The ProShelf blog
Practical guides, free to read.
66 articles adapted from our books: Shelf guides, step-by-step how-tos and real company stories. Every method and number comes from the book it's taken from.
Shelf guide · Strategy11 tools sharp managers use to make better business decisionsProblem-solving, strategy, pricing, decisions, negotiation: one practical tool from each book on the Strategy Shelf.13 min read
Shelf guide · Excel & Data11 Excel skills that save office workers hours every weekFrom files that don't break to Power Query, dashboards and macros: one skill from each book on the Excel & Data Shelf.11 min read
Shelf guide · Corporate Finance11 corporate finance ideas every manager should understandStatements, ratios, models, valuation and project decisions: one idea from each book on the Corporate Finance Shelf.13 min read
Shelf guide · Owner's Money11 money habits that keep a small business out of troubleNumbers, cash, collections, margins, GST, loans: one habit from each book on the Owner's Money Shelf.14 min read
Shelf guide · Marketing11 marketing methods that work for small Indian businessesPositioning, content, ads, search, WhatsApp and sales: one method from each book on the Marketing Shelf.13 min read
Shelf guide · Leadership11 leadership skills every new manager needsFirst year, hiring, delegation, feedback, hard talks: one skill from each book on the Leadership Shelf.13 min read
Shelf guide · Startup11 steps from a good salary to your own businessThe leap, the idea, testing, the numbers, first customers and funding: one step from each book on the Startup Shelf.13 min read
Shelf guide · Finance Careers11 moves that shape a career in financeBanking, research, private equity, venture capital, FP&A and the CFO track: one lesson from each book on the Finance Careers Shelf.11 min read
Shelf guide · Markets11 things to understand before you put money in the stock marketHow the exchange works, charts, risk, F&O and traps: one lesson from each book on the Markets Shelf. Education only.13 min read
Shelf guide · Wealth11 money questions every high earner in India should answerNet worth, funds, asset mix, insurance, property and retirement: one question from each book on the Wealth Shelf. Education only.13 min read
Shelf guide · AI11 ways to get real work done with AI, safelyPrompts, writing, content, data, checking answers and team rules: one method from each book on the AI Shelf.13 min read
How-to · StrategyHow to write a problem statement your team will agree onMost meetings argue about fixes before anyone has agreed on the problem. Here is a simple way to write the problem down first.6 min read
How-to · StrategyDiscounts that don't destroy your margins: rules that workA discount feels small on the invoice and huge in the profit. Here is how to give one without giving away the business.6 min read
How-to · StrategyThe pre-mortem: find out why a plan will fail before it doesA short meeting that imagines the project has already failed, and works backwards. Here is how to run one.6 min read
How-to · Excel & DataXLOOKUP and INDEX–MATCH: which lookup to use, and howVLOOKUP has well-known traps. Here is how XLOOKUP works, and INDEX–MATCH for older versions of Excel.6 min read
How-to · Excel & DataYour first pivot table in five clicksA pivot table turns a long list into a summary in minutes. Here is how to build your first one, step by step.5 min read
How-to · Excel & DataPower Query for beginners: clean a messy export once, refresh every monthIf you clean the same report every month, Power Query can record the steps for you. Here is how it works.5 min read
How-to · Corporate FinanceROE, ROCE and the DuPont split, in plain wordsTwo return ratios tell you how hard a company's money is working. Here is what they mean and how to read them.6 min read
How-to · Corporate FinanceHow to build a DCF valuation, and stress-test itA discounted cash flow valuation step by step, with a worked example and the checks that keep it honest.6 min read
How-to · Corporate FinancePayback, NPV and IRR: how to judge a big projectThree ways to test whether a project is worth the money, what each one tells you, and where each can mislead.5 min read
How-to · Owner's MoneyHow to work out your cash cycle in days (with an example in rupees)Stock days, debtor days and supplier days decide how long your money is stuck. Here is how to measure them.6 min read
How-to · Owner's MoneyHow to find your price floor: the lowest price you can acceptBelow a certain price, every sale loses money. Here is how a business owner works out that number.5 min read
How-to · Owner's MoneyA follow-up rhythm that gets customers to pay on timeLate payment usually comes from no system, not bad customers. Here is a simple rhythm for reminders and calls.5 min read
How-to · MarketingHow to write a positioning statement in one lineIf customers can't tell you apart, they choose on price. Here is how to say why you, in one line.6 min read
How-to · MarketingYour Google Business Profile: the free shop window most businesses wasteBefore people call or visit, they look you up. Here is how to set up a Google Business Profile properly.5 min read
How-to · MarketingFrom enquiry to order: a WhatsApp sales scriptEnquiries arrive on chat and then slip away. Here is a simple script to turn them into orders, politely.5 min read
How-to · LeadershipHow to run one-to-ones your team actually finds usefulA regular, short conversation with each person is a manager's best habit. Here is how to run one.6 min read
How-to · LeadershipThe five levels of delegation, and when to use eachDelegation is not all or nothing. Here are five levels, from “do exactly this” to “decide and tell me later”.5 min read
How-to · LeadershipHow to prepare for a difficult conversation in ten minutesThe conversation you keep putting off gets easier with a short plan. Here is one that fits in ten minutes.5 min read
How-to · StartupHow much money you need before you quit your job: your runwayBefore you leave a salary, work out how many months you can last. Here is how to calculate your runway.5 min read
How-to · StartupBreak-even for a new business, step by stepHow many sales before the business stops losing money? Here is how to work it out before you start.4 min read
How-to · StartupQuick, cheap tests for a business idea before you spendProve that people will pay before you spend lakhs. Here are quick tests for a new idea.6 min read
How-to · Finance Careers“Tell me about yourself”: a 90-second answer for finance interviewsMost finance interviews open with the same question. Here is how to build a clear 90-second answer.5 min read
How-to · Finance CareersHow to solve guesstimates in finance and consulting interviewsGuesstimates test how you think, not what you know. Here is a simple method and a worked example.5 min read
How-to · Finance CareersHow to write CV lines with numbers that get you callsRecruiters skim for results. Here is how to turn duties into result lines with numbers.5 min read
How-to · MarketsThe true cost of a trade: brokerage, taxes and charges explainedEvery buy and sell carries costs beyond the price. Here is how to see the full cost of a trade. Education only.5 min read
How-to · MarketsPosition sizing: how much to put into one tradeRisk comes before reward. Here is how position size limits what a single trade can cost you. Education only.5 min read
How-to · MarketsPump-and-dump scams: how they work and the red flagsTips in groups and channels can be traps. Here is how a pump-and-dump works and how to spot one. Education only.4 min read
How-to · WealthTerm life insurance: how much cover does your family need?Term cover is the simplest protection for a family that depends on your income. Here is how to think it through. Education only.5 min read
How-to · WealthDirect or regular mutual fund plan: what's the difference?The same fund can come in two versions with different costs. Here is how they differ. Education only, no fund picks.5 min read
How-to · WealthHow to work out your retirement numberHow much do you need to stop working one day? Here is a clear way to estimate it. Education only.5 min read
How-to · AIHow to write better AI prompts: brief it like a new colleagueVague questions get vague answers. Here is how to brief an AI assistant so the first answer is useful.6 min read
How-to · AIHow to check an AI answer before you use itAI sounds sure of itself even when it is wrong. Here is a simple routine to verify what it tells you.5 min read
How-to · AIHow to write a one-page AI policy for your teamIf your team uses AI with no rules, write one page of them. Here is what to put in it.5 min read
Story · StrategyTitan Tanishq: when the real problem was trust, not designA business lesson from Titan's jewellery brand, from the Strategy Shelf book Crack the Problem.2 min read
Story · StrategyRoyal Enfield: how cutting back led to a comebackA turnaround lesson from the Strategy Shelf book Crisis & Comeback.2 min read
Story · Excel & DataSwiggy's year in orders: every headline is a pivot tableWhat a food-delivery company's annual report teaches about summarising data, from Answers in Minutes.2 min read
Story · Excel & Datacovid19india.org: what volunteers taught us about cleaning dataHow volunteers turned daily bulletins into one clean dataset, from Clean Data Fast.2 min read
Story · Corporate FinancePaytm and “EBITDA before ESOP”: reading adjusted profitsWhat an adjusted profit number does and doesn't tell you, from Is the Profit Real?3 min read
Story · Corporate FinanceTata Steel and Corus: lessons from India's big overseas buyWhat one of India's largest acquisitions teaches about deals, from Buy, Merge, Integrate.3 min read
Story · Owner's MoneyLijjat Papad: simple rules and open booksHow a women's cooperative kept money matters clear, from the Owner's Money book Books in Order.2 min read
Story · Owner's MoneyParle-G's ₹5 pack: protecting a price pointWhat a famous biscuit pack teaches about margins and price, from Profit Leaks.2 min read
Story · MarketingFogg: how one clear promise built a brandA positioning lesson from the Marketing Shelf book Be the Obvious Choice.3 min read
Story · MarketingMeesho: shops run on WhatsAppWhat a social-commerce company teaches about selling on chat, from Chats That Sell.3 min read
Story · LeadershipHCL: when the CEO posted his own feedbackA feedback lesson from the Leadership Shelf book Feedback That Lands.3 min read
Story · LeadershipThe Taj on 26/11: what trust looks like in a teamA leadership lesson from A Team That Trusts.3 min read
Story · StartupPaper Boat: the drink nobody soldHow a gap in the market became a brand, from the Startup Shelf book The Idea Worth Building.3 min read
Story · StartupWow! Momo: a kiosk and ₹30,000A lesson in starting small, from Launch Small.3 min read
Story · Finance CareersKotak and Goldman Sachs, 1995 to 2006A deal-career lesson from the Finance Careers book Pitch, Win, Close.3 min read
Story · Finance CareersAditya Puri: leaving the top job to start a bankA career-move lesson from Make the Move.3 min read
Story · MarketsSatyam, 2009: a gap no exit could stopWhat one day in 2009 teaches about position size and risk, from Risk Before Reward. Education only.3 min read
Story · MarketsA SEBI case: Sadhna Broadcast and the YouTube tipsWhat a SEBI order teaches about tips and pump-and-dumps, from Spot the Trap. Education only.3 min read
Story · WealthFranklin Templeton, April 2020: when debt funds frozeWhat a debt-fund wind-up teaches investors, from Fund Sense. Education only.3 min read
Story · WealthPMC Bank, 2019: what depositors learnedWhat a bank crisis teaches about safe money, from Steady Money. Education only.3 min read
Story · AICadbury: thousands of local ads made with AIWhat one campaign teaches about AI content, from Content on Tap.3 min read
Story · AIThe Bengaluru tribunal order: why AI answers need checkingWhat a tax tribunal's recalled order teaches every professional, from Check Before You Trust.3 min read
One idea from each of the 11 books in a Shelf.
Shelf guide · Strategy11 tools sharp managers use to make better business decisionsProblem-solving, strategy, pricing, decisions, negotiation: one practical tool from each book on the Strategy Shelf.13 min read
Shelf guide · Excel & Data11 Excel skills that save office workers hours every weekFrom files that don't break to Power Query, dashboards and macros: one skill from each book on the Excel & Data Shelf.11 min read
Shelf guide · Corporate Finance11 corporate finance ideas every manager should understandStatements, ratios, models, valuation and project decisions: one idea from each book on the Corporate Finance Shelf.13 min read
Shelf guide · Owner's Money11 money habits that keep a small business out of troubleNumbers, cash, collections, margins, GST, loans: one habit from each book on the Owner's Money Shelf.14 min read
Shelf guide · Marketing11 marketing methods that work for small Indian businessesPositioning, content, ads, search, WhatsApp and sales: one method from each book on the Marketing Shelf.13 min read
Shelf guide · Leadership11 leadership skills every new manager needsFirst year, hiring, delegation, feedback, hard talks: one skill from each book on the Leadership Shelf.13 min read
Shelf guide · Startup11 steps from a good salary to your own businessThe leap, the idea, testing, the numbers, first customers and funding: one step from each book on the Startup Shelf.13 min read
Shelf guide · Finance Careers11 moves that shape a career in financeBanking, research, private equity, venture capital, FP&A and the CFO track: one lesson from each book on the Finance Careers Shelf.11 min read
Shelf guide · Markets11 things to understand before you put money in the stock marketHow the exchange works, charts, risk, F&O and traps: one lesson from each book on the Markets Shelf. Education only.13 min read
Shelf guide · Wealth11 money questions every high earner in India should answerNet worth, funds, asset mix, insurance, property and retirement: one question from each book on the Wealth Shelf. Education only.13 min read
Shelf guide · AI11 ways to get real work done with AI, safelyPrompts, writing, content, data, checking answers and team rules: one method from each book on the AI Shelf.13 min read
One method, step by step, adapted from a chapter.
How-to · StrategyHow to write a problem statement your team will agree onMost meetings argue about fixes before anyone has agreed on the problem. Here is a simple way to write the problem down first.6 min read
How-to · StrategyDiscounts that don't destroy your margins: rules that workA discount feels small on the invoice and huge in the profit. Here is how to give one without giving away the business.6 min read
How-to · StrategyThe pre-mortem: find out why a plan will fail before it doesA short meeting that imagines the project has already failed, and works backwards. Here is how to run one.6 min read
How-to · Excel & DataXLOOKUP and INDEX–MATCH: which lookup to use, and howVLOOKUP has well-known traps. Here is how XLOOKUP works, and INDEX–MATCH for older versions of Excel.6 min read
How-to · Excel & DataYour first pivot table in five clicksA pivot table turns a long list into a summary in minutes. Here is how to build your first one, step by step.5 min read
How-to · Excel & DataPower Query for beginners: clean a messy export once, refresh every monthIf you clean the same report every month, Power Query can record the steps for you. Here is how it works.5 min read
How-to · Corporate FinanceROE, ROCE and the DuPont split, in plain wordsTwo return ratios tell you how hard a company's money is working. Here is what they mean and how to read them.6 min read
How-to · Corporate FinanceHow to build a DCF valuation, and stress-test itA discounted cash flow valuation step by step, with a worked example and the checks that keep it honest.6 min read
How-to · Corporate FinancePayback, NPV and IRR: how to judge a big projectThree ways to test whether a project is worth the money, what each one tells you, and where each can mislead.5 min read
How-to · Owner's MoneyHow to work out your cash cycle in days (with an example in rupees)Stock days, debtor days and supplier days decide how long your money is stuck. Here is how to measure them.6 min read
How-to · Owner's MoneyHow to find your price floor: the lowest price you can acceptBelow a certain price, every sale loses money. Here is how a business owner works out that number.5 min read
How-to · Owner's MoneyA follow-up rhythm that gets customers to pay on timeLate payment usually comes from no system, not bad customers. Here is a simple rhythm for reminders and calls.5 min read
How-to · MarketingHow to write a positioning statement in one lineIf customers can't tell you apart, they choose on price. Here is how to say why you, in one line.6 min read
How-to · MarketingYour Google Business Profile: the free shop window most businesses wasteBefore people call or visit, they look you up. Here is how to set up a Google Business Profile properly.5 min read
How-to · MarketingFrom enquiry to order: a WhatsApp sales scriptEnquiries arrive on chat and then slip away. Here is a simple script to turn them into orders, politely.5 min read
How-to · LeadershipHow to run one-to-ones your team actually finds usefulA regular, short conversation with each person is a manager's best habit. Here is how to run one.6 min read
How-to · LeadershipThe five levels of delegation, and when to use eachDelegation is not all or nothing. Here are five levels, from “do exactly this” to “decide and tell me later”.5 min read
How-to · LeadershipHow to prepare for a difficult conversation in ten minutesThe conversation you keep putting off gets easier with a short plan. Here is one that fits in ten minutes.5 min read
How-to · StartupHow much money you need before you quit your job: your runwayBefore you leave a salary, work out how many months you can last. Here is how to calculate your runway.5 min read
How-to · StartupBreak-even for a new business, step by stepHow many sales before the business stops losing money? Here is how to work it out before you start.4 min read
How-to · StartupQuick, cheap tests for a business idea before you spendProve that people will pay before you spend lakhs. Here are quick tests for a new idea.6 min read
How-to · Finance Careers“Tell me about yourself”: a 90-second answer for finance interviewsMost finance interviews open with the same question. Here is how to build a clear 90-second answer.5 min read
How-to · Finance CareersHow to solve guesstimates in finance and consulting interviewsGuesstimates test how you think, not what you know. Here is a simple method and a worked example.5 min read
How-to · Finance CareersHow to write CV lines with numbers that get you callsRecruiters skim for results. Here is how to turn duties into result lines with numbers.5 min read
How-to · MarketsThe true cost of a trade: brokerage, taxes and charges explainedEvery buy and sell carries costs beyond the price. Here is how to see the full cost of a trade. Education only.5 min read
How-to · MarketsPosition sizing: how much to put into one tradeRisk comes before reward. Here is how position size limits what a single trade can cost you. Education only.5 min read
How-to · MarketsPump-and-dump scams: how they work and the red flagsTips in groups and channels can be traps. Here is how a pump-and-dump works and how to spot one. Education only.4 min read
How-to · WealthTerm life insurance: how much cover does your family need?Term cover is the simplest protection for a family that depends on your income. Here is how to think it through. Education only.5 min read
How-to · WealthDirect or regular mutual fund plan: what's the difference?The same fund can come in two versions with different costs. Here is how they differ. Education only, no fund picks.5 min read
How-to · WealthHow to work out your retirement numberHow much do you need to stop working one day? Here is a clear way to estimate it. Education only.5 min read
How-to · AIHow to write better AI prompts: brief it like a new colleagueVague questions get vague answers. Here is how to brief an AI assistant so the first answer is useful.6 min read
How-to · AIHow to check an AI answer before you use itAI sounds sure of itself even when it is wrong. Here is a simple routine to verify what it tells you.5 min read
How-to · AIHow to write a one-page AI policy for your teamIf your team uses AI with no rules, write one page of them. Here is what to put in it.5 min read
Real Indian (and a few global) stories, and the lesson behind each.
Story · StrategyTitan Tanishq: when the real problem was trust, not designA business lesson from Titan's jewellery brand, from the Strategy Shelf book Crack the Problem.2 min read
Story · StrategyRoyal Enfield: how cutting back led to a comebackA turnaround lesson from the Strategy Shelf book Crisis & Comeback.2 min read
Story · Excel & DataSwiggy's year in orders: every headline is a pivot tableWhat a food-delivery company's annual report teaches about summarising data, from Answers in Minutes.2 min read
Story · Excel & Datacovid19india.org: what volunteers taught us about cleaning dataHow volunteers turned daily bulletins into one clean dataset, from Clean Data Fast.2 min read
Story · Corporate FinancePaytm and “EBITDA before ESOP”: reading adjusted profitsWhat an adjusted profit number does and doesn't tell you, from Is the Profit Real?3 min read
Story · Corporate FinanceTata Steel and Corus: lessons from India's big overseas buyWhat one of India's largest acquisitions teaches about deals, from Buy, Merge, Integrate.3 min read
Story · Owner's MoneyLijjat Papad: simple rules and open booksHow a women's cooperative kept money matters clear, from the Owner's Money book Books in Order.2 min read
Story · Owner's MoneyParle-G's ₹5 pack: protecting a price pointWhat a famous biscuit pack teaches about margins and price, from Profit Leaks.2 min read
Story · MarketingFogg: how one clear promise built a brandA positioning lesson from the Marketing Shelf book Be the Obvious Choice.3 min read
Story · MarketingMeesho: shops run on WhatsAppWhat a social-commerce company teaches about selling on chat, from Chats That Sell.3 min read
Story · LeadershipHCL: when the CEO posted his own feedbackA feedback lesson from the Leadership Shelf book Feedback That Lands.3 min read
Story · LeadershipThe Taj on 26/11: what trust looks like in a teamA leadership lesson from A Team That Trusts.3 min read
Story · StartupPaper Boat: the drink nobody soldHow a gap in the market became a brand, from the Startup Shelf book The Idea Worth Building.3 min read
Story · StartupWow! Momo: a kiosk and ₹30,000A lesson in starting small, from Launch Small.3 min read
Story · Finance CareersKotak and Goldman Sachs, 1995 to 2006A deal-career lesson from the Finance Careers book Pitch, Win, Close.3 min read
Story · Finance CareersAditya Puri: leaving the top job to start a bankA career-move lesson from Make the Move.3 min read
Story · MarketsSatyam, 2009: a gap no exit could stopWhat one day in 2009 teaches about position size and risk, from Risk Before Reward. Education only.3 min read
Story · MarketsA SEBI case: Sadhna Broadcast and the YouTube tipsWhat a SEBI order teaches about tips and pump-and-dumps, from Spot the Trap. Education only.3 min read
Story · WealthFranklin Templeton, April 2020: when debt funds frozeWhat a debt-fund wind-up teaches investors, from Fund Sense. Education only.3 min read
Story · WealthPMC Bank, 2019: what depositors learnedWhat a bank crisis teaches about safe money, from Steady Money. Education only.3 min read
Story · AICadbury: thousands of local ads made with AIWhat one campaign teaches about AI content, from Content on Tap.3 min read
Story · AIThe Bengaluru tribunal order: why AI answers need checkingWhat a tax tribunal's recalled order teaches every professional, from Check Before You Trust.3 min read