Another year end...yet another hope for a better year end

Hey GRAPEVINERS, I came on this amazing platform 2 months back and soon I got to know that even anonymously I feel awesome connection with you all-( The identity without revealing the identity), whether it's about asking for masters abroad or about product management, someone was always there in the comments with satisfactory response that cleared my queries . Within 40 minutes, we are waving bye to 2023 , it actually taught me a lots of things -somethings were great ,somethings were worse , but whatever it is , that's making me stronger day by day , I hope 2024 will bring the best out of me as I am trying to work on myself and I hope guys it will be great for you too New goals , New Challenges , New opportunities , New People , New life is waiting ahead!! Happy New year in advance to GRAPEVINE FAM!!!

Hey GRAPEVINERS, I came on this amazing platform 2 months back and soon I got to know that even anonymously I feel awesome connection with you all-( The identity without revealing the identity), whether it's about asking for masters abroad or about product management, someone was always there in the comments with satisfactory response that cleared my queries . Within 40 minutes, we are waving bye to 2023 , it actually taught me a lots of things -somethings were great ,somethings were worse , but whatever it is , that's making me stronger day by day , I hope 2024 will bring the best out of me as I am trying to work on myself and I hope guys it will be great for you too New goals , New Challenges , New opportunities , New People , New life is waiting ahead!! Happy New year in advance to GRAPEVINE FAM!!!

- Central Banks have almost achieved their objective of controlling inflation through tightened monetary policy. Though the CPI is inching lower, asset inflation is resurfacing through stock prices and real estate. - Many listed companies that came out with the quarterly numbers are nothing good to talk about. Growth and profits are subdued and for small and mid caps the numbers are decimated but the stocks are still trading at a historical premium. - Analysts will once again start downgrading the earnings forecast and that will start the downward momentum. Once again people will undergo the "Flight to Quality" effect. - No of Bankruptcies is steadily increasing - No of Job openings are trending lower - Most of the US listed firms that have borrowed at a lower interest rate in 2021 are coming up for renewals this year. By the time they refinance, they will be doing it at a higher interest rate which will impact their PAT as a result their EPS estimates will take a biting. - Gold looks attractive from a market cycle standpoint. My Recommendation: - Have an emergency fund for at least 6 to 9 months to cover your expenses. - Exit overvalued small and microcaps stocks. Move to a reasonably valued large cap. - Have health insurance for you and your dependents. - Move out of small cap mutual funds and have some allocation to debt funds. Let me know your thoughts. I hope 2025 turns out better.

Hey GRAPEVINERS, I came on this amazing platform 2 months back and soon I got to know that even anonymously I feel awesome connection with you all-( The identity without revealing the identity), whether it's about asking for masters abroad or about product management, someone was always there in the comments with satisfactory response that cleared my queries . we are waving bye to 2023 , it actually taught me a lots of things -somethings were great ,somethings were worse , but whatever it is , that's making me stronger day by day , I hope 2024 will bring the best out of me as I am trying to work on myself and I hope guys it will be great for you too New goals , New Challenges , New opportunities , New People , New life is waiting ahead!! Happy New year in advance to GRAPEVINE FAM!!!

As we bid farewell to the challenges of the past, let's delve into why 2024 is poised to be a game-changer for the Indian Startups! 🚀 In 2020, the world weathered the storm of COVID, followed by unprecedented quantitative easing. We then saw that in 2021 the bull run came soaring. Investors, fueled by the appetite for riskier assets led to a funding boom for startups as salaries soared. Fast forward to 2022, and the music is about to stop. The realization that the Fed would hike rates to curb inflation means that funding is about to dry up as big money will be invested away into debt/T-Bills. Though demand remained robust, the stock market felt the impact as JPow raised the interest rates. Late 2022 and 2023 saw the tech landscape experiencing layoffs, and startups facing significant headwinds. It’s a wonder if anyone raised this year. But here's the twist—2024 looks brighter. The stock markets have rebounded to all-time highs, signaling that things may be on the rise. Despite geopolitical tensions in Ukraine and Iraq, the macro outlook for India shines bright. For Indian Startups? VC Funding is still here to stay. So keep your heads down and keep building. From what I am hearing, it is set to make a roaring comeback. There is now significant rationality in the funding ecosystem leading to realistic valuations. However, this revival will come with a plot twist. Newer companies, fueled by fresh funding, are set to rise, while most of the lofty valuations of those who raised in 2021 are about to crash and burn. So buckle up folks. Let’s see where it takes us. What do you think? 🤔

"It's that time of the year again—counting accomplishments. I came across a Twitter trend about such posts, and it's heartening to read about people achieving so much, including celebrating those seemingly small victories. As the year ends, I acknowledge those who may not have such so-called accomplishments; I hear you. This year felt monotonous for me, with neither highs nor lows, but looking back, I'm content. The year is over, and I'm optimistic about doing better and executing my plans in the coming year. Life is good, even when it feels stagnant. Don't be disheartened; it gets better. I've had some of my worst years, but they were followed by great ones. This especially goes out to young individuals entering the workforce—your favorite company or desired CTC might be just around the corner. Keep at it. Survival is the biggest achievement.

Talked to the son of my Dad's friend recently. Brilliant kid has a good GPA from IIIT-H + 2 research internships and 1 summer internship at good companies. He still can't find a "good" company to get into. (Side Note: "good" implies a high paying job relative to last couple of years) Apparently, most of his friends in other colleges are in the same boat. Massive pay correction has happened. The undergoing rationale is that companies hired Class of 2022 with no restraint because the demand was really strong during their placement season in 2021. This appears to be directly correlated with quantitative easing in the US and a low interest rate environment that was conducive to fundraising for several Series A+ startups. By the time Class of 2022 entered the market, everything changed and they felt some short term change. However, Class of 2023 is having a much tougher time. They are shoved into the job market in a time where demand is low and they are competing with kids who graduated last year. Ongoing consensus appears to be that a huge chunk of their batchmates are going to get their Masters abroad. Their hope is that by the time they graduate out of grad school, the economy will pick up and demand will be strong while they're poised to take advantage of that with bump up credentials. Unfortunately, this also implies that many of them will end up in the CPT-OPT-H1B-Green Card hell. This is really a tough spot to be in.

Just wanted to do a quick dip-stick from the people in this good community. In my network of friends' (companies), I'm starting to sense renewed optimism around business growth, funding environment and therefore jobs. I also feel there is more pessimism in larger companies versus smaller upstarts Are you guys seeing/ sensing the same as well?