When I started Gurkha Technology, we had more ambition than assets. A few clients, a small team, and laptops that groaned every time we opened too many Chrome tabs.
We weren’t trying to be the biggest agency in Nepal. We just wanted to do digital marketing properly—with strategy, clarity, and honesty.
Now, years later, with dozens of clients served and a team that’s grown from a one-room hustle to a full-fledged operation, I’ve learned a few things about what actually works when you’re scaling in Nepal’s digital ecosystem.
Spoiler: it’s not always what you read in marketing blogs.
Lesson #1: Your Brand Isn’t Your Logo—It’s Your Reputation
When we started out, I was obsessed with making our visual identity look professional. And yes, design matters. But in the early days, our best branding came from one thing: how we made our clients feel.
The early feedback that mattered most wasn’t “your website looks nice.” It was:
“We finally understand what we’re paying for.”
“Your team actually listens.”
Those comments built more credibility than any brand guide ever could.
Lesson #2: SEO Is a Long Game, But a Worthwhile One
I’ll admit it—we didn’t invest in our own SEO right away. Client work always came first. But once we started publishing helpful content, case studies, and pages targeted to local search terms, leads started coming in organically.
Not in huge waves—but steadily. One lead turned into a retainer. Another into a referral. And soon, we weren’t chasing clients—they were finding us.
That’s when I fully understood the power of long-term inbound strategy in a market like Nepal, where trust is everything.
Lesson #3: Say No Early, Say No Often
One of the hardest but most important things we did as we scaled was learn to say no to misaligned projects.
- No to clients who wanted overnight results without effort.
- No to “exposure” projects with no budget.
- No to tasks outside our expertise, just to keep the lights on.
Every time we said no, it felt risky. But every time, it made space for the right projects—the ones we could actually deliver value on.
Lesson #4: Invest in the Team Before Tools
It’s tempting to think the next tool will solve your problems—project management, automation, reporting, AI everything.
But what made the biggest difference for us wasn’t buying more software. It was investing in people who gave a damn.
Training interns. Hiring slowly. Creating space for team members to own projects. That’s what scaled our ability—not just our revenue.
Even today, when we onboard someone new, we don’t just show them how to use tools—we teach them why strategy matters in the first place.
Lesson #5: Marketing Yourself Is Different from Marketing Clients
This one caught me off guard.
We were great at building campaigns for clients—but when it came to our own channels, we often defaulted to silence or second-guessing. “Do we sound too salesy? Too casual? Too formal?”
Eventually, I treated Gurkha Technology like a client. I blocked time each month to review our digital presence. We posted less often—but more intentionally. We shared what we were learning, not just what we were selling.
That shift made all the difference.
Lesson #6: Local Nuance Beats Imported Strategy
We tried running campaigns that mimicked international playbooks. Funnels, gated eBooks, lead scoring models. Some worked. Most didn’t.
Why? Because Nepali audiences think differently. They want to talk to someone before they buy. They ask for discounts directly in DMs. They don’t always trust a form on a landing page.
So we adapted. We built WhatsApp into lead flows. We created bilingual content. We ran ads that didn’t look like ads.
And it worked—because we respected how people here actually behave online.
Final Thought
Growing Gurkha Technology has been messy, humbling, and deeply rewarding.
It’s taught me that digital marketing in Nepal isn’t about chasing trends or copying templates. It’s about knowing your market, trusting your gut, and building slowly—with people you believe in.
If you’re a founder, freelancer, or aspiring marketer reading this: build your strategy like you’re planting a tree. Not for tomorrow—but for five years from now.
And in the meantime, keep watering it with work that matters.