iWorld
Weekend Unwind with Victor Tango’s Tabassum Modi
Mumbai: With another weekend upon us, it is time to unwind with the latest Q&A edition of Indiantelevision.com’s Weekend Unwind—a series of informal chats that peek into the minds of business executives through a fun lens in an attempt to get to know the person behind the title a little better.
In this week’s session, we have Victor Tango Entertainment Pvt Ltd founder Tabassum Modi.
A multi-faceted business leader, Modi is an exemplary and well-reputed media, content, education and marketing mover and shaker. She balances being an entrepreneur and content producer with ease, as the founder of Victor Tango. A national award winner, Tabassum has produced and won applause for several short films across the globe and non-fiction OTT content.
Throughout her 17-year-long career, she has had an enviable trajectory of discovering opportunities across genres and building several sustainable business models. A genius when it comes to kids and the education genre, she has massively contributed to the edutainment and edtech sector by creating curriculums, IPs, experiential campaigns, content and tech platforms. Her biggest win has been Lit Kids- a digital community of kids and teens to explore and celebrate their creative expression.
So without further ado, let’s get started….
1. Your mantra for life
Embrace the journey, cultivate gratitude, and treasure every stage of life
2. A book you are currently reading or plan to read
Back in college, Richard Branson’s “Losing My Virginity” fueled my motivation, and now, stumbling upon his sequel “Finding My Virginity,” I’m eager to dive into another inspiring journey of entrepreneurship and adventure
3. Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic
I focus on home workouts, yoga, and mindful walks to maintain both physical and mental well-being
4. Your comfort food
Whether I’m in Mumbai or travelling, I always seek out biryani and chilli chicken. There’s something comforting about the familiarity of these dishes, even as they offer unique flavors in every place I visit
5. A quote or philosophy that keeps you going when the chips are down
In the words of Winston Churchill, ‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts
6. Your guilty pleasure
Indulging in a binge-watch session of a series or films – a perfect escape from reality
7. The last time you tried something new
Just recently, I experimented with cooking a new cuisine, adding a flavorful twist to my culinary skills
8. A life lesson you learned the hard way
Not every setback is a failure; sometimes, it’s just a redirection
9. What gets you excited about life?
The endless possibilities of things to explore, the chance to connect with diverse people and cultures, and the opportunity to make a positive impact in the world all fuel my excitement for life
10. If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Nothing lasts forever – good or bad. Make the most of the moment
11. One thing you would most like to change about the world
I wish for a world where equality and empathy are not aspirations but fundamental realities
12. An activity that keeps you motivated and charged during tough times
Engaging in creative pursuits like art fuels my passion and drive during tough times
13. What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?
Travelling to new destinations and the planning that leads up to the travel provide a welcome diversion during challenging times, lifting my spirits when life feels dim
14. Your go-to stress buster
Online shopping acts as my instant escape, whisking me away to a realm of endless options and momentarily shielding me from the demands of reality.
iWorld
Snapchat parent Snap cuts 16 per cent of workforce in AI-driven restructuring
The Snapchat parent is axing around 1,000 jobs and closing 300 open roles to save $500m, as artificial intelligence makes smaller teams the new normal
CALIFORNIA: Snap is snapping. The Snapchat parent has confirmed plans to cut around 1,000 employees, roughly 16 per cent of its full-time workforce, as it bets that artificial intelligence can do what headcount once required. Shares jumped more than 10 per cent in premarket trading on the news, a brisk vote of confidence from a market that has watched the stock shed about 31 per cent this year.
The restructuring, which also closes more than 300 open roles, follows pressure from activist investor Irenic Capital Management, which holds an economic interest of about 2.5 per cent in the company and has been loudly pushing Snap to tighten its portfolio and lift performance. The firm got what it asked for, and then some.
Chief executive Evan Spiegel told employees the cuts would reduce annualised expenses by more than $500m by the second half of the year. The company expects to incur charges of between $95m and $130m related to the layoffs, mostly severance, with the bulk landing in the second quarter. Staff in Snap’s North America team were asked to work from home on the day of the announcement.
The financial backdrop is not without bright spots. Snap expects first-quarter revenue to rise around 12 per cent to approximately $1.53 billion, broadly in line with analyst estimates. Adjusted core profit for the January to March quarter is forecast at about $233m, comfortably ahead of Wall Street’s expectation of $186.8m.
The harder question surrounds Specs, Snap’s augmented reality smart glasses subsidiary, which Irenic has urged the company to spin off or shut down entirely. The unit has absorbed more than $3.5 billion in investment and burns through approximately $500m in cash annually. Snap is pressing ahead regardless, with a consumer product expected later this year, even as Meta leads the market in the segment.
Spiegel is betting that leaner teams, smarter machines and a consumer AR play can restore Snap’s credibility with investors who have run out of patience. The redundancy notices have gone out. The harder restructuring, the one that requires a hit product rather than a headcount reduction, is still very much pending.
