Another Lesson!!

This one is a bad experience that I had while working with someone, who I met through a tech personality in the local community, and before I realized my mistake it had been over a year since I was working for this company/individual.

To keep it short, I would just like to tell people who are running a startup or working with some medium/big size company as freelancers to NEVER quote low for any project on the promise(written or verbal) that there are bigger and better projects for you to do. Secondly, always make a written agreement with the payment terms and deliverables mentioned clearly. There are many other lessons which I would be sharing soon.

Its been a real lesson for me. The biggest let down from someone whom I started looking upto as a mentor and as a senior.

Conversation with Police Officers

It happened today at Tipu Sultan Road while I was on my way to office. I was speaking to a friend on phone and saw two amazingly smart and innocent looking policemen asking me to pull over. I did so as every responsible citizen would do.

Policeman 1: Assalam O Alaikum Sir. Can I see the documents of your car?
Talha(Myself): Wsalam. Sure. (I gave him the documents and he walked over to his partner and looked at the documents)

Policeman 1: Sir you were talking on phone and you’ve violated traffic rules and we will have to issue you a ticket for Rs.512. Please give us you driving license.

I said: Are you traffic police?? No. Then why would you give me the ticket??

Then they both looked at each other and then looked at the documents once again and said : You havent paid you car tax since you bought the car. We have dozens of cars locked in our police station for this.

I said: Are you from the Revenue Department?? Thats supposed to be their problem not yours.

At this point they didnt know what else to say. They both said: Sir we can lock up your car and will not release it until you pay the tax.

I said(offering them keys of the car): Sure go on. Lock it up.

They had nothing more to say. Then they tried another act.

Policeman 1: Sir Sahab(The other policeman) thinks you are a nice boy. he thinks you should go here are your documents.

I said Thanks and as I approached the car the first policeman came to me whispering, Koi thanday ka intezam kar dein tou achha hai bohat dhoop hai yahan (meaning: If you can arrange for cold drinks that will be good. Its too hot over here!!)

I looked at them and now both of them were looking like two innocent men begging for a drink. I bought them a drink from the shop across the road and moved on.

I think I did right by not giving them cash and buying drinks. or did I??

Second Lesson!!

Whenever you receive a CV always do three things:

1) Search google.com for that person’s name.
2) Search Facebook.com or orkut.com.
3) Look for the candidate at linkedin.com.

Why?? These searches will give you an idea of who you will be dealing with at the time of the interview. Half the things about that person will be known to you before he comes for the interview. You can also verify if the candidate is lying about any of his leisure activities, associations and many other things.

Just gives you an idea if you should hire someone or not.

First Lesson!!

Be sure to introduce new process or policy either at the beginning of the month or beginning of the project. Recently, I was told about it after I introduced a new contract with too many clauses and conditions though nothing was out of the box or had any serious condition.

Something Different!!

Its been a long time since I had written a post or I should say I experimented on writing. I have always been a lazy writer and someone who likes to speak than writing things down. Recently, I have had a few discussions regarding blogging and how we should encourage people to start their blogs and after these thought-provoking discussions I promised to myself that I will stat blogging very soon . I have had a few ideas of what I should focus on my blog. So I decided to try out the first one, about my experiences so far since I started a small tech shop by the name of Innovations last year.

So far its been an interesting yet challenging experience. The reason I chose to start it was that I wanted to do more than just writing code all day long and playing CS at the end of the day and today I am pretty much close to what I wanted to do.

I have always had my own point of view about managing the employees and how the HR processes should be. But suddenly when I hired my first employee everything changed, I started to feel my perspective has changed and its really not that easy as I had supposed it to be.

I tried out a few things while managing freelancers, full time employees and part-timers which I will share soon.

I hope to keep updating my blog every now and then and with every new thing that I will learn.

P.S. One more thing, apart from my experiences I will also be writing about the issues that we face as Pakistanis and will be looking at the possible solutions be it political, social or economical.

Reviewing 2008…

Another year has passed and we move into 2009. Before making new year’s resolution I usually take a look back at the previous year. The things that I do and am proud of and the things I shouldn’t have done at all.

First Quarter:

27th Feb: I resigned from my first job after working for 19 Months in that company. The decision was made within a moment a day ago. Too many reasons but a right thing to do. I miss my teammates and the culture that we had developed together.

15th March: Received the offer letter for my new job. When asked by HR when can I join I said 2nd April. I was asked why not 1st and I said “I dont want to give anyone a chance to make a fool out of me that day”. This is something I shouldnt have said!!  

Second Quarter:

2nd April: Joined my new job. Better salary better benefits. Nice Domain. Great People.

19th April: Was sent abroad for my first international project. Stayed for almost 2.5 months and learnt alot of things. Worked with a great team and with one of the best manager.

Third Quarter:

7th July: My last day on my second job. Left a great team and a good company. I am still not sure if this was the right decision as I miss my days there.

August: Stepped into something I always wanted to. Started a small company with two partners me and my brother with multiple freelancers. Started working from my room. Our office was the bed in the room one corner was my office and other my brother’s.

September: We developed partnerships with some of local companies. And worked for free with some companies to get them work. Then a month later realized if I continue to do it for free till I get work I will never be able to concentrate on what I want to do.

Fourth Quarter:

October: Received training for PMP and completed the required contact hours for PMP Exam. HR Development-A good thing to do when the business is new and uncertainity all around your future!! 

November:  Did certain things which I shouldnt have done… 

December: Finally Me and My Brother agreed on our website’s design( third one)…And he told me on the last day of the year that he has another design in mind and I said show me…

I met some great people this year most of them are my age and a couple of them through this blog. I have also taken many risks in this time of economic turmoil left my job, started a software company,almost burnt all my savings on this company.

I am entering in 2009 semi-broke, with hope to make a difference in my life and the life of others who are close to me. I hope to serve my country Pakistan better.  I also hope to take my company to another level INSHALLAH by the first quarter of 2009. Get certified for PMP INSHALLAH and will not leave it like OCP and CCNA.

Dreams..

You see things; and you say, “Why?” But I dream things that never were; and I say, “Why not?”

- George Bernard Shaw

A News Channel Closed Down???

If rumors are to be believed GEO English is in process of shut down and a staff of 650 has been fired!!!

 

President Zardari as Chairman PEPC

The following is an old piece of news that I went through and thought like sharing it here. This is from the second term of PPPP in 1996 when our President Zardari was the Chariman of Pakistan Environmental Protection Council. DO READ CAREFULLY and try to read between the lines and map these words from when they were said and what happened after they were said and uptil now. DO look at our President’s stance for IMF in 1996 and here we are in 2008 again knocking the door of IMF.

——————————————————————-
Asif offers help to businessmen
——————————————————————-
Sabihuddin Ghausi

KARACHI, May 1: The Chairman of Pakistan Environmental Protection
Council, Asif Ali Zardari, offered to serve as a bridge between the
business community and the government to sort out all issues that may be
hindering trade and industrial activities.
   
He also suggested to them to form small committees with the government
to sort out all outstanding issues and problems which they consider are
obstructing trade and industrial activities.

I am ready to act as a bridge between you and the government, Mr
Zardari told a luncheon meeting of the about 200 businessmen clustered
in the corridor of Sindh Governors House where he announced the
appointment of the former President of the Federation of Pakistan
Chambers of Commerce and Industry, S.M. Muneer, as Chairman of Pakistan
Trade Fair Corporation, with immediate effect and till further orders.

Done, was the prompt reply from Asif Zardari in response to a
suggestion of former FPCCI Chief Mr Tariq Sayeed to give representation
to the private sector on Privatisation Commission. The only condition
for such a nomination, he said was that businessman should be known
internationally.
   
He also agreed to have a businessman as the Chairman of Export
Processing Zone Authority and apparently consented that structure of the
Board of Investment needed a fresh look to provide room for
representation of private sector on it.

More than three hours discussion in hot and humid corridor of the
Governors House was more of a brain storming session in which more than
a dozen businessmen spoke at length on the issues that included the levy
of general sales tax on an expanded level in the coming budget,
implications on investment plans of some investors of the abrupt
withdrawal of specialised industrialised zones (SIZ) scheme, rebate
refund, role of pre-shipment companies and necessity of involving
businessmen in crucial decision making. There were complaints of non-
implementation of the decisions taken in the previous meetings and non-
compliance of the policies framed to boost exports and invest. However,
none spoke on the environmental related issues or bringing
agriculturists income into tax net.

Money making is the best pursuit in life, the husband of Prime
Minister remarked while sharing governments changed perception on trade
and industry with the businessmen to stress the point that the
government now considers promotion of investment and trading activities
sine qua non for the countrys progress and development.
   
He repeatedly stressed upon the businessmen to consider government as
their partner in their trade and industrial pursuits and should cease to
be hostile as was in the past.

Mr Zardari also emphasised the need to bring an end of discrimination
between the urban and rural people. Both live in Pakistan and they
supplement and complement each other in economic progress, he said.
   
He indicated that government would hold pre-budget meetings with the
businessmen and that your views would serve as inputs for the budget
makers, he assured.

Speaking on the current economic situation, the PPP Member of National
Assembly from Nawabshah said that he considers countrys current export
earning capacity of 9 billion dollars as mere peanuts when looked in
context of the available potential. Our foreign exchange reserves are
too meagre, he said and expressed the view that export earnings and
foreign exchange reserves can be increased manifold if both government
and businessmen pool their talent and resources.

His assertion was that 125 million population was an asset of the
country rather than a liability as some international agencies try to
create impression. He termed Pakistans geographical location at
immediate proximity of Central Asian Republics as the greatest economic
advantage which has yet to be fully exploited.
   
Referring to some businessmens observations on conditionalities of the
International Monetary Fund, Mr Zardari reminded them that IMF was
facilitation agency and has a responsibility to ensure that budgetary
expenditure, inflation and other conditions remains under control.

He said that 5 billion dollars are being invested in the power projects
to ensure that electricity reaches all part of the country and
particularly in the remote rural areas where he said people still live
in primitive conditions.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
960428

Source: http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1996/02My96.html

Poverty and Our Role!!

A few years ago while I was in school I used to read newspaper during the assembly in the morning and I was so used to read about the middle class and the lower class and the issues each class faces. I had this perception back then that people who have a car are elite class, with a bike are middle class and those who travel by bus are lower class.

WIth the current economic scenario I fail to see these classes there are either rich people or poor people. This increasing economic chaos will lead to only two classes people who can afford to live and people who cannot. I really hope this never happens.

With ever increasing inflation, shortage of wheat, increasing loans and liabilities and many more issues which are faced by our country how would a poor person survive?

Government cannot do anything about it as the leaders cannot understand the needs of the poor. This is high time that we as people who belong to this society should start doing little individually to create an impact collectively. Most of the people would ask what should we do?

Most important thing that Islam teaches us is to give Zakat to the poor. People these days don’t give the right amount in Zakat and they look for way and means to try and save as much as they could.

We can also stop splashing money on things which are meant to be for a time only. This has different meaning for different people. For me, it means I have to stop spending my money on food trying out new fancy restaurants.

We can teach a poor child or we can pay the school fee for a child. It will take Rs.1000 rupees to do it. We spend many 1000 rupees every month on things we dont need.

We can form a group of people to contribute their share and distribute food to those we know who are not able to buy it.

On this day, I urge and request all of you to look around, you will find many families needing our support, and help the ones who need it.