Entrepreneurship Stories From Asian Women

I have been a big fan of podcasts since the day I bought my iPod more than 10 years ago. I listened to entrepreneurship and leadership podcasts while I was doing my walks in the park. Podcasts have always been my way of learning new knowledge and gaining wider perspectives.

Those perspectives were almost always American. No doubt the American podcasts were useful for I’ve implemented many marketing and business ideas with much success.

However, I felt something was missing.

Can you resonate? I wanted something more. What about a podcast that showcased Asian women’s perspectives in Asia about starting, growing and sustaining their entrepreneurial ventures?

I often say this to my podcast guests, “I’m interested in the story that you haven’t told anyone yet, not to the media, not to the PR people. The story that you have always wanted to tell but are a little bit afraid to. That’s the story I want to capture and share with the world.”

Real, everyday women. Women who aren’t celebrities but run businesses that they love.

Women who could share insights and learnings about the ups and downs of managing and operating a business. Women who could talk about mistakes, challenges and disappointments and would still do it all over again in a heartbeat! Women who are not afraid of being vulnerable.

If you’re a seasoned entrepreneur, this podcast helps you discover and connect with more interesting and insightful women in business. If you are just starting out or aspire to be an entrepreneur, may these conversations give you ideas and inspiration as you navigate your own business journey!

It Almost Didn’t Happen, If It Weren’t For Hawaii

As an entrepreneur, I understand what it feels like to be in business. I’ve been in mine since 2004 and I jokingly call myself the “accidental entrepreneur” because it was never my ambition to be an entrepreneur or run a business!

As a co-founder of a women’s entrepreneur organization, I have met and spoken to many women entrepreneurs in Malaysia. I’ve also had the opportunity to mentor women in business so I get it when women talk to me about issues, problems and challenges of being in a startup, starting a business after corporate retirement, creating a social enterprise, or inheriting a family business. (If you’re a podcaster and looking for a podcast guest, I’ll be glad to add value to your show.)

Womenpreneur Asia is one of those podcasts that I recommend to angel investors to listen to. Because as an investor, you also need to understand the perspective of a founder. And so the entrepreneurs that you’re interviewing, Krista, that’s a great source for inspiration as an investor to get started by just trying to understand the ecosystem of startups because that’s a whole new world for many people.

Maaike Doyer, Founder of Epic Angels, Singapore

My strength in connecting with women genuinely enables me to do what I do in my podcast. This podcast extends the work that we help clients with – helping them become trusted experts and leaders through effective marketing and communications on their websites. Yet this podcast idea sat with me for a long time. So long that I had to get to Hawaii to make sure I made this podcast a reality.

The more stories we listen to, the more we are inspired and
that’s how we move forward collectively.

Stories are the tapestry of my life. I majored in journalism when I was in university; a culmination of my love for reading and writing as a child after encountering my first Enid Blyton. I am incredibly curious about uncovering women’s anecdotes and experiences.

Listeners of the podcast come from Malaysia, the United States, the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Canada, Nepal, Japan and India. The Womenpreneur Asia podcast is seasonal. Each season presents 13 episodes plus 1 bonus episode (so that I get to rest in between seasons of preparing and researching, recording, editing, and publishing my episodes). All episodes are sponsored by my company, Redbox Studio.

If you hadn’t asked me these questions, I don’t think I would’ve even taken stock of these things. And just to be able to do that is really interesting. People like you and the platforms that you’re building are so important for other women to hear and understand. And I think the biggest message is that many woman who’s listening this, right? A, you’re not alone. B, remember, there is no one way to success. You get to build your own way.

Upasna Dash, Founder & CEO, JAjabor brand consultancy, India

My Quest: Interview 10,000 Asian Women Entrepreneurs

Thank you again, Krista for taking the time to get to know me and my brand. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my story with someone who understands and appreciates the value of entrepreneurship and creativity.

eleen chan “the sambal specialist’, lifestyle ventures sdn bhd, malaysia

I’ve set a quest for myself to feature and interview 10,000 Asian women entrepreneurs so that their stories can be a legacy they leave for the world (and mine as well).

Womenpreneur Asia is about giving a voice to Asian women entrepreneurs by sharing their personal entrepreneurship stories. It is truly my passion project so I hope you can join me to promote and advance Asian women entrepreneurs through Womenpreneur Asia!

krista goon

A woman in business impacts and improves the community she lives in.

Says OECD, “Women’s economic participation and their ownership and control of productive assets speeds up development, helps overcome poverty, reduces inequalities and improves children’s nutrition, health, and school attendance. Women typically invest a higher proportion of their earnings in their families and communities than men.”

A lot of people liked [the episode]. I send [it] to new recruits to [have them] know the kinda ‘pirate captain’ they are associating with. Most people thought it was authentic and very insightful to the challenges of entrepreneurship.

Cha-ly koh, CEO & Founder of urbanmetry, Malaysia

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