Like Grandmother, Like Granddaughter?* Karuna opened a farm supply store in Lalitpur during the early 1900s. Her neighbors in the area were also her customers. Every person who walked into her store felt comfortable. In fact, they would often sit, sip a cup of coffee or some cookies, and “solve the world’s problems” before loading up their purchases. Karuna prided herself on knowing what her customers needed to be successful farmers, and she freely gave them advice about what kind of foods and services would work best on their cattle and which tonic would help a sick goats and cows. By the time she retired her son Sewak took over, the company had expanded to three stores in three towns and had fourteen full-time employees. As a youth, Sewak had attended a private college and earned a degree in agricultural business. He eagerly applied what he had learned to the family business. He was convinced that technology was the key to success, not personal relationships. Over the years, he ...
