The man who quit his job, went to his village and bagged an Entrepreneurship Award, says agriculture is where the money is.
Ujjwal Shrestha is the Executive Director of Panchakanya Group. He started T Foundation, a networking platform for entrepreneurs, two years ago. He shares his vision of T Foundation and how it is preparing fresh minds to start real ventures.
Sometimes, an idea for a venture can come from a simple observation. What an entrepreneur needs is the ability to see the potential of the concept and believe in it.
Most of the times, optimism plays a great role in deciding about the future. For Rajan Simkhada, it was never a question of “What ifs” it was rather about “Why nots?”
With a client base of 10,000 in 80 countries within the first year of its launch, PageVamp—an American startup with a Nepali cofounder, is starting with gusto.
He has always believed in the potential of the local manpower to reach new heights. Carrying this vision from the start, Bijay Rajbhandary has come a long way in creating opportunities in the diverse fields he has recognized as the initial road to a nation’s development.
Rudra Pandey is responsible for two of the largest IT companies in Nepal, and now plans to build the largest computer institute in Nepal. But before all this, he was a boy from a small village in Nepal.
The start-up phase is definitely the most defining and challenging stage for any venture. A company’s failure or success depends on how you successfully tackle the challenges that come along during this stage. In this context, we asked some successful Nepali entrepreneurs about the biggest challenges they faced while starting out and how they overcame it. Here are their responses:
After years of researching ancient healing techniques and drawing from the knowledge of traditional healers, a company has been creating products from ingredients found in some of the remotest regions of the Himalayas. The company has not only brought the best of the Himalayan herbs to store shelves but also brought much-needed improvements in the lives of women who live in the regions where these herbs grow.
Every entrepreneur must realize and internalize the fact that seven billion people only have one planet. The day we find a spare “earth”, we will not have to care because we can all make enough money and just move to the new planet.
His first invention of a smokeless wood fired stove in Pyuthan introduced him to a lot of enthusiasts. Most of them were senior government officials, members of reputed bureaus, INGOs and the media. As of now, Madhukar KC has literally lost his count of the individuals who know him or use his patented airflow supplier for stoves (chulos) in their everyday lives.
A leading rafting and kayaking guide in Nepal, who’s also a businessman, Mahendra Singh Thapa dreamt of a place in Nepal where people would enjoy themselves under the sun and in the rapid waters of the rivers of Nepal. When one goes to Sukute Beach Adventure Camp Resort, one is actually reveling in Thapa’s dream.
Money was not on Prabal Saakha’s mind when he started Hamrobazar.com, nor when he brought the first convertibles and Hummers to Nepal, and even now as he introduces a Café Racer inspired bike with Nepali branding. However, there is a method in this seeming ‘madness’, and it’s starting to show as Hamrobazar.com establishes itself as the biggest Nepali online transaction platform.
The Prajapatis of the Newar community have been making pottery and ceramics since the time of the Malla regime in Nepal. Let’s learn how Laxmi Kumar Prajapati of Thimi Ceramics, who took over the mantle of the ceramics business from his father, has managed to preserve this age-old tradition with a bit of a twist.
Of the various hurdles that startups face, lack of starting capital is a commonality. As traditional banking provides limited options for small companies, it’s good news that new fund providers are slowly coming into the picture. If you have a company that’s been grounded for lack of funds, check if some of these companies might be useful for you.
Manish Shrestha from Kazi Studios and Kayo Siddhi from Avishkar have designed several logos for various organizations. However, there are a few logos that they have taken inspiration from themselves. Giving us an insight into what a good logo needs, they provide us with a list of their favorite logos.
Pioneering the art of rug-making for almost two decades, Sarawagi has gained the reputation of a leading, innovative exporter of handmade, designer Tibetan rugs. Learn how they are now redefining their approach to make themselves a global brand.
It must be so-not-great being you right now. First things first: what happened to the 10-day Nepal bandh plan in Kathmandu pre-elections?
Tapping into a virgin market has its share of challenges, but work your way around them and the risk becomes rewarding. Pramod Jaisalwal of the Dipesh Paper Cup Udhyog is an example.
With a common love for the written word, a team formed at Startup Weekend Kathmandu Volume 1. Its objective? To excite the bookworms out there and to transform the literary world in Nepal.
The overwhelming response to Pivot Nepal showed that we are not short of mobile app developers. But the actual hurdle now is getting those apps into the market. How can the Nepali market warm up to technological advancements? Bibhusan Bista, CEO of Young Innovations and Prawesh Shrestha, Project Manager of Mobile Social Networking Nepal, discuss on how to familiarize the Nepali market with mobile applications.
Book keeping might easily be the least sexy part of being an entrepreneur. But if you keep at it and maintain updated and proper books, the rewards far outweigh the trouble of crunching numbers. Here are the five top reasons to help you rethink procrastinating on account keeping.
Changing the status quo requires not only convincing others but also holding your ground when the proponents of the status quo retaliate. Paluwa Trading is set to introduce a disruption in the agro sector that could get farmers their fair share, the quality that consumers deserve and a system where nothing goes to waste.
Over a weekend in Nepal’s favorite vacation valley, 28 ideas were fi ltered and developed from scratch into three businesses. Startup Weekend Pokhara’s entrepreneurial business plans might very well bring Pokhara’s tourism industry into the present with its need-of-the-hour concepts.
We’ve heard it a little too often that Nepal is an agricultural country. But what do we really now about this sector? What is the real scenario like regarding working in the agro industry? Two entrepreneurs involved in the production side of the field share their experiences and ideas of dealing with agriculture and the numerous potholes in their path.
T-shirts with local designs have been around for a while now – there’s never been a dearth of ironic messages and images on t-shirts. But no one’s done it like Juju T-shirts. With an academic background in art and a strong belief in the youth’s love for their country, its safe to say that Juju T-shirts Founder Pradeep Man Shakya has transformed the humble t-shirt.
Skepticism is perhaps the least talked about important aspect of entrepreneurship. It is also a very natural state of being that every entrepreneur goes through, whether they want to admit to or not. How do they deal with it? How do they forge ahead on untrodden paths?
Economic independence has changed Nepali lifestyles drastically. To a larger extent - for the better. One of the changes witnessed is due to the developments made in the food industry.
When a curfew until 6 am was called in 2004 during the Maoist insurgency, Party Nepal hosted its party all night, the event ending when the curfew did. With an innovative approach to fun and lots of hard work, Party Nepal introduced party culture to Nepal.
Above anything else, making its customers happy is what matters to Urban Girl. The result: loyal customers.
Having invested time, effort and money, changing the direction of your business despite vague prospects is undoubtedly a tough call to make. With all this happening, ever stopped to think what the families of the entrepreneurs think?
Mobile phones stopped being just ‘Mobile phones’ a long time ago. Local innovations by tech entrepreneurs are driving (and leading) advances in the country’s technology field.
Taking a well-timed break from your work is as important as anything you’ll do for your company’s longevity. Here is what to do and how.
59 participants. 41 pitches. 11 teams. Startup Weekend Kathmandu: Women Edition brought back the magic of Vol 1 and added to it in their most recent installment.
Ever wonder how long those eggs you want to buy have been on the shelf at the kiraana pasal? Golden Egg put a date on the whole lot of them. Now you know how long.
Failure, by definition, is not too enticing a prospect. In a society that puts its bets on school grades, salary scales and a supposedly prestigious sarkari jagir, how willing are you to fail? Everyone – almost everyone – cringes at the sheer thought of failing. The rest are called entrepreneurs.
There’s three things to keep in mind when you want your employees having constructive and passionate discussions – the people themselves, the reasoning and the methods. Get these three things down and you’re well on your way to a team that works better together.
Building your company is all about connecting – connecting the goods, ideas, people and more importantly, connecting with the clients. And blogging is probably the best tool to build a community with lasting connections.
How do you have your company, your product-service stand out in a crowded market? Move out of the comfort zone with your marketing strategy. If you want to be noticed for doing something no one has done before, you have to present it in a way things have never been presented before.
Ideas, business model, seed money, all check. But how do you go about the legalities that you know so little about.
Losing sleep over your company’s financial health? Making time for effective book-keeping can give you a clear picture of the company and lead you in the right direction.
With Internet penetration almost doubling in recent years, new Internet based services have sprung up in the country promising to simplify our lives. Here are three new companies to watch which can transform our lifestyle. With innovative integration of information technology into our everyday lives, they may bring changes that might eventually be inevitable.
Nepal’s fledging public transport sector caters to tens of thousands of Nepalese every day. Some new ideas by enterprising youth can change its impression as an untimely, unsafe and outdated services.
Bringing together two people from two organizations sharing the responsibility of advancing entrepreneurship in Nepal –Biruwa Ventures and Pasa Yard - without a doubt would result in talk about entrepreneurship.
Going green is not just a matter of reducing your carbon footprint and saving on resources but also a smarter, efficient and often cost effective way of doing business. With Nepali companies starting to apply this knowledge in their efforts, its important to understand it well.
Using poultry waste for energy production might sound a bit too out of the box. But the success of this idea at a recent event in Kathmandu proves the adventurous and tech savvy spirit of Nepali entrepreneurs.
Using data we don’t have and holding on to data we don’t use – many Nepali ventures find themselves trapped in this vicious cycle, their decisions based more on intuition and experience than hard facts. How do we break free from this cycle to find common footing with a data-driven world?
Salaries are recorded as an expense in the books. What you get in return are employees who measure between being irreplacable assets and being unafforadable liabilities. How do you evaluate their performance and how do you do it well?
Crossing your fingers and wishing for luck to favor you is not the way to get your proposals accepted. If you really want to hear a ‘yes’, it all comes down to how clear and creative you can get.
What happens when two entrepreneurs from the Internet-based services industry sit down for a candid talk that has no fixed agenda? Amun Thapa from Sasto Deal and Bal Krishna Joshi of Thamel.com met for the first time for this chitchat but soon both had opened up about their ideas, their ambitions an
Nepal Picture Library is a shining example of entrepreneurship that has a culturally inquisitive side. As a unique people-driven entrepreneurial photography idea, there is much to learn from how photo.circle framed their objectives into a fun project.
Tweeting is fast becoming a brilliant, fast-paced way to build a strong online presence. Here’s some insider pointers on tweeting right and making the most of your online time.
Financing your idea can be a challenging part of your entrepreneurial journey. There are numerous methods to get seed money and as many instances where they are best suited. An Investment Manager helps you make the right decisions to ease the way for you.