This is my first sentence ever on a blog.

I have been encouraged by co-workers many times to start, but a combination of inertia & bloggers block kept me from it until now. There are two things that prompted me to start now. Ever since I switched from paper to EverNote for my work & personal notes, I find myself making a lot more notes. The keyboard is mightier than the pen I guess :) (BTW, EverNote is an outstanding free tool - check it out). The other is that I'm starting up a project (a company really but its name is TBD) that has to do with harnessing the wisdom of the crowds. I think, therefore, that it is necessary for me to participate in the various forms of expression online, to deepen my understanding of dynamics around community behavior.

Why trimtab?. The inspiration is from 'The 8th Habit' by Stephen Covey. Before I explain trim tab, I must state that Stephen Covey is a superstar sage when it comes to matters of Human Development. I find his advice is extremely practical, inspiring, and packed with the potential to transform lives!.

A trim tab is a small rudder that turns the big rudder that turns an entire ship or a plane.  Stephen goes on to say that Gandhi was a  trim tab.  The wikipedia page on trim tab states that Buckminster Fuller often used trim tab as a metaphor for Leadership and Personal Empowerment. Inspires the thought that even a small change one makes can lead to a big impact.

Talking of change brings me to what's been bugging me for the last couple of days. A talented foodie who baked a cake for my son's birthday party (the cake drew a lot of oohs, aahs and yums from guests) aspires to grow into big business, but first needs to obtain a "food license". The official fee for the license is Rs 292, but he's been asked to cough up around 30-40K under the table. What would be your advice to him on the best way to handle the situation?. How can he fight this unscrupulous choke-hold on his progress?. Any good grievance forums out there?.

This has been way too long a Hello. More later, hopefully soon. Greetings to all!

Tags: covey, evernote, trim tab, trimtab