Nepali Start-upsNew Business Age’s November issue cover story has given a whole picture of the Nepali start-ups. The status of start-up businesses and their growing presence in the national business environment indicates the increasing interest of people towards entrepreneurship along with the level of entrepreneurial development across the nation. Presence of start-ups also indicate the status of the nation’s education system— whether it is producing job seekers or innovative job creators.
Starting a business needs a great deal of innovative ideas and zeal to convert that idea into a business. Contemporary business and economic environment affects people’s decision to venture into entrepreneurship. If the environment is plagued by uncertainty, very few dare to take the risk. Whereas, if there is some hope of certainty and future, young graduates as well as people with idea take the first steps towards translating their business idea into reality. In Nepal, these essentials of entrepreneurship are missing to some extent.
Young innovators do not always necessarily have the capital to start a business. Appropriate provisions should be made to finance their business ideas through banks, government or by independent business incubators and venture capitalists. Some of the latter institutions are coming up in Nepal but they are in their initial phase.
Recent reports show that creative people are getting into entrepreneurship. They should be supported so that innovative companies and Nepali brands can come into the scene of global entrepreneurship. With the improvement in business environment, budding entrepreneur can be assured to take their first risky step.
- Devendra Dhakal, Malepatan, Pokhara
Is Hospitality the Right Industry?
I was pleased to read Anil Malik’s experience and concept about the tourism industry in Nepal in the interview titled ‘Hospitality is the right industry’ on the website of Newbiz. I partially agree with you. It is hard to find career oriented hoteliers in Nepal. Hundreds of hospitality colleges are centred only in Kathmandu because people from the industry and those colleges are receiving benefits. Big hotels give priority only to pass-out students in the name of internship. They do not receive their degree until they complete their 6 to 9 months long internship. Unfortunately, they don't even get acquainted to basics of hospitality because they have work for 8 to 10 hours a day as a housekeeper or a kitchen helper. They get frustrated as they have to do a low level job despite being a BHM degree holder. Upon the completion of internship, they are denied a job in the same hotel citing unavailability of vacant position as they are fulfilling the position by new batch of interns who need not be paid.
Like Malik, I too did my BSc in environmental science and went to Australia for advance diploma in hotel management. I came back to Nepal to do something here. I applied for a vacancy announced in one of the five star hotels of Kathmandu for housekeeping department. I was selected for interview along with three other candidates. Two weeks later, I came to know that none of us were selected though three of them were interns of the same hotel.
It is useless to blame others. Experts like Malik need to try to change the perception of hoteliers. I was willing to work in my country but none of the hotels gave me a chance. So, I went to Malaysia for working as a travel agent. Currently, since the last 18 months, I am in Saudi Arabia working for Marriott International.
- Sujan Basnet, Saudi Arabia, Via email
Crafting the Nepali Paper Industry
The story about paper craft industry titled ‘Bottlenecks of Nepali Paper Craft Industry’ in the November issue of New Business Age was a good piece of writing. The article rightly highlights every aspect hindering the growth process of this industry. Since Nepali paper is one of the major exports of the country and is generating employment for many people, the government must come up with concrete policies for the sustainability and progress of the industry. The writer has highlighted its importance while also addressing the problems and suggesting measures to help this industry grow. However, the writer fails to focus on the role of the private sector for the upliftment of this industry.
- Sajag Bhandari, Koteshwor, Kathmandu
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