This is the 13th post of a three-week series. Please visit the “Adventure Journal” page of our website and start with “Why Nepal?” to read in order! As always, I have added perspectives from the kids (as they allow me to).

Cover Photo: A beautiful meditative waterfall that served as an exquisite background for our picnic lunch!

*Please note that to see Cover Photo on email notification, you will need to click “Read On” at the bottom of the email.

Day 12: Deng (1,860m) - Namrung (2,630m)

June 9, 2019

Stats:

Walked: 7hrs 46mins
Distance: 10 miles
Ascent: 4,151 ft
Descent: 1,839 ft
Elevation Gain: 2,312 ft

Today was the second day on the Manaslu Circuit and everyone did so well! It was another long and hard day but the kids had a ton of energy through their storytelling and brainstorming. We finished all of the productive “when we get home” conversations that we had started days ago rather quickly, given that we covered a lot of ground when we touched on everything from birthday party and extracurricular planning to goals and passions!

Trekking, with all of its disconnection from the distractions of the day-to-day world and “open space” for thought, is an entrepreneur’s heaven and therefore, an executor’s nightmare! In that creative mode it feels so easy to come up with ideas and vision. So, after we had brainstormed and envisioned the more tactical parts of next year, the kids began brainstorming new businesses!

It started with Kenza who has historically always been interested in selling just about anything on our porch. Since the age of three, at various times she has sold paper airplanes, paper cups (the water was free), bounty from our garden, and anything that needed to be purged from our house. Of late, her dream has consistently been to own a small bakery.

Kaysan is also very entrepreneurial and started making and selling comics since he was five years old. What is interesting about Kaysee, however, is his keen ability to maximize profits. Early on, he learned (from Zayan) that writing “Part 2 Coming” on the back of each comic would often yield a presale from the buyer. He started selling packages upfront and would make $1 more in profit through bundling longer stories. When he discovered a small copy machine in my office, he started copying his comics and creating three tiers of comic prices in the following order: The original (most expensive), hand-colored copies (only $1-2 less than the original), and plain black and white photocopies (least expensive). Using this model for his target market (parents and grandparents) he could resell the same comic book five times. None of us were really tallying his total profits and we were all shocked to learn that after one year, Kaysee had literally earned $160!

So, when Kaysee got wind of Kenza’s new cookie-selling idea, he wanted-in. He and Kenza started talking about selling their passions—cookies and comics. For the next four hours, they walked and came up with a company name, logo, and business plan. The were fully self-contained on the trek and would only come back to me or Kapil with a question on permitting, licenses, etc. As I coached them on the intricacies of inspections, commercial kitchens, and permits that were all needed for a “real” bakery, they decided to sell their goods on the street but donate the proceeds to non-profits they cared about from their travels! Before anyone thinks that we are a bunch of altruists, let me honestly clarify that I think their primary motivation to donate their proceeds was to avoid the need of a business permit!

Zayan vacillated between coaching Kaysee and Kenza on their business plan, to talking to me about a project he might want to delve into. The energy on the trail was palpable and contagious. When Zayan’s coaching was being ignored and he didn’t have his own clear project, I could see him struggling with how to let Kaysee and Kenza be. Whether it was Z feeling a bit left out or jealous, I spent much of that time helping Z get aware of his thoughts and feelings so he could shift his behavior to one of neutrality, if not positivity, toward Kenza and Kaysee.

Part of that shifting was getting Zayan excited about his own passions. Though he doesn’t love the mechanics of writing, Z is a very articulate writer. He also has a string analytical mind and a sophisticated palette. He brainstormed an idea to be a kid food critic for local restaurants. Instead of profits like the other two, Z’s motivation is clearly to be taken seriously as a restaurant patron, and perhaps to get free food!

Apart from entrepreneurship energy, the day presented a beautiful waterfall and an epic lunch spot next to one. Before we knew it, we were at camp. Besides taking our second (and last) hot showers of the trek, the kids spent time putting their projects on paper while Kapil and I read our books. I finished my Putin book and spent time reflecting on the similarities between Putinism and Trumpism (but that is for a different space and place). Despite that tailspin of thinking, it was a pretty terrific day.

Our lunch and photo spot for Day 12 was this beautiful waterfall that we encountered on the trail.

This is a picture of entrepreneurship in the visioning phase :)

Kenza and Kaysee sketching business logo ideas on the trail.

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Excerpt from Zayan’s Journal (12 years):

Today was a long and tiresome day. One of the highlights of the day was lunch. Although the food itself was bland and uninspired (consisting of plain white rice, lighlt salted potatoes, bread, and cheese), the location was unbeatable. Straying from our usual lunch routines of eating on a tarp or at a teahouse, we ate off of our laps next to a raging waterfall. The sound of the waterfall was a loud, consistent noise, giving it a meditative feel.

Kenza and Kaysan are going to start a baking stand. That idea reminded me of a project that I have wanted to start for a while. I want to review the restaurants, at home, in Mountain View. I’ve been working on a letter to a local newspaper and hope they will give me a small trial area for this idea. Wish me luck!

Excerpt from Kenza’s Journal (9 years):

Today was also a long and tiring day. Me and Kaysan are going to open up a shop where he sells comics and I sell cookies. We talked about it and I am really excited to get back home and open it!

Daddy said he was really proud of us for our walk today, and I am too! Everyone is doing well so far and the next three days will be half days! Talk to you tomorrow!