The Nepalese IT company Curves n’ Colors (CNC) from Kathmandu, Nepal, offers its national and international customers all the services of a web agency: innovative online presences, branding and web applications. CNC has grown rapidly in recent years, leaving too little time to create efficient processes and structures. In November 2022, CEO Ranjan Shrestha contacted the SEC to adapt the processes and management system to the increasing size of the company. Together with a management consultant from the SEC’s pool of experts, they drew up a business plan that also took into account the company’s international growth ambitions.
The SEC contacted the experienced entrepreneur and SEC expert Peter Schürch. As an entrepreneur, he is familiar with the various challenges in the day-to-day business of an SME and was immediately motivated to fly to Nepal for this assignment.
In the four weeks before the start on-site, the CNC team and Peter Schürch prepared for the upcoming assignment: They prioritised the topics, drew up a work plan and got to know each other. Peter Schürch began his research into the sector so that he would know his client’s impact environment and be able to develop suitable solutions.
Once on-site, the Curves n’ Colors team and the SEC expert began analysing the company’s operations, processes and strategies. This gave them valuable insights that led to initial suggestions for improvement. For example, the head of finance implemented a controlling and liquidity tool under the guidance of Peter Schürch so that the company could be better managed. Overall, this initial analysis enabled CNC’s management to increase processes and efficiency and also to better allocate resources. As simple as this may sound, it was a challenge for the company to weave the recommendations into the existing processes and organisational culture. This was also because change often leads to resistance and requires a great deal of adaptation from everyone involved.
In the next step, Peter Schürch and the CFO drew up a planning and budget document for the 2023/24 financial year as well as a business plan for the next three years that the company can submit to the bank. In addition, the SEC expert updated the job descriptions together with the managers and had them supplemented with targets. Last but not least, there was also time to review CNC’s international ambitions. To this end, they prepared various marketing options and channels that CNC could test for its international expansion. With the expertise of the SEC expert, they analysed various options for international expansion. During the assignment, a requirements profile was also drawn up for the new business development person to be hired to ensure that this would be successful.
Ranjan Shrestha, CEO of CNC, believes that “the consultancy has provided valuable guidance on international strategies that open up new avenues for market expansion and revenue generation.”
First results visible
After just over a year, the changes made during and after the assignment also appear to have had an impact on the performance indicators, according to Shrestha: These point to increased productivity and improved overall performance.
The consultancy also helped to strengthen the company’s competitive position in the market and identify new growth opportunities, explains CNC’s CEO, adding: “Overall, we believe that the advice provided by the SEC expert played an important role in achieving positive results for our company.”
About the client
“We are a creative collective that thrives on sharing ideas and exploring our artistic and technical boundaries together.”
Curves n’ Colors (CNC) specializes in developing and designing innovative digital solutions for both national and international clients. The company offers a comprehensive range of web agency services, including website development, branding, software development, mobile app development, and digital marketing. With over two decades of industry experience, CNC provides top-notch technology solutions to various industries, enhancing their online presence and overall brand image.
Interview with SEC expert Peter Schürch
How would you rate the results achieved in general?
We achieved the agreed goals. After three weeks, we had drawn up the planning and budget for the following financial year and a three-year business plan. We examined various options for the desired international expansion and drew up checklists for a new Business Development Manager to be hired.
What impressed you most about this consultancy assignment?
The very good cooperation and the perfectly managed bookkeeping, which made it much easier to draw up the business plan.
Where did you reach your limits during the consultancy assignment?
This time around, nothing – the collaboration went very well. Everyone spoke good English and was competent in their specialist areas.
What surprised you the most?
The CFO has a small altar in the office – every morning he lit incense sticks and prayed briefly for the commercial success of the day. The healthy lunch for the whole staff in the office was delicious. Payments from local customers are mostly made by cheque (which are collected in person) and not by bank transfer.
How would you assess the client’s situation after the SEC assignment?
Curves n’ Colors is well established in the local market. Everything is now ready for international expansion and various marketing channels have been identified. For the expansion to succeed, a business development person is needed to take care of the expansion. This person is being recruited, which is not so easy.
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