Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) programs are nothing new, but the resurgence of installment-based programs in the early 2020s has generated interest not seen since the Great Depression. With retailers and third-party vendors alike getting into the BNPL business, it’s worth thinking through the ways these programs can benefit consumers, as well as the risks … More The Good and Bad of Buy Now, Pay Later
People often like to think about the “what ifs?” in life. Some are small (“maybe I should have gotten the side salad instead of fries”), and some are big enough to be nexus points: big, pivotal moments that have shaped your life so far. I want to muse more on the notion of nexus points, … More Nexus Points and Butterfly Wings
There are a ton of sports metaphors in the business world. It’s about time that a more diverse set of experiences is integrated into business jargon, and I’m starting off with orchestra: “All right everyone, time to tune” Meaning: in an orchestra, you tune your instruments using an agreed-upon hertz frequency to make sure that … More Orchestra Business Metaphors
I’ve passed the 2-year mark at ZS, and I’m thankful for getting to learn and grow from various colleagues and projects. At my work-from-home setup, in the offices and client sites, and on the top floor of the famous Skokie DoubleTree, I’ve have the opportunity to make things happen at the intersection of analytics and … More Lessons Learned from Management Consulting at ZS
Since I arrived in Silicon Valley to start my freshman year of college, I’ve seen generations of startups grow from small teams with big ideas into billion-dollar behemoths creating large-scale change. Along the way, I’ve also seen startups on the opposite spectrum: fads, “first world problems” to the nth degree, and in some cases, dangerous … More Bad Startups
A year into a pandemic, and several stimulus packages later, various media pundits and economic/policy experts have begun to raise alarm about higher inflation. How we define inflation, and how much inflation actually occurs, are both important factors for how you could respond to these changes in the 2020s. Defining Inflation Inflation is the increase … More Inflation and the new Roaring 20s
Charts, graphs, and a whole assortment of visuals are commonly used to summarize information. Although these graphics may look nice visually, the caveats behind a chart can be even more important than what’s being shown. Here are three simple questions to consider the next time you review a “data-driven” graph: Who made it? No matter … More How to (Mis)read a Graph
It seems like the perennial pastime of many a pundit, news organization, or modern “influencer” is to announce the imminent collapse of California (or at least the Bay Area). If the title didn’t make this apparent, let me be clear: I disagree. On one hand, California certainly faces a whole host of issues: climate change … More California’s Future Still Shines Golden
In the United States, the 401(k) wasn’t intended to be the only account for people to draw on in retirement. As the first wave of workers in the “401(k) generation” begin to retire, only time will tell what unforeseen consequences may come from its rise to the forefront of retirement savings accounts. Let’s start at … More A 401(k) isn’t Enough
In early 2020, the Pokemon market started to rapidly heat up. Although some older games and assorted memorabilia have also seen prices spike in the frenzy, the real golden tickets have been rare, colorful pieces of cardboard — Pokemon cards. Several overlapping socioeconomic factors and decades of sustained love for the global franchise have created … More What’s a Charizard Worth?
