Renu Sthapit

Everesto Chocolates Pvt. Ltd. Proprietor

Belgium may be famous for its chocolates, but Nepal also exports these, courtesy a woman entrepreneur, Renu Sthapit. But the problem Sthapit is facing is that the exports have not been steady.

Or is it because Sthapit does not give enough time to the business? "Perhaps", concedes she. For she is busy also as the Training Chief and Vice President of Women Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal (WEAN), the past president of Kathmandu Lady Jaycees and a member of Nepal Bhasa Misa Khala. Then one may also ask whether Sthapit is an entrepreneur or a social worker. Again, her answer is "Social Worker".

That may explain why the Nepali women entrepreneurs are a rare specie. Rather than being entrepreneurs, they are more in the social service field. And Sthapit has an interesting explanation for that.

"Without empowerment, the women can’t do anything. So we have to fight first for the empowerment of the women as a whole. Then we have to make the women skilful. Then only will come the entrepreneurship. Hence, we all are active social workers. If one looks at the prominent names in the list of women entrepreneurs in Nepal, one will find that most of them are better known names in social service than in entrepreneurship.

Though Sthapit had entered entrepreneurship when her husband was still alive, she had stopped the business for about four years when he passed away in a road accident.

As she was shocked at the untimely demise of the husband, she spent almost four years avoiding the outside world. But on the advice of her father she pursued her education further and completed MA in Economics. Finally, in 1996 she restarted her confectionery business. First she was making lozenges. Later she went into chocolates. Her "Hurray" brand is handmade and produced in the style of the Swiss chocolates.

The learning Sthapit wants to share with other women is that you should struggle at least three years by when you will get established as a businessperson in your field. For example, just having the skill in making pickle is not going to be enough. Your pickle may not get sold in time, and it may develop mould. So, you must also know what to do to avoid mould. Learning this and all the ropes in business needs at least three years, advises the training chief of WEAN as a rule of thumb.

Sthapit’s chocolates are being marketed by WEAN Cooperative, the marketing organ of WEAN. Initially there was a problem for WEAN to market Hurray chocolates as the packaging initially looked like that of Indian chocolates, recalls Sthapit. Therefore, she is now changing the packaging by using some Nepali paper for the wrapper. She also tried marketing the product herself. But because of the low volume, it was not profitable.

So she says, it is better to entrust the marketing to WEAN Cooperative which has a very good network of relations with 17 or 18 supermarkets. "If I try to make it available at every shop, it is not going to be profitable", she says.

You better believe Sthapit who trains other women in entrepreneurship and the major point she emphasizes is marketing. "Don’t start a business before you understand the market for it", is the refrain she says she uses in all trainings.

So far her exports sales are only about 10% of her total sales. The major markets where she has exported are Holland, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. But the problem is the exports are not maintained.

However, it does not mean that every women entrepreneur needs to be a social worker. But with both of her daughters already settled in their new homes and careers and a good fortune from Nepali standards inherited, conscious woman like Sthapit cannot remain worried only for money. They go also for social service.

It gives an example of what David McLelland's concept of Need for Achievement tries to explain. One wants success on one's own. After making enough money one goes after the extension motivation, i.e. sharing the knowledge and extending the service.