Rita Pokharel, Country Representative for inDrive Nepal
My professional journey actually began in London, which gave me a global perspective on business efficiency. However, the real ‘anchor’ of my career was my return to Nepal in 2017 right after completing my Post Graduate in London. I came back with a specific startup plan in mind.
At that time, the Nepali job market was in a fascinating state of transition. While traditional sectors like banking and established corporate houses were the ‘safe’ gold standard, the ‘startup bug’ was just beginning to bite. It was a market ripe with raw potential but lacked the structured ecosystem, venture capital, and regulatory clarity we see today. It was a ‘build-it-yourself’ era where opportunities existed for those willing to experiment, though many graduates still preferred the security of established corporate houses or banking.
My early career in London was instrumental; it taught me the high-level art of negotiation and the absolute necessity of time management in a fast-paced global hub. However, transitioning back to Nepal to start my own startup was a true baptism by fire.
The experience taught me that in Nepal’s business landscape, resilience, patience, and perseverance are the most critical competencies. You quickly realise that you can’t just build a product in a vacuum; you have to build the environment for that product to exist. This led to my deep respect for ‘lobbying for change’ advocating for the regulatory frameworks that allow innovation to breathe.
On a personal leadership level, I learned four vital lessons:
- The Power of a Strong Team: You are only as good as the people standing with you.
- Humility in Decision-Making: Never be afraid to seek help or a second opinion when you hit a crossroads.
- The ‘Fail Fast’ Philosophy: Don’t be afraid to fail; just ensure you learn fast so you can pivot toward success.
- Core Values: Professionally, I now value transparency and persistence above all else. If you are honest with your stakeholders and relentless in your pursuit, the market eventually opens up for you.
The journey towards leadership
Looking back, it was extremely pivotal. My career trajectory from leading my own startup to handling business development for both major domestic corporate houses and US-based tech firms provided a 360-degree view of leadership.
These roles taught me how to manage diverse teams across different cultures and time zones, and more importantly, how to navigate complex regulatory hurdles. I learned the discipline of weighing the pros and cons deeply before making a high-stakes decision.
In those early days, I wasn’t just a manager; I was wearing multiple hats. On any given day, I might be handling company registration paperwork in the morning and executing a digital marketing strategy by the afternoon. This ‘all-hands-on-deck’ approach is what I call the ‘owner-mindset’. This is exactly the philosophy I apply today at inDrive. It prepared me to lead not through title or authority, but by demonstrating a willingness to do the groundwork alongside my team to fix systemic issues. True leadership in this sector means being as comfortable in a high-level boardroom as you are navigating the day-to-day operational hurdles that our drivers and riders face.
Exploring ICT driven businesses potentials
I have always been drawn to the service sector and ICT because of their power to solve real world problems. While I worked across Saas based service and fintech, the common thread was always technology-driven solutions. I remained in this field because I saw the massive gap between consumer needs and existing services in Nepal, a gap that only digital platforms could bridge efficiently. What kept me here was the sheer impact. In Nepal, tech isn’t just a luxury; it’s a leapfrog tool. Seeing a driver increase their daily earnings because of an app is far more addictive than the stability of any other sector.
Turning points
The Past: Control and Risk Aversion Early in my career. I operated under the belief that leadership meant absolute control and that business decisions should strictly flow from top management. I was driven by a fear of mistakes, which led me to micromanage processes to ensure “perfection.” This peaked during a startup venture where my desire to oversee every variable actually stifled the team’s agility. I viewed a difficult team member as an obstacle to be managed rather than an individual to be understood, and I stayed within my comfort zone because I saw “not being ready” as a reason to wait rather than a reason to grow.
The Present: Empowerment and Resilience. The turning point came when that startup failed, teaching me that resilience is more valuable than a perfect plan. I realised that by avoiding mistakes, I was also avoiding innovation. Today, I’ve traded control for adaptability and empathy. I now believe that the best ideas can and should come from anyone on the team, regardless of their rank. I purposefully create an environment where my team feels safe to make mistakes and learn from them, as I’ve seen firsthand that this autonomy leads to better results. I no longer wait to feel “ready” for a challenge; I take the role and adapt.
Country Representative of inDrive
My journey with inDrive began three years ago, fuelled by my background in the startup ecosystem and a deep-seated desire to build businesses that solve tangible, real-world problems. I joined with a clear mission: to bridge the gap between global innovation and local market realities, which at the time felt like a ‘one-size-fits-all’ algorithmic pricing environment.
By introducing our Peer-to-Peer (P2P) model, we didn’t just launch an app; we introduced a more transparent pricing approach that resonates with local negotiation culture. We wanted to move the power back into the hands of the people, allowing the driver and the passenger to negotiate a fair price directly. Seeing how this transparency has created livelihoods for thousands of drivers and provided affordable, reliable transport for passengers have been the ultimate validation of our expansion strategy. At inDrive, we aren’t just moving people; we aim to make mobility fairer and more transparent for everyone involved in the transaction.
On a day-to-day basis my role involves a mix of strategic and operational responsibility. I am responsible for localising global strategies, ensuring our services align with the needs and culture of the Nepali market. This includes overseeing business development, marketing and partnership. A significant part of my day is dedicated to stakeholder engagement, internal team meetings, working closely with local government authorities and local communities to build trust and ensure compliance. Most importantly I focus on fostering a safe and supportive environment for both our driver partners and passengers.
Technological disruption reshaping mobility ecosystems
In the context of Nepal’s evolving landscape, technological disruption is fundamentally shifting the mobility ecosystem from a model of ‘price-setting’ by rigid, automated algorithms to one of ‘price-discovery’ led by the people. Currently, the most significant innovation transforming the sector is the move toward Peer-to-Peer (P2P) bid-based models, which leverage real-time negotiation to empower human decision-making over non-transparent, fixed systems. This transparency is further amplified by the rise of a comprehensive mobility ecosystem, essentially a SuperApp approach that integrates passenger rides with essential services like courier, intercity travel, and last-mile delivery. By digitising deeply rooted cultural habits like bargaining and combining them with advanced safety features and local digital payment integrations, we are not just providing a service; we are building a more inclusive, resilient, and fair digital economy for both drivers and passengers in Nepal.
Competition in the ride-hailing space and current market dynamics
In the current market, I view the entry of new players as a positive catalyst that keeps the ecosystem active and pushes us to stay at the forefront of innovation. The intensification of competition in Nepal is a sign of a healthy, maturing industry that ultimately benefits the end-user by raising the bar for service quality and safety. Our strength lies in our unique Peer-to-Peer (P2P) business model, which offers a level of freedom and choice that is unmatched. By allowing both passengers and drivers to negotiate and agree on a price that feels fair to them, we are providing more than just a ride; we are offering a transparent marketplace. This differentiation ensures that even as the space becomes more crowded, we remain the preferred choice for those who value autonomy and fairness over a standardised, one-size-fits-all approach.
At inDrive, safety is a non-negotiable part of our business model. While awareness in the market is certainly growing, there is always more to be done.
I believe that for a safety ecosystem to be truly effective, it requires a proactive partnership. Users must be willing to engage with their own security; this means taking a moment to explore the safety features within the app and understanding how to use them before an emergency arises. It’s about moving from passive usage to conscious, safe travel.
From the company side, we regularly conduct safety awareness initiatives and community engagement programmes and recently launched our ‘Safe Journey Begins With Your Choice’ Campaign. Our message is clear: safety isn’t just a button you press, like our in-app SOS; it’s an informed choice.
We encourage every user to exercise that choice by:
- Verifying Profiles: Checking the driver’s rating and vehicle details, driver’s profile before the ride to loved ones.
- Real-time Sharing: Utilising the share your ride detail feature to send live locations
- Privacy Protection: Using our in-app calling feature to hide numbers.
By promoting these practices, we aim to strengthen a culture of shared responsibility for safer mobility.
Behavioural factors influencing platform loyalty
In the tech world, ‘incentives’ are often used as short-term bait, but we believe long-term marketplace sustainability depends on creating fair economics for both drivers and riders.
For our Drivers: The most powerful incentive isn’t a one-time bonus; it’s the ‘Take-Home’ at the end of week/month. We operate on a highly competitive 10% commission model (vs. the 20% or more seen elsewhere). This means the driver keeps significantly more of their hard-earned income at the end of every single day.
Beyond the money, we offer professional dignity and freedom. Unlike platforms where an algorithm dictates your work, inDrive drivers have the total freedom to see the destination, the price, and the passenger’s rating before they accept. They are independent partners, not just ‘app-managed’ entities.
For our Riders: The value proposition is freedom and transparency. We have moved away from ‘black-box’ pricing. A rider can:
- Propose their own fare: If they know the route, they can offer what is fair.
- Choose their driver: Instead of being assigned a random car, they can select based on the car model, the driver’s rating, or the arrival time
The behavioural factor behind loyalty is a sense of control and transparency. When users feel they can participate in the decision-making process, trust in the platform tends to increase.
Strengthening Nepal’s ride-hailing ecosystem
When I look at my contributions, I don’t just see numbers or market share; I see the tangible changes in people’s lives. Globally, inDrive has a vision of impacting the lives of 1 billion people by 2030, and I am incredibly proud to be driving that positive impact right here in Nepal. The most significant contribution has been helping expand flexible earning opportunities for thousands of driver partners. In a country where overseas employment is common, platforms like inDrive can provide additional income opportunities that allow many drivers to stay closer to home and their families.
I recall a recent ride I took where the driver thanked inDrive for the platform. He told me he was finally making a good income and, most importantly, he was happy because he could stay with his family and eat dinner with them every night. To me, that is the ultimate contribution. Strengthening an ecosystem isn’t just about technology or regulation; it’s about building a system that keeps families together and empowers the local economy. Being a part of a solution that turns ‘brain drain’ into ‘local gain’ is the proudest milestone of my career.
Moving forward, our strategic priorities for Nepal are built on the foundation of Safety First and Social Impact. We are doubling down on our core values by deepening our collaboration with local authorities and integrating advanced tech safety features to ensure every journey is secure and trusted. However, our vision goes beyond just moving people; we are committed to impactful projects that create tangible benefits for the communities we serve, shifting the focus from transactions to human empowerment. This includes a clear roadmap for geographic expansion as well as vertical expansion into new service categories. By scaling our unique peer-to-peer model into these new regions and sectors, we aim to build a truly nationwide mobility ecosystem that prioritises fairness, safety, and the socio-economic growth of the Nepali people.
Given the rapid pace of technological advancement, I expect Nepal’s ride-sharing landscape to become significantly more competitive and innovative over the coming years. The industry’s focus will shift from merely providing transportation to building a comprehensive urban mobility ecosystem. This transformation involves integrating services such as couriers, food delivery, intercity travel, and electric vehicle (EV) fleets. Furthermore, the government will likely introduce more defined regulations and policies to formalise and standardise the sector, which is crucial for long-term sustainability and safety. Additionally, AI will play an increasingly prominent role in predicting demand patterns.
Career guidance to fresh graduates
Your career is also a P2P negotiation, know your worth and choose the path that offers you the most freedom to grow. Nepal is a land of ‘unsolved problems,’ which means it is a land of opportunities. If the door to the career you want isn’t opening, don’t be afraid to build the door yourself.
To the fresh graduates of today, I have three pieces of advice:
i) Embrace the ‘Owner-Mindset’: Don’t just look for a job description; look for a problem that needs solving. Whether you are in a startup or a corporate house, treat the challenges as your own.
ii) Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Don’t let the fear of failure paralyse you. In tech, your mistakes are often your best teachers. What matters is how quickly you pivot and apply those lessons.
iii) Build for Impact: It is easy to chase a paycheque, but it is far more rewarding to build a career that changes lives. Whether it’s through fintech, mobility, or education, look for sectors that keep our talent at home and our families together.
