The latest news for you- Nepali Chamber E-Newsletter

FEBRUARY 2021 ISSUE

Namaste Nepalese American Families,

Welcome to the second month of this brand new year 2021! As we know 2020 turned the world upside down, we hope you are maintaining social distancing and keeping yourself fit and fabulous as we are in the mid of February.

Did you know February is the most frequently misspelled word? Even the White House press spelled it wrong in 2015. Interesting, isn’t it? We are here to share with you one more interesting fact of the month, hoping to add a smile in your face.

How many of you have made a fitness resolution for the New Year? Let us have a Fruitarian conversation bringing 3 apples that revolutionized the world.

Most popular 🍎

February is the birthday month of the charismatic American Business magnate, an unfathomable prodigy, a pioneer of personal computer revolution, and a dynamic speaker.

We hold him in our hands, place him carefully in our pockets and purses, put him lovingly in our lap; it’s none other than the enigmatic genius Steve Job. I-phone, I-pad, I-pod, iMac, apple music, the list continues. In a single line, Job’s APPLE changed the world! Apple’s Net-worth for 2020 is 2 trillion.

The second 🍏 worth remembering this month is the forbidden Apple in the garden of Eden,💑 connecting to the story of Adam and Eve’s fall from heaven. On the contrary, people across the world claim to find heaven in earth once they experience the bliss of love. Love is celebrated on 14th of February, a Valentine day, which is considered the 3rd priciest holiday in the United States. $21.8 billion is spent each year impacting retail sales.

The third 🍎 that deserves timeless tribute is Newton’s Apple inspiring him to create a theory of Gravity and revolutionizing world with his philosophy.

Lastly, we grew up hearing “eating an apple a day keeps a doctor away,” Joke of the valentine month- Stop eating apple if your partner is a doctor. 😆

Stay fit & healthy.

Happy February!

Sincerely,

Nepalese American Chamber of Commerce

The Nepalese American Chamber of Commerce is an independent, not-for-profit US Corporation devoted to create, protect, promote and enhance economic opportunities & prosperity to Nepalese Business community in the USA.

It was established in 2014 to advance and promote the economic environment for business, and to advocate responsive government and quality education, while preserving unique characteristics of Nepalese-American communities.

February Birthday Special

Your birthstone is an Amethyst (Purple stone); symbolizing sincerity and wisdom, and your flower is a Primrose.

Anyone you know celebrate a leap year birthday? The odds of being born on Feb. 29 are about 1 in 1,461.

Steve Job was a February born prodigy

[Feb24,1955-Oct 5, 2011]

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”

― Steve Jobs

Stories that Inspire

Young Entrepreneurs

How many of you purchase scented candles?

Let’s meet the young Entrepreneur!

Hart Main is a 14-year old that came up with the idea of manly scented candles when he was teasing his sister about the girly scented ones she was selling for a school fundraiser. Although she didn't expect him to fully pursue the manly scented candles idea himself, he did, and the idea has turned into a nationwide success.

Main put in an initial investment of $100, his parents put in $200, and they all worked together to develop the candles as a group. The available scents include: Campfire, Bacon, Sawdust, Fresh Cut Grass, Grandpa's Pipe, and more. Today, ManCans candles are in over 60 stores across the country and have sold about 9,000 units. Main will stick with selling ManCans' inventory until he has to shift his focus back into school in the fall.

Ref: https://www.investopedia.com/10-successful-young-entrepreneurs-4773310

Parents,

Inspire kids, Empower them, and see what they can do!

"If you can dream it, you can do it."

"The way to get started is quit talking and begin doing."

~Walt Disney

Inspired Daughters Empower Grandmothers

Feeling cold? Wear grandma’s love knitted sweaters & shocks!

“My closeness to my grandparents, and the things I have learned from them, the stories, their wisdom, everything inspired me to become who I am”.

The elderly not only have valuable skills but inspiring and extraordinary life stories and experiences. Lorina remembers her grandfather’s story about his long journey to Lhasa for trading that fascinated her as a child. All those stories hold high cultural and historical value but they are not documented or told to the coming generations.

She felt that unless she did something about it, all these stories and skills would be lost. That’s how Aji's products and podcasts were conceptualized with the vision of empowering the elderly to live healthy and happy lives.

At Aji’s, Lorina is not only learning entrepreneurial skills but also gaining the intuition, courage, and compassion required while working with the elderly. Aji’s values resonate highly with the values she inherited from closeness with her grandparents.

Reference: https://www.ajisproducts.org/

Community Update

Are you a CEO, COO, CFO?

Grab the golden opportunity of Growth!

The SBA Dallas/Fort Worth District Office is now accepting applications for the 2021 Emerging Leaders Initiative. This intensive executive-level series is intended to accelerate the growth of high-potential small businesses and provides business owners with the tools needed to take their business to the next level.

This training is for established business owners and is not for start-ups.

Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Have annual revenues of at least $250,000.

• Have been in business for at least 3 years.

• Have at least one employee, other than self (participant must be CEO, COO, CFO, Owner, or President and be key decision maker).

• A demonstrated commitment, professionalism, and readiness to take one's venture to a new level of success.

Applications must be received by March 15, 2021, those meeting eligibility requirements will be contacted for an interview. The only cost is your time and commitment to complete the curriculum over the course of 7 months.

For additional details visit 2021 SBA Emerging Leaders Initiative

Interested participants should complete the online registration form

PPP Round 2: Do Not Forget to Apply!

Friendly reminder! The SBA has re-opened the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan portal to all participating PPP lenders. PPP provides loans to help businesses keep their workforce employed during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. SBA is currently offering:

• First Draw PPP loans- for those borrowers who have not received a PPP loan before August 8, 2020.

• Second Draw PPP loans- for eligible small businesses with 300 employees or less and that previously received a First Draw PPP loan. These borrowers will have to use or had used the full amount of their First Draw loan only for authorized uses and demonstrate at least a 25% reduction in gross receipts between comparable quarters in 2019 and 2020. The maximum amount of a Second Draw PPP loan is $2 million.

The Paycheck Protection Program remains open for First and Second Draw PPP loans until March 31, 2021, as set forth in the Economic Aid Act, or until Congressionally-appropriated funding is exhausted.

Reach out to your CPA or Bank for details. Please contact us should you need any additional help.

How are you impacted by the Pandemic?

COVID & The Changing Face of Gas Stations and Convenience Stores

For almost a year we have seen the way that nearly all businesses function change and adapt to the pandemic, but one of those businesses that has proven not only resilient, but essential as well, are gas stations and convenience stores.

Many gas stations and convenience stores have become vitally important for the neighborhoods that they are located in, and while some of the changes they have made have been temporary to keep up with the times, others are likely to be more permanent in nature. Here are the major points highlighted in this article:

Convenience Stores and Gas Stations Are Essential Businesses
C-Stores and Gas Stations Change to Meet Customer Needs
C-Stores Are Getting the Word Out There
Looking Ahead for C-Stores and Gas Stations

Although there is no way to know for sure how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact the convenience store and gas station industry the remainder of 2020 and into 2021, it is likely that smaller, conveniently located stores will remain a neighborhood essential. Factors such as government regulations, temporary store closings, and stay-at-home restrictions can all result in both short and long-term economic impacts. This means it is critical for all businesses, including convenience stores and gas stations, to learn to adapt to the changes and their customer needs.

In the COVID-19 vaccine race, we either win together or lose together

Joint statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Of the 128 million vaccine doses administered so far, more than three quarters of those vaccinations are in just 10 countries that account for 60% of global GDP.

As of today, almost 130 countries, with 2.5 billion people, are yet to administer a single dose.

This self-defeating strategy will cost lives and livelihoods, give the virus further opportunity to mutate and evade vaccines and will undermine a global economic recovery.

Read more: https://www.who.int/news/item/10-02-2021-in-the-covid-19-vaccine-race-we-either-win-together-or-lose-together