Kumar Thapa, started his career in the medical sector working for a wholesale medical supplier. Determined to strike it out on his own with his meager savings, Thapa eventually started his own retail shop, before upgrading to successful medical institutions like Harjans Nursing Home and Alka Polyclinic and Pharmacy. Having recently opened two hospitals in Chitwan, in addition to taking over management of the Hams Hospital in the Capital, Thapa still remains close to his humble Kavre roots and believes in hard work, above all else. In this conversation with the Post’s Alisha Sijapati, he talks about his management mantras and the thought that goes into up-scaling and expanding a business. Excerpts:

Having started out small before expanding your business exponentially, can you tell us about how you up-scaled your business?

I was quite young when I left my home in Kavre and travelled with an uncle to start something new and fresh in Kathmandu. My uncle used to work at a small medical shop and I too had an interest in it. He was a very hardworking man and his inspiration guided me to become who I am today. I started working from scratch as a wholesale distributor and fortunately, in every step I took I was successful and my confidence grew, step by step. But through all my new ventures one thing has remained constant: indefatigable hard work.

How has the experience been jumping from managing a small workforce to a large and complex one?

Be it small or big, the experience of working from scratch is most memorable, that is where my roots are. When I was working at a small workplace, the challenges was completely different than what it is working with a large workforce. I have been managing hospitals for the past three decades and I enjoy working with a large number of people. Having had worked for the medical field for a long time, I feel I know the varied aspects of the sector and how to improve them. I feel that is something that comes to you once you dedicate enough time to a sector: You begin to know the business inside out and can make informed decisions that are good for not just your business but also your employees. It is just that a lot of people don’t have the perseverance to stick to one sector through thick and thin.

What are the keys of managing a large workforce?

When running a hospital, you definitely need a large workforce, and it’s not easy to monitor each and every employee. As an employer, I feel you need to have certain dignity and integrity. Also, you need to have respect and a lot of tolerance when dealing with your employees. As an employer, it is important to observe how employees treat their customers and we need to motivate and encourage our employees and guide them to the right track so that their performance is excellent, but more importantly consistent. It is easy to do a good job once, it is when you are able to motivate your team to replicate it again and again, that you excel as a manager and as a business.

What are your personal management mantras?

To put it simply: hard work. I work 12 to 14 hours every day. As soon as I reach work, I visit each and every department. I don’t converse with all of them but I do observe the vibes and working patterns of the employees. For instance, if I see the staff surfing their cell phones while patients are already coming in for treatment, I tell remind them very gently about their wrong pattern and their priorities at work. I feel conversing or passing on a message in a gentle way will not leave anyone taking a situation for granted and at the same time, they will do their work more efficiently the next time. I also meet and talk to patients and listen to their issues and try to implement them at our workplace. Balancing both the sides are very important to me.

What advice do you have for those who want to upgrade their business?

You need to have a high tolerance level if you want to start or upgrade your business. You need to be confident and passionate about the business you are jumping into. You have to be well informed, experienced and well-researched to take a step forward in your field. For example,many people from different fields have tried their hand in the medical sector but they have all backed out because they rarely have any experience or thorough research in this field. If there is something that you are confident about, you should definitely move forward with. Also, don’t feel shy to do the same thing that already exists in the market—healthy competition is always fun. Just make sure and make your customers feel how different and better your service is from the rest.