Compounding is usually explained with money. Invest early, stay patient, and time does the rest. What is less discussed, but equally powerful, is how digital adoption compounds. Each new user, each new platform, each small behavioural shift quietly adds momentum. Over time, this momentum reshapes economies, lifestyles and investment landscapes. India today stands at the centre of this digital compounding story.  India today stands at the centre of this digital compounding sto

Most businesses don’t stall because of strategy or capital. They stall because the people story quietly breaks before the growth story begins. Every Indian SME founder knows this moment. Orders are coming in. Customers want more. The market feels ready. And yet, something inside the organization feels… off. Meetings take longer. Decisions get reworked quietly. Good people seem tired, not lazy. Managers appear busy, but outcomes feel thinner. Nothing is technically broken. But

As the holiday season draws to a close and the new year approaches, many of us are reflecting on the year gone by and planning for the year ahead. It is a time filled with joy, celebration, and thoughtful giving. But have you ever wondered why we need to escape from work to truly enjoy ourselves? Why can’t every day feel like a holiday season? Well, it can. The secret lies in gifting your future self through investing. One gift that keeps on giving, whether you are celebratin

In almost every closed-door conversation with a seasoned business owner today, a similar confession surfaces — often spoken quietly, sometimes with discomfort, and usually followed by a pause. “I know content matters now. I just don’t have the time for it.” What follows is a familiar list of frustrations. They don’t know what to post. They’re not comfortable recording videos. They’re unsure what their audience would even find valuable. Their team keeps insisting that LinkedIn

Manufacturers brace for higher costs, and artisans face an uncertain future Mumbai:  Amid a sharp rise in gold and silver prices, a steep increase in the prices of base metals such as copper, brass and aluminium has compounded the crisis for Indian manufacturing and artisanal industries. With copper prices jumping by nearly 40 per cent over the past year, and brass and aluminium rising by around 20 per cent and 16 per cent respectively, industry players fear severe cost press

An AI bubble meltdown may push investors away from equities and into gold, while a softer dollar and low rates provide foundational support for price gains. Gold has reached once-unthinkable prices at USD 4,468 per troy ounce (31.1347 grams) in 2025, gaining over 72.25 per cent this year as of 23 December 2025. Due to record-high prices in the international market, there is reduced interest in spot buying in the Indian bullion market. In Mumbai, bullion dealers are offering g

Even as global shocks mounted, the first half of FY26 revealed an economy that could still surprise on the upside. For much of the first half of FY26, the narrative around India’s economy seemed almost wilfully gloomy. Uncertainty over American tariffs, a stalled trade deal with Washington, Western pressure to curtail Russian oil imports, China’s chokehold over rare earths and the ever-present risk of an oil shock from the Iran–Israel conflict combined to darken the global mo

Avoiding double taxation is as much about strategic financial planning as it is about legal compliance. In a globalised world, many Indians live, work, or retire abroad. These Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) often earn income from multiple countries, including India, creating the risk of double taxation—where the same income is taxed both in India and the country of residence. This article explains, from a chartered accountant’s perspective, how NRIs can avoid double taxation whi

As global peers struggle with inflation or stagnation, India finds growth and stability in a rare alignment. India’s economy is basking in a rare ‘Goldilocks moment,’ evoking the fairy tale  Goldilocks and the Three Bears  where conditions are just right, ‘not too hot, not too cold.’ The GDP surges at 7-8 percent without overheating, spurring job creation and maximizing resource utilization. Inflation nestles comfortably in the 2-4 percent sweet spot, safeguarding purchasing

Easy access to markets has encouraged confidence, but sustained investing success still depends on discipline, process and emotional control. Every market cycle revives a familiar question: should individuals manage their own investments, or should they entrust the task to professionals? The debate appears straightforward. Markets are open, information is widely available, and technology has put trading platforms into every pocket. If professional fund managers work with larg

Most leadership damage is not caused by bad intent. It’s caused by unseen impact Some leadership problems don’t show up as conflict. They show up as silence. Second-guessing. Cautious execution. People “playing safe” instead of thinking. A team that looks functional… but feels emotionally tired. That’s what this series was really about. After The People Paradox (Series 7) explored the founder’s view of a team that stops behaving like a family, The Boss Paradox flipped the len

Every year, investors eagerly anticipate dividends, much like children waiting for Santa Claus. These distributions of corporate profits, paid to shareholders, are one of the most rewarding aspects of owning stocks. While stock price appreciation is a major driver of returns, dividends often act as a reliable and consistent gift that keeps on giving. A Seasonal Surprise Just as Santa delivers presents annually, many companies reward their shareholders with periodic dividends.

There comes a stage in every business where growth no longer responds to effort alone. The founder is working harder than ever, the systems are in place, the numbers are healthy, yet expansion feels stubbornly out of reach. Sales plateau, conversations repeat themselves, and despite competence and credibility, momentum slows. It is not failure, but it is not progress either. This is the Catch-22 many business owners quietly find themselves in — wanting to grow, knowing they s

With the new capital gains rules in place, understanding tax rates and holding periods has become crucial in determining what investors finally take home. Over the last few years, investments in shares and mutual funds have increased significantly among Indian taxpayers. While these instruments offer attractive returns, the taxation of capital gains often creates confusion, particularly following the recent government changes. As a chartered accountant, I frequently encounter

An anxious investor entered his adviser’s office, clutching a file of stock charts. He was convinced he had found the perfect moment to enter the market. His plan was to wait for the precise dip, jump in, make quick gains and exit smartly. The adviser smiled gently, the way a teacher smiles at a student who thinks the syllabus ends with the first chapter, and began narrating a small tale that has stayed with me for long. He spoke of two farmers. One sowed seeds as the monsoon

Teams don’t follow the org chart. They follow influence. It began, as distortions often do, with something small.   A client asked for a minor tweak.   Priya created a plan, aligned the team, and got ready to ship.   Twelve minutes later, the direction changed completely.   Not because the client updated the brief.   Not because Rohit, the founder, intervened. It changed because someone Rohit trusted… a former colleague, not part of the company … dropped a casual suggestion o

SEBI’s recent action against a popular trading educator has once again reminded the country of a simple but powerful truth: do not misguide people by promoting the stock market as a get rich quick scheme. What SEBI Is Really Examining The regulator was not trying to curb financial learning. It was examining something far more serious - whether education had quietly turned into stock tips, fast money promises and unregistered live trading calls. The Ironic Reality SEBI Discove

AI Generated Image Success has a strange way of changing the atmosphere around a person. The climb is crowded, competitive, and loud — but the higher you rise, the quieter it becomes. Many founders who once dreamed of hitting big revenues and building powerful teams are surprised to find that the peak feels more isolating than they ever imagined. They have stability, scale, and status — yet they carry responsibilities, decisions, and pressures that very few people around them

Plan early, choose wisely and invest smartly to enter FY 2025–26 with lower tax and greater financial stability. Most salaried individuals rush into tax planning at year-end, leading to poor choices and stress. With the New Tax Regime taking focus for FY 2025–26, early planning is wiser—it reduces tax, improves cash flow and clarifies long-term goals. The guidelines below provide a simple, structured approach. 1. Choosing Your Tax Regime Your first step is choosing between th

When kindness becomes micromanagement It started with a simple leave request.   “Hey, can I take Friday off? Need a personal day,” Meera messaged Rohit. Rohit replied instantly:   “Of course. All good. Just stay reachable if anything urgent comes up.”   He meant it as reassurance. But the team didn’t hear reassurance. They heard a rule.   By noon, two things had shifted inside The Workshop:   Meera felt guilty for even asking. Everyone else quietly updated their mental handbo