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. 4d ago ·  Bonus

    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.

    KEY MOMENT: The Solo Trip That Changed Everything
  2. Jul 15

    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.

    From VISA Executive to Startup Founder: Starting Over After 25 Years
  3. Jun 24

    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" pathStarting a creative business in Hong KongSelf-doubt and uncertaintyLearning to trust yourselfRedefining successThe 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.

    She Finally Listened to Herself | Jerwine Bonafe Que
  4. Jun 3

    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.

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

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.