Articoli

Every morning, Hilda Moraa rises at 4 a.m for an early morning meditation and yoga routine, after which she’ll lose herself in a business podcast. “Discipline, structure and routine are very important to me as a founder,” she says.

She brings that same dedication to her work. Hilda is the founder of Pezesha, which is based in Kenya and an alumni of Google for Startups Accelerator Africa. Before the accelerator, Hilda was a part of the Google LaunchPad Programme, where she says Google’s resources and expertise enabled Pezesha to scale in new markets and ultimately experience 30% growth.

Before all of that, though, Pezesha was just an idea — one that Hilda was extremely motivated by. Poverty in Africa, and particularly in her home country of Kenya, is prevalent, and she wanted to be a part of changing it. “We launched Pezesha as a digital lending platform and we had this hugely ambitious idea of addressing unemployment and poverty in Africa.”

Pezesha’s lending infrastructure has three core services: Know Your Customer verification (KYC), credit scoring and embedded finance.

“By resolving the issue of small and medium enterprises securing working capital and gaining a credit score, I believe we can equip business owners with assets so they can compete and trade on a national scale.” Hilda hopes that empowering business owners will improve the economy as a whole. “There’s much more of a ripple effect achieved so if you financially empower a business owner to meet their business goals, they can feed their family, employ people and ultimately support the wider community.”

Her ultimate goal is that Pezesha’s digital financial platform can address the $328 billion financing gap that exists for small and medium-sized businesses in Sub Saharan Africa — and that this, in turn, will create millions of job opportunities for African youths. At the moment, she’s still savoring the smaller wins. “My proudest moment to date would be helping more than 30,000 mid- and small business owners get a credit score and find affordable financing — and these businesses have generated more than 10,000 jobs combined and our credit has propelled their business and prosperity to the next level”

“I am so inspired by my customers. They are the real-life heroes bringing their amazing visions to life — it’s so fulfilling to see the impact Pezesha has had on them.”

Hilda isn’t only excited to see her own company succeed; she sees her founder story as part of a new era for African businesses. “It’s truly a joy to see African entrepreneurs building successful businesses changing the narrative of Africa,” Hilda says. “ I am confident that we will continue to see a wave of unicorns emerge from Africa’s vibrant tech scene as we have continued to see Africa rise in the midst of the pandemic with more investments and success stories that show our future is here.”

When Chaitali Narla was in her 20s, she left her childhood home in India to fly across the world and study computer science in the U.S. “As a first-generation immigrant, this was a big moment for me personally,” says Chaitali. “Not only was I learning a new culture, lifestyle and vocabulary, but I was adjusting to a style of academia and work focused on exploration — all while also learning how to open potato chip bags the ‘American way,’” she laughs. (Which, FYI, means pull apart the top versus poking a hole in the bag.)

This monumental shift in her life motivated Chaitali to come up with a system to cope with major changes — and it’s become something she’s used throughout her life and career. “I’ve become willing to tackle major challenges and complex problems with the belief that you can conquer anything as long as you organize your life with a productive mindset.”

While finishing grad school in 2010, she took an internship as a software engineer with the Google Talk Video team (a precursor to Google Meet). “I was most excited to work for a company making a difference in so many people’s lives. I love making things more productive and delivering magical moments, and Google gave me the opportunity to do just that.”

More than a decade later, Chaitali continues tackling new, big challenges. “I’ve worked in Google+, Cloud, Chrome, Workspace…you name it.” Today, she leads the engineering productivity organization for Google’s real-time communication products such as Google Meet, Duo, Dialer, Messages and Google Voice. Along the way, she’s learned a thing or two not only about productivity tools, but how to thrive on change, instead of fearing it. Here are a few things she shared with us:

1. Set your own boundaries.
   For Chaitali, taking charge of her mental health means setting a clear work-life balance and sticking to it. “When it’s family time, I switch off the flood of emails and calendar notifications to be present with my husband and daughter,” she says. “Work-life balance is what you make of it. Changing habits can be difficult, but it’s important to disconnect. Work will always be there when I’m ready to work.”

2. Unpack your peak experiences.
“I encourage my teams to reflect on their ‘peak experiences’ — magical moments when you’re thriving, in flow, using all your learned and innate skills and abilities,” she says. “These peak experiences can help guide your personal and professional growth.”
One of Chaitali’s peak experiences was mentoring recent college grads. “Reflecting on this taught me that I wanted to be a manager, which is the career path I took.”
3. Find sponsorship.
“Early in my career at Google, I didn’t even know what a sponsor was, but now I know the importance of people having your back for moments big and small,” she says. Sponsorship is more than just giving advice (like a mentor usually does). Sponsors actively support you and champion your cause.

To find a sponsor, Chaitali’s advice is simple: Just ask. “Speaking up and asking can be uncomfortable, but a skill I can’t recommend enough. Also, it’s OK to hear ‘no’ — but know that people want to help if your request is reasonable.”

4. Delegate.
At work, Chaitali doesn’t try to do it all herself. “Trusting your team matters,” she says. “Letting go not only helps you, but it helps the team and the company. Next time you have a project, instead of doing it yourself, consider how you can use this moment to teach, trust and empower others.”

5. Stay curious.
Chaitali says she first started nurturing her curiosity until she began grad school. “In India, we learn by practice and memorization while in the U.S., we’re encouraged to ask questions and explore. I’ve grown so much by embracing this growth mindset. At Google, I’m using my curiosity to not only find answers but to find the questions that haven’t been asked.”

Chaitali also stays curious through papercrafting, which she found while looking for a device-free hobby.

“From creating Rangoli designs for festivals in India to making cards occasionally for friends and family, I always enjoyed creating ever since I can remember,” she says. “Papercrafting is my ‘me time’ where I can take risks and experiment. It’s not simply a hobby but a tool to help me look at my work in new, interesting ways to better engage my team and make connections in new ways.”

It’s time for another round of our Savepoint series, recapping the new games, features and updates on Stadia.

Last month, the Stadia store added new titles to purchase, including MotoGP™21 and MY HERO ONE’S JUSTICE 2. With the global launch of DYNASTY WARRIORS 9 Empires, players faced action-packed battlefields and strategic decisions. They also jumped into the long-awaited Season of the Risen, The Witch Queen expansion for Destiny 2, which introduced new raids and items to claim.

Plus, two new demos arrived on the Stadia store for recently launched titles. Anyone on Stadia can now play Chorus and RAINBOW SIX EXTRACTION with no strings attached.

In February, the Stadia Pro library hit 50 titles for existing subscribers and new Stadia players to claim and explore. That included seven games newly added to the library on February 1, including Life Is Strange Remastered, Life Is Strange: Before The Storm Remastered, Cosmic Star Heroine, Nanotale – Typing Chronicles, Merek’s Market, One Hand Clapping and PHOGS!.

It’s easy to try out a new game in the Pro library — especially since all new Stadia users receive a one-month trial to Stadia Pro. Two Free Play Days events in February for Pro subscribers also unlocked games like The Jackbox Party Pack 7 and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.

Stadia Pro updates

• Seven new games were added to the Stadia Pro library in February.
• Today, there are 51 games to explore in Stadia Pro: Crayta, HITMAN, Darksiders Genesis, République, Journey to the Savage Planet, PixelJunk Raiders, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA, Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III, Moonlighter, Terraria, Darkwood, The Darkside Detective, PAW Patrol Mighty Pups: Save Adventure Bay, It Came From Space And Ate Our Brains, Epistory – Typing Chronicles, Killer Queen Black, GRIME, ARK: Survival Evolved, Floor Kids, Blue Fire, Wave Break, Legend of Keepers: Career of a Dungeon Manager, DreamWorks Spirit Lucky’s Big Adventure, Hello Engineer, Cake Bash, Control Ultimate Edition, Saints Row IV: Re-Elected, Kemono Heroes, Hundred Days – Winemaking Simulator, Wavetale, Destroy All Humans!, Wreckfest, The Falconeer: Warrior Edition, Transformers: Battlegrounds, FORECLOSED, Unto The End, Darksiders III, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Shantae: Risky’s Revenge, The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark, DreamWorks Dragons: Dawn of New Riders, Life Is Strange Remastered, Life Is Strange: Before The Storm Remastered, Nanotale – Typing Chronicles, Merek’s Market, One Hand Clapping, PHOGS!, Dawn of the Monsters, Adam Wolfe and Race with Ryan Road Trip Deluxe Edition.
• There are ongoing discounts for Pro subscribers — check out the web or mobile Stadia store for the latest.

February content launches on Stadia:

• Destiny 2 – The Witch Queen
• DYNASTY WARRIORS 9 Empires
• Far Cry 6 – Joseph: Collapse
• Life Is Strange Remastered
• Life Is Strange: Before The Storm Remastered
• MotoGP™21
• MY HERO ONE’S JUSTICE 2

Stadia announcements in February:

• Calico
• Lake
• Phoenix Point – Kaos Engines
• The Elder Scrolls Online Collection – High Isle

As always, we’ll be back next month to share another recap. In the meantime, keep an eye on the Stadia Community Blog, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for the latest on new games, features and updates.

More people are turning to the web to find their next car. In fact, 89% of new car buyers researched their new vehicle online.[7fb54a]And shoppers aren’t just looking up information online — they’re purchasing there, too. In 2021, 16% of new car buyers purchased their car online, up from only 1% three years prior.[ea5e48]

Shoppers today expect an easy and helpful experience when they search for what to buy. It’s important for auto advertisers to get in front of car shoppers with the right information and inventory.

Introducing vehicle ads

Today at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show we announced vehicle ads, a new ad format on Search that shows nearby cars for sale. Currently available in the U.S. and coming to more countries soon, vehicle ads can help you easily reach customers looking for a new ride.

For example, if someone searches for a 2019 SUV, they’ll see several vehicle options they can either purchase nearby or get delivered — along with pictures and inventory information like location, make, model, price and mileage. Once they select a car, the ad will direct them to the vehicle description page on your website where they can fill out a lead form or get your dealership’s contact information. You can then select which actions you’d like to measure, like leads and store visits, and assign a value to them.

To get started, you’ll need to create a vehicle inventory data feed and connect it to Google Merchant Center. This feed contains all the details about your vehicle inventory, like make, model, price, mileage and condition. Google uses those details to match shoppers with the most relevant cars as they’re searching. Plus, by using Merchant Center, you can keep track of key inventory and ad performance insights.

Advertisers who complemented their existing Search campaigns with vehicle ads saw a +25% average increase in conversions during beta testing.[83f78c]Let’s take a closer look at some businesses who recently gave vehicle ads a spin.

Want to try vehicle ads yourself? Check out more information and get started today.

To learn more about auto retail trends and vehicle ads, register for Google’s “Auto On Air: Delighting Customers in a Digital World” session on Wednesday, March 30 at 10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET.

My father, Bob Marley, is one of the most known people in the world. I mean, some people feel as if they know him personally, that’s how much history is out there, yet there is so much that is unknown. Bob Marley still holds mystery. We all are still learning new things about him, and some people may just be discovering him.

In this mission we are happy to be partners with Google Arts & Culture to compile and exhibit in one online location the most extensive collection of Bob Marley artifacts. On this great journey we see him, hear his music, we listen to his words, we look at his life and we learn something about him as well as ourselves.

Who is Bob Marley? A fist raised to the air in defiance, a smile that makes you want to smile back, the puff of a spliff amid deep contemplation warning us about the system, inspiring us to stand up for our rights, asking us to help him sing these songs of freedom.

My father has transcended from being just a musician, an artist, an activist, even a legend. Bob Marley is a symbol for love, justice, equality, freedom and unity to people from all walks of life around the world and with the help from the community of countless fans who have uncovered, preserved and shared endless amount of content, always finding something new. Bob Marley’s legacy continues to live and grow. We have worked to find ways of sifting through the massiveness of it all creating curated experiences that help connect the dots of his legacy while providing new angles of discovery.

It is a living project that will continue to grow in the coming months and years. Enjoy the journey.

Learn more about life and legacy of the king of reggae, and explore “Bob Marley: Legend” on the Google Arts & Culture app on iOS or Android or online on Google Arts & Culture.