Thread Bare

Akshay Cherian (Un-Underweared)
People First Fails to Convince

Ok. I am angry, pissed, furious and beyond wild. I am exhausted and sleepy, but I need to expose this guy, and his scam. I hate it when gifted people (people with the relentless power of communication & expression); misuse their talent in leading ‘impressionable minds’ into believing a whole lot of hog-wash and profiting from it. Before I go any further, let me start from the beginning.

So I was at Barista, St. Marks Road, Bangalore to meet up with old acquaintances. It has been a while since my previous visit, to what used to be a beautiful café. I was disappointed to see the blue couch erased (just like that!) from this high ceiling building. It now stands to look just like a congested dining area in a marriage hall. Just plain ugly, doesn’t stand for anything Barista used to be known for. But what added to this large mess was a group of youngsters, who were all huddled together listening intently to this guy named Akshay Cherian. On asking the brewmaster, I was told that this guy constantly brought a congregation of atleast ten ‘impressionable minds*’ with him every day. He would sit with them and speak, for anywhere between 3 to 4 hours each evening. I suspect this group changes everyday.

Since at that time, this seemed to be such a nuisance, our table tried to find out what the commotion was all about. “We are youngsters working for an organization called People First”, pat came the reply. This is when a short, wide ‘impressionable mind’ turned to face us and began explaining what People First was all about. What we could gather from him was that the organization plans to create 30,000 leaders by 2010. For as vague and impossible as that sounded, I had to press further. I tried to explain to them that each organization has a mission statement, what was theirs? “Transforming people. Transforming society.”, came the reply. This is when I retorted saying that the mission statement sounded more like a bottom line, which actually turned out to be true. Well an in-depth 2 hr conversation with these ‘impressionable minds’ and it was easy for me to see through the make-believe.

Well, here is the mathematics:
30,000 ‘impressionable minds’ will pay for the workshop (costs 800 INR per workshop)
30,000 x 800 = 2,40,00,000 INR (2.4 crores INR)

Since the rough average profit for such programs for the founder is an easy 50%, Akshay Cherian might walk home with a cool 1.2 crores (by 2010). Not to mention the huge amount of good-will that he might have generated, which I am sure he could en-cash anytime in his future.

I am completely fine with the above, except that he makes use of the force of today’s ‘impressionable minds’ to serve as his mascots, word-of-mouth marketers, accountants, administrators, etc. And quite obviously, these ‘impressionable minds’ are nicked ‘interns’, which means legally you are not bound to pay them anything. Simply put, Akshay has begun an ‘Amway concept’ run service organization. But at some point in time, ‘impressionable minds’ will see through the complex clutter and that’s when the - Shit Will Hit The Fan. I just hope ‘impressionable minds’ will not scar when that happens.



Some kind suggestions to Akshay Cherian and People First:

1. Please spend sometime (even 10 minutes off your ultra-busy schedules would do) in going through your excuse for a website. The website has more typos than my Tamil grandmother’s English letter to me. And grandma’s neither convent educated nor from St. Stephens.

2. Get your interns to talk more about your organization and less about you (Akshay). They seem to gloat more about you than the ideologies on which your Amway sort of a training institute is supposed to stand on.

3. I think you need to add more corporate names to your list, my maid works in more houses than the number of companies you seem to have coached. Or may be in the past 4 years, all you were capable of getting entry into just 7 corporations.

4. If you have the guts, target your program to people who are older than 22. Or maybe, like me, these ‘grown-ups’ will just see through your make believe. Probably why you have just 7 corporations under your belt or should I say underwear?

5. Stop being obsessed with underwear, and using it as an analogy (http://ipeoplefirst.com/blog/?p=7). Underwears don’t have dreams, or for that matter strengths. It just shows your immaturity, when it comes to analogy creation. Stop using curse words on your blog, it’s the least bit flattering. Get your basics on grammar and spelling right (I am sure you can afford Microsoft Word).

6. Just because, you’ve read IdeaVirus by Seth Godin, doesn’t mean others haven’t. Also, remember that your service offering (in this case the training program) needs to be based on something with a strong foundation (other than money).

7. Please get some ‘enlightened souls’ to post some comments on your relatively unknown blog (http://www.ipeoplefirst.com/blog/). I am sure, ‘impressionable minds’ would love to know more about your life, conquests and future. Oops! Sorry, but wasn’t People First more about Transforming People. Or maybe People in this context meant just Akshay Cherian.

* Please note that the author has used – ‘impressionable minds’ instead of ‘youngsters’ only to re-iterate the fact that it’s easy to mould the minds of 18-22 yr olds.

Disclaimer: I could be wrong about some or all of the above, probably because I am working on very few facts in hand. But, to understand the ulterior motive of a human being is next to impossible. If only, the founder had spent five minutes in explaining to me what his organization stood for, instead of showing no courtesy whatsoever. Then again, maybe he has no idea himself about what his organization is supposed to stand for. Snapshot of the website has been used without permission since the website had no Copyright information at the time this blog was published.

Highway Cuisine

A1 Plaza 2.5/5.0 (Service – 2.0/5.0; Food – 2.5/5.0; Décor – 3.0/5.0)
Kamat Upachar 3.0/5.0 (Service – 3.0/5.0; Food – 3.0/5.0; Décor – 3.0/5.0)

I am back and hopefully with a bang. My videos on Bangalore Live, say ‘I am back’. Well, then it must be true :- ) My long absence was due to a serious health setback rolled in with a NDE (Near Death Experience), about which I might elaborate in another blog. I’ve always loved driving and my latest client gave me that opportunity with two trips to Tumkur. Let me point out that Tumkur, under the right circumstances (such as a Ferrari, no potholes, no traffic and an early rise – before the cook-a-doodle doo), is an hours drive from R.T. Nagar. Ok, maybe I was pushing it too far with the Ferrari, but the other circumstances, believe it or not, do exist.

What’s fantastic about the journey on the Tumkur - NH 4 highway is the presence of a Toll Road (32 km. stretch) just after the Mangalore highway intersection. My nimble fingers controlled the gear shift with such ease that I was able to touch the unbelievable 150 km/h barrier without any vibrations. The 4 lanes (2 lanes for each way) toll road has a charge of 21.00 Rs. (for a mid-size) per usage. Would even advice romantics to take their better halves on a ‘long drive’ (I didn’t have that privilege though).

So what’s the headline all about? I would like to bring to your attention that this highway stretch seems to have two very experimental eating joints (call them rest-houses if you may) of above average standards. Say goodbye to unhygienic, stinky highway-side dhabhas and welcome the new and modern ‘Highway Cuisine’.

Reliance Highway Petrol Bunks seem to have a modern eating-joint called A1 Plaza. Let me point out that this franchisee run A1 Plaza has everything which would ensure a comfortable meal of choice. It has everything from an open kitchen, to clean tables, prompt service and an outlet where you can pick up your travel accompaniments (short-eats, toiletries, junk food, OTC medicines etc.). This is a partially open eatery with plenty of parking space and a hygienic eating experience. With an open kitchen, A1 Plaza ensures that their predominantly north-indian food (thalis cost 20.00 – 30.00 Rs.) is prepared fresh and right in front of your eyes. Way to go Reliance!





On the same lines, Indian Oil Highway Petrol Bunks have Kamat Upachar attached to them. The only difference between A1 Plaza and Kamat Upachar is the goodwill of the Kamat brand and a wider south-indian spread. Though slightly more expensive (plate of Sambhar-Vada would cost 22.00 Rs.), you could be assured of the Kamat Experience here at Kamat Upachar. Armed with a large parking space, pure-vegetarian spread, open seating (top covered), canopies, and the Kamat, ‘service with a smile’, attitude – Kamat Upachar would make an apt choice. Check it for yourselves and do let me know. Meanwhile, drive on.