Asian Business Owners - A.B.O.

Carmen Salameh

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.

  1. He Walked Away From the Life He Was Supposed to Have | Aurelien Joly

    3d ago

    He Walked Away From the Life He Was Supposed to Have | Aurelien Joly

    What happens when the life you imagined for yourself no longer feels right? Growing up in France, Aurelien Joly thought he would become a doctor. His family supported that path and his future seemed largely mapped out but as he got older, something didn't feel quite right. A decision to study languages, learn Chinese and move abroad eventually led him to Asia, where he would build a completely different life than the one he had originally planned. More than sixteen years later, Hong Kong has become home. In this conversation, we talk about identity, leaving behind expectations, building a business in Asia and the moments that shape the course of our lives. We discuss: Changing path and moving to Asia and embracing uncertaintyLearning Chinese and adapting to a new cultureBuilding his business Unlock APACEntrepreneurship, family and long-term thinkingThe decisions that change everything This is a conversation about choosing your own path, even when it looks very different from the one you were expected to follow. 🎙️ Welcome to Asian Business Owners, the podcast that explores the real human journey behind building a business in Asia. Timestamps:(00:00) Teaser (00:44) Podcast and Guest Intro (02:19) Changing Direction and Learning Chinese (05:28) Moving East (07:30) Staying in China Hustle (09:44) Native Union Hypergrowth (11:40) Distributor Pitfalls (13:36) People Management Philosophy (17:26) Founding his Business: Unlock APAC (18:36) What Unlock APAC Does (20:20) Starting Young Winning Clients (23:01) Early Solo Years (23:25) Sphero Meets Disney (25:38) Selling BB-8 Across Asia (27:45) Stepping Away from his Own Business (30:16) Pivot To Education (32:05) Back To Entrepreneurship During COVID (35:17) Scaling With A Team (37:04) Brand Architects Approach (40:41) Resilience In Asia Markets (42:33) Work Life Balance Lessons (46:06) Closing ✅ Get your free day pass at Garage Society! 👉 To find out more: Reach out to Aurelien Joly on LinkedIn Check out Unlock APAC 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.

    47 min
  2. The Reality Behind Michelin Stars | Olivier Elzer On What It Really Takes to Build at the Highest Level

    May 20

    The Reality Behind Michelin Stars | Olivier Elzer On What It Really Takes to Build at the Highest Level

    Olivier Elzer returns to Asian Business Owners for a deeper conversation about what it really takes to build and sustain excellence over time. Known for earning multiple Michelin stars and building a successful restaurant group in Hong Kong, the Olivier Elzer Hospitality Group, Olivier shares the lessons entrepreneurship has taught him about pressure, humility, consistency and long-term thinking. In this episode, we talk about: The emotional weight of maintaining high standardsWhy success brings new challengesHow leadership changes as your business growsStaying grounded despite external recognitionWhat entrepreneurship teaches you about yourself An honest conversation about the pressure behind success and the mindset required to keep building at the highest level. Timestamps(00:00) Teaser (00:41) Podcast and Guest Intro (02:12) Why Cooking Became Olivier's Calling (03:29) Chef to Entrepreneur (05:00) Scaling to Ten Restaurants (07:30) Broken Canvas vs White Canvas Models (09:23) Making Restaurants Work (10:36) Building an Expert Team (11:29) Humbled by Entrepreneurship (14:30) Staying Centred Under Pressure (16:47) Hiring Beyond Experience (17:58) Meritocracy And Smarter Teams (18:59) Growing Without Breaking (19:47) Accountability And Risk (21:32) Hong Kong Market Reality Check (24:41) Social Media Trends Pressure (27:16) Winning Younger Diners (28:58) The Future Of Fine Dining (30:26) Scaling Consultancy And Franchises (33:21) Advice: Cutting Noise Saying No (35:03) Closing and Outro 👉 To find out more: Olivier Elzer Hospitality Group Check out Olivier on Instagram To follow my journey: 💬 abo.pod 📲 Find me on LinkedIn 🎧 Subscribe to Asian Business Owners Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min
  3. The Bigger the Event, The Harder It Became to Connect | The Story Behind Hong Kong FinTech Week

    May 6

    The Bigger the Event, The Harder It Became to Connect | The Story Behind Hong Kong FinTech Week

    After starting his career as a journalist, Anthony Sar spent years interviewing founders, CEOs and industry leaders. Until one day, he realised he didn’t want to just tell their stories anymore, he wanted to build. In this episode, we talk about what it takes to move from observing to building, pivot across industries and stay relevant over time. Anthony shares how he built Finoverse, the company behind Hong Kong FinTech Week, one of the leading fintech events globally and how he’s now entering a new chapter in AI. We also explore something deeper: why, in a world increasingly shaped by AI, human connection might become your biggest advantage. In this episode, we cover: – The shift from observer to builder – Leaving journalism to start from scratch – Building Hong Kong FinTech Week With Finoverse – Why most founders misunderstand “staying relevant” – How AI is changing the way we connect – Why human relationships matter more than ever Timestamps:(00:00) Teaser (00:36) Podcast and Guest Intro (01:49) Meet Anthony Sar (02:06) Journalism Roots (03:26) From Observer to Builder (04:20) Entrepreneurship MBA Pivot (06:17) Comfort Zone Trigger (08:46) Moving to Asia (10:34) First Startup in Hong Kong (11:08) Discovering Fintech (13:11) Founding Finoverse (14:07) Reinventing Conferences (16:45) Scaling the Hong Kong Fintech Week (19:11) Expanding the Platform (20:31) Challenges and Trust (22:38) Holding the Vision (23:16) Winning Team Trust (23:54) Co-CEO Dynamics (25:22) Why Pivot to AI (27:20) The Event Networking Problem (29:22) Samantha AI Explained (30:15) AI Voice Calls and Matchmaking (33:25) Business Model and Insights (34:27) AI for Real Human Connection (38:02) Ethics of Humanising AI (40:11) Relevance Through Values (44:14) How to Stay in the Game (45:59) Closing and Outro 👉 To find out more: Finoverse Check out Anthony on LinkedIn 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.

    48 min
  4. Entrepreneurship Feels Like Climbing a Mountain | Part 2: Support, Expectations and Discipline [FOUNDER REALITY]

    Apr 15

    Entrepreneurship Feels Like Climbing a Mountain | Part 2: Support, Expectations and Discipline [FOUNDER REALITY]

    Entrepreneurship changes how you see people, what you expect from them and what support really means. This is Part 2 of my conversation with Rasheed, entrepreneur and host of Entrepreneurs Stories Podcast. In this episode, we talk about the personal side of building a business and the part that affects your life outside of work. What we discussed: Why not everyone will understand your journeyWhy your close circle isn’t your target audienceHow your priorities and lifestyle naturally evolveFriendships, expectations and letting goChoosing energy over expectations 🎧 If you haven’t listened yet, start with Part 1: Clients, boundaries and the people around you. Timestamps: (00:00) Welcome to Asian Business Owners (00:27) The Mountain Mindset (01:46) Gym Discipline (04:17) Look Back Progress (05:21) Goals and Balance (07:00) Unexpected Podcast Origin (09:33) Crafting Real Conversations (12:39) Entrepreneur Personal Growth (14:16) Therapy and Self Awareness (16:12) Loyalty and Consistency (17:40) Loyalty to Values (18:16) Therapy as Investment (19:40) The Ten Year Game (21:13) No Shortcuts Myth (22:45) Social Media Reality Check (23:45) Founder Life and Family (27:11) Passion That Spreads (29:10) Five Pillars of Purpose (30:47) Purpose Without Pressure (32:51) Keep Your Childlike Wonder (33:58) Closing 👉 To find out more: Listen to Entrepreneur Stories podcast Check out Rasheed on LinkedIn 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.

    35 min

Trailers

About

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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