Abbas and Alana believe that building a life and a business across two cultures starts with an open mind, a lot of curiosity, and the willingness to learn from anyone who will teach you. They argue that lasting success comes from surrounding yourself with the right people, setting clear boundaries between love and work, listening to your critics as closely as your supporters, and keeping your goals high while you stay humble. Abbas is a Kelantan-born actor, content creator and entrepreneur whose acting work includes Netflix films. Alana is a Scottish-born YouTuber and full-time content creator who first came to Malaysia on a university exchange and decided to stay. Together, the husband-and-wife duo run Goldie’s, a halal Scottish sweet brand made in Malaysia. They share practical perspectives on cross-cultural relationships, faith, running a business with your partner, and building a career in the digital age. They appear on this episode of the Hello Mentor podcast to discuss: ◼ Two Worlds Colliding: How a viral clip Alana filmed at the 2023 Merdeka Parade led her to meet Abbas, and how a random pick on a map brought a Scottish student to Malaysia for good. ◼ From Kampung Boy to the Big City: Abbas talks about leaving Kelantan, dropping electrical engineering for acting, and why KLCC became his daily reminder that big dreams can be achieved. ◼ Culture, Faith & Family: The honest culture shocks on both sides, from eating rice with your hands to dry bathrooms. Alana also shares her years of studying Islam before she reverted, and why it was her own decision. ◼ Building Goldie’s From a Home Kitchen: How the couple brought a Scottish candy to Malaysia, made it halal, created a Malaysia-only strawberry flavour, and grew it with advice from experienced business owners. ◼ Running a Business With Your Spouse: Why boundaries, trust, and playing to each other’s strengths (accounting, operations, marketing) make a husband-and-wife partnership work. TIMESTAMPS: 00:29 – Meet Abbas & Alana 01:24 – How They Met at the 2023 Merdeka Parade 03:35 – Picking Malaysia at Random for an Exchange Year 07:52 – First Impressions of KL: KLCC as a Symbol of Big Dreams 08:54 – From Electrical Engineering to Acting 10:39 – Culture Shock: A Kelantan Kampung Boy in the City 11:41 – Why You Should Choose Who You Surround Yourself With 12:14 – How Alana Became a Content Creator in Bali During MCO 15:07 – Introducing a Foreign Partner to a Kelantan Family 17:33 – Adapting to Each Other’s Cultures 20:37 – Abbas’ Culture Shocks in Scotland 23:23 – Uncle & Auntie vs First Names: Respecting Elders 25:05 – When Malaysia Finally Felt Like Home 27:06 – UK Food or Malaysian Food? 28:03 – The Birth of Goldie’s: Bringing a Scottish Sweet to Malaysia 29:54 – Creating a Malaysia-Only Strawberry Flavour 31:35 – Why the Candy’s Original Name Stays Secret 33:25 – Starting From Home & Learning From Mentors 36:27 – Alana’s Journey to Islam 41:10 – “Did You Convert for Marriage?” 44:01 – Running a Business as Husband & Wife: Setting Boundaries 46:23 – Trust & Finding Your Natural Roles 51:57 – Business Advice: Ask for Opportunity or Knowledge, Listen to Critics 53:42 – Entrepreneurship in Scotland vs Malaysia (and Andrew Carnegie) 58:22 – The Entrepreneurial Women of Kelantan 01:01:20 – The Vision for Goldie’s: New Flavours, Products & Clothing 01:04:19 – Business Person or Media Person? Becoming a Hybrid 01:05:48 – Looking Back: Did They Imagine This Life? 01:08:12 – Stay Humble, Aim High & Be Great at Whatever You Do #Abbas #Alana #Goldies #ContentCreator #MalaysianCreator #Kelantan #Scotland #CrossCulturalCouple #HusbandAndWifeBusiness #Entrepreneur #HelloMentor #Hiredly #MalaysianPodcast #Podcast FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiredlyofficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hellomentorwithderektoh
