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Clocked Wrong: From Bullshit Jobs to Rapid Prototyping
"Suitcases that cost more than the holiday," joked the officer. I laughed. It was a Saturday. On the Swiss end of the scenic bridge over the Rhine in Kaiserstuhl, four customs officers had stopped me, well informed about Swiss shopping habits. I had paid my dues, about 25 francs on an app, and proudly popped it open as they approached. A startup partner told me recently, after 25 years in a large IT company: "Only 20% of the IT workers actually contribute to client output. Th

Kannan Palani
May 13


Partnerships in the AI Era: Human Connection Beyond Reciprocation
Through three scenes — a couchsurfing experience, a young candidate planting saplings, and a friend's question over coffee, I explore why I chooses partnership over going it alone. Not for efficiency. Not for scale. But for the emotional joy of building with others, the relief of not carrying everything alone, and the deeper purpose of creating collective prosperity. An open invitation to bootstrapped entrepreneurs in Switzerland and India who believe there is more to busines

Kannan Palani
Apr 25


Introducing Vidai: Organic and Bootstrapped
Exploring freedom after leaving corporate life, I dive into technology, creativity, and autonomy—from DNS entries to green cake rituals. Between coding, family, and reflection, I rediscover time as the truest capital. Vidai, my seed of purpose, grows through patience and organic action—proof that self-skilling and mindful entrepreneurship can coexist with gratitude, curiosity, and renewal.

Kannan Palani
Apr 11


The Silence before the answer
I parked my e‑bike just a few inches in front of the stairs leading to the door, right in the middle, with a marked authority — the kind you learn from watching the S‑Class wait in the same spot after board meetings. I walked up the few short stairs with my head held high, with the ease lent by seventeen years of belonging. Inside, I smiled, handed back my badge, and said, “Danke für alles! Ich konnte Sophal heute nicht sehen. Sag bitte Bescheid, dass ich ihr bald schreibe.”

Kannan Palani
Mar 28


A Happy People Have No Need of Heroes
As I walked into Orgosolo, this mural stands to welcome you, amidst the first wall to the inner town. It doesn't announce itself. It doesn’t dominate the wall or demand reverence. It shares its space with other murals—layered, almost crowded by the windows and other murals — as if it knows it is not meant to stand alone. At its centre is an old man, unremarkable at first glance. No raised fist. No heroic posture. In fact just a hat, white beard and a walking stick. A face sha

Kannan Palani
Mar 14


Coimbatore: Industry in Its Bones, Hospitality in Its Heart
After nearly three hours of driving from Kochi through lush, biodiverse Kerala—past swaying palms and the occasional tea-and-chips stall—the concrete sprawl of Coimbatore comes as a jolt. The greenery gives way to flyovers and factory facades. Yet just as the first impression threatens to harden, the early-morning walkers—already filling the streets with quiet purpose—soften it. They move with an ant mindset: industrious, disciplined, and collective. It’s a fitting welcome to

Kannan Palani
Feb 28


When Stability Stops Scaling: A Mid Career Pivot
For most of my life, I did exactly what I was supposed to do. I studied hard. I went abroad. I collected the right credentials. Like many Indians of my generation, education wasn’t about discovery—it was about arriving at a secure, respectable job. That was success. That was safety. And it worked. Indians abroad grew from about 20 million in 2000 to roughly 35 million by 2025. In my INSEAD MBA class, around 20% were Indian, far more than any other nationality. We weren’t shor

Kannan Palani
Feb 14


You Clock In. Capital Never Clocks Out.
Time as a Unit of measure is letting down labor. On the other hand compounding effect of capital and the lack of effective distribution is society is concerning.

Kannan Palani
Jan 31


Software in the AI Era: From SaaS to Open Source
A look at the evolution of SaaS applications and how they are being challenged in the AI Era

Kannan Palani
Jan 17


Quality in 3D: Maturity, Simplicity and Effectiveness
A useful framework for working the combination of process, data and application and the right application of skills

Kannan Palani
Jan 3


Human Institutional Memory in the AI Era — And Why It Matters
After sixteen years at a company with a multibillion‑dollar market cap, I’ve realized that one of the most valuable things I bring isn’t just experience — it’s institutional memory. Over the years, I’ve watched leadership transitions unfold: three CEOs, four CFOs, five CHROs, and seven CDIOs. Each brought something different, and being here through those changes has helped me understand how decisions evolve, how priorities shift, and how to keep teams grounded through it all.

Kannan Palani
Dec 19, 2025


Beyond Breath and Equanimity: Rediscovering Vipassana
My Journey with Vipassana A few years ago, a friend introduced me to Vipassana meditation through dhamma.org . Curious, I coenrolled in a 10-day course. Those ten days were unlike anything I had ever experienced. I discovered aspects of myself I had never encountered before. Yet, what stood out most vividly was not the silence or the insights—it was the persistent back pain and the constant desire to shift into more comfortable postures. After completing the course, I drifted

Kannan Palani
Nov 10, 2025
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