Latest news with #AbidHassan
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Don't obsess over Rs 10-20 crore goals but instead...: MobiKwik CEO, a Delhi IIT graduate, confesses he had less than Rs 1 crore in savings till age 40
Money goals are everywhere on social media, and if you scroll long enough, you'll find influencers casually throwing around numbers like Rs 10 or Rs 20 crore as if it's pocket change. But not everyone is buying the hype. Two top startup founders—Abid Hassan of Sensibull and Bipin Preet Singh of MobiKwik—are pushing back, warning young Indians to stop chasing unrealistic financial milestones and instead focus on building skills, careers, and meaningful impact. MobiKwik CEO Bipin Preet Singh shared his own story. A graduate of IIT Delhi, Singh revealed that by the time he turned 40, his savings were still under Rs 1 crore. Yet, that never bothered him. 'Young need to focus on impact and their calling in life; the money will follow,' he wrote. Today, Singh's 14.1% stake in MobiKwik is valued at over Rs 250 crore—proof that success doesn't always come from chasing arbitrary financial milestones but from building value over time. — BipinSingh (@BipinSingh) by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 15 Most Beautiful Women in the World Undo What did Abid Hassan say? Abid Hassan, co-founder of Sensibull, called out the toxic culture of influencers casually tossing around figures like Rs 10 crore or Rs 20 crore as if they're normal benchmarks. In a detailed post on X, he argued that such sums are life-changing for most Indians, even for the upper middle class, and making them seem ordinary is both misleading and damaging. Hassan accused influencers of deliberately creating insecurity so they can sell overpriced courses, crypto scams, or financial 'hacks.' He questioned why people who supposedly achieved financial independence would still spend their time pushing Rs 5,000 courses or shady collaborations instead of simply enjoying life. MORE STORIES FOR YOU ✕ « Back to recommendation stories I don't want to see these stories because They are not relevant to me They disrupt the reading flow Others SUBMIT For him, the real harm lies in how this narrative makes people feel inadequate for not reaching these 'huge' milestones. He urged young people not to compare themselves with others, since doing so only fuels anxiety and poor mental health. Instead, Hassan encouraged focusing on deepening skills, building competence, and pursuing meaningful work rather than chasing quick fixes like a '10-hour masterclass' or credit card optimisation tricks. True success, he said, comes from patience, long-term career growth, and living well—not from being pressured into unrealistic financial targets. He closed by reminding readers that it's okay if they haven't figured out how to hit Rs 10 or Rs 20 crore yet. Life is a long game, and the focus should be on learning, upskilling, and enjoying the journey instead of obsessing over arbitrary numbers.
Economic Times
a day ago
- Business
- Economic Times
As AI eats some IT jobs, Bengaluru NIT-IIM graduate remembers his Kerala uncle who told him 'no scope for computer science' 20 years ago
iStock In India, one thing that is never in short supply is free advice, often offered generously by neighbors and relatives who claim to know best In India, if there's anything given away for free, it's an unsolicited opinion, especially from self-proclaimed well-wishers. A Bengaluru-based entrepreneur recently reminisced about how he was heavily discouraged by a neighbourhood uncle from taking up computer science in the early 2000s, as he speculated that the dot-com craze would demolish a lot of engineering that time, he was preparing to pursue computer science at the National Institute of Technology, Calicut. Despite securing an excellent All India Engineering Entrance Examination rank, he faced sharp disapproval from a neighborhood elder who warned him that computer science had little future. The man, still influenced by the aftermath of the dot-com bubble burst, argued that technology careers were on shaky ground and unlikely to provide job security. — abidsensibull (@abidsensibull) Hassan acknowledged the suggestion with courtesy, though he was determined to follow his own path. Over the following two decades, his decision proved prescient. The technology landscape transformed rapidly with the growth of the internet, the dominance of IT services, the rise of digital advertising and search engines, the smartphone revolution, and the expansion of e-commerce and logistics. Emerging innovations like cryptocurrency, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and machine learning further reshaped the professional world, opening countless opportunities for those in the field. The sector that was once dismissed as unstable grew into one of the strongest pillars of the global economy. Today, however, a new shift is underway, he explained. The expansion of generative AI tools and advanced automation has started to reduce the need for certain low-skill IT roles. Hassan wryly notes that the same elder who once dismissed computer science might now feel vindicated, ready to remind him of those early warnings. Yet the reality is that technological progress has historically created far more opportunities than it has displaced, and those willing to adapt continue to thrive. Abid Hassan leads Sensibull, a trading platform headquartered in Bengaluru, as its Chief Executive Officer. He graduated from the National Institute of Technology, Calicut, and later from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.
News18
a day ago
- Business
- News18
Bengaluru CEO Slams Finance Influencers For Misleading Youth: ‘Worth Isn't Measured In 10-20 Crore'
Last Updated: A Bengaluru-based CEO hammered social media money influencers for promoting unrealistic financial freedom goals and taking advantage of people's insecurity to sell their products. A Bengaluru CEO unleashed his wrath against social media influencers for promoting unrealistic financial goals among youngsters seeking financial independence early in their lives. Sensibull CEO Abid Hassan had straightforward advice for such Indian youth: do not rely on finance influencers peddling insecurity and fake promises among them in the guise of selling courses that they claim will set a path towards a financially secure livelihood. Hassan noted how casually many influencers on the internet talk up the big sums, raising unrealistic aspirations of earning Rs 10-20 crores, which then evokes a sense of panic and insecurity while also paving the way for scammy financial products to be sold. '10 Crore is a huge number. 20 Crore is an even bigger life-changing number that one can only be grateful for. In a country like ours, it is not a normal or baseline expectation – even for the upper middle class," said Hassan in an eye-raising post on Twitter. 'I despise many things about the new age crop of influencers that mushroomed after COVID. But my number 1 problem is that they talk about these huge numbers like it is nothing." The Bengaluru CEO called out the trick used by many financial influencers, who casually drop such high-end numbers to make their viewers feel anxious and uncertain about their current state and sell their products, promising instant money security. 'Why do they do that? To make you feel bad, insecure, and inadequate. Why? Because they have their courses to sell, peddling greed and insecurity, promising you that you can achieve financial freedom like they did," explained Hassan. CEO Takes The Mask Off Financial Influencers Hassan hammered such financial advisors, stressing that a lot of these influencers who sell their aspirational courses online and promise Rs 10 crores net worth to struggling youth have not yet attained financial freedom themselves. 'Because, let us face it, why would people who achieved financial independence sell 5000 ₹courses, or keep DM open for crypto, and other fraudulent pump and dump collabs? Why not just retire and live a good life?" he said. 'A very young person is better off deep diving into his or her competence, and upskilling, and doing some world-changing shit. Not doing this 10-hour masterclass worth 1 Lakh rupees for putting some 20,000 ₹SIP in some flexicap fund. Or selling some stupid time-based option strategy. And definitely not this credit card optimization bullshit. No one got rich doing that." For youngsters, Hassan advised, it is better to focus on meaningful and sustainable growth instead of immediately eyeing financial freedom and building negative thoughts about their existing corpus. view comments First Published: News viral Bengaluru CEO Slams Finance Influencers For Misleading Youth: 'Worth Isn't Measured In 10-20 Crore' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Bengaluru CEO, an NIT-IIM passout, blasts fin-influencers. Asks, why are you selling Rs 5,000 stock market courses when you have achieved financial independence?
The Problem with Unrealistic Benchmarks Questioning the Motives of Influencers Exploiting Insecurities A Call for Perspective Who is Abid Hassan? Bengaluru-based entrepreneur Abid Hassan recently cautioned people against blindly believing financial influencers who glamorize wealth figures and market expensive courses. Sharing his perspective on LinkedIn, Hassan expressed strong disapproval of the culture where influencers trivialize enormous sums like Rs 10 crore or Rs 20 crore in order to instill insecurity among audiences and push their emphasized that accumulating Rs 10 crore is no ordinary achievement, and reaching ₹20 crore is even more extraordinary. In his view, such milestones cannot be regarded as the default expectation in India, even among the upper middle class. While he acknowledged that individuals who manage to cross these thresholds deserve appreciation, he stressed that not everyone will, and that reality is perfectly criticized the influencer community that mushroomed after the COVID-19 pandemic, calling out their tendency to treat massive sums casually, almost as if discussing pocket money. According to him, this tactic deliberately fosters feelings of inadequacy, insecurity, and greed—eventually pushing people toward buying overpriced courses that promise unrealistic financial independence."My number 1 problem is that they talk about these huge numbers like it is nothing - casually - like it is a 500 Rs note. And why do they do that? To make you feel bad, insecure, and inadequate. Why? Because they have their courses to sell, peddling greed and insecurity, promising you that you can achieve financial freedom like they did..." he CEO highlighted a paradox in the influencer model: those who genuinely achieve financial freedom would not need to sell courses for a few thousand rupees or indulge in questionable collaborations. He argued that if they were truly independent, they would choose to step away from social media marketing and simply enjoy life, instead of seeking income through crypto promotions, 'pump and dump' schemes, or endless direct detailed why he finds this trend harmful. First, he pointed out that it manipulates people's self-worth by equating success with hitting unrealistically high financial numbers. For the majority of individuals, missing these benchmarks is normal and not something to be ashamed of. Yet influencers deliberately frame it otherwise, making followers feel he observed that young professionals are especially vulnerable to these tactics. Instead of focusing on strengthening their skills, enhancing their competence, or working toward meaningful contributions, many get distracted by gimmicks such as costly masterclasses or trivial financial tricks. He dismissed these strategies—like minor SIP investments, credit card optimizations, or speculative trading—as ineffective for wealth creation. Worse, he warned that such distractions could derail people from their core Hassan underscored the outright scam-like nature of these schemes. By amplifying fear and anxiety about the future, influencers lure people into spending money on services that ultimately provide little or no those who have not yet amassed great wealth, Hassan urged calm and self-acceptance. Comparing oneself with others, he warned, only damages mental health and fuels unnecessary anxiety. Instead, he recommended channeling energy into learning new skills, building competence, focusing on long-term goals, and most importantly, enjoying life in the present Hassan is the Chief Executive Officer of Sensibull, a Bengaluru-based trading platform. An alumnus of NIT Calicut and IIM Ahmedabad, he is known for speaking candidly about financial literacy and the dangers of misleading online narratives.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru CEO slams influencers who peddle aspirations of ₹10 or 20 crore: ‘Not a normal expectation'
Sensibull CEO Abid Hassan has a word of advice for Indian youngsters who are looking for financial independence: Don't rely on finance influencers peddling insecurity and fake promises under the guise of selling courses. Sensibull CEO Abid Hassan calls out influencers selling finance courses. Hassan spoke out against the way new-age influencers casually talk about massive sums of money such as ₹10 crore or 20 crore, saying it creates unnecessary insecurity and fuels scammy financial products. Not a normal expectation '10 Crore is a huge number. 20 Crore is an even bigger life-changing number that one can only be grateful for. In a country like ours, it is not a normal or baseline expectation - even for the upper middle class,' the CEO of Sensibull said in an X post. 'I despise many things about the new age crop of influencers that mushroomed after COVID. But my number 1 problem is that they talk about these huge numbers like it is nothing,' he added. The Bengaluru-based CEO said that influencers often drop these large numbers casually to make their audience feel bad, and thereby sell their own products. 'Why do they do that? To make you feel bad, insecure, and inadequate. Why? Because they have their courses to sell, peddling greed and insecurity, promising you that you can achieve financial freedom like they did,' he explained. Financial freedom a distant dream for influencers Hassan added that most influencers selling these aspirational courses and promising ₹10 crore net worths have not achieved financial freedom themselves. 'Because, let us face it, why would people who achieved financial independence sell 5000 ₹courses, or keep DM open for crypto, and other fraudulent pump and dump collabs? Why not just retire and live a good life?' he asked. How to achieve financial independence For Hassan, the way to financial independence and early retirement (FIRE) — a dream peddled by many influencers — is certainly not paved with masterclasses in finance. 'A very young person is better off deep diving into his or her competence, and upskilling, and doing some world-changing shit. Not doing this 10-hour masterclass worth 1 Lakh rupees for putting some 20,000 ₹SIP in some flexicap fund,' he said. 'Or selling some stupid time-based option strategy. And definitely not this credit card optimization bullshit. No one got rich doing that,' Hassam added. Hassan urged young people not to compare themselves with others and instead focus on meaningful growth and their careers. 'So if you have not hit the number or figured out the way how to, do not worry. 'Do not compare yourself with others who have - it will only affect your mental health and make you anxious and worse off. Focus on learning, upskilling, living in the present, making the best of it, and most importantly, having a good life,' he said.
