Author: Suresh Dinakaran

 

Let’s take a stroll through history’s greatest hits of “How the hell did that work out so well?”

 

Amitabh Bachchan was rejected by All India Radio because his voice was deemed “unsuitable for radio.” THE AMITABH BACHCHAN. The man whose voice could make a grocery list sound like poetry. Imagine if he had accepted that verdict and spent his life whispering apologetically. Indian cinema would have collapsed from the sheer absence of baritone brilliance.

 

Sachin Tendulkar was dropped from his school cricket team. The boy who would become the God of Cricket was told he wasn’t good enough for his school team. If he had tattooed “NOT CRICKET MATERIAL” on his forehead and taken up accounting, India would still be crying.

 

J.K. Rowling was a divorced, depressed single mother on welfare when she started writing Harry Potter. Twelve publishers rejected her manuscript. TWELVE. That’s not just rejection; that’s a coordinated effort by the universe to tell you to quit. She didn’t. Today, she’s richer than the Queen of England and has created a fictional world more popular than most real countries.

 

Steve Jobs got fired from Apple – by the board of directors of the company he literally created in his garage. That’s like being kicked out of your own birthday party. But instead of spending the next decade introducing himself as “Steve, the guy who got fired from his own company,” he went off, built Pixar, revolutionized animated movies, came back to Apple, and basically invented the device you’re probably reading this on. His firing wasn’t career suicide; it was career resurrection.

 

Colonel Sanders – Rejected 1,009 times before someone finally said “yes” to his chicken recipe. If he had tattooed “FAILURE” on his forehead after rejection #500, we’d all be eating inferior fried chicken today. The horror!

 

Remember when A.R. Rahman was rejected by multiple music directors in the 90s? One producer literally told him his music was “too Western” for Indian audiences. Fast forward to today – the man has two Oscars and a shelf groaning under the weight of awards. That producer probably tells people at parties, “I discovered Rahman” (which is like saying you discovered the sun).

 

And our beloved APJ Abdul Kalam? Failed to become a fighter pilot. FAILED. Can you imagine if he had spent his life saying, “I’m Abdul, the guy who couldn’t fly planes”? Instead, he became the People’s President and inspired millions to dream of touching the sky.

 

With the above, we just took a world tour of the Museum of Human Stupidity.

You’re reading this because you’ve done something that makes you want to change your identity faster than a witness protection participant. Maybe you sent a love text to your boss. Maybe you invested your life savings in cryptocurrency based on a TikTok tip. Maybe you told your mother-in-law exactly what you thought about her “helpful” parenting advice.

 

Welcome to the club. Population: Everyone who’s ever been human for more than five minutes.

 

But here’s the uncomfortable truth nobody’s brave enough to tell you while you’re busy crafting your apology tour: You are not your mistakes. You’re just really, really committed to the performance.

 

BTW, Your mistakes called. They’re tired of being your full-time identity and want to go back to being part-time teachers. Time to give them notice.

 

Let’s stop treating mistakes like they’re head lice—something to be hidden and whispered about. They’re the reason you’re not still eating Cerelac at 30. Mistakes are your personal trainers—minus the six-pack and the annoying motivational quotes. They slap you, shake you, and force you to level up. In effect, mistakes are the real MVPs of your story.

 

Narayana Murthy was told to stop dreaming. He was rejected by Indian bureaucracy when he tried launching his first venture. So he started Infosys.
And now those same bureaucrats use Infosys software to reject other dreamers faster. Life’s poetic like that.

 

Some mistakes that became classic masterpieces include Post-it Notes which were an accidental failure of a super-strong adhesive. Penicillin came from moldy negligence. India’s Chandrayaan-2 crash paved the way for the successful Chandrayaan-3.

 

Thomas Edison – This guy “failed” over 1,000 times before inventing the light bulb. Today, we don’t call him “Thomas the Guy Who Really Sucked at Making Light Bulbs.” We call him a genius. Imagine if he had given up after attempt #47 and spent the rest of his life introducing himself as “Hi, I’m Tom, the guy who can’t figure out electricity.”

 

Indian families have invented the most sophisticated mistake amplification system known to humanity. We can take a small error and turn it into a multi-generational saga worthy of a Saas-Bahu serial.

 

“Beta, remember when you scored 89% instead of 90% in 7th grade? That’s why you’re still unmarried at 28.”

 

“You chose arts instead of science? That’s why there’s global warming.”

 

But here’s the rebellion we need: Start introducing yourself by your dreams, not your disasters.

 

Instead of “I’m the one who failed CA twice,” try “I’m the one figuring out my path to financial expertise.”

 

Instead of “I’m terrible at relationships,” experiment with “I’m learning what love means to me.”

 

Every mistake is just a poorly marketed learning experience. That startup that crashed? You didn’t fail; you got an MBA in entrepreneurship without the student loan. That relationship that ended? You didn’t lose; you gained a PhD in understanding your own heart. All it needs is a bit of reframing.

 

Mistakes come with expiry dates, but we keep them fresh in our minds like that pickle our mothers insist has “good preservatives.” Time to clean out the mental refrigerator, folks.

 

You are the author of your life story. Mistakes are plot points, not the entire narrative. Would you rather be remembered as “the person who made that error in Chapter 3” or “the person who wrote an amazing comeback in Chapter 15?

 

So, dear beautiful mess of a human being reading this while probably procrastinating on something important: Your mistakes are not your identity. They are your teachers, your redirects, your plot twists, and sometimes, your greatest blessings in disguise. Stop introducing yourself at the court of your own conscience as “the defendant.” You are the judge, the jury, and the person who gets to write the final verdict. And that verdict should always be: “Not guilty of being permanently defined by temporary actions.”

 

Now go mess up something new. Make it spectacular. Make it educational. Make it yours. Because you are not your mistakes. You are what comes after them.

 

If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not living. You’re just rehearsing for a play no one will watch. Start treating your failures like a startup treats a pivot – not as a failure, but as a course correction based on market feedback. Your life is not crashing; it’s iterating. Indulge in some rebranding strategy.

 

Remember that whoever invented autocorrect probably made a few typos first. And look how much joy that invention has brought to group chats worldwide. Stop introducing yourself as your worst decision. You wouldn’t introduce pizza as ‘bread that failed to be bread.’ You’re not failure with a human costume.

 

It is the most expensive subscription service you never signed up for.

 

Without wanting to make it sound like breaking news( while it just might be)- your brain is a slumlord. Here’s the thing nobody mentions in those feel-good Instagram posts – your brain is essentially a slumlord running the shadiest rental operation in town. It charges you premium rates for studio-apartment confidence while promising penthouse self-worth that somehow never gets delivered.

 

And that lease agreement? Written in invisible ink when you were five and someone laughed at your drawing of a horse that looked suspiciously like a deformed table.

 

Every morning, you wake up and your brain slides a bill under your mental door: “Rent due for feeling worthy of existing. Late fees apply for sleeping in. Additional charges for wearing that shirt that makes you look like you’re cosplaying as a depressed accountant.”

 

Translation: Your brain is that landlord who raises rent annually but never fixes the broken self-confidence tap.

 

This psychological rent racket is happening worldwide, but the rates are absolutely bonkers depending on your zip code. Americans pay premium for deluxe confidence packages that come with motivational speeches and vision boards. They’re essentially living in the Beverly Hills of self-esteem – everything’s overpriced, everyone’s fake-happy, and there’s a life coach on every corner. The Japanese have turned self-worth into a group discount plan. Individual confidence? That’s western nonsense. Their self-esteem comes with a family pack and community support system. And us Indians? We’re paying for self-esteem in a rent-controlled nightmare where the rates are determined by your last exam score, your mother’s friend’s son’s achievements, and whether you’ve gained weight since Diwali.

 

From Wall Street to Dharavi, the psychological rent is non-negotiable:
USA:Kanye West (before the meltdowns) built an empire on the audacity of unshakable self-belief. Now? Overdue payments. Japan:Hikikomori—half a million people who let society evict their self-worth. Don’t be them. India: The Sharma ji ka beta syndicate—where comparison steals your confidence before you even get a chance to spend it.

 

Self-esteem isn’t some ancestral bungalow you inherit—it’s a high-stakes rental in a cutthroat city. Stop paying? Congrats, you’re now squatting in your own damn mind, dodging eviction notices from self-doubt. This isn’t motivational fluff. This is survival.

 

Fact is the moment your self-esteem account runs dry, life downgrades you to economy class in your own damn story.

 

Social media has basically turned self-esteem into Venezuela’s economy – hyper inflated, constantly crashing, and somehow everyone else seems to have access to foreign currency while you’re bartering with buttons.

 

Every Instagram story is like receiving an eviction notice from your own confidence. “Your self-worth has been downgraded because Karen from college is apparently running marathons while making artisanal soap and raising bilingual children who paint watercolor masterpieces in their spare time.”

 

LinkedIn is even worse. It’s like a luxury apartment complex where everyone’s posting about their “humble journey” while subtly flexing about their corner office and company car. “Thrilled to announce my promotion to CEO! #blessed #humbled #stilldrivingmyFerraritowork“.

 

Social media turned self-esteem into cryptocurrency – everybody’s talking about it, nobody understands it, and most of us are broke.

 

Indian families invented dynamic pricing for self-esteem before surge pricing was even a thing. Your worth fluctuates based on factors including but not restricted to- Current market rate of engineering admissions; Your weight compared to your wedding photos; How much money your cousin is making in America; Whether you remembered to call your grandmother this week.

 

We’re the only culture where self-esteem comes with a live customer service team (your relatives) who are available 24/7( beats the hell out of the customer service helpline that most utilities and banks have) to inform you about rate changes, performance reviews, and comparison charts with other tenants in the family building.

 

Another lens you might want to wear( I strongly encourage you to do that) is earning compound interest by not caring a damn. Confidence compounds like interest, but so does not giving a damn. The people who seem to have cracked the code aren’t paying more rent; they’ve just realized the whole system is a bit of a pyramid scheme. Take Ratan Tata buying Jaguar Land Rover after Ford humiliated him. That’s not just business revenge; that’s psychological compound interest with a side of “I’ll show you who’s economically viable now, mother truckers.” Or Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw getting rejected by breweries for being a woman and responding by building a billion-dollar biotech empire in her garage. Sometimes the best response to society’s appraisal of your worth is to become your own damn appraiser.

 

Time to beard the lion in its own den. Aka– dive head deep into the negotiation you have been avoiding. Time for some real talk, shall we. That voice in your head charging you psychological rent? It’s not an impartial landlord. It’s more like that friend who borrows money and then acts like they’re doing YOU a favor by eventually paying it back. Your inner critic is basically running a protection racket inside your own head. “Nice confidence you got there… would be a shame if something happened to it. Pay up or we’ll remind you about that time you tripped in front of your crush in 8th grade.”

 

Your inner critic is like a mafia boss who’s forgotten they work for you, not the other way around.

 

Low self-esteem is the ultimate poverty. With it? You walk into a room like it’s your goddamn throne.Without it? You apologize for existing before anyone even notices you. Cases in point: Elon Musk got laughed out of Russia while buying rockets. Paid his confidence dues, now he owns space.  Kangana Ranaut didn’t beg for Bollywood’s approval—she sent the industry an invoice for her talent.   That underpaid genius in your office? Still waiting for a “permission slip” from the universe to demand more.

 

Moral of the story? The world doesn’t grant respect. You confiscate it.

 

Comparison is the thief of joy. Validation addiction? Emotional nicotine.
Perfectionism? The serial killer of bold moves. Your vibe attracts your tribe—only when your self-esteem isn’t in ICU. Say ‘No’ like it’s a full sentence. Because it is. You are not too much. They’re just too little. So stop making yourself small for people who can’t handle your full screen mode.

 

Look, my apologies- I’m not here to give you a group hug. I’m here to slap some swagger into your spine. With your permission, of course.  Self-esteem ain’t your Instagram bio or your fancy LinkedIn headline.
It’s your soul’s credit score. And most people? Running on overdraft.

 

Take Muhammad Ali. He didn’t wait for likes or retweets. He declared himself the greatest. Way before the world caught up. Advance booking on confidence, ladies and gentlemen. Oprah Winfrey? They said she wasn’t TV material. Well, she flipped that script so hard, now she owns the damn teleprompter. In India, we’ve got Bhuvan Bam—started as a singing waiter.
Now? He’s got more subscribers than most folks have brain cells.
Why? Because he didn’t lease his self-worth to trolls. Or Falguni Nayar.
Middle-aged. No VC bro backing. She built Nykaa and painted a billion-dollar lipstick across India’s startup scene.

 

This is not about being famous. It’s about being fearless. You want self-esteem? Get up. Show up. Speak up. Say “no” to what insults your vibe, your value, your vision.

 

Remember- You are expensive. Start charging rent in self-respect. Confidence is quiet. And insecurity has the loudest podcast.

 

If your brand doesn’t create a feeling, it’ll be replaced by one that does.

 

Let’s be honest:

• Nobody gets teary-eyed over a product feature.
• Nobody tattoos a “30% more absorbent” claim on their bicep.
• But people do swear by Nike’s “Just Do It”, not because of sneakers—but because it feels like a personal challenge.

 

In India, people don’t buy a Royal Enfield for mileage.

They buy the thump. The beard. The rebellion.

That’s emotional equity.

 

 

Let’s get this out of the way—

Your USP(Unique Selling Proposition) is like your gym membership in January: well-intentioned but largely ignored.

 

Because people don’t love brands for what they do.

 

They love brands for how they make them feel.

 

Here’s a bold idea:If you really want your people to get to where they’re going…get out of their bloody way.

 

You’re not Gandalf. You’re not a life coach. You’re just another well-meaning roadblock in Timberland fleece. You don’t need to lead every meeting, approve every idea, or be tagged on every Google Doc like an insecure influencer.

 

Your people don’t want hand-holding. They want you to unclench.

 

Today’s talent doesn’t want a “manager.” They want a frigging enabler.
Someone who can give them oxygen, not checklists. They want: Less “What’s your bandwidth like this week?” More “What’s lighting you up right now?” Less “Update me by EOD.” More “Surprise me.”

 

So, leaders, please stop cosplaying as gods of guidance.

 

Real leadership has a few obvious giveaways. Where you are the architect, not the gatekeeper. You design the arena. Set the rules. Then disappear like a magician mid-trick. Where psychological safety actually means unfiltered group or Slack messages. If your people still say “Just my 2 cents ” before every idea, you’ve already lost. Where Growth is recognised as a Mood NOT a KPI. If your workplace still feels like an arranged marriage between compliance and confusion, no one’s staying for dessert. Where you kill your org chart before it kills you. Careers today are jungle gyms, not ladders.
Let people swing, skip, jump tracks. Or risk losing them to a startup with beanbags and zero BS.  Where your job is to design friction less flow. Not performance reviews written like obituaries. Not town halls with clapping seals. Not fake “open-door policies” when your calendar’s booked till Christmas 2026.

 

Some Red Flags that most of us would have experienced from a country mile away- where..You’re still celebrating “attendance” like it’s an achievement.
Your idea of culture is Friday Pizza and passive-aggressive birthday emails.
Where you measure productivity in hours, not impact. You say “fail fast” but punish the first bruise. Where selecting the ‘ best vendor ‘ is based on the RFP document drafted in 1998.

 

Leadership is not a guided tour. It’s crowd control at a rave. Keep the lights on. Turn the music up. Let people lose themselves in the rhythm of what makes them feel alive. Because people aren’t headed somewhere. They’re heading to themselves. All you have to do… is stop being the detour.

 

If you are in India, then we are complicit to what can be termed as The Great Indian Control Fetish. Look, we Indians have an orgasmic relationship with control. From arranged marriages to career choices, we’ve turned interfering into a competitive sport. Our management style is basically helicopter parenting with spreadsheets.

 

When TCS launched their “Think Without Your Boss Breathing Down Your Neck” program (officially called something much duller), senior leadership nearly needed cardiac intervention. The thought of employees making decisions without seventeen approval signatures triggered corporate PTSD across the board. The results? Seventeen patents and a platform that saved more money than a Gujarati wedding planner. Yet most companies still treat autonomy like it’s unprotected corporate sex—too risky to try without multiple layers of protection.

 

As my whiskey-loving friend from Goa says: “Control is like underwear. Necessary for support, but if it’s too tight, your best parts can’t function.”

 

Forget the old-school boss who thinks leadership means barking orders from a throne. The best leaders are like shadowy puppeteers—pulling just enough strings to keep the show on, but letting the performers steal the spotlight. Lao Tzu said it best: “When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” Translation? Your ego’s gotta take a back seat, or you’re just a glorified roadblock.

 

Don’t be a control freak. Let your people wander, get lost, and find their own damn way. Innovation loves a little chaos. So stop GPSing. Hand out the compasses. If you’re not failing, you’re boring. Create spaces where people can screw up big and learn bigger. Make learning into a blood sport. One-size-fits-all is for Walmart socks. Customize freedom, resources, and growth paths like you’re tailoring a badass suit. Personalise or perish. Fake listening is worse than no listening. Act on feedback or prepare for mutiny. Listen as if you are being audited. Normal is overrated. Reward the risk-takers, the misfits, the wildcards. That’s where the magic hides. Translation: Celebrate the weirdos.

 

Let’s take a look at some global and desi disruptors who are doing it right. Google’s 20% Rule: Birthplace of Gmail, Google Maps and many other WTF inventions. Spotify’s Squads: High Autonomy, High Alignment Zoho: Building villages, not just companies. Swiggy Moonlighting Policy: Trust over Tyranny. Netflix’s Culture Memo:Brutally honest. Brutally effective.

 

One can equate Leadership with Architecture. Where you build Psychological safety, Ownership, Permission to play, Breathing room and then step aside. Not Announcements. Not Airtime. Not Authority.

 

As I conclude, here’s an imaginary roast memo for all those who want to read the lines(not just between them).

 

Subject Line: This is an Intervention

 

To: The Leaders Who Think They’re Leading

From: Your People Who Are Pretending to Be Impressed

 

Let’s get real. We’re not underperforming. You’re overcompensating. We don’t need your motivational quotes, team offsites with cold sandwiches, or your “synergizing the roadmap forward” gibberish.

 

We need: Permission to try without begging. Space to breathe without reporting every breath. Trust that isn’t conditional on CC-ing you on every goddamn mail.

 

The Unspoken Truth: We do more learning on Instagram than in your L&D program. We lie on feedback forms so we don’t get dragged into “coaching conversations.”We turn off our cameras because your monologues drain our souls.

 

Stop it already: Stop scheduling meetings about meetings. Stop measuring hours like it’s 2003. Stop calling us “resources” like we’re printer paper.

 

What we actually want? : Let us say “I don’t know” without fear. Let us build stuff, break stuff, and not be crucified for it. Let us grow in directions that aren’t pre-approved by HR flowcharts. We don’t want a “career path.”
We want a jungle gym, a trampoline, and sometimes a quiet corner to rethink everything.

 

Here’s the new creed: Don’t lead us. Unleash us. Give us clarity, not control. Freedom, not feedback loops. Conditions, not constraints. Then sit back.
And watch us surprise you.

 

Signed,
Your Team
(Still Here. Still Hopeful. Still Waiting for You to Evolve.)

 

 

If we had a dollar for every perfectly lit, avocado-toast-eating, affirmation-chanting, self-declared mindset coach-slash-productivity guru who told us how to live our best life while their own is held together with masking tape and unpaid EMIs—we’d be richer than the value they bring to our lives. Which is, well…you guessed it. Nada.

 

Let’s get one thing straight, right off the bat: If a naked person offers you a shirt, you’d be wise to check if you still have your wallet. Yet, every day, millions of us scroll, double-tap, and drool over the digital snake oil peddled by “influencers” who have less authenticity than a knockoff Rolex at a Bangkok night market. Welcome to the age of Perfection Porn-where the only thing more filtered than the photos is the truth.

 

Let’s travel to the Global Circus of Perfection and see what we can discover. From Seoul’s K-beauty queens to LA’s fitness gurus, from Mumbai’s “boss babes” to Paris’s minimalist-chic crowd-perfection is the new pandemic, and it’s more contagious than the common cold. South Korea: The land of glass skin, where influencers sell 12-step routines and Photoshop apps with equal gusto. But behind the scenes? Skyrocketing rates of cosmetic surgery and anxiety. United States: The #VanLife movement-beautiful people living in beautifully curated vans. Until you realize half of them rent the van for a weekend and the other half are editing out the overflowing porta-potty. India: The “rise and grind” hustlers, who post sunrise yoga shots and #MondayMotivation, but conveniently omit the 3 a.m. panic attacks and family WhatsApp drama.

 

Here’s the dirty little secret: Perfection is a product, and you’re the target market. The more you buy into it, the more you lose-self-esteem, peace of mind, and, occasionally, your common sense.

 

Behind every perfectly angled “candid” photo of an influencer sipping matcha on a Santorini rooftop is: a breakdown they haven’t posted about, a credit card debt they don’t disclose, and a life coach certificate downloaded from the University of Nowhere dot com. And yet, here they are, selling you “10 steps to morning greatness” from the bed they haven’t made in 3 days.

 

“Don’t be fooled by the filters. Even trash glows under neon.”

 

The roll call of global fakery would look something like this: That fitness influencer in LA who claimed you could “sculpt your abs with breathwork” got caught editing their six-pack on Facetune. That crypto-hustler who promised financial freedom and posted #LamboLife? Turns out the Lamborghini was rented by the hour and he lives with his cousin in a studio apartment with a broken sink. The Bali-based digital nomad who sold you the dream of remote work bliss? She got deported for violating visa rules while preaching about “ethical travel.

 

If you introspect, you will run into this gospel of curated chaos. And as a culture we are addicted to it. A little mess, but cute mess. A little anxiety, but pastel-tinted. A little trauma, but conveniently edited to fit into 60 seconds of “realness.” These influencers don’t show up. They show off. They sell you peace of mind when they’re running on fumes and Red Bull. They offer you financial advice while ghosting the taxman. They speak of “finding purpose” while they themselves are sponsored by shampoo and serums.

 

Be careful when a naked person offers you a shirt. 

 

Translation of the above reads something like this-If someone hasn’t done the work, don’t let them sell you the manual. If someone hasn’t walked the talk, don’t buy the sneakers they’re selling. And if someone hasn’t stared their own demons in the face, don’t let them coach you through yours.

 

If you are prepared to look behind the curtain, you will see it is not pretty, but it is real. Let’s call out the BS for what it is. Perfection is performance. Authenticity is quiet. Growth is messy. Healing is non-linear. And nobody—and I mean nobody—has it all figured out.

So next time you feel a pang of inadequacy watching someone’s “perfect” life unfold in 30-second Stories, remember: It’s curated. It’s edited. And it’s probably sponsored by a tea that makes you poop.

 

Real wisdom rarely screams. It whispers. The loudest advice usually comes from the most unexamined lives. Authenticity doesn’t trend—but it transforms. It won’t get you likes. But it might get you back your sanity. Your life doesn’t need to be aesthetically pleasing to be meaningful. Screw the grid. Fix your gut. Not the filter. Stop outsourcing your self-worth to strangers. If they’re not living your life, they shouldn’t be leading it.

 

Remember the Adage: If a naked influencer offers you a shirt, run. Or at least, ask for a receipt. Curate Your Feed: Follow people who show the mess, not just the magic. Celebrate Flaws: The real flex? Owning your imperfections. Scars, stretch marks, bad hair days-bring it on.

 

Imperfect is the new iconic. No more naked advice. Suit up in your own skin. Don’t buy the life they’re selling. Write your own damn script. Stay real. Stay raw. Stay wary.

 

Perfection is a Ponzi Scheme. Now go forth—unfollow the fakers, embrace the mess, and remember: real people don’t glow.

 

And yes, vulnerability can be a superpower!

 

If Netflix made a series about your life, would it be called ‘Main Character Missing’? Are you the Shah Rukh Khan of your dreams or just the guy who gets trampled in the train station scene?

 

Why Are You Just a Cameo in Your Own Blockbuster?

 

Let’s get brutally honest: Most of us are stuck in “background prop” mode-waving from the sidelines while our dreams are out there doing item numbers with someone else. We’re the designated drivers in the road trip of our own lives-sober, sensible, and spectacularly bored.

 

Why? Because we’re trained to be “good”, “safe”, and “available”-like WiFi in a corporate office. We let everyone else’s priorities run amok on our to-do lists, while our own passions are left on ‘read’.

 

Why are you still the ‘best friend’ in your own plot, handing tissues and pep talks while your ambitions elope with someone else?

 

Let’s call a spade a shovel: Most of us are stuck in “background artist” mode, rehearsing lines for a play where our name isn’t even in the credits. We pour our time, talent, and tears into other people’s scripts-our bosses, our families, our WhatsApp groups-while our own dreams are stuck buffering in the background.

 

Why? Because we were taught that being selfless is saintly, that waiting for the “perfect moment” is wise, and that “main character energy” is for people with six-pack abs and LinkedIn followers. Spoiler: It’s not. So move away from the supporting role syndrome.

 

Vijay Shekhar Sharma (Paytm): A Small-town boy, big dreams, and bigger risks. He launched Paytm when digital payments were a punchline, not a business plan. Now, 350 million people use it daily. Sara Blakely (SPANX): No business plan, no Harvard degree, just a gut feeling and a prototype. She didn’t wait to be “ready”-she just shipped it. Now she’s a billionaire in yoga pants.

 

Globally, we love cheering for the underdog—till we realize we are the underdog. Steve Jobs didn’t settle for being Wozniak’s hype man. Oprah didn’t audition for Best Friend of the Talk Show Host. And yet, here you are—playing second fiddle to self-doubt, societal norms, and that inner voice whispering, “Arre, chalta hai. So, get over the tragicomedy of being the side character. In Corporate India, Narayana Murthy didn’t start Infosys thinking, “Bas, IT mein thoda consulting kar loon.

 

In the Grand Theatre of your Life, the Casting Couch is not the problem.The casting mindset is. You’ve outsourced the director’s chair to your boss, your family’s expectations, your social conditioning, and that nasty thing called “what will people say?“ (the most overfunded production in India).Well, spoiler alert: People will say whatever. Let them host their own reality show.

 

Shah Rukh Khan-Yes, King Khan himself. Rejected in TV serials. Mocked for his looks. Said to be “too ordinary.” Guess what? He turned “ordinary” into Om Shanti Om, Swades, and Don swagger.The man didn’t wait for a role. He wrote himself in. Oprah Winfrey– Fired from her first job as a news anchor. Because she was “unfit for television.” Now she owns a network.
And probably your attention span for half of the ’90s. Oprah didn’t settle for being the weather girl. She became the weather system.

 

And what about You? Still waiting for permission? Still negotiating your worth on life’s casting call? Why are you treating your dreams like walk-on roles? Your ideas like blooper reels? Your voice like background score?

 

Permit me to state the obvious – you know what happens when you don’t take the lead– You attend meetings you don’t belong in. You agree to goals you don’t care for. You wear titles that itch worse than a polyester sherwani in peak Chennai summer. You stay in relationships, jobs, and cities that smell like stale popcorn. In short? You become the furniture in your own damn movie.

 

The Supporting Actor Syndrome is the Epidemic Nobody’s Talking About!

 

P V Sindhu: Didn’t wait for cricket’s PR machinery. She smashed her own shuttle ceiling. Radhika Apte: Mainstream wasn’t her jam. Still owned every screen she walked into. YOU (Pending): Just needs to stop ghostwriting your own destiny.

 

Look at Elon Musk. Love him or hate him, the man treats his life like an epic saga where he’s both hero and narrator. No supporting role for that mad genius. Closer home, look at Kangana Ranaut. She doesn’t just act in films; she lives every day like the cameras are rolling exclusively for her blockbuster life.

 

So, there is a way to move the needle from the sidelines to the spotlight. Remember, nobody is coming to rescue you from your supporting role. The director of this film (that’s YOU, by the way) needs to rewrite the script. Begin with auditing your own story. Take a week. Track where your energy goes. If more than 70% is spent solving other people’s plot twists while your own narrative gathers dust, you’ve got a serious protagonist deficiency. Create Your “Not-To-Do” List including but not restricted to:Not resolving other people’s dramas before your morning chai. Not saying yes when your gut is screaming “hell no”.Not apologizing for taking center stage when it’s your moment. Practice Shameless Self-Prioritization. Start small. Order what YOU want at the restaurant instead of “I’ll have whatever she’s having.” Take the promotion without thinking about who else might want it. Buy the red shoes without asking five people if they “look okay.”

 

Some stalwarts who flipped the script. Indra Nooyi didn’t become PepsiCo CEO by making sure everyone else got promoted first. Mary Kom didn’t win Olympic medals by worrying about whether her opponents would feel bad. Greta Thunberg didn’t spark a global movement by thinking, “Who am I to speak up?”

 

A quick reality check please: If you died tomorrow (sorry, don’t mean to sound morbid, I know, but stay with me), would your obituary read like a main character’s or would it be three generic lines about how helpful you were to others? Harsh? Perhaps. Necessary? Absolutely.

 

 

Motion beats meditation. You can “visualize” your dreams all you want, but unless you get off the couch, you’re just marinating in your own potential. Imperfect action > perfect procrastination. No one became legendary by being “almost ready” or by Googling “Is now a good time?” for the 374th time. Success is for the recklessly committed. The world doesn’t reward the most prepared-it rewards those who show up and ship, even if their PowerPoint is missing a few slides (or fonts).

 

Your story isn’t a dress rehearsal. The cameras are rolling NOW. The lights are ON. And you’ve been cast as the lead, but you keep insisting on playing the friend who brings tea when the hero is sad.

 

Fire your inner critic and hire your inner director.

 

Because here’s the truth bomb: You playing small doesn’t serve anyone. Not you, not your family, not your community. The world needs your protagonist energy. Your full-volume, center-stage, spotlight-grabbing contribution. So for the love of all good stories, stop handing out best supporting actor awards to yourself.

 

It’s time to grab that Best Actor trophy with both hands and give the acceptance speech you were born to deliver. The end credits are still a long way off. But the question remains:

 

Who will play the lead in your story tomorrow?

 

 

Preparation is a place to hide.

 

The ATM of the Bank of Perfection is always out of currency. We’re culturally programmed to calculate risk. What we’re not taught is how to calculate the cost of inaction. What is the price of the book unwritten? The business unlaunched? The love undeclared? The adventure untaken? These costs don’t show up on any balance sheet, but they accumulate in the currency of regret – the most painful form of emotional debt. So, get ready to Die Empty!

 

We’re a zeitgeist of overqualified, under-actualized dreamers. PhDs driving taxis not because they must, but because taking the leap feels more terrifying than staying put.

 

We all would remember when the late Ratan Tata(RIP) acquired Jaguar Land Rover in 2008? The global economy was having a proper meltdown. Financial experts were fashionably predicting apocalypse. And there’s Tata, casually dropping $2.3 billion on luxury car brands like it’s a Tuesday shopping spree. The audacity! The madness! The… sheer genius that transformed Tata Motors’ global footprint forever.

 

Life’s dashboard has no “certainty” gauge. Never has, never will. Yet we have perfected the art of waiting for the perfect moment – that mythical confluence of stellar alignments, family approvals, and financial security that would make even the gods say, “Damn, that’s some good timing.”

 

But here’s the dirty little secret the universe doesn’t advertise on its cosmic billboard: The perfect moment is whenever you decide to jump.

 

Every day you delay bringing your idea into action, you pay a tax—the “What If?” tax. What if you’d started that business in 2020? What if you’d invested in that idea? What if you’d asked that person out? The richest people in the world aren’t those with the most money—they’re those with the fewest regrets.

 

Ideas are aplenty but ideas without action are regrets.

 

Remember when Nike said “Just Do It”? Most of us replied, “Sure, right after I update my LinkedIn bio and align my chakras.” We are the ‘wait-for-the-right-time’ generation. Breaking news: “Right Time” (or ” Someday “) is a retired mythological creature who now lives with Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.

 

It is not difficult to identify the real problem. We’ve become over thinkers, under doers. Risk-averse, over-prepared, permission-seeking approval junkies. We download courses, attend webinars, rewatch TED talks, read Atomic Habits, but refuse to light the atomic bomb of action. We confuse being “ready” with being “safe.” Truth? You’re never fully ready.
But you’re always one decision away from momentum.

I don’t mean to bring this train into the provocation station but sometimes we need to call a spade a shovel. So, some gut punches if you will please-

What brilliant idea have you been sitting on because your Canva presentation isn’t “ready”?

What masterpiece is dying inside your Notes app because you’re scared of trolls on LinkedIn?

How many years will you give to rehearsing while someone with half your talent and zero fear just ships it raw?

 

The evidence is everywhere. Sara Blakely (SPANX): No biz degree. No business plan. Just one butt-saving(pardon the pun) prototype and a gut feeling. She didn’t wait to “perfect” it. She went for it. Richard Branson: “Screw it, let’s do it.” His business model was often: jump first, plan during free fall. Airbnb: Three broke dudes renting out air mattresses during a design conference. Not scalable? Not fundable? Too weird? $100 billion valuation says otherwise.

 

Closer home in India- here’s some homegrown heat. Ritesh Agarwal (OYO): Dropped out, messed up, learned on the go, pivoted, scaled like wildfire. Not by waiting. By doing. Zerodha: Nithin Kamath ignored VCs and fancy jargon. He just went for it, building a product that traders actually wanted to use. Bira 91: When Ankur Jain launched it, India was already saturated with Kingfishers and Heinekens. But he saw the gap. Went for it. Now it’s India’s coolest hipster beer. While reinforcing what one calls in marketing ” the late mover advantage “.

 

There is no secret sauce. Or there is. I don’t know. But, some elementary stuff here- Motion beats meditation. Imperfect action beats perfect procrastination. Done is sexier than pending.

 

Because no one ever became legendary by being “almost” ready.
Or by Googling “Is now a good time to launch?” for the 374th time.

 

Success Is Not for the Prepared. It’s for the Recklessly Committed. Look at stand-up comics bombing on stage. Look at first-time founders burning cash and karma. Look at indie musicians uploading to Spotify from their bathrooms.

 

They’re not waiting. They’re shipping. They’re learning. They’re bleeding confidence and bandaging feedback. Meanwhile, you’re over here refreshing your inbox like a nervous intern.

 

Look at all these examples:- Was Zomato ready when it started with a PDF menu aggregator? Was Apple perfect when it launched the iPhone without copy-paste? Was Ranveer Singh ready for Bollywood? Dude just went for it, wardrobe and all. Unacademy: Roman Saini and his co-founders didn’t wait for permission to disrupt education. They started by uploading free tutorials on YouTube, and now millions of students are “going for it” every day. Patagonia: When they told customers “Don’t Buy This Jacket,” they weren’t just selling outerwear, they were selling a movement. Sometimes going for it means telling people to do the opposite of what you’re selling. Nike: “Just Do It” isn’t a tagline, it’s a philosophy. Nike sells the idea that greatness is a decision, not a birthright. (And let’s be real, most of us are more “couch potato” than athlete, but we buy the shoes anyway-because hope springs eternal.)

 

Perfection is procrastination in lipstick. Ship it. Flaws and all. The world needs messy courage. Go for it. Because hesitation is not a legacy. Comfort zones are where dreams go to die.

 

So, let’s drive home the truth. You weren’t born to rehearse. You weren’t born to ask for bloody permission. You weren’t born to die with 14 domain names, 37 unfinished Canva decks, and a “someday” side hustle that’s older than your LinkedIn password.

 

So, hear this loud and clear: Stop flirting with your potential and start making out with your possibilities.

 

Go for it. Even if you don’t have the map, the budget, or a goddamn clue.
Because hesitation is just ambition wearing anxiety as cologne.

 

The world doesn’t need another thinker. It needs more glorious, reckless, action-fueled DOERS. You are one idea away from your breakout moment — if only you’d stop treating your brilliance like it’s under NDAs and non-compete clauses.

 

No more marination. No more mood boards. No more “one day”. Today is that one day. So… just bloody GO FOR IT. If not now, when? If not you, who?

 

If not with me egging you on like a caffeinated coach in a headband… then who the hell else?

 

Reality is a stubborn beast—until you realize it’s just wet clay in your hands. Some see walls; others see scaffolding. Some see fate; others see a first draft. So, tell me—when was the last time you edited your life instead of just living it?

 

“Reality is negotiable.” Tim Ferriss said it. Most people nodded and went back to watching Netflix. But not you. Not today.

 

Because here’s the truth they didn’t teach you at school (or worse, at orientation training): Reality is not served to you on a plate. You gotta cook it yourself—with salt, spice, and a little sacrilege.

 

In the kitchen of life, while the world keeps obsessing over ‘reality checks’, the real game-changers are busy forging their own reality… Reality Cheques, if you will. The kind that clear at the Bank of Manifestation.

 

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.“ – Einstein wasn’t just dropping scientific wisdom, he was handing us the damn master key.

 

What if( and permit me this defining question)—and stay with me here—what if everything you’ve been told about “how life works” is simply someone else’s version of reality that you’ve inherited? Uncomfortable thought, isn’t it?

 

The Greeks had Prometheus stealing fire from the gods. The modern equivalent? Stealing back your right to define what’s possible.

 

If you are willing to NOT miss the wood for the trees, you will soon recognise that reality is actually a PR stunt. What we call “reality” is just the loudest lie repeated enough times until everyone puts it on a t-shirt. Lets examine a few cases in point. Steve Jobs: Took LSD, walked barefoot, dropped out, came back, dropped the iPhone, (and dropped the mic). Dhirubhai Ambani: Didn’t go to Harvard. He built one on Dalal Street. Beyoncé: Said “I woke up like this.” She didn’t. She engineered it.

 

“Be realistic” is code for “Please don’t disrupt my mediocrity.”And you, weren’t born to tiptoe through life in beige khakis hoping to avoid disapproval. You were born to punch holes through the simulation and plant your flag in the glitch. Remember Normal is just a setting on a Washing Machine. You tumble dry, spin dry or just rinse.

 

History’s greatest rebels didn’t just accept reality—they hacked it.
Look at India’s Dabbawalas: A lunchbox delivery system with the precision of a Swiss watch—built not by MBAs but by sheer jugaad and belief. No “rules” said they could do it. They just did. Elon Musk’s Mars Obsession:While skeptics muttered “impossible,” he sold flamethrowers to fund it. Because why not?

 

The great reality hoax is that most of us are living on autopilot, cruising down highways paved by someone else’s expectations. We react, we conform, we repeat. But what if you could slam the brakes, grab the wheel, and take the scenic route-preferably with the windows down and your favorite playlist blaring?

 

Look at a few global mavericks as fodder for inspiration. Nick Vujicic: Born without arms or legs, Nick could have let the world define his limits. Instead, he redefined what’s possible-becoming a global speaker, author, and founder of “Life Without Limbs.” His message? “You may have arms and legs, but unless you know who you are, your value, and your purpose, you’re more disabled than I am. Ritesh Agarwal (India): From selling SIM cards in Titlagarh to founding OYO Rooms, Ritesh saw a gap in India’s hospitality sector and filled it with relentless innovation. Dropping out of college, failing with his first startup, and facing skepticism, he forged ahead-turning rejection into rocket fuel. Malala Yousafzai: In Pakistan’s Swat Valley, Malala’s reality was dictated by the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education. A bullet to the head could have ended her story. Instead, she rewrote it-becoming a Nobel laureate and global icon for girls’ education. Her reality? One where a single voice can change the world. Sheryl Sandberg: From Harvard to the C-suite at Facebook, Sandberg didn’t just lean in-she bulldozed barriers, redefining what women in leadership look like. Her mantra? “Done is better than perfect”. A.R. Rahman: He didn’t follow Bollywood’s formula of dhinchak dhols and item numbers. He whispered spirituality into pop culture’s ears. He turned silence into sound. Soul into score. That’s not a pivot. That’s a parallel universe.

 

Reality is a Group Chat. You can leave it whenever you want.

 

Life’s not about finding yourself—it’s about inventing yourself and sending the universe the invoice. In a world of obedient sheep bleating down predetermined paths, the true badasses are those who grab reality by the throat and bend it to their will. Not through kumbaya manifestation circles or Instagram affirmations, but through the ruthless alchemy of audacious thinking and middle-finger-to-convention action.

 

Your brain is the most expensive real estate on your personal planet. Evict the tenants who aren’t paying premium rent—those fear-mongering news channels, dream-killing “friends,” and self-improvement gurus selling recycled mediocrity in fancy packaging. Detox your mental diet as if its radioactive.

 

That voice in your head better be your hype person, not your prison warden. If it wouldn’t talk to your best friend that way, put it on probation. Then fire it. Then hire a replacement that doesn’t confuse caution with wisdom. In effect, put your inner voice on performance review.

 

Successful reality hackers don’t avoid discomfort—they chase it like it’s happy hour at their favorite bar. Russians have their ice baths, entrepreneurs have cold calls, artists have blank canvases. Find your flavor of terrifying and make it your morning coffee. In summary, make discomfort your favorite cocktail. 

 

Living inside someone else’s mental prison, decorating the walls with motivational posters while calling it freedom. Playing by rules designed specifically to keep you docile, predictable, and conveniently manageable. That’s not living—that’s sleepwalking with better production values.

 

The dirtiest secret? Reality crafting doesn’t require genius-level IQ, rich parents, or some mystical alignment of cosmic forces. It requires something both simpler and more rare: the audacity to start before you feel ready, qualified, or socially approved.

 

A graffiti artist in Barcelona spray-painted it perfectly on an abandoned factory wall: “Your reality shifts the moment you stop asking ‘Can I?’ and start declaring ‘Watch me.'”

 

So do it. Today. Not with grand proclamations, but with seditious questions that make your current reality squirm: Why not me? Says who? What if everyone’s wrong?

 

Because here’s the deliciously subversive truth that reality outlaws everywhere have discovered: The edges of your possible reality aren’t determined by facts—they’re determined by which facts you’re brave enough to question.

 

Reality is a suggestion, not a law. Break it. Reality is customizable. The only limit? Your willingness to piss off the status quo.

 

So, are you ready to grab the hammer? The world may hand you raw iron, but it’s up to you to shape it into something legendary. Forge ahead-your reality is waiting. “In the end, the only thing standing between you and the life you want is the story you keep telling yourself. Time to change the narrative.”

 

Now, go on-light that forge.

Gray Hair, Golden Wallets: The Trillion-Dollar Opportunity Marketers Keep Missing. Who are the Baby Boomers? And Why Should You Care?

 

Born between 1946 and 1964, Boomers are now aged 60–78. That’s not “retired and done.” That’s liberated from college fees, climbing Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs pyramid with full wallets and free time. They’re not in the nursing home. They’re on a luxury cruise. With Wi-Fi.

 

In the U.S., they control 70% of disposable income. In India, they’re the patriarchs and matriarchs funding your EMI, gifting you Diwali iPhones, and still deciding which car the family buys.

 

And yet, if marketing today were a high school party, Boomers are the wealthy alumni who showed up with the best snacks, and everyone’s ignoring them.

 

Picture this: A demographic with more disposable income than millennials and Gen Z combined, brand loyalty that borders on religious fervor, and an insatiable appetite for experiences. Yet, marketers are so busy chasing TikTok trends and Gen Alpha’s shrinking attention spans that they’ve left billions on the table.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Baby Boomers—the most overlooked, undervalued, and misunderstood consumer cohort in modern marketing.

 

So, would it be safe to conclude that our dear marketer, you are ageist?. Yup, probably. You use the word “Boomer” like it’s a synonym for “boring”, “slow”, or worse, “irrelevant”. Meanwhile, they’re climbing Kilimanjaro, learning French on Duolingo, and sending memes before you do.

 

So, shall we call it what it is? Marketing Malpractice?

 

Quick marketing pop quiz: What demographic has 78 trillion dollars, buys 50% of luxury goods, and gets 0.5% of your ad budget? If you said ‘Boomers,’ congratulations – you’re smarter than 90% of CMOs today.

 

You’re not just missing the boat. You’re letting the Titanic sail past with your ad dollars clinging to an iceberg called TikTok. Let’s do a quick back of the envelope audit, shall we?

 

In the Indian context, brand Tanishq figured it out. Their elder couple campaigns hit emotions harder than a Karan Johar plot twist. LIC, bless them, was always Boomer-centric (because nothing says love like life insurance). But I am keen to understand where’s the travel brand talking to 60+ solo travellers? Where’s the fashion label owning “Grey is the New Black”?

 

Globally, L’Oréal Paris got it. They cast Helen Mirren—not as grandma, but as goddess. ETrade’s Super Bowl ad featured older folks kicking ass at life. Airbnb quietly discovered older hosts and travellers are their highest-rated users.

 

And yet… Most brands treat Boomers like expired yogurt. Best before used.

 

Brands today are drunk on the Kool-Aid of youth marketing. From D2C brands obsessing over Instagram Reels to legacy players awkwardly dabbling in meme culture, everyone’s pandering to a generation that’s broke, skeptical, and allergic to traditional advertising.

Meanwhile, Boomers are sitting on $78 trillion in global wealth (yes, trillion with a ‘T’) and are ready to spend—on travel, healthcare, luxury, and yes, even tech.

 

Someone has to address the youth obsession epidemic. The earlier the better for brands and marketers.

 

The uncomfortable truth is that the modern, caffeinated, trend-chasing marketer—are so busy marketing to Gen Z’s dopamine-deficient attention spans and Millennials’ mortgage-crushed wallets that they have completely ghosted the most monied, brand-loyal, spending-happy generation of all: Baby Boomers.

 

Yeah, the ones they think are still trying to figure out how to “send WhatsApp.” Spoiler: they just bought a Tesla. And another spoiler: They still have the cheque book, even if you’ve moved on to crypto.

 

So, dear marketer, you’re ghosting the generation with the gold. Everyone’s chasing Gen Z vibes. Meanwhile, Boomers are buying villas, Teslas, and turmeric lattes. And you’re selling them… nothing.

 

Let’s try to understand the baby boomer opportunity a little better. Their mood is not about ‘ retired ‘ but rewired. At a global level, their spend control is 70% of disposable income. In India, they are running the family biz AND (the family WhatsApp group).

 

And yet...only 10% of ad budgets go to people over 50. Even though they spend 50% of the world’s money. You’re selling skinny jeans to broke kids and ignoring the people buying BMWs.

 

So, let’s get real. Boomers aren’t asking to feel young again. They just want to be seen, heard, and sold to—without being patronized. It’s like ignoring the wealthiest person at an auction because you’re too busy chatting up someone who just wandered in to escape the rain.

 

The invisibility paradox is astounding. Walk through any marketing conference and count how many times you hear “Gen Z” versus “Boomers.” The imbalance is staggering. The industry has developed what I call “youth myopia”—a condition where marketers can only see people under 40. And yet: In India, adults over 55 control approximately 70% of the country’s disposable income. In the US, Boomers control over $70 trillion in wealth. Globally, the silver economy is projected to reach $15 trillion by 2030.

 

This isn’t just money—it’s money in the hands of people who actually spend it, unlike younger generations struggling with student loans and unaffordable housing.

 

As my grandmother used to say when I’d ignore her advice: “Beta, when you’re done making mistakes, I’ll still be here with the solution.”

 

Millennials didn’t invent “experiences over things.” Boomers were backpacking across Europe before Instagram existed.  So your experience economy was literally invented by boomers.

 

The real comedy is that we’ve convinced ourselves that Boomers are digital dinosaurs, technologically inept relics who can’t navigate beyond Facebook.

 

But the reality check is that in India, smartphone adoption among 55+ grew at 29% annually since 2020—faster than any other demographic. Globally, 82% of Baby Boomers belong to at least one social media platform, and 70% shop online regularly.

 

Tata Cliq Luxury recognized this and launched their “Timeless Indulgence” campaign specifically targeting affluent older Indians with premium products. The result? A 43% increase in high-value purchases from this demographic.

 

Meanwhile, most Indian marketers are still creating “senior citizen specials”—as if discounting is the only way to appeal to people with the highest disposable income in the country. It’s like offering a student discount to Warren Buffett.

 

One straight from the hip advise (unsolicited of course) that I have to offer is : please address the authenticity crisis. The rare campaign that does target Boomers typically falls into one of two cringe-worthy categories:

-“You’re old and need help” (featuring gray-haired models looking confused by technology)…

-“You’re not really old!” (featuring impossibly fit 60-somethings skydiving)

Both miss the mark spectacularly because they lack one crucial element: authenticity.

 

The magnificent irony is that the creative directors and marketing executives making these decisions to focus exclusively on youth are often Boomers themselves! They’ve so deeply internalized the industry’s ageism that they’re excluding their own demographic from marketing strategies.

 

It’s like being the bouncer who won’t let himself into the club.

 

Here’s what my take on the innovation blindspot that marketers generally seem to be having. Because, here’s where it gets truly absurd: we’ve convinced ourselves that innovation is only for the young, despite evidence to the contrary.

 

Airbnb reports that their fastest-growing host demographic is 60+. The fastest-growing segment on dating apps? You guessed it—Boomers.

 

In India, brands like BigBasket recognized this opportunity early, creating specific user experiences designed for older adults who have substantial grocery budgets. Their “BB Assist” feature, which helps customers navigate the platform through voice commands, wasn’t created for tech-savvy millennials—it was designed for Boomers who appreciate convenience but might need navigation assistance. The result? Over 30% of BigBasket’s premium customers are now 55+.

 

The way forward could just be this- the brands that will win the future aren’t necessarily those obsessing over Generation Alpha. They’ll be the ones smart enough to follow the money—and the money is silver-haired. That is where brands and marketers should ideally engage in their Gold Rush.

 

If you permit me a bit of do’s and don’ts here: Representation matters: Feature boomers in your marketing without making their age the punchline. Design inclusively: Create products and experiences that recognize physical changes that come with age without making them feel “medical.” Acknowledge expertise: Baby Boomers have decades of consumer experience. They can spot inauthentic marketing from kilometers away. Forget the stereotypes: The generation that invented rock ‘n’ roll and led cultural revolutions isn’t sitting quietly in rocking chairs.

 

They survived Cold Wars, recessions, and the dial-up era. And you think they can’t handle an online checkout page? Ignoring Boomers in your marketing is like hosting a party and forgetting to invite the people who brought the booze. You’re selling FOMO to people who invented YOLO — and wondering why sales suck. Boomers lived through the Beatles, moon landings, and Black Monday.

 

The greatest wealth transfer in history is happening, and your marketing strategy is still chasing allowance money? 

 

The time had come long ago. For brand owners and marketers. To look beyond Mars and Venus. And smell the Planet Reality.

 

Here’s some numbo jumbo(read shocking reality):-

 

• Women in India influence 85% of household purchases.
• Women now account for 30% of luxury car sales in metros.
• Female gamers are over 40% of India’s mobile gaming market.
• Women-founded startups in India grew by 77% over the last five years.
• And yes, they’re on Tinder and trading crypto. Deal with it.

 

And how are they treated in return by the smart marketing mavericks. Take a look below.Brands continue to serve:

 

• Patronizing pink packaging.
• Slo-mo hair flicks in unrealistic lighting.
• “Empowerment” ads that peak at menstruation or motherhood.

 

There are many reasons why marketers are still getting it horribly wrong; chief among them being Male-centric marketing departments where Ramesh, Rehman or Roger are the decision-making dudes who put together campaigns that sound like “Let’s add a pink ribbon and call it ‘female-focused’!”. We are in new age times but still grappling with Old-School Gender Tropes where the belief is women are “emotional” shoppers while men are “rational” – this is not just outdated, it’s plain lazy. A certain ailment called Data Blindness– the data is out there. We just choose to mansplain it instead of understanding it.

 

So, here’s a personal memo:-

 

Dear marketers: She’s not just a “niche.” She’s not your “segment.” She IS the economy. She’s the category killer, the cart-filler, the loyalty-builder, and the one who’s keeping your brand alive while your bros in branding still think ‘shrink it and pink it’ is a campaign strategy.

 

I will attempt to decipher it by desi-fying it a bit. The problematic portrayals in Incredible India. Here’s what ads here(most of it at least) still believe:-A woman buys a car only after her husband nods(Meanwhile she’s paying EMI on his bike, her dad’s surgery, and her startup’s seed round). She’s either sanskaari or sexy. Never smart. As if intellect’s a limited-edition Rakhi Sawant NFT. Her role in insurance ads? Crying beside the hospital bed or smiling while baking. Fact: She’s the one researching policies at 1 a.m. on PolicyBazaar while you’re bingeing IPL highlights.

 

Here’s the reality check served Sahara desert hot. Globally, 80% of purchase decisions on an average are made by women. Cutting across all consumer purchases, home furnishings, vacations, new homes, consumer electronics, cars, healthcare, opening new bank accounts etc etc. It goes on and on and on.

 

Here’s the Red Alert for Brand Owners and Marketers: Women control $31 trillion in global spending power, yet brands still treat them like delicate flowers who only care about pastel colors and calorie counts.Women are too busy running companies, households, and your bottom line to give a damn about your “shrink it & pink it” nonsense.

 

Women in India are buying homes, stocks, gold, gadgets, and yes — gaming chairs. Women in Tier 2/3 cities are driving digital commerce like absolute queens. She doesn’t need a man to swipe the card. She is the card. The black one. With lounge access. But what do we keep giving her? Perfume ads shot like bad erotica. Cringe empowerment tropes where “freedom” is…wearing jeans at a wedding.

 

So, for heaven’s sake marketers, quit the victim saviour narrative– because she’s not waiting to be rescued. She’s wondering why your brand is still stuck in 2003. Talk to her like a decision-maker, not a product accessorizer. Make her laugh, think, feel, not just nod at stereotypes. Sell her value, not validation. Women like navy, black, chrome, blood-red, or no colour at all. So, stop Pinkwashing everything. They’re here for features, not frou-frou.

 

They’re done being marketed at—they want to be spoken with.

 

Here’s a sobering fact to wash down with your lime juice(or whiskey): only 3% of India’s creative directors are women. Globally, it’s a pathetic 11%. So we’ve got rooms full of men trying to market to women—like a bunch of cats designing a dog collar. They know it goes around the neck, but they’ve missed pretty much everything else.

 

Some brands have gotten it right:

 

Ariel’s “Share The Load” campaign didn’t just sell detergent; it sold a cultural revolution wrapped in a 30-second spot. It asked why laundry was considered “women’s work” in a country where gender roles are often set in stone. The result? Sales shot up 60%, and Indian men briefly considered touching washing machines before going back to asking their wives where their socks were.

 

Tanishq’s remarriage ad showed a dusky-skinned mother getting remarried—hitting the trifecta of Indian taboos: divorce, remarriage, and not being fair-skinned. Conservative uncles nearly had aneurysms, but progressive women opened their wallets. Tanishq stood their ground while competitors were still debating if married women should be allowed to wear anything other than sindoor and submission.

 

Nike stopped treating women’s sports as the appetizer before the “real” men’s main course. Instead of focusing on looking cute while pretending to exercise (standard approach), they celebrated female athletes who could probably bench press the entire marketing team that created “Pens for Her.” Their women’s business consequently exploded from $7 billion to $9.7 billion faster than you can say “patriarchy.”

 

Marketing to women isn’t about slapping a feminine hygiene product aesthetic on everything. It’s about recognizing that women are complete human beings whose interests range from quantum physics to reality TV, sometimes within the same hour. Brands that get this aren’t just being woke—they’re being wealthy. Because there’s nothing more profitable than actually understanding the people who control most of the world’s purchasing decisions.

 

It’s time to stop leaving trillions on the table because you can’t be bothered to see beyond stereotypes. The brands that master this aren’t just going to win the future—they’re going to own it. The rest can enjoy their place in the marketing hall of shame, right next to “Pens for Her” and every fairness cream ad ever made.

 

“Women hold up half the sky,“ goes the old Chinese proverb. In reality, they’re juggling the sky, the earth, and everything in between while marketers are still debating if they should make the packaging pink or purple. Talk about missing the plot. So, wake up. To Planet Reality!