A year in reading, 2021.
Read MoreMy Year in Books: 2021
in Book Review
PayPal's (Not) Super App Idea
in Payments
PayPal isn't going to make anyone's list of Hottest Fintech Companies but this 'Original FinTech' has been on a tear over the last year. The company has added 72m users, partnered with merchants like Nike, and almost tripled its market cap. Now Schulman and team have their sights set on building the ever-elusive ‘super app'. That’s not a good idea.
Read MoreMy Year in Books: 2020
in Book Review
There are many superlatives that could be ascribed to 2020 (“Craziest Year Ever” anyone?) “Taps’ Most Active Year of Book Reading” will not be one of them. I worked my way through 15 books last year. Mostly non-fiction, their themes centered on finding meaning, working through troubled times, and creative output. While I didn’t finish my reading challenge of 26 books (I am choosing not to count toddler classics I memorized this year like Ten Apples Up on Top, Dragons Love Tacos, One Button Benny, Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth, P is for Potty, and Goodnight Construction Site), all things considered, it was not a bad year for reading.
Read MoreThe Ant that Poked the Dragon: Did Jack Ma Want to Halt Ant Group's IPO?
in Payments
Ant Group was on track to be the largest IPO in history. Then, Jack Ma poked the Dragon, setting off a chain of events that derailed the runaway money train and halted the IPO. At first glance, the story fits a common narrative. But what if Jack Ma wanted to halt the IPO?
Read MoreMoments of Transition
in Life
Increased cynicism, irritability, and impatience. Finding it difficult to concentrate. Greater than normal consumption of alcohol. Lacking energy. These may sound like a typical day living in 2020. They are also tell-tale signs of burnout. As COVID rages on, finding moments of transition - opportunities to reset and recalibrate - are more important than ever.
Read MoreThe Ants Go Marching
Don’t let Ant Group’s name fool you, it is anything but small. The centacorn formerly known as Ant Financial finally filed to go public, jointly listing in both Shanghai and Hong Kong, and sharing more details on the business. Founded in 2004 as an offshoot of Alibaba, the far-reaching behemoth has come to dominate the payment and financial services markets over the last 15 years. The scale and scope of the company make it far more than ‘just another wallet’.
Read MoreI Cut My Burgers in Half
in Life
Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!
Today, as I eat my burger (a Father's Day tradition), watching my almost-two-year-old play, I reminded how much a child’s world view is reflective of their parents. We are our children’s models for the world, their superheroes. They pay attention to everything, pick up on even the smallest cues, and copy us in all things - big, small, and beefy.
Read MoreI Am Not Your Negro
in Life
The murder of George Floyd has reinforced that my understanding of America is woefully incomplete. An armchair quarterback's knowledge of the country's history and subjugation of African Americans - some key players, some relevant stats, some strengths, and weaknesses - is not sufficient to understand where we are going. James Baldwin once said, "History is not the past. It is the present. We carry our history with us. We are our history." Understanding the past requires teachers as guides. I start my history lesson with Baldwin.
Read MoreLego: The future of construction
COVID-19 will fundamentally reshape the global economy, particularly how and where we work. While some industries can comfortably accommodate working remotely, others don't have that luxury. A great example: construction. The current state is not sustainable, resulting in the need for alternative approaches to building that are safer and healthier. It’s time to reevaluate modular construction.
Read MoreCOVID-19: The Grand WFH Experiment
in Life
As we all adjust to the new 'After COVID' normal, those of us lucky enough to be able to work remotely are part of a grand experiment in WFH. However, these times are not truly representative of what distributed work looks like at scale. There is a big difference between working from home under normal circumstances and working from home during a global pandemic. The way we move forward needs to be considerate and deliberate. These are my suggestions for WFH during these uncertain times.
Read More