Today, it is easier for people to scroll, add to carts and buy foreign products thanks to technological advancements. However, as this ease in accessibility increases, the importance of local Nepali products is taking a back seat. People tend to neglect Nepali products, which are easily accessible to them, and go for foreign products easily available on shopping platforms.

With a vision to end this trend of preferring foreign brands over locally produced ones, Latika Golyan is one such champion who has come forward with Made in Nepal Pvt Ltd and Lekali Corp Pvt Ltd. The two companies, promoted by Golyan, are supporting local brands, promoting Nepali products globally and providing them with the recognition they deserve.

Early Life and Education
Golyan was born and brought up in Chennai, India. She was a bright student and completed her school at Sacred Heart Matriculation Higher Secondary School. Later, she pursued B.Sc Joint Honors (Business Management and Artificial Intelligence) from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom. With profound knowledge of business management, Golyan wanted to enhance her academics further. Therefore, she applied for an MBA in Family Managed Business from SP Jain University, Mumbai, India. After completing her studies, she moved to Kathmandu and joined the family business.

Prior Experience
Golyan used to keep herself occupied from a very young age. At the age of 16, she lent a helping hand at her father’s warehousing company and started doing small projects for the company. As she had been working in the business field, she wanted to gain more experience and enhance her skills. Thus, while pursuing her B.Sc in the United Kingdom, Golyan completed her internship at Barclays and the Hinduja Group in 2002 and 2003, respectively.

In 2004, after successfully completing her bachelor’s, Golyan moved to Nepal. She has been on the board of Golyan Group for over 15 years during which she came up with big projects like Hyatt Place, Mato, and many other enterprises. In 2020, she exited the Golyan Group and started Made In Nepal and Lekali.

Made In Nepal and Lekali
Out of many other projects and businesses, two of the most recent ones in which Golyan is involved are Made In Nepal and Lekali. The woman entrepreneur has taken a great initiative for this business and has a great vision for these companies.

Made In Nepal is a manufacturing and trading company with a vision to support local producers. It aims at partnering with them and building a strong supply chain with an international quality system. Likewise, Lekali Corp Pvt Ltd is also a growing company sharing the same vision as Made In Nepal to reduce Nepal's trade deficit and make Nepal’s products available and known globally. Made In Nepal has products on different categories like beauty & wellness, home & lifestyle, food & beverages, fashion accessories, dog chew and apparel. All these products are based in Nepal, grown in Nepal and manufactured in Nepal.

The young entrepreneur says she is very excited about what she is doing in Made In Nepal and Lekali. “I feel that both of them are very important for retaining the youth, empowering entrepreneurs, reducing our country’s trade deficit and taking Nepal to the world,” she shared with New Business Age.

Talking about her mantra for success, Golyan said: “An Entrepreneur should set goals, work towards them, and build a team to execute those goals. Apart from this, one needs to believe in themselves and their company’s vision.”

NGOs and Communities
Along with running different businesses, Golyan is also a part of numerous non-profit organisations and communities. She is a board member of the Nepal Chapter of YPO, a global leadership community. This community welcomes extraordinary leaders who are achievers and visionary to improve the business world. Likewise, she is also a part of YPO’s Lestari Chapter which takes the initiative to create a platform to help businesses that have a social impact grow.

In addition to these communities, the managing director of Made In Nepal is also a member of the Nepalese Young Entrepreneurs Forum (NYEF) which was established with a vision to become an influential community of young entrepreneurs in Nepal.

Women in Business Sector
Golyan is an optimistic leader who has observed positive changes in Nepal’s business world. When asked about the changes she has seen, the young entrepreneur said: “When I started working in Kathmandu, there were few women entrepreneurs in senior positions.  Many times I have been the only woman in the room. Initially, it was difficult to have senior male employees report to a female boss. But now I see a major shift, and I am happy to see many more women in senior positions,” she added.

Despite her busy schedule, Golyan finds time to involve in leisure activities. She loves spending time with her family and friends, working out, and playing sports.

“Work-life balance is absolutely essential. My kids are essential to my life, and I like to start and end my day with them. I have a schedule for everything, from working hours to my time with family. This helps me maintain a good balance between my family and business life,” Golyan said.

She is a keen reader and always joins courses and workshops to improve herself into a better version of herself.