Journey of Continuous Creativity

“I am an entrepreneur by spirit and lyricist at heart. Business is always on my mind and I have a knack for writing.”

Abhilasha Rayamajhi

Kathmandu

Abeeral Thapa, Managing Director of Nepal Sanjiwani Herbal Industry is well known for his creativity and the ability to innovate exceptional products and ideas. The young entrepreneur has introduced branded products in the herbal industry of Nepal and he is promoting them through social media. He is the man behind innovative and ground-breaking product Shoe saver, an invention that protects a biker’s shoes from the splashes of dirty water from potholes and other vehicles in Monsoon. Additionally, he also imports Touch Screen Gloves that turns out to be handy in winter seasons. In 2010, he along with his friends founded Polygon College which offers Masters Degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. He works in the capacity of Principal of the institution.

“There is a huge scope of herbal industry not only in Nepal but internationally as well. Nepal is the home to infinite medicinal herbs that have excellent health benefits,” says Thapa. He adds, “Most people around the globe are gradually shifting towards a simpler and natural lifestyle. The market for organic and herbal product is growing; this is one of the reasons why I entered the industry.”

He has been promoting the company through social media and print media. According to him, there were many business people in Nepal who were trading raw herbs in the national and international market. However according to his analysis there was lack of finished local products that were well packaged, branded and marketed. He shares, “I believe in creating my own path rather than competing in the rat race.”

Nepal Sanjiwani Herbal Industry has survived in the Nepali market for 13 years now and it has plans to expand in the Chinese market in near future. Bubble herbal soap is one of its popular products that is available at major retail and wholesale outlets of Nepal.

He explains that it is difficult for young entrepreneurs to be established in Nepali market. He says, “The financial and legal sectors are not yet quite supportive for young entrepreneurs in Nepal. The legal policies regarding business are ambiguous and implementation of rules and regulation is weak.” Further, he includes, “Banks demand high rates of interest and collateral on loan, they are not yet ready to invest in innovative and risky businesses.” Lack of advanced technology has also been hindrance in the growth of this industry.

Five years ago, Thapa along with his friends from media sector founded Polygon College with a vision to change the current scenario of education in mass communication and journalism. While he was in college there were many irregularities due to poor management so in order to overcome these he initiated his own institution.

He advocates that there must be a proper systematic approach and control mechanism in the media sector.  Talking about his experience as a young principal, he shares, “It is a great responsibility to look after the overall management.” He further says, “Initially some of my students were more intellectual and older than me so, I had to be more informed and updated about the latest events at all times.”

This experience has made him a thoughtful and serious individual. Despite the challenges in the business and education he has been continuously working hard and has come a long way. Over the years he has been successful in creating an environment of trust with his students and customers as he had a clear vision.

Thapa’s journey is not just limited to business, entrepreneurship and education. He is a renowned lyricist, explorer and an avid reader. Every day he seeks for novelty and original ideas. His source of inspiration is nature and the environment that surrounds him. A sense of hope, patriotism, and energy is reflected in the songs he has penned till date. He says, “I am an entrepreneur by spirit and lyricist at heart. Business is always on my mind and I have a knack for writing.” In the coming years he foresees his brand established in national and international market. In his opinion success is a balance between material and spiritual world.

He believes that there are many opportunities in Nepal itself and young people must grab them. Anyone can be successful but the challenge is to maintain it and sustain and survive in the market. Lastly he says, “Rather than complaining about the political system and bureaucratic hurdles, we must collectively work towards exploring ideas to solve problems. Entrepreneurship is about creating opportunities, innovation and sustainability.”

 (The printed version of this article was published in August 16, 2015 on The Himalayan Times- Perspectives)

Photo credit: Bishwo Sherpa