How does a Japanese entrepreneur transform her passion for social impact into a cutting-edge fintech company in Malaysia?

In this episode, Krista Goon sits down with Fumiko Inada, founder and CEO of Bee Informatica, to explore her inspiring journey from volunteering in Vietnam and Bangladesh to building a digital microfinance business that’s changing the game for small and micro-entrepreneurs.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Fumiko’s early experiences with NGOs and what sparked her interest in economic empowerment
• The challenges and lessons learned from starting over in a new country
• How Bee Informatica is using technology to make microfinance faster, fairer, and more accessible
• The realities of raising funds as a woman founder in fintech
• Why Fumiko chose business over the NGO route for sustainable impact
• The importance of resilience, mission, and community in entrepreneurship
• Practical advice for women entrepreneurs and anyone looking to make a difference

About Fumiko Inada:

Fumiko is the founder and CEO of Bee Informatica, a digital microfinance company based in Malaysia. With a background in finance and a passion for social impact, she’s dedicated to empowering small businesses—especially women entrepreneurs—through innovative financial solutions.

Connect with Fumiko:

Website: fundingbee.my

About Your Host:

Krista Goon is the creator and host of Womenpreneur Asia, a podcast that uncovers the stories and strategies of Asian women entrepreneurs to inspire and guide you on your own entrepreneurial journey.

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What does it take to run seven marathons on seven continents in just seven days — and then return home to lead a movement transforming the future of work in the Philippines?

In this episode of Womenpreneur Asia, I talk to Mench Dizon, marathoner, changemaker, and Country Head of YGG Pilipinas.

Mench shares her incredible journey of completing the World Marathon Challenge, a test of endurance, resilience, and grit that pushed her to her limits both physically and mentally.

She reflects on what it taught her about facing life’s literal and metaphorical climates, from minus 25-degree chills to the tropical heat, and how those lessons carry into her professional life.

As the leader of YGG Pilipinas, Mench is committed to empowering Filipino talent by creating opportunities in gaming and technology, building communities, and helping Filipinos thrive in the digital economy.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• The mindset that helped Mench conquer the World Marathon Challenge
• Why she believes “how you do one thing is how you do everything”
• How she’s building opportunities for Filipinos through YGG Pilipinas and Metaversity
• The importance of leaning into discomfort and seizing opportunities before you feel ready

Mench’s story is a powerful reminder that the limits we set are often the ones we choose to accept — and that growth comes from daring to push beyond them.

Links & Resources:

Visit: WomenpreneurAsia.com

This episode is brought to you by Redbox Studio — helping entrepreneurs grow with strategy-first marketing.

Do you know that Krista’s From Vision to Voice program is now open for enrollment? Check it out here.

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share this episode with someone who needs a dose of encouragement and clarity on their entrepreneurial journey.

What does it take to reinvent yourself and start fresh in a new city?

In this episode of Womenpreneur Asia, I sit down with Carmen Salameh, a podcaster and entrepreneur who made the bold move from Paris to Hong Kong to create a new chapter in her life.

Carmen is the founder of Asian Business Owners, a podcast where she shares raw, honest conversations with entrepreneurs across Asia, and Octo Gen, a social media marketing agency that helps businesses grow with purpose-driven content.

In our conversation, Carmen opens up about:

• Why she chose to leave the familiar behind in Paris for the challenges of Hong Kong
• How she built two businesses from scratch in a new city
• What reinvention really means and how to take charge of your own destiny
• The importance of aligning work with values and purpose

If you’ve ever felt the pull to reinvent yourself, to pursue a challenge that stretches you, or to take ownership of your destiny, Carmen’s story will inspire you to make bold moves and write your own next chapter.

Links & Resources:

Visit: WomenpreneurAsia.com

This episode is brought to you by Redbox Studio — helping entrepreneurs grow with strategy-first marketing.

Do you know that Krista’s From Vision to Voice program is now open for enrollment? Check it out here.

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share this episode with someone who needs a dose of encouragement and clarity on their entrepreneurial journey.

Join Krista Goon in a compelling episode with Gen Z entrepreneur, Dun Concha, the CEO of Work Beyond Borders in the Philippines.

In this episode of Womenpreneur Asia, Dun Concha shares her unexpected journey from a freelance copywriter to a business owner, remote work advocate and social impact leader.

She discusses the challenges and rewards of running a completely remote marketing agency, leveraging digital tools, and her passion for fostering digital literacy through her non-profit, Yabong.

Dun emphasizes the importance of authenticity, overcommunication, and understanding different priorities and dreams of employees.

She also delves into her personal background, driven by a single mother, and her philosophy of using technology and AI to create opportunities and bridge the digital divide.

In this episode, Dun shares about

00:10 The Path From Copywriter To Entrepreneur

01:59 Challenges and Realities of Remote Work

06:11 Balancing Business and Community Initiatives

12:31 The Concept of Authenticity

14:28 Remote Work and Digital Nomad Lifestyle

18:53 Building a Supportive Remote Team

26:36 Tools and Productivity Hacks for Remote Work

29:44 Prioritizing Tasks with the Eisenhower Matrix

30:59 Introduction to Yabong: A Platform for Youth Advocacy

33:25 Digital Literacy and Youth Empowerment

35:33 Social Media Strategies for Business Owners

41:23 Reflections on Starting a Business and Personal Growth

46:36 The Future of Digital Trends and AI

48:01 Final Advice on Remote Work and Personal Authenticity

Links & Resources:

Visit: WomenpreneurAsia.com

This episode is brought to you by Redbox Studio — helping entrepreneurs grow with strategy-first marketing.

Do you know that Krista’s From Vision to Voice program is now open for enrollment? Check it out here.

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share this episode with someone who needs a dose of encouragement and clarity on their entrepreneurial journey.

Join Krista Goon in this Season 10 episode with Ritu G. Mehrish, a coach and author of the book 'Rewrite the Rules.'

In this conversation, Ritu shares stories from her impressive career journey from corporate roles at Gillette and GE to becoming an entrepreneur and coach in Singapore.

This episode dives into the critical aspect of visibility for women leaders, highlighting actionable steps to be seen and heard in professional settings. Ritu also discusses the importance of executive presence, networking, and the nuances of Asian leadership.

Whether you're in the corporate world or an entrepreneur, this episode is filled with practical advice and inspiring stories that emphasize the power of owning your narrative and rewriting your own rules.

In this episode, Ritu discusses:

• One major must-know strategy for career visibility
• How to engage in intentional networking at conferences
• Visibility techniques for new and established corporate employees
• Visibility for entrepreneurs and how to get more of it
• Strategies for building a network from scratch
• The importance of executive presence (and it's not what you think it is)
• A leadership practice that every successful leader knows about and practices daily

Links & Resources:

Visit: WomenpreneurAsia.com

Learn more about Ritu on:

LinkedIn

Youtube

Spotify

This episode is brought to you by Redbox Studio — helping entrepreneurs grow with strategy-first marketing.

Did you know that Krista’s From Vision to Voice program is now open for enrollment? Check it out here.

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share this episode with someone who needs a dose of encouragement and clarity on their entrepreneurial journey.

In this first episode of Season 10, Womenpreneur Asia, host Krista Goon sits down with Louisa Lee, CEO of DP Healthverse, to uncover the fascinating story of how a former educator transformed herself into an award-winning entrepreneur and health innovator.

Based in Singapore, Louisa shares her journey from running a small dental clinic with her husband to scaling it into DP Dental, a progressive boutique practice with over 50 team members and three branches.

But behind the accolades—including the Entrepreneur of the Year Award and B Corp Certification—is a story of rediscovery, resilience, and redefining what confidence truly means.

✨ At 40, Louisa found the courage to soar—thanks to a chance encounter with a shaman.

In this episode, Louisa opens up about:

• Why academic success didn’t translate into confidence—and how she finally found it
• Her leap from education to dentistry and from dentistry to building a thriving healthcare ecosystem
• Lessons learned from failed ventures and why staying within your lane matters
• The power of root-cause healthcare and integrating wellness with dentistry
• How bilingualism and cross-cultural understanding enrich her leadership style

Louisa is also actively shaping the healthcare conversation in Singapore as a Board Member of Connected Women and Council Member (VP Comms) at the Association of Small & Medium Enterprises (ASME).

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a wellness advocate, or simply curious about how confidence can reshape a life, this episode is packed with wisdom, warmth, and powerful takeaways.

Listen now and be inspired by Louisa’s mission to breathe right, sleep well, and live long.

Links & Resources:

• Visit: WomenpreneurAsia.com
• Learn more about DP Healthverse and Louisa's work

This episode is brought to you by Redbox Studio — helping entrepreneurs grow with strategy-first marketing.

Key Takeaways:

• Confidence isn’t always tied to achievements—it can arrive later in life
• A strong business foundation begins with understanding your limits and learning from missteps
• Integrative, evidence-based healthcare is the future of wellness
• Cultural fluency can strengthen leadership and build deeper human connections
• Community involvement and purpose-driven platforms can amplify entrepreneurial impact

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share this episode with someone who needs a dose of encouragement and clarity on their entrepreneurial journey.

Did you know that Krista’s From Vision to Voice program is now open for enrollment? Check it out here.

Visibility with Purpose – How to Show Up Authentically with Krista Goon (Thrive Meetup Replay)

In this special Season 9 finale, the mic flips as I become the guest in a conversation hosted by leadership coach and content strategist Rowena Morais for her Thrive Meetup.

Together, we explore what it truly means to be visible with purpose—especially as women who often struggle with self-promotion, imposter syndrome, and the pressure to “have it all figured out.”

I share personal stories of how I built visibility for my business and podcast over the years, and how I reframe self-promotion.

Whether you’re running a business, building a personal brand, or growing your career—this episode is packed with honest insights, mindset shifts, and practical steps to help you start showing up with clarity and confidence.

This episode is for anyone who feels like they’re doing great work but still not being seen.

What We Cover in This Episode:

• What visibility really means (and what it doesn’t)
• How to reframe self-promotion to feel more natural
• Where imposter syndrome shows up—and how to move through it
• The power of platforms like podcasting, speaking, and writing
• Why building your body of work online is essential today
• 3 steps to begin building visibility that aligns with you

💡 3 Key Takeaways:

1. Visibility must have purpose. Know who you're talking to and why it matters.
2. You don’t need to be perfect—just present. Start showing up even if you're 80% ready.
3. Self-promotion isn’t about ego—it’s about value. Share what you’ve learned, not just what you’ve done.

Links & Resources:

• Visit my website: https://www.redboxstudio.com
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristagoon
• Learn more about Rowena Morais: https://rowenamorais.com
• Check out past episodes of Womenpreneur Asia: https://womenpreneurasia.com
• Get my ebook, Podcasting Power.

In Episode 13 of Season 9 of Womenpreneur Asia, we meet Jillian Tan, the creative entrepreneur behind Poppylab, a Malaysian costume jewellery line known for its colourful and joyful designs.

Jillian shares her journey from starting Poppylab more than a decade ago and growing it into a brand that celebrates individuality and happiness through unique costume jewellery that her clients have come appreciate.

In this episode:

• Discover how Jillian's passion for crafting and her experiences in Australia inspired her to create a brand that stands out with its vibrant designs.
• Learn about the emotional connection Jillian aims to create with her jewellery, making each piece more than just an accessory.
• Jillian discusses the hurdles she faced in the competitive jewellery industry and how she built a strong brand identity focused on quality and customer service.
• Explore Jillian's strategies for engaging with her audience through social media, pop-up events and personal connections.
• Hear about Jillian's vision for the future, including customer growth, product innovation and community collaborations plus her philosophy on starting small, staying true to your vision, and the importance of having a clear purpose.

Subscribe & Review

Subscribe to Womenpreneur Asia on your favorite podcast app. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review or share it with a friend who might find it inspiring.

Thank you for joining us on this colourful journey with Jillian Tan.

Stay tuned for the final episode of Season 9 next week.

This episode is sponsored by Redbox Studio.

For the full article and links, visit Womenpreneur Asia.

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