| Sunday, 20 April 2025 |
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Good morning [%first_name |Dear Reader%],
Happy Easter! I’m back with edition number, er, I don’t know, of our Sunday soliloquies.
For some reason, this year’s Bengaluru summer isn’t half as bad as the last few years. In fact, we’ve been consistently getting those pre-monsoon showers that are so quintessentially Bengaluru. I’m not complaining. Even the monsoon forecast for India says the rains are going to be okay this year. Let’s hope the weather gods continue being kind to us.
There’s a Banyan tree along the route of our morning walk. It covers a burial ground with a few dozen graves, including some as recent as a few months old. Gabru and I have befriended a pack of three indies who live there, two females and a male. Well, technically, I have befriended them by carrying dog treats for them each day.
The tree, though, is quite a sight these days. Its sheer fecundity is such a joy to behold.
And a little further down was this Indian almond tree with fresh new leaves, casting a soft Studio Ghibli-esque glow as the sun filtered through.
Hari is, unfortunately, down with a nasty bug, so we don’t have a books section this week. But here’s everything else we have for you.
1. Don’t despise friction
2. Friction and Careers? 📈
3. All our furry friends Vol.3 📸
1. Don’t despise friction
I maintain a list of potential topics for future First Principles editions. Because nothing good ever comes out of sitting down to write each week wondering “what should I write about?”
Thus, originally, I had planned to write about intrinsic joy and internal locus of control. But I came across something more interesting during the week. It immediately spoke to me because I have been a huge fan of the very thing for much of my professional life—friction.
Friction is our enemy, we’re told in the age of software, internet, and startups. The best way to grow faster is to eliminate friction.
I disagree. But before I present my arguments, please watch this video of the late Steve Jobs.
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Hari Buggana
Chairman and MD, InvAscent
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CEO and Co-Founder, Razorpay
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Executive Chairperson, Biocon Limited
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Co-founder and CEO, Obvious Ventures