Asian Business Owners - A.B.O.

Hosted by Carmen Salameh

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196

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Asian Business Owners is the podcast that explores the real human journey behind building a business in Asia. Hosted by Carmen Salameh, each episode features honest conversations with founders, entrepreneurs and business leaders across Asia. I go beyond the highlight reel to talk about the parts of entrepreneurship people relate to most deeply: doubt, loneliness, pivots, identity shifts, pressure, resilience and the quiet wins that rarely make headlines. Through candid conversations with founders and solo episodes, you’ll hear the stories behind the businesses, practical lessons learned the hard way and the realities of building something meaningful without any guarantees. Whether you’re a founder, solopreneur or aspiring entrepreneur, this podcast will help you feel less alone, more inspired and better equipped to navigate your own journey. New episodes every week. 🎧 Follow me on LinkedIn and on Instagram for more content and behind-the-scenes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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60 recent

August 19, 202624 min

You Can't Do It All | ☀️ Summer Series

Faye thought she could do it all: Run her business, be a present mum, finish every project, keep every opportunity moving. But she realised she can't keep every plate spinning at once. In this episode of the ☀️ Summer Series, Faye Caddie, founder of Bump & Co., social antenatal programme, shares what she's learning about ambition, motherhood, business and knowing when to let something wait. We talk about: The pressure to do everything The decision to postpone projects How her customers changed the direction of her business The loneliness of being a solo founder Why having the right people around you can change your confidence 📣 This episode is in partnership with The Hive Wan Chai , coworking space in Hong Kong. Timestamps: (00:00) Teaser (00:42) Podcast Intro: the Summer Series (01:47) Meet Faye, Founder of Bump & Co (04:03) Inside The Antenatal Programme (05:14) What Brings Faye Joy (08:26) Letting Go This Summer (10:37) Business Pivot Beyond Classes (13:45) Society Motherhood And Work (15:45) Next Year Clarity And Confidence (18:13) Solopreneur Confidence Tips (19:54) Advice On Realistic Goals (22:00) Faye's Summer Recommendation (24:15) Wrap Up 👉 To find out more: Bump & Co on Instagram To follow my journey: 📲 Find me on LinkedIn 💬 Follow abo.pod 🎧 Subscribe to Asian Business Owners Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

August 12, 202626 min

She Stopped Limiting Herself | ☀️ Summer Series

☀️ This summer, I'm asking founders six short questions to understand what's on their minds. Today's guest is Sara Vazir, founder of Sara's Henna. For years, Sarah introduced herself as a henna artist. But recently, she realised that what she creates goes far beyond art itself. Her work is about telling stories, experiences, connection and exploring new possibilities. In this conversation, we talk about: Learning to set healthier boundaries Saying yes to opportunities that once felt impossible Creating memorable experiences that tell stories 📣 This episode is in partnership with The Hive Causeway Bay , coworking space in Hong Kong. Timestamps: (00:00) Teaser (00:46) Podcast Intro: the Summer Series (01:54) Meet Sara and Her Henna Brand (04:31) Relocating to Hong Kong (06:17) How to Set Healthy Boundaries (07:39) Saying Yes to Bigger Projects (10:06) Core Ethos and Community Connection (11:37) Current Summer Obsession (12:42) Big Goals For the Coming Year (15:06) Henna Retreat Story (18:01) How Sara Started Sara's Henna (19:54) Henna Benefits and Cultural Meaning (21:40) Advice From Sara (24:19) Sara's Summer Recommendation (26:02) Wrap Up 👉 To find out more: Sara on Instagram To follow my journey: 📲 Find me on LinkedIn 💬 Follow abo.pod 🎧 Subscribe to Asian Business Owners Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

August 5, 202622 min

I Stopped Fighting the Way I Work | ☀️ Summer Series

☀️ This summer, I'm asking founders six short questions to understand what's on their minds. Questions about joy, uncertainty, change and the things they can't stop thinking about. In this episode, I sit down with Anna Tee , founder of At The Table , a boutique marketing agency based in Hong Kong. Anna shares why she stopped trying to work like everyone else, what she's changed her mind about this year and why she's learning to appreciate the smaller things in life. We also talk about how hard it can be to ask for help, what embracing flexibility looks like and how to build a business that feels more aligned with who you are. In this episode: • Learning to trust your own way of working • Finding joy in slower moments • Learning to ask for help • What Anna hopes the next year will bring 📣 This episode is in partnership with The Hive Causeway Bay , coworking space in Hong Kong. Timestamps: (00:00) Teaser (00:41) Podcast Intro: the Summer Series (01:47) Meet Anna And Her Agency, At The Table (03:29) Joy In Small Moments (05:30) Rethinking Structure and Flexibility (09:34) Travel On The Mind (10:10) Future Home And Meaningful Work (12:43) AI As A Business Lever (18:17) Advice And Summer Recommendation (21:32) Wrap Up 👉 To find out more: Anna's agency website Anna on LinkedIn To follow my journey: 📲 Find me on LinkedIn 💬 Follow abo.pod 🎧 Subscribe to Asian Business Owners Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

July 29, 202625 min

She Stopped Undervaluing Her Work | ☀️ Summer Series

☀️ This summer, I'm asking founders six short questions to understand what's on their minds. The first guest of this Summer Series is Vannessa , a life and parenting coach based in Hong Kong. For a long time, Vannessa organised free and low-cost events because helping people matters so much to her. Then she realised something that completely changed the way she saw her business: If I don't value my work, nobody else will. In this short conversation, we also talk about: • charging what you're worth • balancing purpose and profitability • building an intentional online community • rediscovering the joy of reading 📣 This episode is in partnership with The Hive Kennedy Town , coworking space in Hong Kong. Timestamps: (00:00) Teaser (00:49) Podcast Intro: the Summer Series (01:54) Meet Vannessa (03:45) The Joy of Reading Again (04:52) Early Mornings and Intentional Planning (05:51) Charging What Youre Worth (08:44) Moving Abroad and Going Online (09:31) Building a Paid Community (11:42) Three Pillars of Coaching (12:37) Whats On Her Mind Now (13:01) Growing The Community (13:18) Moving To Malaysia (14:11) Life Of Constant Relocation (15:13) One Year Vision (16:44) Coaching Approach Explained (18:43) Balancing Passion and Numbers (21:46) Summer Habit (25:12) Wrap Up 👉 To find out more: Vannessa's website Vannessa on Instagram 📣 This episode is in partnership with The Hive Kennedy Town , coworking space in Hong Kong. To follow my journey: 📲 Find me on LinkedIn 💬 Follow abo.pod 🎧 Subscribe to Asian Business Owners Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

July 22, 202616 min

KEY MOMENT: The Solo Trip That Changed Everything

Some of the biggest changes begin by stepping away. That's what happened to Jasmine Liu. In this Key Moment, Jasmine shares how burnout led her to take a solo trip to Bhutan, a country that measures success through happiness instead of GDP. What started as a break became an opportunity to slow down, reflect and rethink what truly mattered. This Key Moment could be exactly what you need to hear this summer, as it's a moment to question your direction, give you the space to reset and reflect. 🎧 To (re)listen to the full episode with Jasmine : From Burnout to Building a Wellness Company: Jasmine’s Founder Journey ✅ Get your free day pass at Garage Society! Timestamps: (00:00) Teaser (00:34)) Podcast and Guest Intro (01:41) Burnout Warning Signs (03:06) Solo Trip to Bhutan (04:02) Hard Questions and Permission (05:59) Back Home Small Steps (07:08) Balancing Work and Wellness (08:45) Rapid Fire This or That (10:13) Fintech Startup Lessons (11:28) Redefining Success Beyond Money (12:09) Slow Transition to Health Tech (14:28) Gratitude and Building From Zero to One (15:17) Wrap Up ✅ Get your free day pass at Garage Society! 👉 To find out more: Jasmine on LinkedIn Attend the Build Well, Live Well Summit here To follow my journey: 💬 abo.pod 📲 Find me on LinkedIn 🎧 Subscribe to Asian Business Owners wherever you listen to it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

July 15, 202649 min

From VISA Executive to Startup Founder: Starting Over After 25 Years

After more than 80 conversations with founders, some stories deserve to be heard again. This week, (re)listen my conversation with Maaike Steinbach, former CEO of Visa and founder of FemTech Future. After spending more than 25 years in corporate leadership, Maaike made a decision many people think about but few actually make: she left her executive career to build a startup with a mission. In this conversation, we talk about what it's like to leave corporate, start over, find purpose and build a business from scratch. We also discuss: • What FemTech actually is • The gender health gap • Building a startup after a successful executive career • Why women's health remains under-discussed Topics: career change, leaving corporate, startup founder, former CEO, Visa executive, entrepreneurship, founder journey, women in business, female founder, FemTech, women's health, leadership, purpose, corporate to startup, business podcast. Timestamps: (00:00) Teaser (00:51) Podcast Intro (01:46) Meet Maaike Steinbach (02:17) What Femtech Means (03:57) Leaving Corporate Leap (06:27) Personal Health Turning Point (08:24) Gender Health Gap Explained (12:17) Why It’s Big Business (13:26) When to Make the Jump (17:00) DEI Belonging at Work (21:49) Quickfire Questions (24:17) Entrepreneur Treats (24:53) Gender Bias After Corporate (29:53) FemTech Taboo Talk (32:09) Healthcare Gaps and Misinformation (35:37) Podcast and Community Events (36:42) No Business Plan Needed (39:30) Three Pillars and New Platform (42:31) Celebrity Advocates (44:50) Personal Boardroom Advice (48:55) Wrap Up 👉 To find out more: FemTech Future's website Maaike's podcast FemTech at Work To follow my journey: 📲 Find me on LinkedIn 💬 Follow abo.pod 🎧 Subscribe to Asian Business Owners Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

July 8, 202612 min

KEY MOMENT: Why Some of the Best Career Changes Aren't Planned

The biggest career changes aren't always the ones we plan. In this Key Moment from my conversation with Mehroo Turel, coach and founder of Mums@PLAY, we talk about unexpected career pivots, listening to yourself and how every chapter can prepare us for the next one, even if you realise it afterwards. 🎧 To (re)listen to the full episode with Mehroo : Transition & Reinvention: From Miss India to Entrepreneur in Hong Kong Timestamps: (00:00) Teaser (00:46) Podcast and Episode Intro (01:13) Mehroo Career Pivot (02:01) Clothing Business to Standstill (03:07) Reinventing Through Teaching (04:19) Building a Coaching Practice (05:24) Why Coaching Felt Right (07:22) Coaching Basics Explained (09:27) Goals That Evolve (12:01) Wrap Up Follow the journey: 💬 abo.pod 📲 Find me on LinkedIn 🎧 Subscribe to Asian Business Owners wherever you listen to it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

July 1, 202612 min

7 Decisions That Changed My Business Over the Last 12 Months

Over the past 12 months, my business has changed. I made a series of decisions that didn't lead to a big breakthrough but changed how I operate and the direction of my business. In this solo episode, I share the seven decisions that had an impact on my marketing agency and my podcast. I talk about: • Building a personal brand • Refining my positioning • Learning to delegate more • My realisation about content distribution And more... Timestamps: (00:00) Teaser (00:48) Episode Intro (01:58) Decision nº1: Personal Brand (03:34) Decision nº2: AI Teammate (04:37) Decision nº3: Clear Target Client (05:55) Decision nº4: Podcast Repositioning (07:38) Decision nº5: Delegate More (09:12) Decision nº6: Distribution Plan (10:36) Decision nº7: The Biggest Decision Ever (11:33) Wrap Up Follow the journey: 💬 abo.pod 📲 Find me on LinkedIn 🎧 Subscribe to Asian Business Owners wherever you listen to it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

June 24, 20261 hr 1 min

She Finally Listened to Herself | Jerwine Bonafe Que

Growing up, Jerwine followed the path that made sense. A stable career, a secure future and a life that looked successful from the outside. But she had something else on her mind. There was always a creative side of her asking for more. In this conversation, Jerwine shares what it took to leave accounting behind, build THE BLOMSTRE in Hong Kong and trust herself enough to create a life that finally felt aligned. She also shares an exciting milestone exclusively in this episode, make sure you listen until the end! We talk about: Walking away from the "safe" path Starting a creative business in Hong Kong Self-doubt and uncertainty Learning to trust yourself Redefining success The exciting next chapter for THE BLOMSTRE ✅ Get your free day pass at Garage Society! Timestamps: (00:00) Teaser (00:57) Podcast and Guest Intro (03:24) Life as an Accountant (04:54) Creativity After Work (06:51) Planning the Exit (10:07) Pandemic Candle Pivot (11:58) Pitching Retailers (16:00) Workshops and Wellness (18:27) First Big Corporate Event (22:18) Motherhood and Identity (25:00) Mentorship and Systems (29:50) Overwhelm and Boundaries (31:23) Husband Joins Full Time (34:14) Partners In Business (36:37) Quitting The Day Job (38:04) Dream Clients Come True (39:37) Comfort Zone Breakup (41:59) Slow Sustainable Growth (46:01) Time Delegation Hiring (50:11) BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!! (52:07) Scenting Underrated Moods (54:26) Founder Mindset Shifts (57:57) Community Pay It Forward (01:00:59) Closing ✅ Get your free day pass at Garage Society! 👉 To find out more: The BLOMSTRE's website The BLOMSTRE on Instagram To follow my journey: 📲 Find me on LinkedIn 💬 Follow abo.pod 🎧 Subscribe to Asian Business Owners Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

June 17, 202617 min

KEY MOMENT: Stop Chasing the Top, Look How Far You've Come

After more 80+ founder conversations, there are certain moments that stay with me. This week, I'm revisiting a powerful excerpt from my conversation with entrepreneur and podcaster Rasheed Shroff. We talk about progress and the tendency many founders have to focus on what's next while overlooking how far they've already come. We all felt felt behind, impatient or stuck comparing ourselves to bigger goals. This is normal process, you're not alone. Timestamps: (00:00) Teaser (00:44) Podcast and Episode Intro (01:12) Why Looking Back Matters (02:58) Climbing The Mountain Metaphor (05:02) Unintended Podcast Origin (07:24) Crafting Real Conversations (09:32) Starting Small Staying Curious (10:38) Entrepreneurship and Personal Growth (12:15) Therapy to Help Let Go (14:10) Loyalty, Consistency and Values (15:39) Building in Public and Investing (17:23) Wrap Up 🎧 (Re)listen to the full episode with Rasheed: Part 1 - Building in Public is Harder Than People Think Part 2 - Entrepreneurship Feels Like Climbing a Mountain Follow the journey: 💬 abo.pod 📲 Find me on LinkedIn 🎧 Subscribe to Asian Business Owners wherever you listen to it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.