This weekly summary delves into several significant business topics. It examines TikTok’s challenging journey to growth and offers valuable lessons for product developers. The report also provides a business deep dive into AkijBashir Group’s entry into the cable market, analyzing its strategic rationale and the future landscape of Bangladesh’s cable industry. Additionally, it reflects on the critical importance of effective partnerships, common reasons for their failure, and strategies to ensure their success. Other featured insights are also included.
The TikTok Story and Lessons for Builders
In September 2016, ByteDance launched a short-video application in China. Within a year, it amassed 100 million users and over a billion daily video views. By 2024, its international counterpart, TikTok, had become one of the most downloaded applications globally, fundamentally altering how billions consume content. However, its path to success was far from straightforward.
When ByteDance introduced the app that would become Douyin, the initial user base was so low that removing staff accounts for accurate metrics halved active user statistics. An employee described this period as “bleak,” admitting uncertainty about how to proceed. For the first six months post-launch, the app performed poorly, leading the team to anticipate the project’s cancellation by ByteDance. Similarly, TikTok’s international launch in September 2017 received an unenthusiastic reception.
TikTok’s narrative provides valuable insights for anyone developing products in competitive markets. It highlights the power of algorithmic infrastructure, the strategic deployment of capital, the importance of knowing when to persevere or pivot, and why superior technology does not always triumph without the necessary resources and organizational conviction to scale effectively.
AkijBashir Enters Cable Market and The State and Future of the Cable Industry in Bangladesh
On January 8, AkijBashir Group officially entered Bangladesh’s cable manufacturing sector, introducing the country’s first three-layer insulated electrical wire at a Dhaka ceremony. This Tk300 crore investment, achieved through the acquisition of Eminence Electric Wire & Cables Limited’s nearly complete manufacturing facility, represents a calculated move towards safety innovation in a market where over 120 competitors primarily vie on price.
This venture aligns with the group’s deliberate portfolio strategy. Over 60 percent of its revenue already comes from building materials such as steel, tiles, sanitaryware, and boards. Adding cables allows the company to position itself as a comprehensive construction materials supplier, fostering cross-selling opportunities with contractors and developers who prefer consolidated procurement.
The timing is also opportune. Bangladesh’s infrastructure boom persists despite recent economic challenges, with ongoing electrification and construction projects fueling cable demand.
The cable industry is dynamic, having undergone significant transformation in Bangladesh over the past decade. Understanding the true implications of AkijBashir’s entry and the sector’s growing appeal requires an examination of the broader forces shaping Bangladesh’s cable market.
The EdTech Growth Paradox: How Bangladesh’s Online Learning Platforms Can Scale Without Breaking With Proper CRM Implementation
Bangladesh’s online learning sector has experienced notable expansion in recent years. With a population exceeding 170 million, a significant portion under 26, increasing internet and mobile phone penetration, and governmental emphasis on digitization, technology adoption in education has seen substantial growth.
However, beneath this impressive growth lies a less glamorous reality.
As EdTech companies expand, they find that rapid growth without adequate operational infrastructure can lead to its own set of crises. Platforms scaling from thousands to hundreds of thousands of users often discover that manual processes, sufficient for 500 students, become catastrophically inefficient when managing 50,000.
Partnership Lessons From Raisul Kabir of Brain Station 23
Partnerships are crucial for significant success in any field. Historical accounts frequently highlight the vital role of collaboration in achieving success across various domains, including science, music, sports, and literature. The advantages of meaningful partnerships are numerous and well-documented.
However, partnerships are not without their challenges. Every strength often comes with a corresponding weakness. While a partnership can build a business, it can also dismantle it. In fact, partnership failure is a leading cause of business failures. Entrepreneurs often focus intensely on market fit, fundraising, and growth metrics, yet the true threat frequently originates within the founding team itself.
This is particularly relevant in Bangladesh, where cultural norms favoring conflict avoidance and unspoken expectations create a complex environment for business partnerships.
Many promising ventures have failed largely due to partnership breakdowns. As previously discussed, a meaningful partnership is essential for establishing a successful business. Conversely, if a partnership falters, it can jeopardize even the most promising endeavor.
Therefore, understanding the dynamics of partnerships and how to make them effective is an indispensable skill. Learning from individuals who have successfully navigated these challenges offers invaluable insight.
In this context, Raisul Kabir, CEO of Brain Station 23, shared his perspectives on partnerships and his experiences in building effective collaborations at his company during a recent interview.
Where Real HR Practice Meets Professional Education: Lead Academy Launches Industry-Focused PGD in Applied Human Resource Management
LEAD Academy, a Dhaka-based edtech startup focused on skills and career development, has introduced a Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Human Resource Management (PGD-AHRM). This practitioner-led program aims to bridge the gap between academic HR training and the strategic, compliance-heavy realities of contemporary corporate practice.
The evolution of HR from an administrative support role to a strategic business function has generated new demands for professional capabilities. Organizations now expect HR teams to contribute significantly to business strategy, manage complex compliance landscapes, utilize data for decision-making, and design systems that enhance organizational performance.
LEAD Academy’s PGD-AHRM addresses these requirements through an applied learning model. This approach treats HR work as a discipline demanding both technical expertise and strategic thinking. The program is delivered by senior HR executives from prominent organizations, emphasizing real-world HR practices, case-based learning, documentation, policy development, and strategic execution aligned with organizational objectives, rather than relying on traditional theory-heavy instruction.
