Fabrice Grinda

  • Playing with
    Unicorns
  • Featured
  • Categories
  • Portfolio
  • About Me
  • Newsletter
  • AI
  • RO
    • EN
    • FR
    • AR
    • BN
    • DA
    • DE
    • ES
    • FA
    • HI
    • ID
    • IT
    • JA
    • KO
    • NL
    • PL
    • PT-BR
    • PT-PT
    • RU
    • TH
    • UK
    • UR
    • VI
    • ZH-HANS
    • ZH-HANT
× Image Description

Subscribe to Fabrice's Newsletter

Tech Entrepreneurship, Economics, Life Philosophy and much more!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Menu

  • RO
    • EN
    • FR
    • AR
    • BN
    • DA
    • DE
    • ES
    • FA
    • HI
    • ID
    • IT
    • JA
    • KO
    • NL
    • PL
    • PT-BR
    • PT-PT
    • RU
    • TH
    • UK
    • UR
    • VI
    • ZH-HANS
    • ZH-HANT
  • Home
  • Playing with Unicorns
  • Featured
  • Categories
  • Portfolio
  • About Me
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
Sari la conținut
Fabrice Grinda

Internet entrepreneurs and investors

× Image Description

Subscribe to Fabrice's Newsletter

Tech Entrepreneurship, Economics, Life Philosophy and much more!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Fabrice Grinda

Internet entrepreneurs and investors

Lună: iunie 2011

I love the OLX India TV ads!

I love the OLX India TV ads!

Watch them in order 🙂

Autor FabricePublicat pe iunie 29, 2011august 10, 2023Categorii OLX18 comentarii la I love the OLX India TV ads!

Summons by Robert Francis

Summons by Robert Francis

I must be in romantic mood as I feel compelled to share one of my favorite poems 🙂

Summons

Keep me from going to sleep too soon
Or if I go to sleep too soon
Come wake me up. Come any hour
Of night. Come whistling up the road.
Stomp on the porch. Bang on the door.
Make me get out of bed and come
And let you in and light a light.
Tell me the northern lights are on
And make me look. Or tell me clouds
Are doing something to the moon
They never did before, and show me.
See that I see. Talk to me till
I’m half as wide awake as you
And start to dress wondering why
I ever went to bed at all.
Tell me the walking is superb.
Not only tell me but persuade me.
You know I’m not too hard persuaded.

Robert Francis

Autor FabricePublicat pe iunie 27, 2011august 10, 2023Categorii Quotes & Poems1 comentariu la Summons by Robert Francis

Cameron Rules, Sarkozy Sucks!

Cameron Rules, Sarkozy Sucks!

Over the last two weeks I had the pleasure of attending the eG8 Summit in Paris at the invitation of French President Nicolas Sarkozy and being invited to tea with David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the UK, at 10 Downing Street. I wanted to share my reflections on both experiences.

The fact that Sarkozy got 1,000 Internet entrepreneurs together in Paris in less than 6 weeks was actually a very impressive feat. Moreover, the who’s who of the Internet was there: Mark Zuckerberg, John Donahue, Eric Schmidt, Sean Parker and many others!

McKinsey started by sharing the findings of a very interesting study they did on the Internet where they showed that:

  • For every job destroyed by the Internet, it creates 2.6 jobs
  • The Internet accounted for 3.7% of GDP in the countries they surveyed
  • The Internet was one of the fastest growing components of GDP in the countries surveyed

Sarkozy then gave a very eloquent speech where he stressed the importance of the Internet to France and as a force for liberty and freedom around the world as displayed during the Arab uprisings. Unfortunately, this is where my compliments end.

Sarkozy kept emphasizing how important it was for the Internet to be “civilized” (e.g.; regulated) and for intellectual property to be protected. The conference itself was boring as the old guard was talking to and at the entrepreneurs rather than talking with them. Worse, the smaller working “forums” were useless as the concluding slides had been written before the conference and their content in no way reflected the discussions in those forums (if anything, they said the exact opposite)! All the political “conclusions” had been reached before the conference even started!

The French government was not ready to heed the advice of the delegates. Eric Schmidt suggested: „Technology will move faster than governments, so don’t legislate before you understand the consequences. You want to tread lightly in regulating brand new industries. The trend is that incumbents will block new things … nobody who is a delegate here would want Internet growth to be slowed by some stupid rule.” American journalism professor Jeff Jarvis stood up and asked Sarkozy to take a „Hippocratic oath” for the Internet: first, do no harm. In response, the president of France said „of course,” but couched his reply in terms that address the need to protect security and privacy.

The event had no real point and seemed merely to be a photo opportunity of Sarkozy chatting with Internet leaders under the pretense he consulted the industry before passing any laws. From a content perspective LeWeb is much more interesting! Fortunately, the networking opportunities at eG8 were great and I took advantage of the opportunity to catch up with all my good French Internet friends.

The meeting at 10 Downing Street with Cameron could not have been more different. There were less than 100 Internet entrepreneurs, but all extremely relevant (which made it much more productive). Moreover, Cameron came in saying: “I disagree with Sarkozy’s conclusions and there are three things I want you to know:

  1. The Internet represents the future of economy and is a great driver for growth and we want your companies in the UK.
  2. We understand we don’t have the best environment yet, but are working hard putting in place the right and extremely friendly environment from a regulatory and tax perspective.
  3. I have a great team of advisors here to help, lean on them as much as you want.”

Instead of Sarkozy’s: “We want to tax, regulate and control you”, it was: “We want to set you free to do whatever you do best and let your creative spirits run wild!”. The contrast is all the more farcical as France just banned the use of the words Facebook and Twitter on TV to the astonishment of every Internet entrepreneur in the world!

Even their personal styles could not have been more different. Sarkozy’s mannerism and tone reek of condescension and arrogance. By comparison Cameron was jovial, approachable, light hearted and self-deprecating: “I sat between Obama and Zuckerberg at the G8 and could not believe I belonged in the room!”

No wonder Loic is seriously considering moving Leweb to London: Cameron’s team is offering to help while the French government seems intent on competing with him!

The conclusion is ineluctable: Cameron rules, Sarkozy sucks! Now if the Brits could just do something about the weather in London, I might even consider moving there 🙂

Autor FabricePublicat pe iunie 9, 2011iulie 11, 2023Categorii Antreprenoriat, Reflecții personale, Economie8 comentarii la Cameron Rules, Sarkozy Sucks!

Why India is behind China!

Why India is behind China!

I recently wrote how the world is less globalized than we suspect it is and how we now spend $88 billion a year in visa processing fees. What is not included in this figure is the extraordinary opportunity cost of time and inefficiencies imposed by the visa obtaining process. I recently experienced a telling experience which illustrates the differences between China and India.

OLX is present in both countries and I typically visit both countries every year. China unfortunately requires a visa for French citizens but has a very efficient process for obtaining and delivering it. You can pay a surcharge and obtain it the same day from their visa processing center on 12th avenue and 42nd street in New York. The processing center is very well staffed and even where there are many people in line, you rarely wait more than 30 minutes.

India by contrast makes it an ordeal to get a visa. I was supposed to keynote an Internet conference in Mumbai last December. I started going through the process in October. The application required my French birth certificate, notarized and apostilled in France, which as you can imagine is extremely difficult and time consuming to obtain from the US. It required a formal letter inviting me to India. It required a notarized copy of my visa for the US and copies of various bills proving my residence in the US. You then apply through a visa processing center where even the expedited process takes weeks during which they have your passport and you can’t travel anywhere!

You first apply online, which you need to do at least 5 times given the lack of proper instructions regarding specific requirements which seemingly vary on a case by case basis! To drop off the application you then have to wait in line for hours in front of the processing center. Several times, after waiting for 3+ hours they simply closed down the center saying there were too many people in line, asking us to come back again the next day!

Worse, it is basically impossible to get anyone on the phone at the visa processing center to get the status of your application. After several weeks of harassing them, they told me that my application was on hold because my new visa for the US was less than a year old and they would need notarized copies of all my past visas to prove the continuance of my US residency. I duly provided the required documentation and again waited for weeks before being told that because there was a gap of 6 weeks between two of my visas, I could not apply in the US and would have to apply at the Indian embassy in Paris! The fact that I live in the US and that I had no intent or reason to go to Paris did not dissuade them! By the time I finally got my passport back the conference had passed!

I pushed my trip back to late January, asked a good friend of mine in India to write a letter saying he was looking forward to hosting me during my vacation there and reapplied for a tourist visa. This time I had all the documents on hand and two weeks later, I had my visa.

Granted it is hard for Indians to get European and American visas, but imposing “reciprocity” with such complexity is insane and self-defeating, especially if it is the representation of Indian bureaucracy in general! Driving through the streets of Shanghai and Delhi, you can’t help but wonder how less stark the contrast would be if India streamlined its bureaucracy!

Autor FabricePublicat pe iunie 7, 2011iulie 11, 2023Categorii Economie7 comentarii la Why India is behind China!

New York is now complete!

New York is now complete!

I have always had one favorite restaurant: La Petite Maison in Nice. I have always loved Mediterranean food and been amazed how very simple dishes with great ingredients served tapas style can be extraordinarily good. Even the tomatoes and lemon they leave on the table before the meal are succulent!

I am happy to report that La Petite Maison just opened in New York! The setting is not nearly as cute as in the one in Nice, it is awkwardly located (54th between 5th and 6th), you can’t go for a walk in the Cours Saleya or the Promenade des Anglais after the meal and the scene is very French, but those quibbles aside, the food was so good I felt nostalgic for Nice!

You just have to try the artichoke heart salad with olive oil and parmesan, the truffle macaroni, the Nicoise onion tart and the grilled sea bass!

Autor FabricePublicat pe iunie 3, 2011august 1, 2023Categorii New York4 comentarii la New York is now complete!

Search

Recent Posts

  • Actualizarea FJ Labs pentru T3 2025
  • Elogiul de a fi tu însuți
  • Sensul vieții
  • FJ Labs Q2 2025 Actualizare
  • Conversația World of DaaS cu Auren Hoffman: portofolii diversificate, vânzări secundare și cine festive

Recent Comments

    Archives

    • octombrie 2025
    • iulie 2025
    • iunie 2025
    • mai 2025
    • aprilie 2025
    • martie 2025
    • februarie 2025
    • ianuarie 2025
    • decembrie 2024
    • noiembrie 2024
    • octombrie 2024
    • septembrie 2024
    • august 2024
    • iulie 2024
    • iunie 2024
    • mai 2024
    • aprilie 2024
    • martie 2024
    • februarie 2024
    • ianuarie 2024
    • decembrie 2023
    • noiembrie 2023
    • octombrie 2023
    • septembrie 2023
    • august 2023
    • iunie 2023
    • mai 2023
    • aprilie 2023
    • martie 2023
    • februarie 2023
    • ianuarie 2023
    • decembrie 2022
    • noiembrie 2022
    • octombrie 2022
    • septembrie 2022
    • august 2022
    • iunie 2022
    • mai 2022
    • aprilie 2022
    • martie 2022
    • februarie 2022
    • ianuarie 2022
    • noiembrie 2021
    • octombrie 2021
    • septembrie 2021
    • august 2021
    • iulie 2021
    • iunie 2021
    • aprilie 2021
    • martie 2021
    • februarie 2021
    • ianuarie 2021
    • decembrie 2020
    • noiembrie 2020
    • octombrie 2020
    • septembrie 2020
    • august 2020
    • iulie 2020
    • iunie 2020
    • mai 2020
    • aprilie 2020
    • martie 2020
    • februarie 2020
    • ianuarie 2020
    • noiembrie 2019
    • octombrie 2019
    • septembrie 2019
    • august 2019
    • iulie 2019
    • iunie 2019
    • aprilie 2019
    • martie 2019
    • februarie 2019
    • ianuarie 2019
    • decembrie 2018
    • noiembrie 2018
    • octombrie 2018
    • august 2018
    • iunie 2018
    • mai 2018
    • martie 2018
    • februarie 2018
    • ianuarie 2018
    • decembrie 2017
    • noiembrie 2017
    • octombrie 2017
    • septembrie 2017
    • august 2017
    • iulie 2017
    • iunie 2017
    • mai 2017
    • aprilie 2017
    • martie 2017
    • februarie 2017
    • ianuarie 2017
    • decembrie 2016
    • noiembrie 2016
    • octombrie 2016
    • septembrie 2016
    • august 2016
    • iulie 2016
    • iunie 2016
    • mai 2016
    • aprilie 2016
    • martie 2016
    • februarie 2016
    • ianuarie 2016
    • decembrie 2015
    • noiembrie 2015
    • septembrie 2015
    • august 2015
    • iulie 2015
    • iunie 2015
    • mai 2015
    • aprilie 2015
    • martie 2015
    • februarie 2015
    • ianuarie 2015
    • decembrie 2014
    • noiembrie 2014
    • octombrie 2014
    • septembrie 2014
    • august 2014
    • iulie 2014
    • iunie 2014
    • mai 2014
    • aprilie 2014
    • februarie 2014
    • ianuarie 2014
    • decembrie 2013
    • noiembrie 2013
    • octombrie 2013
    • septembrie 2013
    • august 2013
    • iulie 2013
    • iunie 2013
    • mai 2013
    • aprilie 2013
    • martie 2013
    • februarie 2013
    • ianuarie 2013
    • decembrie 2012
    • noiembrie 2012
    • octombrie 2012
    • septembrie 2012
    • august 2012
    • iulie 2012
    • iunie 2012
    • mai 2012
    • aprilie 2012
    • martie 2012
    • februarie 2012
    • ianuarie 2012
    • decembrie 2011
    • noiembrie 2011
    • octombrie 2011
    • septembrie 2011
    • august 2011
    • iulie 2011
    • iunie 2011
    • mai 2011
    • aprilie 2011
    • martie 2011
    • februarie 2011
    • ianuarie 2011
    • decembrie 2010
    • noiembrie 2010
    • octombrie 2010
    • septembrie 2010
    • august 2010
    • iulie 2010
    • iunie 2010
    • mai 2010
    • aprilie 2010
    • martie 2010
    • februarie 2010
    • ianuarie 2010
    • decembrie 2009
    • noiembrie 2009
    • octombrie 2009
    • septembrie 2009
    • august 2009
    • iulie 2009
    • iunie 2009
    • mai 2009
    • aprilie 2009
    • martie 2009
    • februarie 2009
    • ianuarie 2009
    • decembrie 2008
    • noiembrie 2008
    • octombrie 2008
    • septembrie 2008
    • august 2008
    • iulie 2008
    • iunie 2008
    • mai 2008
    • aprilie 2008
    • martie 2008
    • februarie 2008
    • ianuarie 2008
    • decembrie 2007
    • noiembrie 2007
    • octombrie 2007
    • septembrie 2007
    • august 2007
    • iulie 2007
    • iunie 2007
    • mai 2007
    • aprilie 2007
    • martie 2007
    • februarie 2007
    • ianuarie 2007
    • decembrie 2006
    • noiembrie 2006
    • octombrie 2006
    • septembrie 2006
    • august 2006
    • iulie 2006
    • iunie 2006
    • mai 2006
    • aprilie 2006
    • martie 2006
    • februarie 2006
    • ianuarie 2006
    • decembrie 2005
    • noiembrie 2005

    Categories

    • Posturi recomandate
    • New York
    • Anul în revistă
    • Joacă
    • Antreprenoriat
    • Fericire
    • Discursuri
    • OLX
    • Joc cu unicorni
    • FJ Labs
    • Filme și emisiuni TV
    • Interviuri și discuții pe marginea focului
    • Reflecții personale
    • Jocuri video
    • Muzici de afaceri
    • Cărți
    • Crypto/Web3
    • Economie
    • Piețe
    • Gadgeturi tehnice
    • Călătorii
    • Anul în revistă
    • Optimizarea vieții
    • FJ Labs
    • Luarea deciziilor
    • Economie
    • Asset Light Living
    • Reflecții
    • Optimism și fericire
    • Câini

    Meta

    • Autentificare
    • Flux intrări
    • Flux comentarii
    • WordPress.org
    • Home
    • Playing with Unicorns
    • Featured
    • Categories
    • Portfolio
    • About Me
    • Newsletter
    • Privacy Policy
    × Image Description

    Subscribe to Fabrice's Newsletter

    Tech Entrepreneurship, Economics, Life Philosophy and much more!

    Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

    >