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 successes of women across Asia as they navigate the entrepreneurial landscape, offering my listeners invaluable insights into resilience, innovation and growth.

Payal Nayar, who is based in Singapore, is a fellow podcaster. She, too, launched her podcast in 2020. As a global citizen and experienced traveler, she brings her rich cultural background into her podcasts *Melting Pot* and *Now Boarding*.

With a career that spans across industries and continents, Payal has built her podcasting platform with a mission: to amplify voices that inspire change and build bridges across borders.

Her favorite quote, "Empower voices, inspire change, and build bridges that transcend borders," perfectly encapsulates her vision.

Her resilience and determination have fueled her success in founding multiple ventures, including her transition from corporate life to podcasting.

In this episode, Payal and I exchange stories from our podcasting experiences, sharing the wisdom we've gleaned from interviewing diverse guests. While I focus on Asian women entrepreneurs in Asia, Payal focuses on men and women from all around the world, discussing and unravellling topics such as wildlife conservation, ecotourism, sustainable living, responsible travel, culture, arts and more.

Payal draws inspiration from figures like Michelle Obama, Priyanka Chopra, and Lee Kuan Yew, further driving her passion for storytelling.

This is a candid discussion between two Asian women podcasters; one that is filled with personal stories, podcasting tips and inspiration drawn from both our experiences.

Tune in for a conversation that's honest and real, filled with creativity, inspiration and respect while underscoring the power of voice from two Asian women who are proud to be Asian and proud to be podcasters.

For the full show notes and links, visit WomenpreneurAsia.com

This episode is sponsored by Redbox Studio

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 an entire data science ecosystem of scientists, engineers, academics, companies, NGOs, governments and institutions focused on solving Africa’s most pressing problems.

While today’s episode is about Zindi, it is also about Celina and what it means to be female and Asian American and growing a dream that is making a tremendous impact in the world of data science, AI and machine learning. Zindi is at heart providing access and opportunities to data scientists in Africa and beyond.

For the full show notes, visit WomenpreneurAsia.com

This episode is sponsored by Redbox Studio

Thank you for listening to Season 8 of the podcast. We will be taking a break and come back in October/November for Season 9.

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 that ESG is costly to implement and that it is only for multinational companies.

Vimi clarifies what ESG entails and its effects on various business aspects, including marketing and supply chain. She emphasizes that ESG can be implementable for every business.

Vimi provides insights and research data that encourage embracing sustainable practices and how businesses can adopt simple ESG actions to reduce their environmental footprint and enhance social responsibility while attaining higher profits.

For the full show notes, visit WomenpreneurAsia.com

This episode is sponsored by Redbox Studio.

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 also landed herself a million dollar project awarded by the Singapore government where she had to organize 500 events in a year! In this episode, Annie and I talk about her 30 years in the events management business where she shares some insider tips and strategies that you don’t want to miss.

She also shares why she wants to educate more corporate people about events organizing and planning, her regional work with sustainability projects and what sustainability means from an events planner perspective and how challenging it is!

Get the full show notes and links: WomenpreneurAsia.com

This episode is sponsored by Redbox Studio. Redbox Studio offers an entrepreneur game and programme where teams can learn how to leverage entrepreneurial thinking. Discover more about the strategy game and programme, at BigTimerGame.com

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 accommodations. At their resorts, you can experience eco-friendly lodging, guided nature excursions, organic dining experiences, wellness activities and team building.

As the founder of Tanah Aina eco-resorts. Sabrina is on a mission to change how we view development, and it all starts with a deep appreciation for the very nature we're neglecting.

Sabrina is quite the entrepreneur having built her cafes, glamping sites and resorts based on her love for nature and despite having grandchildren, there seems to be no stopping this woman who despite the tough challenges from authorities.

Extra show notes at WomenpreneurAsia.com

This episode is sponsored by Redbox Studio.

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 treat today if you’ve always wanted to know the nitty-gritty about starting a business.

What is it really like? And while today’s episode is about a coach in her coaching business, it’s universally applicable to any business.

We spoke about the loneliness of being a solopreneur and also the surprises that Wendy encountered when she left her corporate role and became a coach.

We dug into her strategies and recommendations about starting a business if she could do it all over again.

We discussed the internal conflicts she had because as she said, when she left corporate, she left behind a lucrative paycheck only to start from ground zero as she only began her coaching training the week after she left her job.

In her own words, she was “all in” and completely committed to the art and craft of coaching but it still took time to build up her business.

Her own coach remarked that it would take at least 3 years to fully stabilize the business but she was confident she could do it in less time.

This episode is a must-listen if you’re thinking of starting a business but more importantly, how you can prepare your own ‘runway’ before your takeoff.

Coach Wendy Wong shares how you can ensure your takeoff doesn’t have to be rocky and what you can do to avoid the bumps!

Please enjoy today’s episode with Coach Wendy Wong.

​​This episode is sponsored by Redbox Studio.

Get the full show notes on Womenpreneur Asia.

If you'd like to work with me, check out this page.

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 time, she was undergoing mental health issues and looked towards art as a form of therapy and self-expression.

Little did she know that this path would propel her into the limelight and now she is a commissioned artist who works with corporate companies, small businesses and individuals.

In this episode, Afi and I speak about:

• her journey as an artist and illustrator,
• gaining fast fame on Instagram and getting full community support,
• how she deals with pro bono requests for her art and illustrations,
• her own mental health experiences
• how she prices her art,
• how she determines which clients are a good fit for her and
• what she thinks of art as a business and how she works at her business.

I believe you will enjoy this episode if you love art and business!

This episode is sponsored by Redbox Studio.

Get the full show notes on Womenpreneur Asia.

If you'd like to work with me, check out this page.

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 mission: to empower women on their own perimenopause and menopause journeys.

Karen is optimistic and hopes that through her work, she can offer support, encouragement and help to other women who are facing menopause, the very same support that she was searching for when she was undergoing menopause.

Through her workshops, she hopes to have more open conversations with women who are going through mid-life.

So if you’re heading towards menopause, this is the episode for you.

Subscribe to our Youtube channel

Get all the show notes at our website.

This episode is proudly brought to you by Redbox Studio.