Category Archives: entrepreneurship

topic on starting business and surviving as an entrepreneur in Nepal

cropped-nyatapola.jpg

What is Entrepreneurship?

entrepreneurship

by Prasanna Dhungel and Ujwal Thapa

Entrepreneurship is finding opportunity in a problem.

It could be any type of problem that we see in our everyday lives. Impure food, lack of electricity and petroleum, security, health care and many others. Problems that we experience, read of and hear in any area could become an entrepreneurial opportunity.

Problems can come in various flavors – the product – too expensive, scarce, difficult to use, slow etc. Nepalese outside urban centers do not have easy access to doctors. In Nepal, we suffer from long hours of power cuts in the winter months. Food is getting very expensive in the cities. We want the world’s best health care in Nepal, but may not have access to it, or afford it.

The harder this problem becomes, the better the opportunity for someone who can solve it.  If you are an engineer, know how to create a device that can generate wind power then, you can manufacture and sell that for cheap, this is a great opportunity here. Not many people can create this device, and once you are in customers’ homes, you can continue providing superior service and build a great business.

The larger the problem, the bigger the opportunity. A problem may only be for one person, or for many. If it is for one person, it – a one-time service and not a business opportunity. But if many people have the same problem, then it is a big entrepreneurial opportunity. For example, we all eat and want good quality food for cheap. However, we have food quality problems in Kathmandu now. This is a great business with a huge market as everyone hates having to buy impure and expensive food. If you can solve Kathmandu’s food problems with your business, you could be a billionaire. Plus, you would give service to millions and be thanked for the service you give.

Let us take examples of some famous entrepreneurs who have looked at a problem as an opportunity, built great businesses and changed the world and our lives.

In the 1970s , people did not have computers in their homes like we do today. You had to go to a large mainframe computer center and make a request to  have your work be done. There may have been one or a few large mainframes in our region and your task may have taken a long time. Businesses such as cheap international calling, which depend on fast and  cheap computers, were not around. It was hard and very expensive to make an international call. If your family member went overseas, you may have only spoken once every few months. Today, we are in a connected society in which we use Skype, Facebook and other technologies to stay connected in real-time.

Entrepreneurs looked at this big problem of expensive and difficult computation and connectivity, built products to solve this problem and changed the world. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Andy Grove, Mark Zuckerberg,  Janus Friis, Niklas Zennstrom and many other entrepreneurs looked at our connectivity and computing challenges and built great businesses to solve them.

In Nepal, Min Bahadur Gurung of Bhatbhateni has changed the way we shop through his chain of super markets. He has redefined success as how you can scale from a mom-pop grocery store to a chain of Super markets in Nepal. He has moved us from an age in which we went to different shops to buy different things in Asan, to finding most under one roof, from a culture of bargaining to a culture of fixed low prices, from daylong affair to hour-long time efficient shopping while streamlining the supply chain. Or take Karna Shakya who made Thamel what it is now. He opened a small motel in a quiet residential neighborhood years ago, and invited other businesses around it to flourish around it. Thereby he helped create the ecosystem that now stands as a must see neighbourhood in Kathmandu that we call, “Thamel’. Entrepreneurs build eco-systems, platforms, not just their business.

Entrepreneurs see opportunity in a problem. So I hope that each of us who wants to be an entrepreneur align our antennas and see an opportunity in the problems that we hear everyday in our lives.

This is part of “Entrepreneurship in Nepal” related articles we will be releasing in the coming months.

 

५ खर्ब भित्र्याउनेलाई यस्तो व्यवहार ?

entrepreneurship, environment, governance, nepali, thought provoking

हामीले  ५ खर्ब रुपैयाँ (३ बर्ष अघि यो लेख पहिले लेख्दा ३ खर्ब ५० अर्ब थियो) नेपाल पठाउने हाम्रा नेपाली लगानीकर्तालाई जब कदर गर्न जान्नेछौं, तब मात्र बाँकी संसारले नेपालमा लगानी गर्नेछन् ।

Please read English version here.

एक तथ्यान्क अनुसार बिदेशमा काम गर्ने नेपालीहरुले हरेक वर्ष करिब ५ खर्ब रुपैयाँ ( ३ बर्ष अघि यो लेख पहिले लेख्दा ३ खर्ब ५० अर्ब थियो) नेपाल पठाउँछन् । यदि यसो हो भने नेपालमा लगानीको रुपमा बिदेशीहरुले भित्र्याउने भन्दा यो करिब पाँच गुणा बढी हुन आँउछ। यीनै ठुला लगानीकर्ताहरुबाट नेपालको करिब एक तिहाइ अर्थतन्त्र धानिएको छ। तैपनि हामी यी कामदार दाजु भाइ, दिदी बहिनीहरुलाई कुकुर सरह व्यवहार गर्छौँ ।

एकजना नेपाली दाजु अरबबाट दुई बर्षपछि आफ्नो परिवारलाई भेट्न बल्लतल्ल एक महिनाको छुट्टि लिएर फर्कन्छन्। साँझपख उसको जहाज  त्रिभुवन अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय बिमानस्थलमा उत्रन्छ। अनि लामो लाइनमा धेरै समयको लागि कुर्छ। पालो आए पछि सेवा दिन बसेको कर्मचारीबाट नानाथरिको बेइज्जति प्रश्नको सामना गर्छ । “तँ कहाँ काम गर्छस् ?  तेरो घर कता? कति पैसा छ तँ सँग? कहिले फर्कन्छस्? आदि, इत्यादि। यस माथि भन्सारको कर्मचारीले (शायद केहि घुस लिन होला) आफ्नो परिवारलाई ल्याएको सरसामानहरु एक एक गरी खोजतलास गर्छ। वाक्क दिक्क भएर ऊ बिमानस्थल बाहिर आउँदा रात परिसक्छ।

बाहिर ट्याक्सीहरु मौका छोप्न कुरिरहेका छन्। “गंगबुसम्म १५०० दिने भए जान्छु, नत्र जान्न” भन्छन् । यस्तै रहेछ, के गर्ने भनेर हरेस खाँदै “हुन्छ जाऊँ” भन्छन् हाम्रो दाजु। बिझाउने कुरा के भने यो त उसलाई काठमाडौँ देखि आफ्नो गाउँ जाने बस भाडा भन्दा महंगो पर्यो। उ आफ्नो गाँउ जान्छ तर तीन हप्ता बित्दा नबित्दै काठमाडौँ फर्किन बाध्य हुन्छ, नयाँ पासपोर्ट लिनको लागि। परराष्ट्र मन्त्रालय अगाडि यता उता दौडदैँ उसको हरिबिजोग हुन्छ। टन्टलापुर घाममा गु, मुतको गन्धबाट पीडित हुदैँ ऊ कुर्छ।

अनि अरब फर्कने क्रममा एक पल्ट फेरि बिमानस्थलमा उसको बेइजती गरिन्छ त्यहि जनताको सेवा गर्न बस्या कर्मचारीहरुबाट। जहाज चढ्दै एउटा लामो चयनको शास लिन्छन् हाम्रो नेपाली दाजु । उनी फर्कन्नन् नेपाल, अर्को दुई बर्षसम्म ।

के यसरी नै हो हामीले  करिब ५ खर्ब  नेपाल पठाउने नेपालीहरुलाई सेवा गर्ने तरीका?  नेपाल धान्ने नेपालीहरुलाई के यसरी नै धन्यवाद दिने हो त हामीले?

यस प्रथालाई बदलेर सबैलाई जित जितको परस्थिति बनाउन यसो गरे कसो होला? खरबौँ डलर भित्राउने नेपाली कामदारहरुलाई (नेपालका ठुला लगानीकर्ताहरु) कसरी सेवा दिन सक्छौँ ?

  1. सरकारी बाधा अडचनहरु सके जति हटाऔं । परराष्ट्र मन्त्रालयमा उनीहरुका लागि छिटो भन्दा छिटो काम हुने छुट्टै संयन्त्र बनाऔं ।  पासपोर्ट बनाउनेजस्ता कामहरु आधा दिनमै सकाए कसो होला? अरु शहरबाट नि पासपोर्ट लिन संयन्त्र तयार गरौं । बैदेशिक रोजगार संस्थाहरुबाट सस्तो तथा भरपर्दो बिमा योजना गराऊने नियम लागु गरौं ता कि हरेक बैदेशिक रोजगार कामदारको सुरक्षा बिमा होस् । उनीहरुको लागि विमानस्थलमै विशिष्ट लाइन होस् र उनीहरुलाई यस्तो महशुस  होस् कि उनीहरुको कारणले हाम्रो देश आर्थिक रुपमा धराशायी हुनबाट बचिरहेको छ। हाम्रा सरकारी कर्मचारीहरुको बानी सुधार्नतिर पनि लागौं । जसरी कुइरेहरु नेपाल आउँदा खातिरदारी गर्छौँ, उनीहरुको पनि त्यस्तै गरौँ । राम्रा ग्राहक सेवा दिन कहलिएका निजी कम्पनीहरुसँग मिलेर भरपर्दो, सिधै विमानस्थलबाट आफ्नो गन्तव्यमा पु–याउने यातायात सेवा सुरु गरौँ ।
  2. बैदेशिक रोजगार सेवा दिने कम्पनीहरुले बैदेशिक रोजगारमा जाने हरेक नेपालीको जीवन तथा स्वास्थ बिमा गरौँ जसको रकम सस्तोमा र किस्तामा तिर्न मिल्ने खालको बनाऔँ। धेरै जनाको गर्दा कम्पनीहरुलाई फाइदा भैहाल्छ िन।
    passportsline
  3. समाजसेवीहरु, तपाईंहरु उनका परिवारहरुलाई आत्मनिर्भर हुने सिप र तालिम दिन मद्धत गर्नुहोस् । कसरी उताबाट पठाएको पैसा जोगाउने र सही सदुपयोग गर्ने बारेमा सुझाब दिनुहोस् । पठाएको सबै पैसा लगेर महँगो टीभीमा खर्चिनु कति उपयुक्त होला अहिले को १४ घण्टे लोडसेडिंग भएको देशमा ?
  4. उद्दमी साथी हो, यसो उनीहरुको माझमा गएर जमघट गरे कसो होला ? उनीहरुबाट उनीहरुको परिवारको समस्याहरु थाहा हुन्छ। भन्छन्, समस्या एक महान अवसर हो। तपाईं पनि उनीहरुको साझा समस्याको समाधान निकाल्न यस्तो विचार निकाल्नुहोस् जसले दुवैलाई फाइदा होस् ।
  5. हाम्रो ब्यांक तथा बित्तिय संस्थाका साथीहरु, तँपाईहरु उनका परिवारलाई बिशेष प्राथमिकता दिनुहोस् । लगानी गर्न वा सानो उद्योग धन्दा खोल्न सरसल्लाह दिएर आफ्नो संस्थाबाट पनि लगानी जुटाउन सकिन्छ । उनिहरु त सुरक्षित रुपमा कमाउनेहरु हुन, कतिपयले त तपाईंकै बैंकमा पैसा राख्छन् होला। यसो गरे कसो होला? धेरै ब्याज भएको ऋणपत्र उहाँहरुलाई बेच्नुहोस् जुन कम्तीमा पनि पाँच बर्षमा मात्र झिक्न पाउँदछन्। अहिलेको स्थतिमा तपाईंहरुको माझमा एकदमै लोभलाग्दो अवसर छ।
  6. उनीहरुको सुझाव र विचारहरु लिएर नेपाली उद्योगमा लागू गर्नुहोस् गुणस्तर, सुरक्षा तथा छरितोपन बढाउन । सोच्नुहोस, यिनै नेपालीहरु हुन् जसले कत्तारमा सन् २०२२ को विश्च कप फूटबलको लागि अत्यधुनिक ठूला ठूला रंगशालाहरु बनाइरहेका छन्।

अन्तिममा यसो गरेमा, हामी सबैको जित-जित हुन्छ।

अब सोचौँ —

त्यही वाक्क भएर गएका नेपाली दाजु फेरि दुई बर्षपछि घर फर्कदैँछन् ।

— जहाजबाट ओर्लिने बित्तिकै उ, आफु जस्तै कामदारहरुलाई भनेर बनाइएका एउटा छुट्टै द्रुत गतिमा अगाडि बढ्ने लाईनमा उभिन्छ। एक बिमानस्थल कर्मचारीले हसिँलो मुहारका साथ नेपालमा उसलाई स्वागत गर्छ। नेपाल भ्रमण तपाईको आरामसँग बितोस् भन्ने कामना गर्छ र बिमानस्थल भित्रैबाट गाँउसम्म जाने टिकेट किन्ने ठाउँ देखाइदिन्छन्, जहाँबाट सिधै आफ्नो ठाउँ पुग्न सक्छन। अनि आफ्नो सामानसँगै हाम्रो नेपाली दाजुलाई बाहिर बससम्म पुराइदिन्छन, जहाँ ऊजस्तै ५० जना बसमा आ-आफ्नो घर जान कुरि रहेका हुन्छन् । केही बाधा अडचन बिनै ऊ आफ्नो घर पुग्छन् र परिवारसँग मज्जाले बिताउछन्। पासपोर्टको लागि मात्र एक घण्टामै नजिकको शहरको कार्यालयमा गएर बनाउँदछन् ।

उ अहिले धेरै खुशी छ। आफूले पठाएको पैसाले उसँग एउटा पक्की घर छ। उसको श्रीमतीले उसले बिदेशबाट पठाएको पैसा जुन ब्यांकबाट लिन्थिन्, त्यहींबाट अहिले ऋण निकालेर एउटा सानो व्यापार पनि गरेकी छिन्।  अनि त्यो  उच्च ब्याजदरको ऋणपत्र जुनमा उनीहरुले बचत गरेका थिए त्यो पनि अर्को बर्ष लिन मिल्नेछ। यो बचत र आफूले अरबबाट सिकेको नयाँ अनुभवले गर्दा, हाम्रो नेपाली दाजु सोच्नु हुन्छ, “के अब फर्कनु पर्छ र त्यो ४५ – ५० डिग्री ताप्रक्रम भएको अरब वा मलेसियामा काम गर्न?”

सारंसमा भन्नु पर्दा, हामीले ५ खर्ब  नेपाल पठाउने आफ्ना नेपाली लगानीकर्तलाई जब कदर गर्न जान्नेछौं,  तब मात्र बाँकी संसारले नेपालमा लगानी गर्नेछन्। उनीहरुको सोच – हामीले आफ्नो लगानीकर्तालाई जस्तो व्यवहार गर्छौँ त्यस्तै नै व्यवाहार गर्छौ बिदेशी लगानीकर्ताहरुलाई पनि। उनीहरु त जहाँ लगानीकर्ताहरुको कदर हुन्छ, त्यँहि नै आफ्नो लगानी लान्छन।

तसर्थ आजैदेखि हाम्रा यी देश धान्ने ५ खर्ब   भित्राउने स्वदेशी लगानीकर्ताहरु यानी नेपाली कामदारहरुलाई उच्च सेवा दिन पहल गरौँ। विश्वले हामीलाई हेरिरहेछन्।

–यस लेख लेख्न मद्दत गर्नुहुने प्रसन्न ढुंगेल, आशुतोश तिवारी, बिजय शिवाकोटी, सन्जिव सुब्बा, सागर ओन्ता, बाल जोशीलाई धेरै धेरै धन्यवाद ।

माईसन्सारमा पनि पढ्नुहोला त्यसमा लेखिएका कमेन्टहरु गहन छन्

समस्या नै महान अवसर हो

entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship

समस्या एक महान अवसर हो भन्छन् एउटा नेपाली युवाले । A young nepali calls for Nepalis to work together to create opportunities and presents a compelling case. speech in Nepali. Do you know him or his organization ? I would be interested to meet him. Let me know.

Get this inspiring 50-page book on Nepali Entrepreneurship for free

entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, resources, ,

How would you like to get an inspiring 50-page book on Nepali Entrepreneurship for free?

The excellent team of Entrepreneurs for Nepal ( I am its co-founder ) have been working for the last 6 months to bring you an updated book about Nepali Entrepreneurship. And it’s free ! I believe it is inspiring, useful and an easy read. And It will provoke you, in line with my personal philosophy of provoking Nepalis to change Nepal. (Click on image to download)

Book on Nepali Entrepreneurship
—————-

E4N Handbook ( Version 2.0 -size is 1.5 Mb). Click on this link to download and share.

http://bit.ly/hyfcCP

(If you cannot click it, copy/paste the link on a browser window)
—————–

Backup link

http://bit.ly/fP1X8T

I want you to actively share this pdf document with your friends, students, colleagues and family who may find this inspiring and useful. Email them now, Share the link in Facebook, twitter and even upload it in your blog or favourite website and share the link with the world.

If you have questions or problems with downloads, feel free to ask here or visit E4N website.

:)

Enjoy!

12 Lessons I learnt running a company in Nepal

entrepreneurship, human resources, my experiments :), , , , , , , ,

Here are a few lessons I learnt while running my online branding & web development firm Digital Max Solutions (DMS) in Nepal for nearly 10 years now. Some of the lessons are site specific and technology start-up specific. Enjoy!

  1. Be directly, personally responsible to the client. Otherwise chances of success in your project is low.
  2. Ensure quality yourself. If you personally don’t do quality checks on your products or services, make sure the person who does it, has your 100% trust.  (Otherwise it will come back to haunt you)
  3. Delegate but teach. If you delegate project communication to your developer (employee), teach him/her exactly how, what, why and when to communicate.
  4. Train your employees.  Do not expect them to solely learn by their own or by internet. Understand the concept first, yourself.
  5. Employees value what they can learn from you personally. Substituting respect from them by friendship with them, may not work.
  6. Repeat yourself. Over-communicate. Your employees may not understand the first time around. This happens often. Ask them to paraphrase (To repeat what they understood.)
  7. Client is always right (but only at the end). Do ask them a lot of questions before the project starts. Over-communicate. Have written approvals from clients on exact requirements before starting. If something goes wrong at the end, blame yourself.
  8. Believe in numbers when confused. Make sure you record and then pull up past project history, client history, project hours, efficiency etc regularly. Track everything!
  9. Lead by example. Change yourself first. Learn yourself first. Show them yourself first. Learn first (if its technology you want the company to adopt.)
  10. Groom people with exceptional attitude. If you find such a person in your team, help them, mentor them, train them and partner with them; i.e groom them to lead. They will return in kind (and more). Don’t worry about them leaving. You reap, what you sow.
  11. Always decide. Don’t “decide not to decide” or leave it for fate to decide for you. Your in-decision will turn into sleep-less nights for you. (I am guilty of this myself)
  12. Fail fast. Let your team experiment with a lot of ideas but make sure you do it small. This way you can fail fast. And if you succeed, you have a new way to generate revenue :) !