It’s events like the earthquake in Haiti or Hurricane Katrina that makes me slow down a bit and think about the important things in life. In the Bay Area especially, I feel that we are all in a huge rat race. We’re trying to get rich and rise to the top. We’re trying to keep our jobs and maintain some semblance of a social life. I’m a victim to this myself. Every now and then we will hear about or experience the loss of a loved one. And for a couple days or a couple weeks, we’ll take some time to reflect and then almost immediately put ourselves back in the rat race. But why? In the past few weeks I’ve thought a lot about the meaning of life and what I want to take from it. I recently graduated from school and entered the work force full time. My job allows me a lot of flexibility, so I don’t have to be in at a certain time or stay till a particular hour. I come and go as I please. In the evenings or on the weekends when I’m not working I find myself looking for things to do. I get bored very easily. For a while I took up watching more TV or reading books. But that didn’t really fill the void. While it’s too early to be going through a mid-life crisis, I am finding it difficult to find a huge sense of purpose. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job and I love helping people in the ways that my career allows me to, but I feel that there’s something beyond that. Currently I fill my hours with exercise, TV, books, and a significant other. At 22 years of age I guess I’m not “supposed” to really be worrying about very much else. I’m making money, I’m motivated, I’m pursuing additional degrees, and yet for some reason I feel like I’m not focusing on what’s important. But I can’t seem to figure out what it is that’s important. I’ve given some consideration to coaching a recreational basketball team or mentoring in some way, so that I feel like I’m needed or appreciated in some way other than my career. But I’m not super into that kind of thing.
January 17, 2010
What’s Important?
September 2, 2009
A New Kind of Frat Boy
A copy of my article from September 2009’s issue of India Currents:
I had always imagined that fraternities and sororities were formed of groups of students who spent their time binge drinking and avoiding school. My impressions of frat houses had been formed from their depiction in the movies: reckless college students with mediocre futures who didn’t take life seriously. This led to reservations about joining a fraternity; I did not want to be hazed and I did not want to be a “frat boy.” These impressions were further reinforced by family members and friends, who kept telling me that fraternities were a bad idea.
I joined UC Berkeley in September 2005, and one day I was approached by two South Asian students. A quick conversation revealed that they were double and triple majoring, and had bright outlooks for gaining admission to top notch graduate schools. They mentioned that they were members of Alpha Epsilon Zeta (AEZ), a South Asian fraternity on the UC Berkeley campus, and encouraged me to come out to their informational session the following day. I was impressed by the students’ professional demeanor but decided that I’d wait till the following year, when I would have settled in as a sophomore.
I ended up attending the session after all, thanks to a freshman friend of mine who was keen on it. When I arrived, I noticed that the AEZ brothers (as fraternity members are known) were clean-shaven, wearing suits, and had high quality presentations printed for each attendee. What caught my eye immediately were the free refreshments, but I was struck by the meticulous organization of the event. The presentation emphasized the fact that the AEZ fraternity was not about partying, binge drinking, and finding mediocre jobs. I remember hearing one of the speakers say, “We prefer individuals who stay up until 3 a.m. working on their class presentation to those that are out getting drunk until 3 a.m.” It was a little funny to hear something so “grown-up,” coming from someone just a year or two older than me, but it was also refreshing. I learned about the corporate relationships the brothers had built and how they all helped each other find jobs, research positions, and post-grad opportunities.
The ideas they presented were great, but I still wasn’t sure about joining a campus organization my freshman year. I wanted to ease into classes and college life without having to stress about other commitments.
A few days later, I ran into two AEZ brothers, Rakesh Vij and Neil Bhalerao, who invited me to their rush event later that day (Editors note: a “rush” is a sales pitch to recruit new members). I explained that I wanted to wait until my sophomore year to join.
Rakesh responded: “AEZ is a great choice regardless of what year you decide to pledge. The skills you will learn throughout the pledge process are invaluable and are likely to aid you throughout your college career—in classes, internships, and other on-campus groups. We understand that you’re smart; nobody who comes to Berkeley is here by chance. But once you’re here there is nothing that distinguishes you from the other 40,000 students. There is nothing that puts you a step ahead. The goal of our organization is to help each brother make the most of his potential during his four years in college. The best way to accomplish that is by using all four years to get there, as opposed to three.”
I was sold!
I had no idea at the time that I was making the best decision of my college life. Since being inducted to AEZ, I’ve had the opportunity to meet CEOs of various companies, leverage AEZ’s connections for internships, and establish a lifelong brotherhood with many friends. And it truly has helped me make the most of my potential. I had no idea what a proper resume should look like and what guidelines it should follow. Older AEZ brothers have helped make my resume effective and now the younger guys are turning to me for guidance. The system of paying it forward in AEZ is quite impressive. I can call anyone, at any time in the day, and be assured that he’ll take the time to make sure his brother is doing okay and getting the needed information.
The other area in which AEZ has given me phenomenal guidance is with interview skills. AEZ’s emphasis on extensive mock interviews and company/industry research has helped me find job opportunities and convert them into offers. Of the five positions I’ve interviewed for in the last three years, I have received four offers and taken three of them.
But AEZ doesn’t stop at creating opportunities. It has given me skills to succeed in the work place as well. Prior to crossing, (Editor’s note: novice members, called pledges, “cross” when they are accepted as brothers in the fraternity) I had already taken workshops in Microsoft Powerpoint, Excel, Outlook, and more. To ensure each brother is well rounded, pledges attend workshops that cover topics in multiple industries, not just the area in which they are majoring. For example, during my pledge process I attended workshops on investing, the pharmaceutical drug industry, and computer engineering.
Realizing early how powerful and valuable this organization can be to those who participate, I make it a point to always give back in any way I can. As a sophomore I was the fraternity’s first ever Alumni Relations chair and I put into place multiple programs and events, such as alumni-active networking dinners, that will be an ongoing part of AEZ’s programs. As a senior in college now, I serve as an advisor to the new leaders.
Looking back at my earlier uncertainty about fraternities, I am very thankful I decided to join AEZ. Not only have I learned many valuable skills, but I have also helped shape the future of those younger than me who share my passion for this powerful network. If you are an incoming freshmen at UC Berkeley, I strongly suggest you check out AEZ and see if it’s right for you.
Alpha Epsilon Zeta, or AEZ, is the premier South Asian professional fraternity in the west coast. Its goal is to create the largest South Asian network amongst professionals and graduate students.
The AEZ informational for Fall 2009 will be held in the Madrone Room at the UC Berkeley campus on Tuesday, September 8th, from 7-9pm. Directions to the venue can be found at http://www.berkeley.edu/map. More information on AEZ can be found at http://www.aezinc.org.
Tushar Kumar is a recent graduate of UC Berkeley and is starting a career in San Francisco with the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network.
May 11, 2009
Interview With ReTargeter’s President
Below is an interview with Arjun Arora, President of www.ReTargeter.com, a company that deals with optimizing ad spending for companies that place online advertisements.
1. What is www.retargeter.com / what does it do?
ReTargeter is the most effective way to optimize your current online ad spend / marketing efforts and a great way to make your brand unforgettable with your customer base. We accomplish this by showing ads to your website’s visitors after they have left your site.
2. How did you conceive the idea?
The concept of retargeting has been around for a couple of years but has only been available to advertisers with very deep pockets. Our technology allows this solution to be available to small to medium sized businesses. We understood that the technology is incredibly powerful but only available to a select few and thus worked to develop technology that would allow everyone to access this technology.
3. What type of businesses make the ideal client?
To be quite frank any business that is selling or promoting something online with a decent amount of monthly traffic. We have clients ranging from large real estate companies to rock bands to B2B technology companies. We have even received interest from politicians.
4. How is this service changing the way online advertisements work or how is it benefiting current online advertisers?
We are at the forefront of a change in the advertising space where we will no longer have sites on the web that attract a specific set of advertisers but rather advertisers will pay for the ability to “follow” and “target” specific groups of people across the web regardless of where they are on the web. This is a more effective way to advertise to your customers as you are hitting only your target market and not wasting impressions. Our solution is at the forefront of this paradigm change in advertising.
5. Do you see ReTargeter’s business model changing or evolving in the near future? If so, how?
As with any new company we will need to be nimble enough to adapt to changes with our customer base and the advertising ecosystem. That being said it is very difficult to predict how our model will change. The only thing I know is that it will. ☺
6. What are some possible changes in the industry that could adversely affect ReTargeter’s value proposition?
As far as our value proposition is concerned we are positioned quite well to withstand any foreseeable changes in the industry. We will need to continue to provide the best & quickest customer service, expansive & quality ad inventory, and creative & impactful consulting for our company to stay successful.
7. What are ReTargeter’s short term and long term goals? Is an IPO a possibility?
Our short term and long term goals are to stay focused on building an amazing cash-flow positive business with a large set of loyal customers and happy employees. The exit opportunities will be abundant if we can execute on this vision.
April 16, 2009
BTTR Ventures Featured in Daily Cal
Haas Entrepreneurs Start A Locally Grown Business
By: Zach A. Williams
Contributing Writer | Thursday April 16, 2009
When Haas School of Business seniors Alex Velez and Nikhil Arora approached vendors in January, many questioned why the soon-to-be graduates were going into the mushroom-selling business.
Now, the duo is launching BTTR Ventures, a company with an environmental conscience that will help turn used coffee grounds into mushrooms for public sale.
With its first crop expected to hit stores in late May, the company will acquire waste from local cafes, turning coffee grounds into rich fertilizer for their specialty fungi, Arora said. In addition, they will receive the mushroom spawn required to grow the fungi free of cost.
“We’re taking one of the largest waste streams and … turning that into a nutritious food source and a valuable product too,” he said. “We’re diverting the waste.”
Once the grounds have been used to produce the mushrooms, the fungal compost will be donated to City Slicker Farms in Oakland, Velez said, adding that BTTR Ventures hopes to create 10 urban farming jobs within six months.
“We want to really try to create a closed loop, zero waste system,” he said.
Because its primary expenditure is warehouse space, the company will have minimal production costs, enabling them to offer their mushrooms for four to eight dollars per pound, depending on the grocer, Arora said.
He said several businesses, from waste providers to prospective buyers, have expressed interest in the low-cost product.
Gunter Pauli, founder of the Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives Foundation, said the company’s business model has already proven successful internationally, creating green jobs and reducing emissions.
“I think they not only will be profitable, I think they can become a green job machine in the Bay Area,” Pauli said. “Coffee and tea waste is one of the most abundant waste streams in America.”
Though Americans consume few mushrooms per capita, Pauli said the business will become increasingly lucrative as it continues to drive prices lower.
He said the duo’s plan to develop a national network of local growers is reasonable, as coffee waste is available from cafes and businesses across the country.
But agricultural and resource economics professor David Zilberman said the mushrooms could become a smaller specialty product because of their cost relative to other produce. He said the company must market its environmental friendliness and high quality to garner support.
“It’s a small niche, but it’s maybe a viable niche,” he said. “This is not something that will sell at a large scale.”
Arora said he hopes the company will flourish locally and provide an example for similar business models.
“We’re growing higher quality mushrooms that are going to your store a day after they’ve been grown,” he said. “No one else can offer that.”
February 17, 2009
Funny George W. Bush Video
This is pretty old but I saw it again recently and thought it was post-worthy. Enjoy.
October 28, 2008
Please, Pre-Party for my Funeral
In the past few weeks, for some reason, I’ve heard of a few people passing away that are within a degree or two of separation from myself. A friend and I got to talking about funeral ceremonies and the mood that comes with such an event. In most cultures, funerals are a sad event; there are tears, feelings of sorrow, regret, and a number of other negative emotions filling the ceremony’s atmosphere. So I put myself in the position of someone whose funeral people are attending. I can’t say I would want to see my entire circle of friends and family lamenting over losing me. I do understand, however, that it’s not fair for me to expect other not to feel sad at losing a loved one, but at the same time I feel I’d rather have my life celebrated and looked upon as a remarkable journey full of accomplishments and happiness. My roommate traveled abroad to Ghana last year and told me that funerals were almost party-like over there. They have plenty of alcohol to drink and music to listen / dance to in order to celebrate the new journey the deceased individual is about to embark upon. That notion jived with me really well. I only hope that one day, many years from now, people raise a shot glass at my funeral and toast to my life.
October 26, 2008
The Indian National Anthem
I recently saw this AR Rahman remake of the indian national anthem. The instrumental part is extremely creative and inspirational.
October 5, 2008
The Floods in Bihar
Some of you may be familiar with the floods that have caused havoc in Bihar, India. Having family in this region, I feel compelled to help out in some way. Below is an article featured in Patna Daily about a Bay Area organization coming together to make a difference.
US-Based Bihar Organization Raising Money for Flood Relief
Patna: Sept. 30, 2008
The American Organization for Development of Bihar (AODB) and Bihar Samaj in the Bay area in San Francisco have joined hands with a number of private organizations to raise funds to help flood victims in Bihar.
Sujay Roy, Coordinator Bihar flood Relief Committee, in a message to PatnaDaily.Com on Tuesday, informed about the upcoming fund-raising event on Friday, Oct. 17, 2008 at the India Community Center (ICC), 525 Los Coches St, Milpitas, CA at 7:00 pm.
The AODB is working in cooperation with the American India Foundation, BATA, FIA-NC, FIBA, FIJIANA, India Community Center, Indians for Collective Action, India Literacy Project, Prabasi, Sewa International, Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, TiE, and UPMA in the hope of raising fund for the hundreds of thousands of flood victims in five districts where many people are still waiting for relief items to reach them.
Film producer, director, and screenwriter Prakash Jha, who is right in the middle of relief work in north Bihar with his flood relief project ‘Punarwaas’, will attend the fund-raising event as special guest, Roy said.
The evening will feature musical entertainment by Bay Area favorites, Praveen Chaddha and Ritee, along with Sanjay Sen. The variety entertainment will also feature kathak by Tarangini School of Kathak Dance, film dance by Naach and Aavartan teams.
Tax-deductible donations could be made by contacting Varsha (408) 250-7408, Sujay (510) 651-3711, or Rajiv (510) 648-5093.
Details of the event can also be found at www.aodb.org.
August 18, 2008
What AEZ Has Done For Me
My AEZ Experience
Prior to joining UC Berkeley, the idea of a professional fraternity was unknown to me. I was strongly against the idea of joining a fraternity, as it was often associated with binge drinking. I did not want to be hazed and I did not want to be a “frat boy.” All of this, coupled with family members and friends telling me fraternities are a bad idea, convinced me to avoid such organizations. One Thursday night in early September 2005, I heard that AEZ* was holding an informational session–I decided to skip it. However, after some whining by another freshman friend, I decided to go. I was thoroughly impressed by the brothers’ professionalism, presentation, and organization of the event. The ideas presented were great, but I still wasn’t sold on joining a campus organization my freshman year. I wanted to ease into classes and college life without having to stress about other commitments.
A few days later I was walking home after visiting a family friend (who also studied at Berkeley) when I ran into two AEZ brothers, Rakesh Vij and Neil Bhalerao. They asked me if I was going to their rush event later that day and I said that I was sold on the idea of AEZ but wanted to wait until my sophomore year to join. But I was curious to know how that might change my experience.
Rakesh responded: “AEZ is a great choice regardless of what year you decide to pledge. The skills you will learn throughout the pledge process are invaluable and are likely to aid you throughout your college career– in classes, internships, and other on campus groups. We understand that you’re smart; everybody that comes to Berkeley isn’t here by chance. But once you’re here there is nothing that distinguishes you from the other 40,000 students. There is nothing that puts you a step ahead. The goal of our organization is to help each brother make the most of his potential during his four years in college. The best way to accomplish that is by using all four years to get there, as opposed to three.”
I was sold! After asking for a slight extension on the application deadline, I headed back to my dorm and got dressed for the rush event: AEZ goes to the A’s game. Catchy, right?
I had no idea at the time that I was making the BEST decision of my college career. Not only was my pledge semester the most fun time I’ve had at Cal, it was the most productive and enriching 10 weeks of my life. No exaggeration. Since crossing I’ve had the opportunity to meet CEOs of various companies, leverage AEZ’s connections for internships, and establish a lifelong brotherhood with many friends. And it truly has helped me make the most of my potential. I had no idea what a proper resume should look like and what guidelines it should follow. Older AEZ brothers have helped make my resume effective and now the younger guys are turning to me for guidance. The system for getting and giving help in AEZ is quite impressive. I can call anyone, at anytime in the day, and be assured that they’ll take time out of their schedule to make sure their brother is doing okay and getting what he needs.
The other area in which AEZ has given me phenomenal guidance is with interview skills. Through extensive mock interviews and company/industry research, AEZ has helped me get working opportunities in the last two years. I’ve only interviewed for five positions in the last three years but I have received four offers and taken three of them.
But AEZ doesn’t stop at making opportunities. It has given me skills to succeed in the work place as well. Prior to crossing I had already taken workshops in Microsoft Powerpoint, Excel, Outlook, and more. To ensure each brother is well rounded, pledges attend workshops that cover topics in multiple industries, not just the area in which they are majoring. For example, during my pledge process I attended workshops in investing, the pharmaceutical drug industry, as well as computer engineering.
Realizing early how powerful and valuable this organization can be to those who participate, I make it a point to always give back in any way I can. As a sophomore I was the fraternity’s first ever Alumni Relations chair and I put into place multiple programs and events that will now stay with AEZ forever. This position also made my network with the older brothers and alumni much stronger as I became the go-to guy for all alumni communications. As a junior I was the Senior Vice President of AEZ where, along with the President, I organized, all major endeavors for our organization. As a senior in college now, I have decided not to hold an executive position, but rather serve as an advisor to the new leaders.
I’m often asked, “Tushar, you still have a year left in AEZ, why didn’t you run for President?” The point of AEZ is to create new leaders, and due to the horizontal nature of the organization, you do not need to hold one of the two executive positions to lead the fraternity in a particular direction. The best way to create new leaders is by giving more brothers an opportunity to be a leader. I hope that future brothers share this mentality.
To sum up this fairly lengthy post– I am very content with my decision. Not only have I learned many valuable skills through AEZ, but I have helped shape the future of those younger than me who also share the same passion I have for this powerful network. To any incoming freshmen at UC Berkeley, I strongly suggest you check out AEZ and see if it’s right for you.
*AEZ, short for Alpha Epsilon Zeta, is the West Coast Premier South Asian Professional Fraternity. Its goal is to create the largest South Asian network amongst professionals and graduate students. It was established on February 19, 2003 by four UC Berkeley students.
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