Nepalis have reached every corner of the world—making not just a presence, but achieving remarkable success. Some hold senior positions in global companies, while others have launched their own ventures, uplifting Nepal’s name on the international stage.

Among them is Raju Karki from Makwanpur. He moved to the United States 25 years ago for his studies and has now established himself firmly in the consulting industry. Through his firm, Karki Consulting, he provides services ranging from systems and ERP consulting to accounting.

He founded Karki Consulting in 2013, after working with top consulting firms in the U.S. like CSE (Computer Sciences Corporation) and BDO. Though he was a decent student, he recalls coming third in class once, not knowing exactly how.

Karki completed his schooling up to grade 10 from Himalaya Vidya Mandir in Kathmandu, pursued I.Com from People’s College, and earned his Bachelor’s degree from Shanker Dev Campus. In 1998, he traveled to the U.S. again for further studies. Since then, through immense struggle, he has successfully established himself in America.

America Was Never the Goal

After completing a two-year bachelor's in accounting from Shanker Dev Campus, Karki found himself waiting months for his results. During that idle period, he began visiting the American Library, which eventually inspired him to dream of the U.S.

His initial dream, however, was to become a Chartered Accountant (CA) in India and work at Nepal Rastra Bank. “I never planned to go to America. I wanted to study CA in India and work at the Rastra Bank,” he told ICT Samachar. “Back then, CA graduates were rare and highly sought after.”

During his visits to the library, he came across names of a few American colleges. He applied to two or three of them and even secured partial scholarships. Encouraged by his family, he chose the U.S. over India. In hindsight, he says, it felt like someone meant to go east ended up heading west.

The Harsh Beginnings

The beginning in the U.S. was tough. He landed in a small, cold, and snowy town—not something he had expected. Having lived in a hostel in Nepal, he now had to cook, work, and study on his own in a culturally different environment. His first semester felt like landing on another planet.

He even considered returning to Nepal. “At one point, I thought of going back. My father had sent me around $8,000–10,000 for college. I thought maybe I should earn it back and return,” he recalls.

From Business Management to IT

Though he initially pursued Business Management, he saw greater opportunities in IT and switched to Computer Information Systems, especially with the rise of e-commerce and the dot-com bubble at the time. He graduated in 2001, the same year the dot-com bubble burst, which made finding a job extremely difficult.

Unable to find employment, he started a retail business and hired fellow Nepalis. However, within months, the business failed, leaving him buried in debt. “That was the lowest point of my life,” he says. “It felt like everything was over.”

Yet he didn’t give up. Drawing lessons from his failure, he launched another business nine months later, which did well and helped him pay off most of his debts.

In 2004, he left business to join CSE Corporation as a Business Unit Accountant—a role where his degree from Shanker Dev came in handy. Having knowledge of both accounting and systems made things easier and opened doors to promotions and broader exposure.

Corporate Rise and CPA Qualification

CSE was the third-largest contractor of the U.S. government at the time, handling over $16 billion in contracts annually. In 2007, Karki pursued a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) qualification, the U.S. equivalent of a CA, to make up for the regret of not being able to study CA.

He recalls a conference where a deputy governor from Nepal Rastra Bank was present. Seeing him rekindled the dream Karki once had of working at the central bank. This pushed him to complete his CPA.

Having both IT and accounting knowledge, Karki found consulting to be a perfect fit, especially in the era of laptops and remote work. His consulting journey began in 2007 with stints at major firms like BDO and Mark Landry, eventually becoming a Consulting Manager at BDO.

Launching Karki Consulting

​​​​​​​Though he was well-established in the corporate world, the desire to build something of his own grew stronger. During a visit to Hong Kong, he was enchanted by the city and tried launching a trading business, which ultimately failed. Returning to the U.S., he resumed work at BDO and also enrolled in a Master’s in Information Systems at George Mason University.

He was efficient—often doing the work of three people—thanks to his dual expertise. His clients started encouraging him to start his own firm. One client even offered him a retainer of $5,000/month for coming to the office just twice a month.

Though initially hesitant to leave BDO, this client encouragement pushed him to take the leap. In 2013, he left his job and founded Karki Consulting, and he hasn’t looked back since.

Growth of the Firm

​​​​​​​Karki Consulting started with just 2–3 clients in the first month and has only grown since. He worked until 2 a.m. in the early days. The firm offers accounting, ERP implementation, systems consulting, and training. In recent years, it has also started offering outsourced CFO services.

Much of the business comes via referrals. Today, the firm employs over 30 people and serves more than 100 clients, ranging from startups to billion-dollar public companies. Many of its current clients are private equity firms.

Karki Consulting is also recognized as a veteran-owned company in U.S. government contracting. Due to its uncompromising service quality, it has remained a top choice for American businesses over the past decade.

From Nepal to the World

​​​​​​​Today, Karki is working to build global products from Nepal. He has opened an office in Naxal, Kathmandu, employing more than 25 people focused on system development. He often jokes with his team, “This is not a Nepali company, it’s an American company.”

He believes that American workplace culture encourages discipline and accountability, which he tries to integrate into his Nepali operations.

Karki visits Nepal at least twice a year and contributes through institutions like the U.S. Embassy, NAS IT, and AmCham. His plan is to create as many jobs in Nepal as possible.

“In fact, every member of the diaspora wants to contribute back to Nepal,” he says confidently. “The diaspora has already created thousands of jobs in Nepal. My goal is the same—to create more employment opportunities here.”

Returning to Nepal—Temporarily

In 2018, Karki sold his assets in the U.S. and returned to Nepal with his family, planning to operate his business from Nepal. However, things didn’t go as planned, and he returned to the U.S. six months later. He believes that one doesn't have to live in Nepal to contribute. “Through entrepreneurship, I can contribute more while staying in the U.S.,” he says.

(Originally published in Nepali, This is the English translation. Click here for Nepali content. Parts of this text have been translated with the assistance of AI-powered tools.)