Author: Rabindra

Rs. 2000 Note Withdrawal – Not a Housing Deal-breaker

– Akash Pharande, Managing Director – Pharande Spaces

Mmaximize steals the spotlight – Masoom Minawala and Schbang launch a talent management vertical

Schbang has launched a joint venture with global influencer and entrepreneur Masoom Minawala called Mmaximize. It brings the personal and professional experience of Minawala with Schbang’s strategy, industry know-how and business acumen.

A content creator herself, Masoom Minawala has been the recipient of Forbes Asia’s 30 under 30 list, and has represented India at many global platforms She is collaborating with Schbang, the digital and technology transformation company associated with key Indian and international brands like Amazon, TATA Neu, H&M, Johnson & Johnson, Fevicol, Mattel and Jio. The eight-year-old company has over 1200 employees and has been awarded LinkedIn’s top startups in India in 2018, 2021, and 2022. Schbang has also won the Social Media Agency of the Year by ET Brand Equity and has been awarded as India’s Fastest Growing digital agencies 2023 by Agency Reporter.

As per the Influencer marketing report, the Indian influencer marketing industry’s value will reach Rs. 2,200 crores by 2025, growing at an annual rate of 25% over the next five years. Creators are doing more with their platform, like conducting workshops, bagging big-budget productions, and venturing into entrepreneurship, among many other things.

Mmaximize aims to provide a 360-degree multifaceted approach for creators to build their personal brands. The services will include PR & Image building, identifying revenue streams, legal and financial support, invoicing and billing, negotiating brand deals, building brand strategy and monthly and quarterly content planning.

Mmaximize’s vision is to build an unassailable business model for India’s top creators that fuses their creative prowess with Mmaximize’s strategy, analytical thinking, industry know-how and business acumen to foster the creation of personal brands and realize their full potential.

On the collaboration, Masoom Minawala – Global Influencer, Entrepreneur and Investor said, “The business of influencing has been a passion from the day I started creating content —the art of strategy, brand building, client servicing, cultivating relationships with brands to create multiple streams of revenue, all of it. While I’ve been fortunate to establish a solid framework for myself, there has always been a burning desire to extend this expertise to others in the industry.”

“That’s how Schbang MMaximize was born—an amalgamation of my 12 years of experience & expertise and Schbang’s digital reign, infrastructure, & access to over 300 brands” she continued.

Harshil Karia, Founder, Schbang said, “For Schbang, this is an important strategic move. It brings us closer to creators and helps us leverage our efficient service standards, and access to tech companies and clients to be able to deliver a market-beating service for Talent in India and beyond. It will also help the large client pool in Schbang give the first opportunity to co-create IPs with many exciting creators and celebrities.

I could not think of anyone better than Masoom to partner with on this joint venture.” he continued.

Lobb Logistics Unveils Comprehensive Price Index History and Forecast

Bengaluru – June 7, 2023 – Lobb Logistics, a leading logistics company, is thrilled to announce the integration of its groundbreaking Price Index History and Forecast tool. This innovative solution provides the app users with a comprehensive view of historical price data and accurate forecasts to help them make informed decisions in an ever-changing logistics landscape.

The Price Index History and Forecast leverages advanced machine learning algorithms and powerful data analytics to deliver a robust and reliable analysis of price trends across various markets and sectors. By examining vast quantities of historical data, the tool offers valuable insights into past price fluctuations, enabling users to identify patterns, understand market dynamics, and formulate effective strategies.

Key features of the Price Index History and Forecast tool include:

Extensive Historical Data: The tool compiles and organizes an extensive repository of historical price data spanning season & years. Users can access and analyse this wealth of information to gain a deep understanding of price movements over a period of time.

Accurate Forecasts: Lobb’s state-of-the-art forecasting models utilize cutting-edge techniques to generate accurate predictions of future price trends. These forecasts provide invaluable guidance for businesses, transporters, and users to make informed decisions and mitigate risks.

Sector-Specific Insights: The tool allows users to explore price data and forecasts specific to their industry or sector of interest. This tailored approach helps users gain a granular understanding of price dynamics within their respective domains.

User-Friendly Interface: Lobb has designed an intuitive and user-friendly interface that enables easy navigation and data visualization. Users can effortlessly explore historical price trends and forecasts, making it accessible to both experts and novices alike.

“We are excited to introduce the Price Index History and Forecast tool, which empowers individuals and organizations with comprehensive price information,” said Venu Kondur, CEO of Lobb Logistics. “By leveraging our advanced AI capabilities, users can gain valuable insights into past price patterns and make better decisions for their businesses and investments.”

Lobb’s Price Index History and Forecast tool is available as a web-based platform/application accessible to users in India. The tool supports a wide range of industries and is invaluable for economists, financial analysts, business leaders, and policymakers seeking reliable and actionable price information.

The Age-defying Investment Power of Ownership Homes

– by Akash Pharande, managing Director – Pharande Spaces

Property prices increase even though buildings age. How come? In the case of most other manufactured products other than gold ornaments, prices decrease as the product ages, don’t they?

Most people prefer to buy new homes rather than used properties because older properties need more maintenance and repair and because new projects have better amenities and facilities. A TV, car or mobile phone rapidly lose value every month because of wear and tear, and newer models are constantly being churned out.

But while older properties do lose resale value to some extent, they retain much of their inherent value no matter how old they get – and, if one waits long enough, eventually become more valuable than before.

Properties in older buildings in one area cost more than properties in another, much newer buildings. How does this happen?

It’s a good question, and every existing or aspiring homebuyer should understand the dynamics involved. To get a grip on it, let’s return to the above example of gold ornaments. There are two primary factors involved:

The inherent value of the basic material: Gold is a precious metal whose value appreciates because of scarcity because there are finite gold reserves on the planet

The manufacturer’s brand: A gold ornament made by a famous jewellery brand is worth more than an ornament with the same amount of gold by an unknown manufacturer. This is because the well-known brand has invested much more in timeless design and quality workmanship. Therefore, it stands the test of time and commands more desirability.

What does this have to do with housing?

The inherent value of the basic material: In rapidly developing or fully-developed urban areas, available land is limited and gets costlier over time. Every apartment owner has a share of the land on which the project is built.

The constantly decreasing supply of land pushes up property prices, even if the buildings themselves are aging. Location plays a huge role because some areas provide a better lifestyle than others.

The manufacturer’s brand: As in the case of jewellery, the brand of a real estate developer matters. Today, most homebuyers prefer to buy properties by reputed developers, and not only because they know that their under-construction homes will be delivered on time. Branded players invest more into both the quality and location of their projects and also in the scope and quality of project maintenance. For this reason, their projects also see much more rental demand.

Don’t aging building depreciate?

Even with the most careful use, gold ornaments get tarnished over time. Decades after they were first made, they will have lost much of their sheen. Nevertheless, the base material – gold – not only retains its value but becomes even more valuable.

Old ornaments can be melted down to make new ones with a brand-new sheen. No value is lost in the process, and the ‘making charges’ are already recouped because gold has already become scarcer.

The cement, steel and other materials used in modern buildings – even those by branded builders – degrade over the decades. However, the basic input – land – appreciates, and every property owner’s share of the project’s land becomes more valuable. In high-quality such as integrated townships and gated communities, the developer has locked in the appreciating power of not only land but location, as well as reserved green open areas and amenity spaces that add further value over and above the base value of every apartment owner’s share of the plot.

Old buildings are demolished after 50-60 years, and new ones with superior amenities are built. At this point, the original property owners are in the driver’s seat, and their new properties are invariably bigger, better and more valuable than the first ones.

Macro factors

– Supply and Demand: The demand for property is influenced by population growth, economic conditions, and the desirability of the location. If the demand for property in a particular area outweighs the available supply, prices will rise, irrespective of the age of the buildings.

– Inflation: Property prices are influenced by overall inflation, which erodes currency’s purchasing power and causes products with in-built value to appreciate over time. Here again, gold and real estate share very similar attributes.

Final thoughts

All of the above revolves around monetary value, but an owned property is valuable in many other respects. You pay no rent on it, and it gives you a lifetime of safety and convenience – or income if it is rented out. Moreover, there is ‘social value’ to consider.

Property owners and tenants hardly share the same social status, nor do tenants have as many legal rights than owners when it comes to using the property. And finally, tenants have no share in the value of the property they occupy.

Interestingly, the age-old ‘buy or rent’ debate was finally put to rest during the Covid-19 pandemic – ‘buy’ has emerged as the way to go. Why did it take a global health cataclysm to cause even life-long renters to come to the market as property buyers? There are plenty of theories, but all the reasons are a combination of human psychology and fiscal prudence.

We like to own what we use, and we like to see our investments grow. And housing prices zooming anywhere between 5-15% in just the last two years, the investment sense behind owning residential real estate is far beyond dispute.

Vestige Marketing celebrates 19 years of its journey with the theme Future Healthy

3rd June 2023 New Delhi – Vestige Marketing Pvt Ltd, one of India’s largest home-grown direct-selling companies with a vast portfolio in health, wellness, and personal care products, celebrates 19 years of operations since its inception in 2004. Expanding the core of its business — health — that connects its products, people, partners, in fact, the entire ecosystem, Vestige steps into the second decade of its operations with the visionary theme –Future Healthy.

Vestige Marketing, which is contributing to the growth of the wellness sector, has been driving their efforts to provide a healthy lifestyle for consumers with its finest range of products in the category of health & wellness. Vestige has also empowered and transformed the lives of millions of distributors across India,as well as international markets, providing access to health & wellness products for a better tomorrow.Over its journey of 19 years, Vestige celebrates the incredible legacy that it has built to empower individuals, nurture entrepreneurship, and create a positive impact in the world that can lead to Future Healthy. Vestige, with its meticulous strategies has relentlessly worked towards cultivating an exceptional level of trust, and respect and becoming future-ready.

The company’s vision encompasses helping people live a life of economic independence on their own terms. With a dedication to innovation and excellence, Vestige is poised to sustain its growth and success in the direct selling industry by introducing innovative health & wellness products for creating a better and healthier future for all.

Speaking on this occasion Mr. Gautam Bali, MD, Vestige Marketingsaid ‘’Achieving the milestone of 19 years is a great feeling. As we step into our 20th year, we envision creating a healthier world to ensure that everyone’sfuture is healthy with us. As we celebrate this joyous occasion, we reflect on our journey of bringing high-quality health & wellness products for our consumers. We are grateful for the unwavering support of our dedicated team, partners and customers who have been an integral part of our success. Together we will continue to pave the way of spreading wealth through wellness and aim to build a healthier and more resilient future’’.

Vestige endeavors to expand its wellness product segment by introducing multiple world-class products that enhance the health and well-being of customers. Keeping in mind the needs of new-age consumers, great emphasis on natural ingredients is a priority. The company recently introduced several new revolutionary products such as CMD (Concentrated Mineral Drops), Energy Booster, Absorvit Vitamins Sublingual Sprays etc. to address everyday wellness needs. With its commitment to innovation and excellence, Vestige is well-placed to continue its growth and success in the Direct Selling industry.

Vestige Marketing has created a large network of distributors that is constantly expanding year after year. It continues to enrich the lives of those who are a part of the company and those who believe in its healthcare & wellness products. In the coming years, the company is prepared to for its journey of continued growth, empowering its customers with robust products and immunity-boosting solutions.

ICICI Bank commits a contribution of Rs 1,200 crore to Tata Memorial Centre

Mumbai: ICICI Bank today announced a commitment to contribute Rs 1,200 crore towards Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), a premier institution that runs cancer treatment and research centres across the country.

ICICI Bank will donate the money from its CSR funds to set up three new buildings spanning over a combined area of 7.5 lakh square feet and equip them with state-of-the-art machines at TMC’s centres at Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, Mullanpur in Punjab and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

With the largest contribution from any institution to TMC, ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth (ICICI Foundation), the CSR arm of ICICI Bank, will implement the initiative, which is likely to be completed by 2027.

With modern equipment and specialised multidisciplinary teams, these new centres of excellence in oncology treatment will provide advanced and evidence based therapies to nearly 25,000 new patients a year, doubling the present capacity and providing a significant boost to the country’s cancer treatment infrastructure.

ICICI Foundation has signed an agreement with TMC to express this commitment. Mr. Sanjay Datta, President, ICICI Foundation and Dr. R. A. Badwe, Director, Tata Memorial Centre signed the agreement in the presence of Mr. Girish Chandra Chaturvedi, Chairman, ICICI Bank and Mr. Sandeep Batra, Executive Director, ICICI Bank.

Mr. Chaturvedi also inaugurated the ICICI MRI Facility today at Tata Memorial Hospital at Parel in Mumbai in the presence of Dr. Badwe and Mr. Batra. This facility is equipped with an advanced MRI machine supported by ICICI Foundation.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Girish Chandra Chaturvedi, Chairman, ICICI Bank, said: “ICICI Bank has a long-standing legacy of being in service of the nation. In line with this philosophy, ICICI Foundation has been working continuously to improve the well-being of citizens through its various initiatives in the areas of environmental conservation, skill development for sustainable livelihood, affordable healthcare and community development projects. Over the years, ICICI Foundation has planted over 2.6 million trees across the country, created capacity of harvesting 17.1 billion litres annually of rainwater at 5000 rural schools and watershed structures, implemented rooftop solar panel for rural schools, benefitted more than 2.9 million lives through skilling initiatives, with more than half being women. It has also benefitted over 6.5 million individuals through its social initiatives and over 1.5 million lives through its healthcare initiatives. Overall, ICICI Foundation has positively impacted more than 10.9 million beneficiaries through its various initiatives.

Today, we are committing Rs 1,200 crore for building three new blocks at TMC’s centres at Navi Mumbai, Mullanpur and Visakhapatnam by 2027. As part of our commitment towards promoting healthcare, this initiative will enhance comprehensive cancer care services in different regions of our country by providing patients access to advanced and latest cancer therapies. These new buildings will also serve as regional referral centres and mitigate the need for patients to travel long distances to visit Tata Memorial Hospital at Parel in Mumbai.”

Adding on the occasion, Dr. R. A. Badwe, Director, Tata Memorial Centre, said, “We are extremely grateful to ICICI Foundation for embarking on one of the largest CSR initiatives to improve cancer care across the country. The infrastructure which is being added at the three hospitals of Tata Memorial Centre at Navi Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Mullanpur will provide timely and high-quality treatment to people in the region at highly subsidised costs. It is critical that advanced cancer care is delivered closer to home so that more people from the region benefit from accessing such therapies.

The radiation therapy block at ACTREC, Navi Mumbai will play a vital role in not only providing timely radiotherapy to a large number of patients but will also be delivered with the most advanced techniques, both of which are critical for a successful outcome. Childhood and adult blood cancers are highly curable but require very intense therapies. The ICICI centres being established at Visakhapatnam and Mullanpur are dedicated children and blood cancer centres and will provide state-of-the-art multidisciplinary care. These centres will soon become regional hubs offering advanced therapies such as bone marrow transplant and cellular therapies to patients from the region.”

The salient features of ICICI Bank’s commitment are:

ICICI Foundation will set up an ‘ICICI Radiation Oncology Block’ at TMC’s Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research & Education in Cancer (ACTREC) at Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. This block will be equipped with state-of-the-art radiology facilities including CT scanner and MRT, new facility for outdoor patients, laboratories and radiotherapy facility for in-patients. All these together under one roof will help reduce waiting time significantly for investigations and hence enhance the quality of treatment.

ICICI Foundation will set up two ‘ICICI Paediatric and Haematological Oncology Block’ at TMC’s Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre at Mullanpur in Punjab and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. These centres will provide an array of advanced equipment and therapies, which are required to treat paediatric and haematological cancer. The facilities will include intense chemotherapy, bone marrow transplantation, radiation therapy and newer immunotherapies like CAR-T cell, which are available only at super specialised centres. For the convenience of in-patient care, the centres will also have dedicated beds, day care units, ICUs, MRI and CT – PET Scan facility as well as laboratories for advanced testing including genetics, which are critical for treating paediatric and haematological cancers. These centres will also become regional referral centres in the entire southern and northern parts of the country.

World Environment Day | Quote | Sooraj Balakrishnan, Head of Marketing, Acer India

By Sooraj Balakrishnan, Head of Marketing, Acer India. Request you to please share this with the relevant media.

“On this World Environment Day, let us unite against the grave consequences of plastic pollution. It is an environmental crisis that devastates ecosystems, imperils marine life, and threatens human health. Urgent action is paramount, and technology companies play a pivotal role in combating this peril. Through eco-friendly technologies and responsible consumption, we can reduce our reliance on single-use plastics and champion the principles of a circular economy. Collaboration among industry leaders, investors, policymakers, and governments is vital for lasting change. As a frontrunner in technology, Acer embraces its duty to minimize plastic waste across our operations. We actively seek sustainable alternatives, integrating them into our products and processes to pave the way for a more sustainable future. Acer’s Earthion initiative leads the charge in developing eco-friendly technologies and forging alliances with like-minded organizations. Together, we can spark innovation, raise awareness, and build a plastic-free future. Our collective actions today will carve an indelible legacy of sustainability for generations to come.”