Asian Business Owners - A.B.O.

By Carmen Salameh

I’m Carmen, host of Asian Business Owners (ABO) — a podcast featuring honest conversations with entrepreneurs across Asia.

We dive into the real journey of building a business: the wins,

... more

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FAQs about Asian Business Owners - A.B.O.:

How many episodes does Asian Business Owners - A.B.O. have?

The podcast currently has 118 episodes available.

Asian Business Owners - A.B.O. episodes:

July 28, 2025 TEASER - The Pivot Moment
You might have experienced a pivot moment when you had to make a decision and choose a direction. In this upcoming special episode, three entrepreneurs in Asia share their pivot moment. Stay tuned!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1min
July 23, 2025Marketing That Actually Works — Stories from Entrepreneurs Who’ve Tried It All
In this special medley episode of Asian Business Owners, we dive into one of the most requested topics: marketing that actually works.

You’ll hear real, proven strategies from my guests — no fluff, no generic advice, just authentic stories from Asian entrepreneurs who’ve built brands that connect and convert.

In this episode:
How Catherine Marie Pun used authentic content to reach 17M+ views
How Rickesh Kishnani used personal storytelling to market a niche luxury product
How Rebecca Chung positioned her brand to stand out in a crowded industry

If you’re tired of wasting time on strategies that don’t deliver, this episode is your shortcut to what actually gets results.

Content:
(00:31) Marketing Strategies That Work
(01:12) The Element That Made It Successful
(02:55) Trend Spotting and Aggressive Market Strategy
(05:03) Why You Need To Test the Market
(05:56) Whiskey Business Insights
(07:44) Bootstrapping a Beauty Business
(09:58) Innovative Beauty Techniques

👉 To listen to the full episodes:
Catherine: From Burnout to 17M Views: How Catherine Built Friday Club With Authenticity
Rickesh: He Turned a Love for Whisky Into a Thriving Business
Rebecca: From Classroom to Clinic: Rebecca's Leap Into the Unknown
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
12min
July 21, 2025 Proven Marketing Tips That Get Results
Real founders, real results.
In this upcoming episode, discover the marketing strategies that actually move the needle — no fluff, just what works.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
1min
July 16, 2025 A Career That Doesn’t Fit the Mold and Isn’t Meant To
In this episode (recorded in Paris!), I sit down with Karin Chan, a quiet force behind a strong global community and innovative career experiments.

Karin shares how her upbringing, creativity and love for connecting people shaped her career path. She embraced a slasher lifestyle and intentionally chose softness over scale, opening up about building businesses that serve people — not just metrics.

We dive into GenieFriends' sacred dinners, we explore identity, the future of work and what it really means to design your own way of working.

Content:
(00:54) Meet Karin: Founder of Futurist Lab and GenieFriends
(02:41) Karin's Childhood and Early Influences
(06:48) The Genesis of GenieFriends
(10:15) Scaling Up: From One Dinner to Multiple Cities
(14:01) Challenges and Lessons Learned Post Covid
(21:17) Rapid Fire Questions
(25:22) Mental Health and Self-Discipline
(29:57) The Importance of Saying No
(33:56) The Future of Work: Slashers and Poly Careers
(41:15) Upcoming Plans and Projects
(43:33) Lessons for Fellow Entrepreneurs

👉 To find out more about Karin:
On LinkedIn
GenieFriends' website
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
47min
July 14, 2025 TEASER - We Don’t Need to Hustle Like That Anymore
What is this hustle culture really about?
This week, my guest shares why she’s boundaries and intentional growth over constant grind.

There’s a different way to succeed. This is your permission slip.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
2min
July 09, 2025 From 0 to 200 Employees: Growth & Fundraising Lessons
What does it really take to scale a business from nothing to over 200 employees with global partners?

In this new, short and powerful episode format, I talk to Hiroki Kato, founder of Arches, leading knowledge-sharing service in Asia for companies investing in Asia.

What we discussed:
• The unfiltered truth behind his rapid growth — from early-stage chaos to closing fundraising rounds
• The mindset shift from consultant to entrepreneur
• How to choose markets that actually scale
• Why fundraising isn’t just about money, but momentum

Listen to this practical and honest breakdown of what actually makes a startup successful.

Content:
(00:27) Meet Hiroki: Founder and CEO of Arches
(00:50) Understanding Arches: An AI-Powered Market Intelligence Platform
(01:45) Rapid Growth and Fundraising Strategies
(03:39) Mindset Shifts from Consultant to Entrepreneur
(05:04) Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

👉 To find out more about Arches:
The website
Hiroki Kato on LinkedIn
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
7min
July 02, 2025 From Classroom to Clinic: Rebecca’s Leap Into the Unknown
Rebecca Chung was a music teacher searching for something more.

In this episode, she opens up about the unexpected twists that led her to create High Society Clinic — successful beauty clinics in Hong Kong.

Listen to her authentic story about pivoting and building a business that resonates and reflects her highest ambitions. Don't miss that episode, especially if you're thinking about your next move.

Content:
(00:27) Meet Rebecca: Founder of High Society Clinic
(01:04) Rebecca's Journey from Music Teacher to Beauty Entrepreneur
(04:40) Starting the Business: Challenges and Early Successes
(08:12) Becoming a Master in Permanent Makeup
(15:25) Rapid Fire Questions with Rebecca
(19:14) Entrepreneurial Spirit and Family Background
(20:31) Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Goals
(24:36) Navigating Business During COVID-19
(27:26) Expanding Business Ventures: B2C and B2B
(31:46) Staying Updated with Beauty Trends
(32:24) Advice for Entrepreneurs

👉 To find out more about High Society Clinic:
The website
High Society Clinic and High Society Medical on Instagram
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
36min
July 01, 2025 TEASER - The Story Of a Game-Changing Career Shift
This week, my guest's journey is proof that the right pivot can open new doors. Discover her story soon, stay tuned!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
2min
June 25, 2025 From Burnout to 17M Views: How Catherine Built Friday Club with Authenticity
How do you go from burnout to building a platform with 17M+ views?

Catherine Marie Pun, co-founder of Friday Club, shares her journey from quitting a corporate journalist career to creating content that actually resonates.

We talk about staying authentic in a noisy world, bringing fresh perspectives and building a diverse team, tackling mental health and reaching Gen Z without the fluff.

Content:
(00:59) Meet Catherine, Co-founder of Friday Club
(04:03) Building a Diverse and Creative Team
(06:29) Taking the Leap: Quitting Corporate for Entrepreneurship
(08:29) The Journey of Starting Friday Club
(10:33) Coping with Burnout and Mental Health
(20:27) Rapid Fire Questions
(24:38) Understanding Gen Z: Authenticity and Ethics
(30:32) Managing a Growing Team
(35:32) Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
(41:53) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

👉 To find out more about Friday Club:
The website
The Instagram page
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
43min
June 23, 2025 TEASER - Burnout, Breakthroughs & Building Something Real
This week, my guest opens up about the highs and lows of doing work that matters. We talk burnout, identity and what it really takes to carve your own path. Just a taste of what’s coming in the full episode, stay tuned!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
2min

FAQs about Asian Business Owners - A.B.O.:

How many episodes does Asian Business Owners - A.B.O. have?

The podcast currently has 118 episodes available.