Design that Moves Business: Apple’s “Overnight” Success! (Part 1)

When has design moved business? Design and business folks love the example of the iPod. Designers say, look at how one design-driven product was able to reshape an entire industry. MBAs emphasize how the strategy behind the iPod-iTunes system and the product roadmap led to Apple’s success. We all tend to point to the iPod design the way a high school basketball player points to Michael Jordan. Yet contrary to popular belief, Apple’s iPod was neither a single ingenious invention nor an overnight success. >>>

Building An Indian Outsourcing Leader: MindTree CEO KK Natarajan (Part 3)

SM: For how long were you chief marketing officer?

KK: I held that position from 1992 to 1993. By 1995 I had moved into an operating role. >>>

Book Reviews: Marylene Delbourg-Delphis

Entrepreneur T. M. Ravi, CEO of Mimosa Systems, his wife Francine LeJeune, with Patrick and Evelyne Consorti hosted a great book party and discussion around entrepreneurship at Ravi and Francine’s home last night. Marylene Delbourg-Delphis has a review of EJ1 on her blog along with some pictures from the party. Marylene herself is an entrepreneur. What’s more, she has mentored and spawned 20 entrepreneurs from among those who worked for her.

Forbes Column 08: President Obama: Listen To Entrepreneurs

I haven’t said anything after the elections about the outcome or the road ahead. But I did write this piece on Wednesday, the morning after. Zero In this week is an open letter to Barack Obama.

p.s. I understand that the Obama team is reading these pieces. I encourage you to write what’s on your mind here or at Forbes, so that they can hear you. And if you help me also hear you, I can represent ‘us’ better in my subsequent columns.

Building An Indian Outsourcing Leader: MindTree CEO KK Natarajan (Part 2)

SM: Was your next professional step a move to Wipro?

KK: Yes. It was just starting, so I initially went off to Bangalore for a while before I returned to Chennai to open the office there. I was still not sure how Wipro was going to make an impact in the IT business. >>>

Book Reviews: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”

It is always interesting to see what readers are getting from the book. Here’s a detailed, thoughtful review over at Smallbiztrends.com written by Ivana Taylor, who also writes a blog called StrategyStew.

Is Bill Joy The Right CTO for the US?

John Doerr thinks so. I am not convinced. I would prefer to see John Doerr in that role, because the role is not going to be about actual technological innovation, but rather policy as it relates to innovation and entrepreneurship. Doerr will do far better than Joy in that role.

Building An Indian Outsourcing Leader: MindTree CEO KK Natarajan (Part 1)

If you haven’t already, please study our Bootstrapping Course and Investor Introductions page. 

Krishnakumar Natarajan (KK) is the CEO of MindTree. Prior to co-founding MindTree, KK was chief executive of the Electronic Commerce & Financial Solutions Division at Wipro. KK has been elected to the Executive Council of NASSCOM for three consecutive terms and works towards strengthening India’s position in IT through strategic global initiatives. KK earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the College of Engineering, Madras and an MBA from the Xavier Institute, Jamshedpur. >>>