Last Thursdays with an Entrepreneur is a platform where aspiring entrepreneurs gather and network to foster entrepreneurship in Nepal.
The 63rd session held on 26th of February, 2015 gathered these aspirants to learn from Mr. Samir Thapa, founder of Silver Mountain School of Hotel Management and Business School. He is also a founder of American Hospitality Academy.He was also the president of Nepal Young Entrepreneurs forum (NYEF).
Mr. Thapa shared his journey from being a job holder to an entrepreneur and shared his insights on essentials that are crucial to become an successful entrepreneur. He graduated in Hotel Management and did internship in well-paid hotel in Switzerland. After completion of his internship, he worked as waiter in London where he realized that one needs to start from scratch to make career. He moved to United States where he worked in number of hotels to gain experience. He came back to Nepal and worked as Department Head in Radisson Hotel. The hectic schedules of working hours led him to quit his job and decided that he would start his own business.
Mr. Thapa with his two friends opened local chain of hotels named Heritage Hotel and Resorts which failed in a year. Then he started a local flight magazine- “On Time Magazine” which closed within three months. At the end of 2005, he bought share of American Hospitality Academy and opened Silver Mountain School of Hotel Management in Nepal.
The way to entrepreneurship has several failures before success lands. Mr. Thapa asked to look for opportunities and be innovative. If your idea is not viable in country then look at foreign land. The most crucial aspect of business is to understand how long your project will sustain in market.
The winners of Gari Khana Deu essay competition on Free Market Enterprise were also announced where the creative and insightful writings were awarded with cash prize.