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Category: wisdom

Are you following idea meritocracy?

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

Ray Dalio explains idea meritocracy in this Ted video.

Idea meritocracy seems like the best way to go. The best ideas should drive the company’s decisions. When you have the right talent in the right place, you need to trust their judgements and have the humility to accept that as a leader you won’t have the best ideas all the time. Embrace collective decision making.

Would you let your ego drive strategic decisions or let the best idea that came from the team discussion steer the company? Choose wisely.

The “Aha!” Moment

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

What to do with your “Aha!” Moment | Sujan Shrestha | TEDxSnoIsleLibraries

On the ground feedback

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

On the ground feedback is vital to your startup success. If you’re running a company or have an idea playing around in your head, what better way to test it than going to your intended users and getting feedback.

The easier route nowadays is to create a Facebook page, a prototypical website or mobile app and test user activity. That is good. However nothing beats talking to actual customers and see if they will pay for a service or product you are planning to launch. Because if your end users like your idea but would not pay for a service that you are offering, then you need to tweak things.

Make a product or service that makes an impact and brings the cash.

Idea funnel

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

The best ideas are right in front of you. You just have to hear them out.

An idea can lead to a startup. The founder can tweak the idea overtime or change it completely. As time goes on, market changes, competition arrives, challenges amass and then you have to come up with new ideas to stay ahead in the market. There are good and bad ideas thrown at you left and right to lead the pack. Which do you choose?

In any organization, there are individuals who have good ideas or strategies that can help the company tremendously. A lot of times the voices of these individuals are systematically silent because their supervisors or leaders are too busy managing their egos, not hearing their team out or just busy watching the competition.

Create an idea funnel in your organization where the team constantly challenges the status quo, find ways to manage loss and increase increase or impact and you have the opportunity to hear many ideas before deciding on one. The outsider consultant can help but before that make sure you have fully heard from the ones that you work with everyday. They might just be waiting for their turn to speak, contribute and make an impact.

 

 

Leave no stone unturned

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa
It was the word of the day: Leave no stone unturned.
I was attending the Himalaya Toastmasters meeting on September 14. It was a great platform to hear from polished speakers, practice my public speaking skills, network and much more. For students, young professionals and anyone hungry to hone their speaking skills, the Toastmasters club is an amazing platform.
I highly recommend you to participate in or join any of the Toastmasters clubs below. Attend a Toastmasters meeting and leave no stone unturned.
1. Himalaya Toastmasters
– SAP Falcha, Babar Mahal, Kathmandu
– Phone: 9851164335
– Meeting Times: Thursday at 6:00 pm
http://www.toastmasters.org/Find-a-Club/02782369-himalayatoastmasters
2. Kathmandu Toastmasters Club
– Presidential Business College, Thapagaun, Kathmandu
– Phone: 9851127333
– Meeting Times: Monday at 5:15 pm
https://8112.toastmastersclubs.org/
3. Shangrila Toastmasters
– Embassy Restaurant, Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu
– Phone: 9841046465; 9851140727
– Meeting Times: Wednesday at 6:00 pm
http://www.toastmasters.org/Find-a-Club/03401924-shangrila-toastmasters
4. Everest Toastmasters Club
-Yala Maya Kendra, Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur
-Phone: 9851172920
-Meeting Times: Sunday at 5:45 pm
http://www.toastmasters.org/Find-a-Club/00693315-everest-toastmasters-club

What are you selling?

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

Are you an entrepreneur selling a product, a service or your skills/knowledge? Are you a employee selling your knowledge and skills and contributing to the growth of the company?

We’re all salespeople. We’re just selling different things. It’s best to embrace this role and hone your selling skills. You have to first understand the market demand, take stock of your strengths and position yourself to address the market demand with your strengths. That’s the way to go.

We’re all salespeople. Some make a living with a sales title. Others make a living selling without holding a sales title.

Forgiveness works in funny ways

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

Phil Hellmuth is an American professional poker player who has won a record fourteen World Series of Poker bracelets. I’m not a poker player nor have any interest in poker. However, what drew me to listen to Phil’s conversation with Tim Ferriss was this quote by Phil.

“The difference between your best and your worst? The perception of others. Block out the noise and you’ll stay on track.” 

Upon researching a little bit on Phil and his accomplishments, I became more interested to listen to his story, his perspective on money management and the importance of forgiveness.

In Tim’s podcast, Phil recounts a story of forgiveness. Phil had a person who had been stealing from him (about $28,000) and for whom he had also been helping the family. When Phil got the phone call that this had happened, he was shocked. One friend that Phil talked to regarding this situation was instantaneously furious and suggested him to take harsh steps against the alleged culprit. Phil took a moment and instead of losing his cool over this matter decided to go out for a nice dinner with his wife. After the dinner, Phil decided to completely forgive the guy who had been stealing from him. Here’s the funny part. Some time later, Phil got paid back in full. Also Phil had flown to Connecticut for a poker tournament and happened to see the guy who had stolen from him. Phil shook his hand and did not say much to the person. Phil had already forgave him and was not at war with the guy. Thus, Phil was able to completely focus on the poker tournament and ironically won $280,000 in that tournament (10x the amount he had “almost” lost from a person he trusted). Phil credits all of this karma to his act of forgiveness.

Because of you…

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

Imagine someone who wanted to pursue a career in a field because of you.

Imagine someone who credited you for making them better.

Imagine someone who was inspired by you.

Imagine someone who looked up to you.

Imagine someone who was so happy just to see you.

You’re making a very powerful choice everyday. Become the best version of you. Everyday. Someone is counting on you.

Getting to know Maria Sharapova

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

Maria Sharapova (@MariaSharapova) is one of the best tennis players in the world. She is the winner of five Grand Slam titles (two at the French Open and one each at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and US Open) and an Olympic silver medalist.

I visited Tim Ferris’s website and really enjoyed listening to his interview with Maria Sharapova. I highly recommend listening to this podcast to understand who Maria Sharapova is besides just being a tennis player. I have a new found respect and admiration for her now after listening to the podcast. I’m now interested to read her book Unstoppable: My Life So Far.

What type of seagull are you?

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

What type of seagull are you? Are you like Jonathan Livington seagull or a regular seagull?

I listened to the beautifully narrated audio version of Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach on YouTube. The 45 minute audio recording tells the story of Jonathan Livingston Seagull who yearns to fly and not stay content with the daily activity of finding food like the other gulls. He is passionate about flying so much that he is removed from his flock. Independently he keeps flying and learning different ways to control his flight and speed. He is unconventional, driven and has a bigger purpose to live for.

Having now listened to the story of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, I could understand why Kobe Bryant recommended the book when speaking to the LA Chargers, football team based in the Greater Los Angeles Area. Kobe has been obsessed with greatness and focused on achieving his goals no matter the cost. At times, his teammates probably did not understand his obsession to perfecting his craft, the sacrifices he made to become the best that he could be. Kobe identified himself as Jonathan Livingston Seagull who wanted to be the perfect craftsman and went above and beyond to become who he is.

A highly recommended read. The book starts with To the real Jonathan Seagull, who lives within us all.

 

The Book Kobe Recommended

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

Being a huge fan of Kobe Bryant, the now retired NBA player, I have read tons of articles, blogs and watched a lot of videos on him. He is quite the athlete with plenty of videos and blogs talking about his obsession with greatness, relentless work ethic and winning mentality.

Recently, I watched a video of Kobe delivering a welcome speech to the LA Chargers. In that video, he mentions a book Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach and discusses the content from it. I have started reading the book to figure out why Kobe recommended it.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

 

Education after college

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

College is a great learning experience. From choosing a major and balancing your academics to making new friends and managing your time, it’s an experience that shapes the rest of your life.

After college graduation, I worked and then again went back to do my MBA. I realize now that those experiences laid a great foundation for my career. However, the real education began when I started working full time. Education for me is a lifelong goal. You don’t have to go to school to be “educated”, the meaning of education is far beyond the confines of a classroom. In the field, in front of your laptop/mobile watching a speech, observing a mentor, reading a book, listening to a subject expert etc are all examples of education.

Don’t let school limit your education. Let school propel you to be a lifelong student.

Venture Talk with Anil Keshary Shah

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

The Kathmandu Post Venture Talk with Anil Keshary Shah on “Building a Personal Brand” is taking place today at Nepal Tourism Board, Pradarshani Marg, Kathmandu from 5pm-7pm.

I have attended several programs that featured Anil Shah as a speaker or a panelist so I highly recommend attending this Venture Talk if you are interested in learning how to build and leverage your personal brand. I recently attended the Venture Talk with Biswas Dhakal at NEXT Launchpad (below) and recommend participating in these events. You will get insights, hear from the entrepreneurs and pioneers and learn a lot in a short span of time.

Teachers that shaped me…

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

I had a teacher, Sandra Ortiz-Del Valle at the Bayard Rustin High School for the Humanities who had a lot of influence on me.

I got to know about Ms. Ortiz (as she was fondly known in high school) through my older brother. Later on, I was part of her Weight training class and got to know her more. She always showed tough love to her students. She treated me no differently. She held each of us accountable to come to class and do our tasks. She used to joke and ask me and my brother (we had very good academic records) what we had for breakfast so she could prescribe the same dose of diet to her kids.

In my junior year, I joined the Varsity basketball team and Ms. Ortiz also became my basketball coach. At practice, she was focused, disciplined and decisive. Although I was passionate about playing basketball, I was still a beginner in comparison to other varsity players in the team. The varsity players knew that I had made it to the team because of my grades (you needed to have a certain grade to make it to the team). Ms. Ortiz was crucial in helping me feel comfortable in the team and also had my back. She even paired me with the best player on our team so we can help each other out. I would help the best player on the team on his classes during lunch period and he would help me hone my basketball skills during practice. It was a great learning experience for me and all credit goes to Ms. Ortiz for masterminding that partnership.

Besides guiding me on the basketball court, Ms. Ortiz was instrumental in helping me develop into a mature young man and not get distracted to the environment of a NYC public school. In one instance, I walked into the basketball gym with my basketball shorts hanging below my waist. She quickly disciplined me and told me to pick up my shorts. I quickly did what she said as I had a lot of respect for her. She reminded me that “hanging my shorts like that” was not who I am and always kept me in check.

Ms. Ortiz was a gem in my high school days and her tough love led me to the right direction in life. She was more than a weight training teacher or basketball coach to me. She shaped me into a focused and disciplined young man and I took those values and leadership skills into college and beyond. Thank you Ms. Ortiz.

 

 

 

 

Entrepreneurship 101: Nepal

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

Nepal is a breeding ground for entrepreneurs. With the amount of problems that makes up the beautiful and vibrant capital Kathmandu, it makes for a perfect platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to find solutions. The existing problems and challenges have inspired the new generation of entrepreneurs who are not waiting for a government initiative. They are addressing them head on and building ventures in and outside the capital.

Rudra Pandey, an entrepreneur shared his simple insights and knowledge at a recent Udhyami 101: Basics of starting a business event at Nepal Tourism Board.

A short video of Rudra Pandey delivering his speech at the event:

The Next Right Thing

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

Leadership has to evolve. To constantly take on newer challenges and lead the pack. To drive the culture forward.

People are looking for ways to make an impact in the world. They are searching for the next big thing to attach their name to. They want to contribute and they want to matter. At times, there are already many platforms to contribute but there are times when the platform is not there, yet. The leader should recognize the opportunity or the void and create the platform for the pack and take the bold steps to venture into the unknown.

Leaders make decisions and focus on the next right thing. What is the next right thing in your position? What steps should you be taking right now? Are people counting on you?

Udhyami101

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

Kathmandu has hosted a lot of startups and entrepreneurship related events in recent years.

The most recent one is Udhyami101 : Basics of Starting a Business which I attended on June 30th at Nepal Tourism Board. Although the event started about 20 minutes late, it went smoothly afterwards. The event began with Kavi Raj Joshi, STARTUPSNepal welcoming the speakers and audience members, reflecting upon the journey of his organization and purpose of Udhyami101. The program proved its worth right away when Dr. Rudra Pandey, Deerwalk (Rudra dai as he likes to be called) delivered the opening keynote speech Fundamentals of being an Entrepreneur. There was so much knowledge and insights shared within the 30 minutes or so that he took the stage. The audience was left mesmerized by his simple entrepreneurial insights and plain humor.

After Rudra dai’s speech, Srijana Shakya Jyoti from Honda Nepal talked about Jyoti Group’s investment arm. Following her speech, there was a panel Basics of Starting a Business featuring Bina Shrestha, Shine Nepal, Asgar Ali, e-Sewa, Sunayna Tamrakar, One to Watch, Anil Keshary Shah, Mega Bank and moderated by Rupesh Krishna Shrestha, Idea Studio Nepal. Narottam Aryal, King’s College talked about the importance of startup ecosystem, Baburam Poudel, Nepal Telecom talked about ICT for Startups and two Udhyami Seed Camp participants shared their experiences.

I took away several insights shared by various speakers throughout the evening. Entrepreneurs have to solve a problem. They should first identify a problem and build products/services accordingly. They know when to quit when things are not going well because they are the first ones to sense the business is not going well, the product gets bad reviews etc.  It’s important to understand the market size of the product or service you are trying to build. Investment model in Nepal needs revision. The person/company working on the idea for years should have majority share rather than the investment company to provide incentive to founders/management team. They should have a social purpose to their business as well.

Dear Kathmandu,

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

Dear Kathmandu,

We first met in late January
Bright sunny day, blue skies hovering the clean city
Temples and shrines on each corner
Like a living museum
Growing up on the cusp of the Himalayas
I always aimed higher than the sky

You pushed me to fly and kept me down to earth
Gave me a higher purpose since birth
Took your love and care to places I traveled
You held my arms as I faced life
You gave me choices to become better
Opportunities to grow and be a leader

Everytime I came back, you looked a bit different
The identity was the same however I saw you in a new light
Proudly say your name whenever someone wants to know my roots
The kid from Nepal strutting my boots
Years later, I realize how much you had shaped what I stand for
You gave me that smile that many have complemented for

You’re beautiful even though the dust sometimes gets in your face
Life happening at a serene pace
More of the world is getting to know of your beauty and charisma
Which I had already known decades back
Stay as beautiful as you are
I’ll always remember you no matter where I am.

Believing in someone

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

Do you remember a time when someone believed in you so much that you were almost fearless in participating in an activity?

Coming from someone whom you respect and trust, that belief can do wonders. Every time I got trusted to do a project or take on a challenge, I got that extra motivation to deliver and not disappoint. The fact that someone trusts you to take on a project or work is a feat in itself. Leaders know that words and behavior have to go hand in hand to motivate and inspire the team. Do you trust your teammates when the game is on the line or would you rather take that shot yourself?

It’s only right that as a leader, you should use your judgement to inspire your team and believe in them to do what is needed. Be ready to be amazed when you have done that.

 

 

Focus

Posted on by Nirmal Thapa

Focus is today’s competitive advantage.

The internet has democratized access and information. Do you feel like you are missing out on that Warren Buffet talk at Columbia Business School? Want to learn right from Mark Cuban about basketball and business? How about Seth Godin giving you tips on tribes, marketing and brands? No worries, the tools and tips are right there on the person’s website, YouTube or someone’s blog page. The content is there.

With ample resources at our fingertips, there is no shortage of information and access. Now the hard thing to do is keeping your focus. Focus on what matters. Focus on the little stuff. Focus on constantly learning and moving forward. To do great work, you have to focus intentionally and with intensity. Only then the results will exceed the expectations.

Dr. Cal Newport at TEDxTysons stated that “the market is going to reward the deep, concentrated work required to build real skills and to apply those skills to produce things -like a craftsman- that are rare and that are valuable.”In his most recent book Deep Work , he argues that focus is the new I.Q. in the knowledge economy, and that individuals who cultivate their ability to concentrate without distraction will thrive.

There you have it. Focus.

 

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