David Armano, EVP Global Innovation & Integration, at Edelman Digital predicts these 6 social media trends for 2012. 1. Convergence Emergence 2. The Cult of Influence 3. Gamification Nation 4. Social Sharing 5. Social Television 6. The Micro Economy Read in details on these 6 social media trends at http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/12/six_social_media_trends_for_20.html
Nirmal’s Blog
Facebook Said to Plan IPO at $100B Valuation
Facebook Inc. is considering raising about $10 billion in an initial public offering that would value the world’s largest social-networking site at more than $100 billion, a person with knowledge of the matter said. The company may file for the IPO before the end of the year, said the person, who asked not to be…
A Twitter Conversation with Marius Arter (Founder of Arniko Skateboards)
On the eve of Thanksgiving, I opened my laptop and logged into Twitter account of Parakhi. I had been excited about this moment for a few days now. I had been promoting this event on Twitter and Facebook pages of Parakhi, personal emails to friends and phone calls to people who would be interested in…
Feature Story: SecondMarket
As Barry E. Silbert, CEO of SecondMarket describes in the video, SecondMarket is a secondary marketplace for the trillion of dollars of alternative investments that are out there. In particular, SecondMarket has created a marketplace for private company stocks like Facebook, Twitter etc. I first heard of SecondMarket when I was reading BusinessInsider’s 2010 The…
Your Grades Don't Matter (That Much)
First, I have to make this clear. I truly believe education is extremely important and getting educated is the single best investment you make in your life. While your academic success will help you to get admitted to reputed academic institutions and then to a great career in the future, you should also focus on…
Rebranding the concept of "Nepali time"
Last month the Prime Minister of Nepal was in New York for the UN General Assembly. In his weeklong visit he took the time to speak at the New School in Manhattan and at The Chian Federation in Queens. Both places drew a crowd and the concept of “Nepali time” seemed to get rebranded. At…
Prabal Gurung: A Cultural Icon
Prabal Gurung is a recognizable name in the fashion world. His success is even more remarkable when you consider that he is from Nepal where most people are encouraged to pursue careers in the sciences rather than the arts. I could only hope that his success gives everyone to believe in their talent and pursue…
Government Can't Solve Everything
Government is not to blame for everything and not the answer for all the problems in Nepal. Although I’ve not been happy with the people running our government for a long time, respective authorities in media and journalism should also adhere to higher standards and aspirations. I want my country to be in a better…
Feature Story: Zipcar
Zipcar has been around for over 10 years but it has the feel of a startup company. The car-sharing company is on a mission to redefine the way people think about transportation. With technology and a member-driven user experience, Zipcar has taken the simple idea of car sharing into new heights. The concept will mean…
Ascend Semi-Annual Newsletter 2011
I recently worked with a team to prepare the first e-newsletter for Ascend. Here it is: Semi-Annual Newsletter 2011.
Join Ascend. Be Involved. (Published on Competing in a borderless world – Ascend blog)
Ascend’s vision is to enhance the presence and influence of Pan-Asian business leaders and to serve as a collective voice for those business communities. Ascend is very active in putting programs that benefit both their student and professional members. I have derived a lot of value by being a Professional Ascend member since joining the…
Feature Story: Gilt Groupe
I am fascinated with Gilt Groupe’s business model. Gilt’s About page states they “provide instant insider access to today’s top designer labels, at up to 60% off retail. Become a member and find something new every day for women, men, kids and home as well as exclusive local services and experiences, and one-of-a-kind travel packages….
The Nepali Dream (Published on Parakhi.com)
The Nepali Dream is a concept. America has a beloved saying called the American Dream. For most people, living the American Dream means to be financially successful and owning a home. The Nepali Dream is about the aspirations that Nepalese living outside of Nepal have. Most Nepalese living outside of Nepal want to contribute something…
Grassroots change in Nepal (Published on Nepalnews.com)
It was a proud moment to see Anuradha Koirala being chosen as the 2010 CNN Hero of the Year. Her work has already impacted the lives of many girls and women through her organization, Maiti Nepal and now the world has had a chance to hear her story. The CNN Hero award was a remarkable…
Simon Anholt – Nation Brand Specialist
Simon Anholt, a British branding expert said that in this modern era nothing is more important than reputation. Simon conducted a survey asking people around the world on how they perceived 50 countries and found that a country’s admiration falls under three factors: technology, education and environment. People nowadays find it hard to respect a…
Living with a Purpose
I might need Oprah’s help on this one. Perhaps she can help me answer some of these questions. How do you find your purpose in life? How should one go about finding what they are meant to do? Then there is that one question that I would personally love to discover is How can one…
The American Dream
Remember the time you got on the plane to come to America; you probably felt a ton of anxiety and excitement at the same time. Yet, no matter how much research you have done on America or how much information your friends and relatives have conveyed to you, it’s not until you land on American…
Feature Story: Startups with Idea & Vision
My passion lies with startups. I love to be part of something from the beginning and help it grow. I’ve noticed that very successful startups mainly have two important attributes: a unique idea and a vision. Going forward, I will highlight a startup that is changing the business landscape with its unique business model.
There is such a thing as free lunch
The word “free” strikes a magic cord to people. When something is offered for free, people tend to pay more attention to it or gravitate towards it. In business, the “free” business model brings in traffic and customers. In the online space, businesses have to combine unique content, provide some sort of an experience and…
Digital Fire
Dave Carroll. Keenan Cahill. Ted Williams. These are some of the names that have blown up on YouTube and became instant media sensations. They had suddenly found a platform for their creativity or talent and leveraged it: Dave Carroll on his guitar fiasco with United Airlines, Keenan Cahill with his lip synching videos and Ted…