Episodes

In this episode, Krista speaks to Singaporean entrepreneur, Audrey Phoon who is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Eastside.asia where they discuss building a regional travel storytelling platform rooted in Asian authenticity and Asian voices. From identifying a representation gap to launching a writer residency program, the conversation explores ethics, mentorship, and sustainable growth in Asia’s vibrant media landscape. Audrey shares personal inspirations, readings that inform her worldvie...

In this bonus episode, I team up with Payal Nayar, Founder and Director of *Voices And More*, for an enlightening conversation that bridges cultures, experiences, and podcasting journeys. We dive into the art of storytelling and the power of elevating diverse voices through our respective podcasts. I launched my podcast - Womenpreneur Asia - in March 2020 during the pandemic, creating a space for the stories of Asian women entrepreneurs to be heard. My podcast highlights the challenges and succe...

Celina Lee calls her vision - a Disneyland for data scientists. Or if you prefer, a Github meets LinkedIn. Ultimately, it’s about creating opportunities all around the world for those who don’t necessarily have access to those opportunities. This female co-founder and CEO started her platform as a passion project and it has become the leading professional network of data scientists today with some 70 000+ data scientists. Zindi is the first data science competition platform in Africa and hosts a...

Dr. Vimi Ramasamy, Founder and CEO of STRAVIK, makes a much-anticipated return to discuss a core business topic - Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) - and why ESG is riddled with confusion and apprehension among businesses. Vimi candidly discusses the challenges that most business owners have when integrating ESG into their operations. She shares how most business owners have no idea where to begin. A key part of the interview is devoted to debunking common ESG myths, such as the notion...

Today's episode is with Annie Chan who is the Founder and Principal Trainer of Red Box Events Pte Ltd. based in Singapore. As an experience designer, adjunct lecturer and trainer, she has extensive experience in creating, planning and organizing events. She knows all the ways to glam up an event and ensure the show runs smoothly so that her clients can make a distinct and positive impression all around. Unlike most entrepreneurs, Annie had a roster of paying clients the day she started. And she ...

Today, we meet a Malaysian entrepreneur, Shariffa Sabrina, the founder of Tanah Aina Sdn Bhd. Tanah Aina which began as a glamping experience has now become an eco-resort experience complete with dining and nature activities. It serves up an eco-experience in the heart of the Malaysian jungles and it is as much a passion as it is a business for its owner, Shariffa Sabrina. Tanah Aina Eco Resorts and Cafes lets people reconnect with nature while enjoying the comforts and amenities of luxury accom...

Today’s episode is with a Malaysian entrepreneur, Coach Wendy Wong . Wendy is the Managing Partner of Petadiri Leadership and a Leadership Performance Coach in Malaysia. She was a high flyer with a tonne of corporate experience in finance and HR. When she decided to start her own business as a coach, she hired a coach to help her strategize. Her coach had advised that she would take at least 3 years to get stabilized in her business but she thought she could do it in 6 months. You are in for a t...

In today’s episode, we meet Afi Sulaiman, a digital artist and illustrator in Malaysia. I was introduced to her by Michelle Yeo of Dandy as Afi and Dandy were collaborating. Michelle was a former guest of mine on this podcast and she knew that I would be open to meeting Afi. If you’d like to check out Michelle’s episode where she talks about starting her restaurant business, look for Ep 11 in Season 2. Afi is a millennial who was dabbling with digital art when she was in her gap year. At that ti...

In today’s episode, we meet Malaysian entrepreneur Karen Tan who is the founder of Menoplus based in Penang, Malaysia. Juggling her business, taking care of her family and caring for elderly parents while navigating menopause led her to a dark place. She also experienced a slew of medical problems - from itchiness to hot flushes, coupled with frustration and sleepless nights. But from the depths of despair and a desire to figure things out came an "aha!" moment, a turning point that ignited a mi...

Today, we meet Ida Othman, a Malaysian entrepreneur who started with a quest for a brighter smile. Ida is the owner of Asia Natural Essentials Sdn Bhd and the mastermind behind the Gogy Natural oral care brand, a proudly Made in Malaysia product. This is not her first business, mind you but she has finally found a business that she is happy with. She once owned a spa business and even a food business from home. This episode is filled with a lot of wisdom and learning as she shared how her own de...

Forget everything you thought about leadership! In this episode, we have Nandini Das Ghoshal who is the Co-Founder & Director, ION Consulting International Pte Ltd, based in Singapore. Nandini shares her experiences from the fascinating world of applied neuroscience in the context of organisations, teams and leadership. She reveals how we can leverage our brains to develop better teams, create better results and fundamentally shape us as more effective leaders. Nandini is an experienced executiv...

Tahreem Shah is the co-founder and the Head of Growth at AmarLab based in Singapore. She describes it as the Uber for medical diagnostics. Additionally, she is the co-founder of Bhorosha, an alternative job-sourcing platform in Bangladesh that connects informal sector women with skills training and matches them to better-paying jobs. Tahreem’s journey seamlessly integrates architecture, business and technology through her two startups. With a background in architecture and a passion for social c...

In this episode, you will meet Mayuree Aroonwaranon, the CEO and co-founder of GEPP Sa-Ard Co., Ltd., a Bangkok-based company that helps companies in Thailand with waste management. Yet her story didn’t begin in waste management. This French-speaking Thai national who grew up in the slum area of Bangkok has an inspiring story to share about herself and why she gave up a lucrative career in oil and gas to become an entrepreneur. Coming from a challenging background and growing up in the slums, Ma...

This episode is with Wendy Lim who is the founder of Wei Ling Chambers in, Malaysia. She owns a boutique law firm in Kuala Lumpur and handles initial public offerings, securities regulations, mergers and acquisitions, foreign direct investments and more. As a young female lawyer, she is not unusual in that she chose to set up her law firm after working with other law firms. What’s unusual is that Wendy has always wanted to be a lawyer since young and she still carries that fire and passion in he...

This episode features Mandy Pao from Hong Kong, the founder of The Aligned Entrepreneurs. Mandy's entrepreneurial venture emerged from burn out that resulted from running her first business, a branding and marketing agency for 10 years. Our conversation is particularly illuminating as Mandy bravely unravels the less-discussed facets of entrepreneurship. She opens up about the pressure to conform in Hong Kong, where success is often equated with perpetual busyness and "the bigger, the better". If...

The first episode of Season 8 features My Holland. My is the CEO of EQuest Asia, a coaching and training business based in Vietnam. Despite never residing in Vietnam, My felt a profound calling to return to her ancestral homeland to establish her business. She advocates for embracing happiness and fulfillment in the workplace while nurturing one's cultural identity, particularly among overseas Vietnamese and empowering women to find their voices. She is also a speaker, consultant and coach in co...