Mohamad Noor-Chowdhury

I find the linkage with the stock market interesting. I think there is a connection there. Those in the stock market like to claim that it is all based on hard numbers and projections of the companies future. However, personal trading has become so large, through firms like Merrill Edge, etrade, and amaratrade, that the average user buys and sells much more from social influences. I own WWE stock simply because I like the sport, yes it is a sport get over it. Another aspect I like about this post is it gets back to the running conversation we have about if all press being good press. It seems to me that it is. Aaron Rogers, the Packers, the NFL and Pat McAfee are all now present of mind. Even Johnson and Johnson now have a little more name recondition in the COVID sector, and movement in the stock price is almost a good thing for a company because it allows them to buy or sell their own stock in a way that benefits them.

It has been pretty crazy how much of the news this week has been focused on Aaron Rodgers! I don’t know if it’s just a slow week, but it seems like he’s been the focal point of coverage for days. I am kind of sick of hearing about it honestly.

I did not realize that his interview negatively affected J&J’s stocks. It’s pretty crazy thinking about how much power celebrities like him have. This reminds me of Elon Musk’s recent stint on SNL and how his jokes sunk DogeCoin. Elon is more of a businessman turned celebrity, so theoretically it can be argued his opinion in the crypto world is somewhat more valid than Rodgers’ thoughts on science. However, I don’t know if anyone thought that investors would take his jokes poking fun at the currency so seriously. It just goes to show you that the opinion of people in the public eye can really effect a brand in different ways – even directly influencing their finances.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/09/investing/dogecoin-elon-musk-snl/index.html

Hmmm. Dare I bring up Dave Chapelle and his “The Closer” special on Netflix? Those were a very ugly and contentious several days, until the news cycle ran its course (yes, it’s sad that this happens, but it does). I haven’t heard much news on that other than it seems like some folks are now defending him. I’m not going to get into any of the issues here at all, but Netflix was doing a lot of back-tracking and cleaning up.

This was a great read Mo! To say I am shocked by Johnson and Johnson’s stock dropping while Aaron Rodgers was talking about it is not a surprise. People have so much influence now a days especially people like Aaron Rodgers. Think about it, the moment Elon Musk started to talk about dogecoin their stocks dropped and it became less expensive to purchase. I think some of these celebrities may not realize how much of an effect they really have. I don’t think it is a bad thing but I think some celebrities can use it in a negative connotation. It is definitely something for their managers to think about before speaking on a certain topic.

I’ve always been fascinated by factors that influence the market and how public statements from certain individuals such as company reps, celebrities or influencers can affect trading activity. The company I worked for experienced this first hand when an executive stated that we expected a large subscriber loss in the upcoming quarter. Shares dove 7 percent within an hour…which was the lowest it had been in almost 10 years. Safe to say he had bad day. I’m sure it’s a bit different when you’re not tied to the company like In Aaron Rodgers case. To me it shows the power of influence that can be manipulated intentionally or not.

When you said “baaadd man,” I thought you might bring up Stephen A. Smith, because that’s how he refers to Rodgers. Ironically I found Stephen A.’s perspective on this Aaron Rodgers vaccine topic to be a pivitol moment in this drama. Rodgers seemed to be unapologetic about his being elusive when addressing the media about his vaccine status. Until Stephen A. criticized him. The next day Rodgers changed his whole tune. I feel like Smith owned him. But I digress. Great writeup Mo. I, like you, am a big sports fan, and it is truly remarkable to think of last year with the empty stadiums and the virtual ones, and compare it to 2021 with the packed stadiums.

I am all for someone’s own opinion of vaccination. I choose to be vaccinated as it allows me to travel more freely and not live in fear, so kudos to him for standing his ground on why he doesn’t get vaccinated. With regards to how one person (non-political) can affect things like the market; We saw something similar with Elon Mush and bitcoin. One minute he mentions he will accept bitcoin for the purchase of his vehicles and his company even invests 1.5 billion in purchasing bitcoin (and it skyrockets)… to down-talking coins like Dogecoin on his Twitter feed and even recapped on SNL skit. We as a country give too much weight to what people say and allow it to affect our economy. I am just thinking of how long it will take for someone to say something that will really send the market into a tailspin. I’m kinda scared…

The opening 30 seconds of that video was one of the most awkward presentations I have ever seen from a senior executive. I am very interested in what lead to this moment. Is Meta an attempt to develop some kind of tax benefit before the global 15% cooperate tax goes into effect? I don’t know. It does seem odd to me that this came out in the middle of the government looking into all the tech firms’ activities. I am wondering if Meta will be the R&D part of the company. They develop the products then nest them inside other branches of the company. This could show Meta operating at a huge loss, even though the other departments are making huge gains. Like you said, I will hold full judgment until more information comes out.

Completely agree with the AR/VR terminology. It’s really confusing. I wonder how people who aren’t as technologically savvy as us would perceive the terminology. Like if I explain to my mom what VR/AR is, would she even believe me?

Using the technology in a work space seems super interesting though. Especially cause of the pandemic, people can work remotely. I don’t know about you, but I like to feed off people’s energies when I work. Maybe seeing them in VR/AR could help alleviate that.

I don’t know if anyone is a fan of sci-fi, but there’s a couple books this reminds me of. Ready Player One is a fun example of a society that operates inside the metaverse- with business and pleasure taking place online, the real world exist to just supplement your physical body while your head remains in the metaverse. It’s a fun book, but there’s some dark themes throughout that I worry Facebook (sorry Meta) is on the verge of accomplishing. Imagine a truly meta world– one that is really only offered to the people that can afford the technology to participate. Facebook (sorry Meta) neesd to be careful that the features they are rolling out are accessible to all their users, not just the ones that an afford the extra technology. The internet is free so long as you have a computer and the internet connect to utilize it. Though internet is quickly growing worldwide due to cheaper, accessible smartphones. Thanks for the content Mo!

I think this is a super bold move for a social media platform that is considered more outdated to the newer generation. Alot of my friends only use Facebook to plan large events. With that being said, I wonder how the typical Facebook user (I am thinking of my elderly aunt) be open to relearning the platform. (Assuming the rebranding will come with a large user interface change). I also wonder how this will impact the amount of active Facebook users or is the typical user will just shift from your mom to yourself. I agree with your concern on how they will be able to implement innovative technology when they are still having flaws with the old. Technology can be super exciting but when done right so there is definitely a-lot to look forward to with this rollout.

I think this merger would make total senses for PayPal. Currently, they have to build their own user base, and have to compete with apps like Venmo in that space. Or, it is beholden to websites offering it as a payment option AND a user selecting it over other payment options. This would provide PayPal with a captive dedicated audience that it can use to feed its core businesses.

Something I find interesting is the timing. The government has started looking at the big companies and if they need to diverge some of the assets. This will hang over the governments decision to approve this. If it does get approved, it runs the risk of falling into the the breakup. Also, PayPal could miss out on the fire sell that will result if the big companies are broken up. Regardless, it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

I had the same chain of reactions to this news. At first I was like what?? but it does make sense given how Pinterest could help PayPal capture more e-commerce growth… though $45 billion is quite the price tag. Apparently Microsoft “only” paid $26 billion for LinkedIn back in 2016.
Anyway, the potential acquisition got called off today: https://www.reuters.com/technology/paypal-says-is-not-pursuing-acquisition-pinterest-2021-10-25/
… I wonder if another company will try to acquire Pinterest in the future, but I’m having a hard time thinking of whom that might be.

I was not aware that PayPal is trying to buy Pinterest! This is interesting. I think it is a great idea but at the same time, not the best idea. Yes, Pinterest’s revenue has increased since the pandemic began but before that it was seeing a decrease in users. Now that the pandemic is hopefully coming to an end, will Pinterest users begin to fall again? The process of how PayPal will be integrated is a great idea though and I can really see it being successful!

Great write-up, Mohamad. Pinterest seems to of found the optimal time to sell off its company. Very impressive maneuvering by both companies. I think Pinterest can be expected to teeter off a bit after such explosive earnings. this concept of PayPal integrating with a platform that literally captures what people want is a great idea from the thinkers at PayPal.

The Pinterest deal would’ve been the biggest acquisition of a social media company at the reported price. One of the largest tech deals would move Paypal closer to its ambitions of becoming a “super app.” It would have also allowed PayPal to capture more e-commerce growth. More shoppers increasingly buy items they see on social media, often following “influencers” on Instagram, TikTok, and even Pinterest. In addition, PayPal plans to add a bevy of new services to its revamped app, including high-yield savings accounts, check-cashing services, and stock-investing capabilities.

The “why”, “how”, “what”, really helped me wrap my head around why PayPal would buy Pintrest. It makes a lot of sense now. I think it’s a very smart move. E-commerce is huge. I can’t believe this wasn’t a thought sooner. When users go to Pinterest it’s to find inspiration. Now they can fins inspiration and buy it in the same place. It’s seems like it’s going to be a digital Target, where you go in for one thing and walk out with a huge cart. My only question and concern is why PayPal. It has the most scams and isn’t very trusted. What about a more secure branch like Zelle or even Venmo? Maybe it’s a revenue thing.

Pinterest is probably one of my most used apps on my phone as I’m on there practically everyday looking for design inspiration for various areas of my life. I have noticed that they have been pushing the shop option on the app, so this doesn’t come as a surprise for me. Right now when you click on an item/pin to buy, it directs you to the companies website. Though if the purchase from Paypal goes through, I wonder if you will be able to buy directly from the app. Even though their MUA has gone down in the last quarter, I do think a feature like this might be what’s needed to attract those user back and bring in a new audience.

I think I am in favor of this and you really made it easy to understand with your breakdown. I think it makes sense for PayPal to buy Pinterest as Pinterest has become an app that has evolved from influencing users with ideas to being the middle-man between user and purchase of product. If you think about it, Pinterest acts like a huge warehouse of product which you can easily get the link to. PayPal can help users make safe and confident purchases. I know that I do not tend to use Pinterest when I’m out and about but I do like to scroll and pin images to my boards as I’m relaxing at home. With COVID nearing its end (hopefully), I think that Pinterest will be used by those brides that had to cancel and reschedule weddings as well as those new moms-to-be!

Wow this is a great topic because not too long ago I was part of a conversation that discussed how cool it would be if you could purchase all the materials necessary to complete a DIY project that you saw on Pinterest. If PayPal provided the platform for transactions to take place and you could order materials from a local supported hardware store or something similar, it would increase the transactions exponentially. I think there are many different ways this collaboration could benefit the both of them.

Good read and it got me thinking about the difference between iterative innovation vs disruptive innovation. Big disruptive changes are hard to come by in any field. When they do happen, it is all anyone can talk about for decades. Yes people instantly start coping them. However, those little changes make an improvement then another one and so on. It doesn’t take long before the original concept has been complete changed through small changes. It reminds me of the thought experiment Ship of Theseus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus). After so long, is the original innovation even there any more. Industry needs both kinds of innovation.

This is a big issue I have with a lot of companies. A lot of companies will wait to be “innovative” and watch other smaller companies to see how they will succeed or fail before making a change to themselves. As for your question, I think when it comes to competitors having different cultures, a really good example for me is in sales. I don’t have a specific company to name but you can tell the different when then culture either is numbers-driven or customer-driven.

This reminds me of when in the past I was searching for jobs online. I am sure you have experienced this Mohammad, when every job description looks like someone from HR copied and pasted a wish list for candidates about a mile long. Starting a new career is hard enough but how do we compete with these expectations. It feels contrived, and yes I agree with you, so do the company culture write-ups.