And they have a done a very good job of editing the long talk into two small episodes…
The “45 tips” that Mush has mentioned can also be accessed in this blog post
And you may watch other interesting videos by Emerge here.
Mush Panjwani
Coffee Wagera founded by Mush Panjwani completed two years, and continues to grow!
What started as a dream few years ago is a now a success story many wish to learn from. The blog post on CW site highlights the contributions of the team, suppliers, service providers, franchisees and other supporters.
What I wish to share here are the 20 unique things about Coffee Wagera. We may be the only (or the first) café in Pakistan to…
- Support women empowerment by buying most of our snacks from female entrepreneurs, and to further support the community through Brunch Wagera
- Hire transgender as a barista, and to offer a free training program for transgenders
- Have a menu in Braille for the visually impaired
- Learn sign language to communicate with customers with speech/hearing impairment
- Say ‘no’ to plastic bottles, and provide free drinking water to all customers
- Implement ten steps to reduce waste, support clean-city and be eco-friendly
- Support students and startups, by providing a fully functional workbench, with individual power/USB socket for a minimum spending of just Rs.248 per day
- Provide three WIFI connections (and free coffee if WIFI doesn’t work)
- Provide low-cost franchise opportunities to promote entrepreneurship
- Support local artists by displaying and selling their ‘coffee paintings’ at every outlet
- Run innovative events like Coffee Tour in collaboration with other cafes, Brunch Wagera to support female entrepreneurs, Coffee Workshops to share coffee skills/knowledge, free training programs for personal development, Open Mic to encourage new talent…
- Provide “happiness” training to all staff
- Greet every customer with the most enthusiastic “Salam Alaikum! Welcome to Coffee Wageraaaaaa!”
- Open 5 outlets in 2 years (the last four opened within a span of six months)
- Operate a cafe without any kitchen/cooking
- Implement ‘no free beverages/snacks’ policy that applies to all owners, family members, friends, bloggers, influencers, celebrities… and everyone else who wishes to support CW
- Offer a 10% discount to students and senior citizens
- Offer free coffee to non-Pakistani visitors, when they buy any snacks
- Offer free coffee on your birthday, when you buy any snacks
- Have a founder with an official designation of ‘Chief Happiness Officer’ – Mush Panjwani also teaches happiness at corporates and non-profits, and is also a published author.
And we are very proud to receive the ‘Best Coffee Place of the Year 2019‘ award by APRA (All Pakistan Restaurant Association).
The lockdown due to Corono did not allow us to celebrate the 2nd Anniversary with a party, but we had a virtual meeting with 30+ team members, complete with a flashback slideshow (inserted above), an address by Mush and many special Awards of Appreciation.
Extremely grateful to have achieved the first goal of opening five outlets in Karachi in two years, and moving forward with a lot of faith for the next goal: 20 across Pakistan in five years. Thank you everyone for your support.
Mush Panjwani speaking at Pakistan American Cultural Center
Absolutely loved the opportunity to speak to a group of students at PACC! We covered:
- Two foundations to (entrepreneurial) success:
- Happiness First – how our happiness affects productivity and everything else in life
- The Four Steps – dream, goal, plan, action
The audience was extremely engaged and the feedback from the organizers was awesome…
Today’s guest speaker session at our English Works: The program by Mush Panjwani was amazingly awesome in terms of presenting practical life changing tips to the audience. Throughout his talk he created the aura of influence; the anecdotes from his life and humor kept the audience mesmerised! ~Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Evolution
A very energetic and full of learning session was conducted by Mr Mush Panjwani, who shared his amazing journey of life, with the lessons he learned and designed a wonderful foundation program. It was a session full of happiness. It will make a positive change in others life! ~Ehtesham, PACC
“Supercharge Your Positivity and Productivity” by Mush Panjwani at K-Electric
So grateful to conclude the first four batches of training at K-Electric. These were 2-hour sessions that covered:
- Latest in positive psychology – the science of happiness
- How our positivity affects our productivity, relationships, health… life
- Steps to become more positive
- Causes for unhappiness at work
- Two essentials for enhancing happiness at work
The audience included a mix from various departments, but mostly from customer service. Everyone participated very well, and the feedback was quite awesome:
Wow… really happy to attend this training session!
Very motivating and inspiring!
I learnt a lot today and will apply at work and life!
We need more of these to enhance our productivity and positivity!
Few pictures below. Looking forward to contributing more to the many other divisions of K-Electric!
PS. Very impressed by their new building at IIC, with full equipped training rooms and facilities for learning and development.
“Supercharge Your Positivity and Productivity” by Mush Panjwani at PSO Karachi!
Extremely grateful for the opportunity to contribute to an open-to-all session at the PSO Head Quarters in Karachi last week. There were managers and teams from various departments. The organizer commented:
I’ve heard many trainers on happiness and positivity, but without much substance. This was different and full of useful contents and tips!
And some of the audience found the session to be…
Extremely energizing!
Very much needed, and useful!
We need more of this!
Looking forward to doing more with PSO!
Mush Panjwani speaking at Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Pakistan
There’s something special about talking to the youth – their open minds, their energy and their level of ambition to do great things!
Some of the students of Dawood University of Engineering & Technology had heard me at a recent conference in NED University, and decided to organize the same talk at their own university. And that happened today! They had done a great job of promoting the event, so we had about 500 students in the auditorium, giving up on their lunch break (1-2pm) to listen to me. So honored and grateful!
I spoke about happiness as the foundation for all success and the four steps to achieve anything! And came away very excited about the impact this may have on their lives.
Looking forward to more opportunities to work with the youth and other universities!
One year in Pakistan, and no looking back! (3 Tips to Manage Change)
It’s been more than a year since I left half my family and a very comfortable life in Hong Kong, and moved to Pakistan, in September 2017. And I am often asked how can anyone willingly move back after spending over 20 years abroad; how has the experience been; and how do I manage to stay so happy and positive. It was a combination of things I’ve learned over the years and have applied in many situations, particularly in dealing with any change…
Manage your expectations: I didn’t expect anything in Pakistan to be similar to HK – effective government, efficient systems, easy public transportation, organized traffic, law-abiding people, beautiful weather or the basic stuff like security, electricity, water, Internet etc. Those are the luxuries that most countries/people do not experience in a lifetime. So I rarely found myself getting frustrated about the weather, traffic, government or lack of any of those things I often took for granted in HK. Everyday I experienced what I had expected, so there was no disappointment.
Focus on the positives: An essential part of being happy in any situation is to be grateful for what you have, which is only possible if you are always looking for, acknowledging and appreciating all the good things in your life. And there are a lot of good things about life in Pakistan, which we did not have in HK, or may not have in many parts of the world e.g. local fruits, vegetables and meat (instead of imported); varieties of great food from around the world; beautiful country with lots to see and do, from Karachi to Kashmir and everything in between; lots of opportunities for entrepreneurs (and businessmen too); good people (mostly nice, kind, friendly, helpful, awesome); hardly any natural disasters like earthquakes, tornados, typhoons, volcanoes, tsunamis, or even flooding!
Be the change: Instead of complaining about things, we can try to be the change we want to see in Pakistan. At a personal level, it’s things like following traffic rules (very difficult though), reducing power/water consumption, being more tolerant with people who are different (Sindhi, Panjabi, Pathan, Shia, Sunni, less educated or civilized). At business level, we can do that by supporting good causes – e.g. equal opportunities for the transgender, women empowerment; minimizing disposables and reducing waste. And most importantly, being positive and spreading cheer!
Few other things that made the change exciting for me were:
- Starting Coffee Wagera as a hybrid of social-commercial enterprise that becomes a force for good and a model for other businesses.
- Introducing the concepts and teaching the principles of ‘Happiness at Work’ in Pakistan for the first time, through my training programs.
- Supporting Hur with his training at Special Olympics – one of the best non-profits in Pakistan! They are preparing him and many others for the Special Olympics World Games 2019 in Abu Dhabi.
- The excellent support of family, friends and the business community. And finally, the secret: the love of Shanzeh (my granddaughter) and the opportunity to spend time with her 🙂
Inspiration from one of Pakistan’s top cyclists: Ali Laghari
I have been lucky to get to know a few running and cycling groups in Karachi, since I started Coffee Wagera. It’s always inspiring to meet these people, because I know how much passion, commitment and discipline it takes to come out for a run or ride before sunrise.
Ali Laghari is part of “Cycologists“, one of the most active cycling groups in Karachi. And I met him during World Heart Day on 29th September. That’s when I found out about his record 4900km of cycling in one month, and asked him a few questions… his responses were very inspiring indeed, as you can see from the video above. The highlights were:
- He wasn’t competing with anyone else – just himself!
- Cycling and healthy living is a way of life for him, which he is trying to promote.
- He cycled all the way to Mubarak Village and back – 100km in a day!
- He started small. Just one ride, on a rental bicycle. Then another…
Bonus: Commentary at by Zeeshan Khalid, another Cycologist, at the end of the video.
First full-day public workshop on “Happiness at Work” in Pakistan by Mush Panjwani
I had put all my training work on hold while focusing on Coffee Wagera since the opening in April this year. Coffee Wagera is indeed very exciting and engaging, but I miss my training work. So I have reached out to a few training companies and corporate contacts for opportunities to contribute with my ‘Happiness at Work’ training programs in Pakistan.
Dellsoft, a new division of Dellsons, organized the first full-day public workshop at Movenpick Hotel Karachi on 5th September. We had about 25 participants from five different banks and other corporates. We covered:
- The latest in positive psychology – the science of happiness
- Effects of positivity on all areas of life
- Job satisfaction vs. happiness at work
- How happiness at work enhances productivity and profits
- The two essentials of happiness at work
- Common causes and results of unhappiness at work
- How to create happier workplace, at organizational and individual levels
- Work session: key ideas and action steps for immediate implementation
Some of the feedback from participants:
One of the best training sessions ever…
Amazing topic and great energy!
Extremely relevant, effective and lots of fun!
The promotional flyer can be downloaded here.
Sales/Motivational Training for Ferd Ventures in Davao, by Mush Panjwani
Ferd Ventures is one of the non-exclusive distributors for Learning Time in Philippines. And they had organized a 2-day training for the entire sales team from Davao, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro. We covered:
- Positivity and happiness as the foundation for success
- The four steps to achieve anything: dream, goal, plan, action
- 13-step sales process, from prospecting and appointment to closing the order
- Roleplaying of the ‘awareness’ and ‘product presentation’
Mush is not just a trainer, but a life coach! The 2-day Training Program was an eye-opener for the sales team. Mush taught us a very important life lesson… that despite all of life’s challenges, we still have a lot to be grateful for.. and that is one of the keys towards happiness and success.
We admire his training methodology which is simple, practical and very effective. His attitude and body language is his distinguishing characteristic.
~Ferdie Mangubat Jr., CEO
The other highlights of the trip were Filipino hospitality, with lots of good food, desserts and coffees 🙂
Why I celebrate the day I got fired…
Today is the 5th Anniversary since I got fired from Time Life / Educational Technologies in 2013, after working with them for 16 years! I was very positive that day, and every year it becomes more obvious why that was one of the best things that could happen. Losing my job made it possible to:
- Start my own training and consulting company, Dinchack – and positively influence the lives of 2000+ people through 50+ training sessions in 5 countries in the first year alone.
- Join Learning Time as a Director Sales, Marketing & Training – and help develop and launch awesome early learning products in 18 countries in 3 years; travel to many new places and work with many more wonderful people.
- Start a direct sales company, A Better Chance in Pakistan – and help make it one of the top three distributors of Learning Time in two years.
And I am thrilled to reveal my next venture, a coffee shop in Karachi! Coffee Wagera is scheduled to open on 1st April. More about this dream in the next blog post 🙂
“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change. At such moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back…” ~Paolo Coelho
PS. Thanks to my family, friends, clients, everyone at Learning Time and A Better Chance for their tremendous support during these years, without whom none of the above was possible.
3 more tips to avoid clutter
I continue to believe that a minimalistic and uncluttered life can lead to more productivity, increased efficiency and greater happiness. I’ve written several blog posts on my experiments with minimalism and tips to reduce clutter – at work, at home and life in general. Here’s a short version, because I think it all starts with buying stuff…
Buy mindfully:
- Only buy what you need – really need. If it’s a temporary need, see if can be borrowed or rented.
- Go with a shopping list and stay focused. Don’t be distracted by displays or special offers.
- Don’t buy anything ‘just in case’ you might need it. Trust that you’ll find it ‘just in time’.
- Always buy quality. It lasts longer, so costs less in the long run.
- Don’t compromise on your style, size or color, otherwise you may be discarding it too soon.
Discard ruthlessly:
- Once you buy a new something, get rid of the old one. Not tomorrow, not later, right now.
- Find local charities or Salvation Army stores where the old stuff could go. If it’s too bad or old or broken to go to charity, then recycle it.
- Give yourself limited space to keep your stuff. Once that space fills up, you know it’s time to reduce.
Use gratefully:
- Whether it’s clothing, gadgets, books or other possessions, be grateful every time you use them. Remind yourself that millions of people do no have access to such luxury.
- One of the biggest reasons for buying and accumulating stuff is being ungrateful for what we already have – that feeling of not having enough.
- When we are grateful, we take good care of our stuff, and don’t discard/replace them easily.
If that sounds too difficult, just take one step at a step. And perhaps developing the attitude of gratitude would be a good start.
20 Inspiring Quotes for Salespeople
Today, I went through a few of my favorite blogs to read 100s of quotes from successful people, authors, trainers and businessmen. Here’s a collection of the 20 that I liked best… and hope they inspire a few people:
- Make a customer, not a sale. ~Katherina Barchetti
- Your life can only get better when you do. Do something every day to improve your key skill. ~Brian Tracy
- If you are not moving closer to what you want in sales (or in life), you probably aren’t doing enough asking. ~Jack Canfield
- Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. ~Jim Rohn
- Begin by always expecting good things to happen. ~Tom Hopkins
- Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible. ~Tony Robbins
- Sales success comes after you stretch yourself past your limitations on a daily basis. ~Omar Periu
- Sales depend on the attitude of the salesperson, not the attitude of the prospect. ~Clement Stone
- Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs. ~Henry Ford
- Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to try just one more time. ~Thomas Edison
- There’s no lotion or potion that will make sales faster and easier for you. It’s hard work. ~Jeffery Gitomer
- For every sale you miss because you are too enthusiastic, you will miss a hundred because you are not enthusiastic enough. ~Zig Ziglar
- Treat objections are request for further information. ~Brian Tracy
- Obstacles are necessary for success because victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats. ~Og Mandino
- We are all somebody’s prospect; we are all somebody’s customer. ~Chris Murray
- Selling is serving, helping others find solutions, impacting lives positively with passion and integrity. ~Farshad Asl
- No trade will be made unless they want your product more than they want their money. ~Roy Williams
- It’s about listening first, then selling. ~Erik Qualman
- Selling is something we do ‘for’ our clients – not ‘to’ our client. ~Zig Ziglar
- Life is pain, highness. Anyone who tells you differently is selling something 🙂 ~William Goldman
Please share your favorite quotes about selling in comments below.
Everything you want to have, do or be… is possible!
I have this birthday ritual to look at my dreams, goals and plans, and make any necessary adjustments. During this year’s exercise, I also updated my travel list and learnt that I have been to 39 countries and at least 133 cities. I have around 20 more countries in the to-go list. I hope this post inspires you to follow your dreams, and reminds you that the four steps do work, starting with a list.
While I was at it I couldn’t help thinking about how it all started. I think it was April 1986, around my 21st birthday. I was juggling with university, three tuition jobs, my first sales job, a newly married life, and a lot of dreams. It was no coincidence that I found an audiocassette by Zig Ziglar about dreams and goals. He ended the motivational talk by suggesting buying a notebook and making three lists: everything I want to have; everything I want to do; everything I want to be. And I did. I think there were 89 things on the three lists, considering that I did not have much and had not done much.
Over the years, my lists have become more specific with dreams and goals related to personal development, well being, relationships, money, contribution etc. I have added, deleted and edited hundreds of dreams, fulfilled many and still have many to go. Writing and publishing my first book, trekking to see Mount Everest, raising happy and successful kids were some of the most fulfilling goals which all started under one of the dream lists. The four steps usually work, if you have the faith and commitment to your dreams.
Looking forward to any comments or questions 🙂
10 Reasons You Should Travel Solo at Least Once a Year!
The first time I wrote about ‘five reasons I travel solo‘ was in August 2012, after my trip to Chenzhou in China. Since then I’ve been blessed with many more solo trips and experienced the endless joys. Earlier this month, I was in Da Nang and Hoi An in Vietnam, for a week, all by myself. I got to experience for the first time…
- Living on USD20 a day, including accommodation, meals and transport!
- Riding a scooter, and that too on the right side of the road!
- Learning to make ‘Vietnamese fish rolls’!
- Homestay in the middle of rice fields (way different from the B&B above the rice terraces in China)!
- Taking a tour with a traffic police officer!
- Starting an online travel journal on TravelPod!
Most of these wouldn’t have been possible if I wasn’t traveling solo. So here’s my expanded list of benefits, and why you should travel solo at least once a year:
- Plan easily. Pick your own dates and destination. The places-to-see on your list are not the same as the places your family or friends want to see. And finding a time that suits everyone is not easy.
- Try new things – accommodations, means of travel, food – and get out of your comfort zone.
- Have conversations with fellow travelers and locals. You learn a lot more about the people and places when you are on your own.
- Be more flexible with your time, destinations and decisions you make. Wake up for sunrise or sleep all day.
- Overcome your fears. Whether it’s fear of new places, fear of being on your own or fear of darkness… the more you travel the less you fear.
- Gain confidence by handling problems and situations on your own. You take your own risks and learn.
- Indulge in whatever you want, without being judged.
- Stay within your own budget. No compromises or overspending.
- Become a better traveler by observing more. You engage more fully with the people and places when you are on your own.
- Get to know yourself better. When you are on your own, it’s easier to listen to your heart and focus your mind. The extended me time is an opportunity to dream, plan, think, and even reflect on your travel experiences.
That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy traveling with family, friends or groups… solo travel just a different kind of great experience!
PS. One of the most common questions I got asked by fellow travellers and locals: ‘Your wife doesn’t mind your solo travels?‘ And the answer is, one of the reasons we have been so happy with each other for over 30 years is that we accept, understand and appreciate the differences between us. And we allow each other to do our own things. [Thank you, Salma!]
You may view all the photos from the Vietnam trip and the daily journal on TravelPod here, or a selection of photos on Facebook through this link. And more of my travel videos here.
Three Years with Learning Time: ‘Thank-You’ by Mush Panjwani
Yesterday I completed three years with Learning Time, and these have been some of the most exciting and fulfilling years of my life! It’s been an opportunity to work with distributors and sales teams in many countries, participate in and organize international events, contribute to the development of some amazing new products, set up a distributorship company in Pakistan, learn many new things, touch the lives of many more, help parents become better and children excel… above all, do what I love doing! Here’s a collection of some of the photos from three years…
Thanks to the founders/partners of Learning Time: Shad, Zishan and Waseem
Thanks to everyone else who have/had been part of this exciting journey:
Bahrain: Ranjan, Abdul, Senthil…
Egypt: Samir, Raghda…
Ghana: Luke…
India: Parul, Sagareeka…
Indonesia: Ema, Toni, Efa, Wulan, Akmal, Sylvi…
Kuwait: Furqan…
Malaysia: Subra…
Mauritius: Armoogum, Keshan, Vidu…
Nigeria: Margaret…
Oman: Zafreen…
Pakistan: Salima, Jahangir, Sheeraz, Madiha, Sumaira, Sana…
Philippines: Rene, Nic, Ferd, FM, Bernie, Flor, Kaye, Mark, Rahm…
Qatar: Noel…
Singapore: Jay…
Sri Lanka: Amila…
UAE: Ketaki, Kanchan, Joseph, Naushtath, Ener, Edmond…
To the support team: Nagu, Emad, Zameer, Rini, Albin, Azmath…
And to Jamal and Zoher too!
Mush Talks #12: ‘Goal-Setting Made Easier’ by Mush Panjwani
I am extremely encouraged and humbled to see that Mush Talks have had over 36,000 views on YouTube since the first one in May 2016! This one was recorded at Hong Kong airport this morning, edited during the flight, and uploaded during transit at Dubai airport…
This talk was inspired by how Mashal (my 19-year daughter) fulfilled her dream of going to the US with her own money, through the 4-steps I’ve been using and teaching for many years: Dream, Goal, Plan and Action. She had been working part-time and on weekends, with her full-time studies, and saving for over two years. What made it possible was her focus on small goals – the number of hours she needed to work every week and the amount she had to save every month – and doing it consistently. She left yesterday for three weeks of holiday and three months of studies at the Savannah campus of SCAD!
Here are some quotes about ‘small steps’ for further inspiration:
- Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together. ~Vincent Van Gogh
- Each step you take reveals a new horizon. You have taken the first step today. Now, I challenge you to take another. ~Dan Poynter
- It is better to take many small steps in the right direction than to make a great leap forward only to stumble backward. ~Old Chinese Proverb
- Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. ~Robert Collier
- Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still. ~Chinese Proverb
- Have a bias toward action – let’s see something happen now. You can break that big plan into small steps and take the first step right away. ~Indira Ghandi
- I long to accomplish a great and noble task; but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble. ~Helen Keller
- It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop. ~Confucius
- The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. ~Lao Tzu
- The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking you complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one. ~Mark Twain
Mush Talks #11: ‘Three Benefits of Waking up Earlier’ by Mush Panjwani
I could script these talks, do a few rehearsals, record professionally with mics and lights, edit better, put music and effects and titles and captions… but then I wouldn’t be able to do one a week. I hope these zero-cost productions are still good enough to inspire some.
You may watch Mush Talks #1-10 here. And please feel free to leave comments below 🙂
Mush Talks #10: Become Happier by Making Others Happy
Wow, I am so happy with myself – 10 videos in 12 weeks! Also quite surprised and extremely grateful at the number of views, particularly Mush Talks #2 (6800 views) and Mush Talks #9 (4100 views). Thank you for watching and sharing!
Five related quotes:
- The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer somebody else up.
- The time to be happy is now. The place to be happy is here. And the way to be happy is making others happy.
- The happiest people are the ones who make others happy.
- If you have the power to make someone happy, do it. The world needs more of that.
- Give what you want to receive. If you want happiness, make others happy.
You may watch Mush Talks #1-9 here.
10 Inspiring Quotes on Overcoming Fear + Bonus Video of My Skydive!
While packing for the move, I saw some of my childhood pictures that reminded me how scared I used to be, of so many things – darkness, loneliness, dogs, water/drowning, heights and more. And I realised how so many people go through their entire lives with one or more fears. That inspired this blog post. Sorry, no ‘Mush Talks‘ this Sunday.
I am not an expert on overcoming fears, but have successfully applied a simple strategy for anything I was scared of: Jump right in. That’s what made it possible not only to overcome many of the fears, but enjoy some of the most memorable adventures like scuba diving, skydiving, zip-lining, swimming with whale sharks etc. I hope these quotes and the skydive video inspire you to overcome at least one of your fears. If they don’t, then just jump right in!
- There is no illusion greater than fear. Lao Tzu
- The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. Nelson Mandela
- He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life. Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Fears are educated into us, and can, if we wish, be educated out. Karl Augustus Menninger
- Fear: False Evidence Appearing Real. Unknown
- I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today. William Allen White
- Fear is only as deep as the mind allows. Japanese Proverb
- Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold. Helen Keller
- The enemy is fear. We think it is hate; but, it is fear. Gandhi
- Courage is not the absence of fear. It’s the ability to act in the presence of fear. Bruce Lee
You may view some more of my travel videos here.
