protects and manages PC, Mac, mobile devices and servers from a single console, making it the ideal solution for organizations with limited IT security resources. SEP Cloud effectively stops today’s ransomware, zero-day threats and other sophisticated attacks using advanced multi-layered technologies including advanced machine learning and behavior analysis. Utilizing SEP Cloud’s, default security settings and user self-enrollment capabilities, this solution quickly protects your endpoints.


2. Bitdefender GravityZone Elite: Bitdefender GravityZone Elite suite is designed to protect enterprises against the full spectrum of sophisticated cyber threats with speed and accuracy. Elite provides high-level performance and protection for all endpoints across the enterprise environment: desktops, laptops, mobiles, physical and virtual servers. It ensures a consistent level of security for the entire IT environment, limiting poorly protected endpoints that could serve as starting points for malicious actions against the organization. It relies on a simple, integrated architecture with centralized management for both endpoints and data center. Cloud and on-premise console options fit both cloud-ready and strictly regulated environments.


3. Panda Security Adaptive Defense 360:  Panda Security Adaptive Defense 360 is the company's flagship entry into the business-grade hosted endpoint protection space. While it delivers a great selection of capabilities, you'll need to be careful when purchasing as the company's website isn't all that clear about which features are included in which tiers. Still, once setup, this platform offers solid protection capabilities across multiple operating system platforms with full management available over the cloud. On the downside, some weaknesses in the user experience and overall threat protection keep it behind our current business security Editors' Choice winners, Bitdefender GravityZone Elite and ESET Endpoint Protection Standard.


4. Avast Business Antivirus Pro Plus: Avast Business Antivirus Pro Plus 2019 is all-in-one powerful endpoint, email, server and network protection package for small and medium size businesses (best for 1-500 employees). It works on PCs, Macs and Windows servers. It is enhanced with cutting - edge features to keep your company's life fully secure. It includes powerful antivirus, server, email and network security, CyberCapture, firewall and much more. It can be used either with cloud console or without. A very easy to install protection against virus and malware, Avast Business Antivirus Pro Plus is a Must-Have software for not only businesses but also every computer user. Avast is compatible with most Operating Systems, making it for every person. The software is cheap to purchase and very easy to maintain. The user can install the software without the help of an expert, making installation cost zero. Using the software is as easy as clicking on the "Run-Check" button, leaving the software to check any problems in the system, and clicking "Fix" button once the checking is done. Further, the software is very reliable in detecting issues not only in the PC storage space but also threats that can be picked up from the internet, as it has a powerful firewall feature. With the firewall, the user can connect and browse files via a network connection without any worry. When using external storage facilities and devices, the software is able to run an auto-check on these devices to ensure they do not infect the computer. If any threats are found, the software auto-corrects them. It is a very reliable, convenient and efficient antivirus for both online and offline files.


5. McAfee Endpoint Protection Essential for SMB: McAfee Endpoint Protection Essential is a multi-featured security suite, designed for small and midsize businesses (SMBs).The solution offers businesses with a wide array of functionality. A firewall helps keep hackers out of company networks, while anti-malware protection, device control and Web security all defend against multiple security threats. Mcafee Endpoint Protection Essential also features an access protection tool that, in the event of a cyber attack, restricts access to folders designated as “confidential." It comes with a central control panel, available on-premise or in the cloud, which enables a single administrator to manage and monitor the company network, making sure company security is up-to-date. McAfee, a subsidiary of Intel, has clients ranging from government agencies to at-home users. Support is available via phone.


6. ESET Endpoint Protection Standard: ESET Endpoint Antivirus is an on-premise antivirus solution that provides businesses protection against malware and a remote management tool. Antivirus and antispyware protections utilize ESET’s Threat Sense technology to defend against both known and emerging threats. Scanning and detection occur can be scheduled and carried out when the system is idle. ESET Endpoint Antivirus also features device control, which scans USB sticks, CDs, DVDs and other removable media for hidden threats. Administrators can configure the system to block unauthorized media from accessing the network, thus protecting against data loss. ESET Endpoint Antivirus also comes with a remote administration tool which enables an administrator to manage the security of thousands of workstations from a single console. Accessible from any computer connected to the network, the remote administrator enables the individual managing company security to schedule or initiate scans, enforce policies and rules and manage configuration. Support is offered via phone, email and through other online resources.

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Email Security Tips for Companies

Email facility is an integral part of every business. It is impossible to run your business without using emails. Your company's internal and external communication and data exchange is done largely by email. Sensitive, confidential information is exchanged through billions of emails every day across the world. It is highly imperative, therefore to protect and secure your email system. Otherwise it could lead to business catastrophe. Here are few tips for companies to ensure security of their emails.

1. Have a multiple security system: Most of the companies use only one security scanning system for their emails. Always have a strategy to have more than one security system. Relying on only one system could be unsafe as not always any single system is immune to all kinds of attacks. Just one vulnerability in the security system will cause your email system to crash or exposed to data theft. Additional layer of a security will prevent this kind of attack.


2. Configure your email server: Your company should correctly configure email by setting up DMARC ( Domain Based Message Authentication). This protocol checks incoming mails for ensuring messages are legitimate. If senders impersonate as a company person, this will be warded off by DMARC.


3. Encrypt Emails: Encryption of mails will protect your company in case someone manages to steal your email data. An encrypted mail cannot be deciphered by unauthorized person. For example, you can use TLS (Transport Layer Security) protocol to encrypt emails. It sets up a secure channel to communicate so that only sender and receiver can access the email contents.


4. Guard against spoofing attacks: Hackers often assume a false identity and send you email to steal data or money or spread malware. Beware ! This has to be warded off through wisdom. For example, if the boss is out of town, and a spoof attacker sends email to his colleagues  as the boss being in a dire situation and needs money. The attacker's mail will persuade the colleague to immediately transfer money to the boss. This panic creating situation easily tricks innocent employees in sending money or sensitive information to the attacker.


5. Filter Email: Use spam filters, firewalls and detection engines to protect spurious emails, By routing email through a gateway, you can enable deep inspection of email. A cloud platform keeps security patches up to date. When an email gateway identifies an attachment as potentially harmful, the platform can place the attachment in a sandbox environment to test how it behaves.


6. Avoid phishing attacks: Phishing is a cyber-crime in which a target is contacted by email, telephone or text message by someone posing as a legitimate institution to lure individuals into providing sensitive data such as personally identifiable information, banking and credit card details, and passwords. Train your employees periodically to be cautious about such emails. An essential part of the training is learning not to open attachments unless you are expecting one. If you didn't expect an attachment, confirm with the senders that they intended to send it.

The above tips are generic. Information Security is a vast area and therefore regularly update yourself with latest technologies and knowledge so that you have an up to date security system for your organization in all areas.

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Avoid Toxic Relationships

Do you find yourself thinking that a good friend of yours is doing something harmful to you, but you are not able to exactly understand what ? Or on the weekend, you had a nice time with your friends. However after that, somewhere within, you were feeling lost, confused and not confident about yourself. Or did you just speak to a close office associate for discussing some office issue ?  You find that you are feeling much worse after speaking to him. Or you purchased a nice wedding gown for your biggest day in life. Suddenly your friend drops in and after she leaves, you feel you have not only bought the wrong gown but also going to marry a wrong person !

Watch out and beware ! You are surrounded by TOXIC people. STAY AWAY FROM THEM. As simple as that. These toxic people negatively affect your life, mind, happiness in such a way that you never know how and why something negative happened to you. Toxic people have certain traits, which you can carefully observe and understand. They may have one, few or all of the listed below:

1. Pessimistic: They are inherently hopeless. They never see possibility of bright future and have no goals or ambitions. So they will also want you to think the same way even though you are strong, capable, happy, successful and have wonderful future growth plans.


2. Uncontrolled emotions: They are simply guided by their mind rather than intelligence. They do whatever comes to their mind and get angry easily.


3. Depressed: They always are sad and depressed and never seem to find joy in anything. They point out negative things in all good things about your life too.


4. Poverty mindset: They always find it very hard to earn money and build wealth. Everything is about difficulty, extreme hard work and poverty for them. They always feel they will never have a prosperous life and make you too feel so.


5. Always in Problem: They are always occupied with some problem or the other and fail too see all good things in life they have been blessed with. So even if you have a perfectly nice car, they will tell you that it is waste of money, very expensive and it will frequently break down ! Whoa !


6. Thankless: They never feel they have enough and never see what they have already. Gratitude is alien to them and if you are getting lots of help and support from your family and friends, they will convince you that they are doing it for selfish purpose and you should not give much importance to them.


7. Fake: They always think high about themselves and are cut off from their real self. They will pretend to be of high class and virtuous in order to be accepted by a circle they want to be a part of. Actually they are fake from inside and simply have no self worth.


8. Destructively Critical: So even if you have some flaw in your work, life or anything for that matter, they will seize this opportunity to pull you down by attacking you with destructive criticism. For example, if you are over weight, they will tell you that you will never lose weight as you are basically a lazy and gluttonous person. Instead of suggesting good solutions, they will amplify the problem with their generous destructive mentality.


9. Egoistic: They always want to impress others and exaggerate trivial achievements to seek attention and be in limelight. The moment you achieve something worthwhile, they will ignore it and start glorifying their insignificant victories, thereby trivializing your own mammoth accomplishments.


10. "Me First" Attitude: They somehow feel they deserve better and  before than you. If you introduce your girl friend to such a person, he will ensure that his girl friend is better than yours even though he has none. The kick is in simply having the feeling that he is the first and most suited to deserve anything in life.


11. Deaf to Feedback: No amount of showing them the mirror of reality will help them. They are simply closed to any kind of negative feedback about them. So don't waste your time on convincing them how they are harming your life.

Don't feel bad if you have to break away from them. You can always pray for them within your heart. BUT SIMPLY AVOID THEIR COMPANY AND CLOSE ASSOCIATION. Yes, we  know that you don't want to hurt them in any way by cutting them off from your life. But remember, they will eventually harm you to such an extent, that it will be very difficult to become normal again for you. You are responsible for your life, health, wealth and happiness. So take charge and stay away from these vampires.

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The Pursuit ( 2019 Documentary on Netflix )

Capitalism or Socialism ? Democratic Socialism ? Which is the best way for the world ? No economist or social scientist has been able to analyse this. Russia was a super power with its Communist government calling the shots for all things concerned with life for Russians. In Russia, people used to say "You can't dream in Russia". On the other hand, US was strictly a capitalist economy. The great American Dream enriched the life of millions of Americans. However, today an average American lives with a sense of financial insecurity. The rich and wealthy in US have become richer and wealthier while a common man in US struggles to maintain his family expenses in spite of working 12 hours a day. Meanwhile European nations are facing challenges related to rising number of immigrants and radicalism along with financial instability. 

Capitalism thrives on private ownership and maximum profitability while Communism emphasizes the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. On the other hand Democratic Socialism  advocates that production are socially and collectively owned or controlled, alongside a democratic political system of government. (Denmark has more or less Democratic Socialism.)

In spite of major scientific advancements and technology and massive industrialization, millions of people in world are still struggling with poverty and hunger. What has failed or what has really worked ? What is the current situation of the world ? What will happen to world in future ? What is the best way of governing a nation ?

All this has been wonderfully analysed in the documentary "The Pursuit" released in 2019 on Netflix. Essentially, in this documentary, the famous social scientist Arthur Brooks, takes us through different countries and meets various people from different economic sections. With some great inputs from them and adding his own analysis, Arthur Brooks helps to see a world which is gradually unfolding to a being of optimism and evolution.  Arthur Brooks (born May 21, 1964) is an American social scientist, musician, and contributing opinion writer for The Washington Post. As of July 2019, he joined the faculty of the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School. Brooks has researched the junctions between culture, economics, and politics.

The documentary begins with Brooks' visit in Dharavi, a slum colony in Mumbai, India. Although Dharavi is shown as a symbol of poverty and misery to the world, in reality, it is a commercial thriving place always buzz with activity. Every inch of space in Dharavi is utilized profitably by small units and individuals to produce commodities that have takers in foreign markets too ! Brooks describes how in last 5 decades around 2 billion of world population have come out of poverty. Simultaneously, US is seeing disturbance within, especially among below 30 age group population, who believes that America's Capitalist system has failed to take care of American people and it should take to Democratic Socialism. Brooks takes us to Denmark where everything seems to be perfect. Ironically Brooks' own ancestors had migrated centuries ago from Denmark to US for a better life. Denmark faces the problem of rising number of immigrants who refuse to integrate with Denmark's culture and rather impose their own way of life on the very country that gave them refuge. Brooks also visits India and meets the Holy Dalai Lama in Dharamshala, India who tells him what are the 4 things required for anyone to be happy. 

The documentary leaves the viewer with ample food for thought. It makes sense to people belonging to all nations and generations. It was released recently in 2019 on Netflix. Do watch it and try to see what it has to say to you !

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The Wonderful XIRR Excel Function

Suppose you are making investment in gold.  In January, you bought gold worth $200. In March, you had some extra money. So you bought more gold for $300. In August you bought gold worth $ 50. In December, you need money and you want to sell the gold. You check the market rate of gold in December. The gold you own is worth $700. So total cost of gold is $550 and current price of gold in December is $700.  That means you will earn a profit of $150 if you sell your gold. Your profit percentage is 27%.  But do you understand how much was the return on investment per annum ?

You have to take into account the different time periods and the different amounts that you invested. There is a very simple way of addressing this problem. Just use the XIRR Function of Excel sheet in your laptop. 

The XIRR function is categorized under Excel financial functions. It calculates the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for a series of cash flows that may not be periodic. It does this by assigning specific dates to each individual cash flow. The main benefit of using the XIRR Excel function is that such unevenly timed cash flows can be accurately modeled. In financial modeling, the XIRR function is useful in determining the value of an investment or understanding the feasibility of a project that does not have regularly periodic cash flows. It helps us understand the rate of return earned on an investment. Hence, it is commonly used in evaluating and choosing between two or more investments.

How to use XIRR function:

Let us take the above example: (Note:The percentage calculations have been rounded off)

1. On 14-January-2018, you bought gold worth $200.


2. On  3-March-2018, you bought gold worth $300.


3. On 30-August-2018, you bought gold worth $50.


4. On 23-December-2018, you sold all the above gold for $700. So you have made profit of $700-$550 = $150.  Profit percent is (150/550) * 100 = 27%.


5. But how much was your actual return on investment per annum ? Open your Excel Sheet and put values as below and use XIRR Function. You have got 34% returns per annum on the investment you made !

Date	Amount
14-Jan-18	200
03-Mar-18	300
30-Aug-18	50
23-Dec-18	-700
XIRR	34%

So you saw,  if you are investing over a long period of time by putting different amounts at different dates, you cannot come to conclusion on your profitability by simple profit percentage calculation. You must use XIRR to calculate annual rate of return. This will give you a precise understanding on how well you invested your money.

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Career as an Actuary

An Actuary is one of the most sought after and highly paid professional in corporate world. Let us understand who is an Actuary and what does he do ?

An actuary is a business professional who deals with the measurement and management of risk and uncertainty. The actuary analyses risks that can affect both sides of the balance sheet and require asset management, liability management, and valuation skills . Actuaries provide assessments of financial security systems, with a focus on their complexity, their mathematics, and their mechanisms. Actuaries are professionals trained in this discipline. In many countries, actuaries must demonstrate their competence by passing a series of rigorous professional examinations.

Actuary basically belongs to the field of Actuarial Science. Actuarial science is the discipline that applies mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk in insurance, finance and other industries and professions. Actuarial science includes a number of interrelated subjects, including mathematics, probability theory, statistics, finance, economics, and computer science. 

An actuary has analytical skills, business knowledge, and an understanding of human behavior and information systems to design and manage programs that control risk. A credible actuary qualification comprises a rigorous schooling or examination structure and takes many years to complete. Actuaries use skills primarily in mathematics, particularly calculus-based probability and mathematical statistics, but also economics, computer science, finance, and business. Actuaries therefore are employed in insurance and reinsurance industries as

• Staff employees


• Consultants


• Advisors for sponsors of pension plans


• Employees of government agencies such as
  
  
  • Government Actuary's Department in the United Kingdom
  
  
  • Social Security Administration in the United States of America

Actuaries assemble and analyze data to estimate the probability and likely cost of the occurrence of an event such as death, sickness, injury, disability, or loss of property. Actuaries also address financial questions, including those involving the level of pension contributions required to produce a certain retirement income and the way in which a company should invest resources to maximize its return on investments in light of potential risk. Using their broad knowledge, actuaries help design and price insurance policies, pension plans, and other financial strategies in a manner that will help ensure that the plans are maintained on a sound financial basis.

Most traditional actuarial disciplines fall into two main categories: life and non-life.

• Life actuaries include health and pension actuaries and deal with
  
  
  • Mortality risk
  
  
  • Morbidity risk
  
  
  • Investment risk.
  
  
  • Life insurance
  
  
  • Annuities
  
  
  • Pensions
  
  
  • Short and long term disability insurance
  
  
  • Health insurance
  
  
  • Health savings accounts
  
  
  • Long-term care insurance


• Non-life actuaries include property/casualty/general insurance and deal with
  
  
  • Physical and legal risks that affect people or their property
  
  
  • Auto insurance
  
  
  • Homeowners insurance
  
  
  • Commercial property insurance
  
  
  • Workers' compensation
  
  
  • Malpractice insurance
  
  
  • Product liability insurance
  
  
  • Marine insurance
  
  
  • Terrorism insurance

Actuaries are also called upon for their expertise in enterprise risk management, dynamic financial analysis, stress testing, the formulation of corporate risk policy, and the setting up and running of corporate risk departments. Actuaries are also involved in other areas of the financial services industry, such as analysing securities offerings or market research.

There are relatively few actuaries in the world compared to other professions and they are high in demand.  As of 2016, in the United States, newly credentialed actuaries on average earn around $100,000 per year, while more experienced actuaries can earn over $150,000 per year . As of 2014,  in the United Kingdom a starting salary for a newly credentialed actuary is about £50,000; actuaries with more experience can earn well in excess of £100,000.

The actuarial profession has been consistently ranked for decades as one of the most desirable. Actuaries work comparatively reasonable hours, in comfortable conditions, without the need for physical exertion that may lead to injury, are well paid, and the profession consistently has a good hiring outlook. It is considered one of the best professions for women  and one of the best recession-proof professions.

Source of info: Wikipedia

Click here for information on exams related to actuaries country wise 

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Companies can’t improve Customer Experience Until…...

Raghunathan K, (M.Tech from Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai), is a seasoned professional with over 35 years of experience mainly in IT industry intervened by short stints of teaching. He shares many insights on business, human life, world, society, Nature on his blog https://tskraghu.wordpress.com .

Here is one of his wonderful articles on improvement of customer experience for companies.

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“Customer experiences are being harmed because business efforts to improve employee engagement are fundamentally flawed” – Neil Davey (Managing editor, MyCustomer.com)

“As a result, there has been increasing attention paid to the employee experience in recent years, with growing focus on areas such as wellness, diversity, inclusion, mental health, capability development and training.

Yet despite the proliferation of these projects, estimates by Temkin Group suggest that the number of engaged employees still remains disturbingly low – with its research indicating that only 33% of staff are highly engaged, and that number dropping to as low as 26% for those aged 18-24. This last statistic is of particular concern because this demographic is amongst the most likely to be serving customers, whether in contact centers or in other customer-facing roles.”..........Click link for complete article Companies can’t improve Customer Experience Until…...

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