But then came the two companies that I set up in Nepal, so far away from QuickBooks land. The first one is a software company, and we hired an accountant, an auditor (and also a lawyer to complete the triumvirate) -- and they were able to concoct something in Excel that let me get the reports I needed -- so far, so good. However, the second company we set up in Nepal last year - our solar energy company Gham Power -- now that totally threw me off.

For starters, there]]> http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/09/how_to_count_be_1.php http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/09/how_to_count_be_1.php Fri, 24 Sep 2010 21:04:00 -0700

But then came the two companies that I set up in Nepal, so far away from QuickBooks land. The first one is a software company, and we hired an accountant, an auditor (and also a lawyer to complete the triumvirate) -- and they were able to concoct something in Excel that let me get the reports I needed -- so far, so good. However, the second company we set up in Nepal last year - our solar energy company Gham Power -- now that totally threw me off.

For starters, there]]> http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/09/how_to_count_be.php http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/09/how_to_count_be.php Fri, 24 Sep 2010 21:04:00 -0700 Over the years, I http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/my_fall_from_gr_1.php http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/my_fall_from_gr_1.php Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:52:00 -0700 Over the years, I http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/my_fall_from_gr.php http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/my_fall_from_gr.php Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:52:00 -0700 Pulitzer Prize winning author Kai Bird who lives in Nepal <a href= http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/pulitzer_prize_1.php http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/pulitzer_prize_1.php Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:12:00 -0700 Pulitzer Prize winning author Kai Bird who lives in Nepal <a href= http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/pulitzer_prize.php http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/pulitzer_prize.php Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:12:00 -0700
However, it’s the little things that surprise you, and also drive this point home.

Last week, our staff found out that there was no straightforward way to connect the solar panels to the rest of the wiring. This, of course, was very concerning, since the solar panels *are* the source of electricity, and if you can’t connect them to the rest of the system, there is no power whatsoever.

This problem was because the cables coming out of the panels needed a special type of connector, which is commonly available probably everywhere else in the world, but alas, not in Nepal. We talked to several other solar installer in Kathmandu, and everyone complained about the same thing � “yeah, those *#%ing cables, can’t find them here, so we just cut them to bare wire and connect it from there”

Little did they know (or maybe pretended not to) that if you cut the cables on the panel, the solar panel warranty becomes void.

So, I did some research, and found a company in China who sells this type of cable. After a couple of emails back and forth, their rep says - “our entire staff is on leave for 8 days for Chinese New Year’s, so order by Thursday, or else you will have to wait for 8 days.” The total order came to be about $170, so instead of doing something elaborate like a TT (Tele Transfer, or “wire”), LC (Letter of Credit), or Bank Draft, I asked the rep if they took a credit card. Answer came back saying � “we don’t have a POS machine, so can’t do credit card, you must send a TT.”

This is Wednesday afternoon. These guys go on leave on Friday.

So, to prepare the TT, I had the rep email me an invoice with all the details spelled out. Our bank only accepts printed invoice, and their office is all the way across the town (30-minute drive) so we had to print the invoice and get to them. That was the end of Wednesday. Our bank says this will get done in the “first hour” Thursday.

Thursday we go to bank. We need someone with signing authority as well as the company seal that needs to be stamped on several papers that get signed to prepare the TT. By the time everything is said and done, it is only late Thursday when I can send a scanned copy of the TT document to the rep in China. Fortunately he hasn’t left for vacation, so he ends up sending the shipment first thing Friday morning.

I thought that was the happy ending, but we had one more crazy act remaining.

Normally when something gets sent via UPS, Fedex, or DHL, I’m used to expecting a package shipped to my door. I expected the same in this case as well � but express shipping in Nepal means the carrier brings your shipment to the airport and then calls you to clear customs.

Now, in midst of running a business, I really don’t have the time to go to the airport to custom clear a $170 shipment of $%*ing cables, so we send our shipper instead. He spent the entire day (“the customs’ computer system was down, that’s why it took long”), but came to our office in the evening with a few boxes of cable.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m really glad we finally have our cables and that we can hook our solar panels without voiding their warranty. But can’t there be an easier way to get this transaction done?

I understand Nepal has all these protective measures to control the flow of foreign currency going out of the country, but maybe there’s a way to set a dollar-limit per transaction and then a limit for the quarter or the year on how much stuff a firm can order without having to go through all these shenanigans. One can only hope.

http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/cost_of_doing_b_1.php http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/cost_of_doing_b_1.php Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:24:00 -0700
However, it’s the little things that surprise you, and also drive this point home.

Last week, our staff found out that there was no straightforward way to connect the solar panels to the rest of the wiring. This, of course, was very concerning, since the solar panels *are* the source of electricity, and if you can’t connect them to the rest of the system, there is no power whatsoever.

This problem was because the cables coming out of the panels needed a special type of connector, which is commonly available probably everywhere else in the world, but alas, not in Nepal. We talked to several other solar installer in Kathmandu, and everyone complained about the same thing � “yeah, those *#%ing cables, can’t find them here, so we just cut them to bare wire and connect it from there”

Little did they know (or maybe pretended not to) that if you cut the cables on the panel, the solar panel warranty becomes void.

So, I did some research, and found a company in China who sells this type of cable. After a couple of emails back and forth, their rep says - “our entire staff is on leave for 8 days for Chinese New Year’s, so order by Thursday, or else you will have to wait for 8 days.” The total order came to be about $170, so instead of doing something elaborate like a TT (Tele Transfer, or “wire”), LC (Letter of Credit), or Bank Draft, I asked the rep if they took a credit card. Answer came back saying � “we don’t have a POS machine, so can’t do credit card, you must send a TT.”

This is Wednesday afternoon. These guys go on leave on Friday.

So, to prepare the TT, I had the rep email me an invoice with all the details spelled out. Our bank only accepts printed invoice, and their office is all the way across the town (30-minute drive) so we had to print the invoice and get to them. That was the end of Wednesday. Our bank says this will get done in the “first hour” Thursday.

Thursday we go to bank. We need someone with signing authority as well as the company seal that needs to be stamped on several papers that get signed to prepare the TT. By the time everything is said and done, it is only late Thursday when I can send a scanned copy of the TT document to the rep in China. Fortunately he hasn’t left for vacation, so he ends up sending the shipment first thing Friday morning.

I thought that was the happy ending, but we had one more crazy act remaining.

Normally when something gets sent via UPS, Fedex, or DHL, I’m used to expecting a package shipped to my door. I expected the same in this case as well � but express shipping in Nepal means the carrier brings your shipment to the airport and then calls you to clear customs.

Now, in midst of running a business, I really don’t have the time to go to the airport to custom clear a $170 shipment of $%*ing cables, so we send our shipper instead. He spent the entire day (“the customs’ computer system was down, that’s why it took long”), but came to our office in the evening with a few boxes of cable.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m really glad we finally have our cables and that we can hook our solar panels without voiding their warranty. But can’t there be an easier way to get this transaction done?

I understand Nepal has all these protective measures to control the flow of foreign currency going out of the country, but maybe there’s a way to set a dollar-limit per transaction and then a limit for the quarter or the year on how much stuff a firm can order without having to go through all these shenanigans. One can only hope.

http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/cost_of_doing_b.php http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/cost_of_doing_b.php Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:24:00 -0700
First, the ad in Kantipur has our phones ringing off the hook. Even though the staff was prepared for the call volume, at times it got overwhelming. If you had to wait long to get connected, sorry about that - we will do a better job in responding quickly to your calls. In the meanwhile, also consider contacting us by email at contact@ghampower.com, or just drop by  http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/gham_power_inau_1.php http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/gham_power_inau_1.php Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:20:00 -0700
First, the ad in Kantipur has our phones ringing off the hook. Even though the staff was prepared for the call volume, at times it got overwhelming. If you had to wait long to get connected, sorry about that - we will do a better job in responding quickly to your calls. In the meanwhile, also consider contacting us by email at contact@ghampower.com, or just drop by  http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/gham_power_inau.php http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/gham_power_inau.php Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:20:00 -0700 My, my.. it was September 2009 when I last posted a blog entry. Well, we can blame twitter and facebook for that a little bit, but what I realized is that blog posts are effective when you can write from your true voice, and let http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/true_calling_1.php http://www.beyeblogs.com/sandeepgiri/archive/2010/02/true_calling_1.php Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:23:00 -0700