Many PR agencies ask me if I would tweet about their product or whether I would write a post about their product. Frankly I have no clue how this helps them.

In a digital age when likes can be bought, and people believe that reading can make them skilled, I wonder how the words digital influencer, thought leader or any of these things matter.

Yes I have about 9000 odd followers or whatever you call them, but do I really influence them? If I say ‘Nike’ shoes is good will people buy that shoe? If I say ‘zyz mutual fund is good’ will people go and invest in them? I doubt. Do they really think that I can really influence them to like or dislike, to adopt or ban, to buy or skip buying, products and services or watch a movie? Or choose a hotel or an airline?

Well when I run and cycle even my lungs and legs do not listen to me!! dammit what’s wrong with the world?

Am I an influencer? mega or micro? No. I think not. Just too many people hate me for my views. So influencer I cannot be. Thought Leader? well again I do not do enough detailed analysis as some of my other friends do it. Say somebody like MF critic who runs a blog does a better analysis. I do more of ‘people’ research and have strong views on many things. For example there are many websites who believe that ‘equity analysis’ can be taught. I believe that to be a good equity analyst you need education, training, and experience in that field. Many wannabe experts are doing it, but I have no clue how useful it is to know them. That’s not me!!

How many of them like my post on simple living, how many like value investing and how many like sales techniques? Oops I write about all such stuff. I also did not want them to ask me “how many people from India” what is the “gender” of your readers or stuff like that. Actually I have no clue.

One Ambani company wanted me to do a post…and was willing to pay me money, but I could not because I had zero conviction in that product. Even assuming that I have 50000 followers does it mean I can influence them? I thought it was just somebody’s laziness that they get somebody like me to be an ‘influencer’. I can agree that an event will get some tracking if I write about it, but will a hotel get more people to visit them because I stayed there? I doubt.

Am I a thought leader? am I a portfolio manager? No. I am actually not. I am not even looking for business by writing a blog. I am just writing this because I am passionate about finance – reading, writing, and talking.

So yes, I look for speaking opportunities, and most of that money goes to some charity – DIRECTLY – I do not take the cheque in my name at all!!

Happy to talk about equity, value investing, portfolio management, how to pick mutual fund, personal financial planning,……………etc. if you can give a nice 5 figure cheque favoring any one of the 4 charities for whom I am collecting money. Hey, you are paying for my time….not for the clicks! That is not what I control!!