It's the beginning of a new year, are you secretly dreaming of switching careers, changing life, reinventing yourself?

In this special medley episode of Asian Business Owners, listen to stories of reinvention from founders who chose alignment over comfort.

What's covered:

• Jessie Li — from banking to building influence
• Carmen — leaving corporate life in Paris to rebuild a career in Hong Kong
• Renaud-Louis — from Rolex to entrepreneurship

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction to Asian Business Owners Podcast

(01:10) Reinvention Stories: From Banking to Influence with Jessie

(04:23) Personal Branding and Influencer Marketing

(08:09) From Corporate Life to Entrepreneurship in Hong Kong with Carmen

(14:11) Rolex to Retail: A Journey of Humility and Family Business with Renaud-Louis

(19:06) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Listen to the entire episodes:

Jessie

Carmen

Renaud-Louis

Follow the 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.

In this Quick Wins episode, revisit two powerful lessons many founders miss when it comes to marketing.

1/ Let's break down how to collaborate with KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) without a big budget

2/ Let's uncover the most common social media mistakes that hurt your growth

Short, practical, easy to apply: don't miss this special episode, especially if you're reconsidering your marketing strategy for 2026.

For more content, follow me on LinkedIn

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As the year comes to an end, I wanted to pause and revisit the advice that stayed with me the most.

I've put together this special medley episode of Asian Business Owners, you'll hear some grounding and inspiring pieces of advice by business owners I invited on the podcast.

Hit play and listen to them as you slow down, reflect and close the year. To listen to the whole episodes with the guests, tap the links below.

(00:00) Introduction and Welcome

(00:31) Reflecting on the Year

(01:03) Gabriella Montandon: Why Fun Matters

(03:22) Allen Law: Stress, Purpose & Sustainability

(04:27) Gianne Chan: Gratitude & Personal Happiness

(05:32) Conclusion

Listen to the entire episodes:

Gianne

Allen

Gabriella

Follow the journey:

💬 abo.pod

📲 Find me on LinkedIn

🎧 Subscribe to Asian Business Owners wherever you listen to it!

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As the year comes to an end, I’ve curated a Best of Quick Wins 2025 episode with some useful and practical tips shared this year on Asian Business Owners.

In this episode, we cover three areas many founders struggle with:

• Building a strong personal brand using LinkedIn
• Using virtual assistants (VAs) to save time and focus on what really matters
• Exploring funding options beyond venture capital

For more content, follow me on LinkedIn

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2025 didn’t come with a big breakthrough moment.

Instead, it quietly taught me lessons that reshaped how I think about business, creativity and myself as a founder.

In this solo episode of Asian Business Owners, I reflect on:

• Figuring things out as I go (even if I want control)
• Listening to that inner voice when something feels “off”
• Being okay with being misunderstood

These lessons didn’t arrive loudly but they made me more confident, more aligned and more resilient.

I hope these lessons will help you too and I'd love to know what you learned this year. Tell me on IG (@abo.pod) or LinkedIn (link below).

Timestamps:

(00:00) Welcome To Asian Business Owners

(00:32) Reflecting on 2025: Key Lessons Learned

(01:25) Lesson 1

(05:05) Lesson 2

(07:37) Lesson 3

(09:29) Conclusion

Follow the 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.

Cold emailing makes you uncomfortable? You’re not alone.

In this new Quick Wins episode, I walk you through 3 practical ways to attract new clients organically without sending a single cold email.

We’ll break down:

• How to pick ONE platform and own it

• How to partner with complementary businesses & influencers

• Why events still work and how to use them to your advantage

Plus, a bonus pro tip that instantly makes your brand more relatable and memorable.

Content:

(00:15) You Hate Cold Emailing?

(00:43) #1 Pick One Platform

(01:29) #2 Partner With Local Businesses

(02:10) #3 Host Events

(02:39) #4 Paid Ads & SEO

(03:20) Bonus Pro Tip To Make Your Brand Relatable

(03:41) Final Tips & Conclusion

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In this solo episode, I share about my bandwidth limit and what happens when I ignore it.

What are the early signals your brain sends when it needs a break?

I talk through my own recent experience of pushing too far, what it taught me and how I created the space I needed to reset.

You’ll hear:

– The difference between being tired and being mentally overloaded

– Practical ways to recharge quickly

– Why recovery is actually a business skill

– How to stay grounded while juggling multiple roles

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction to Asian Business Owners Podcast

(00:28) Personal Struggles and Realisations

(01:11) Signs You Need a Break

(01:52) Lessons Learned from Exhaustion

(04:02) Creating Space for Recovery

(05:16) Practical Tips to Recharge

(07:41) Final Thoughts

08:29 Closing Remarks and Call to Action

Follow the 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.

How to get repeat customers who love your brand?

This Quick Wins episode is here to help. Learn how to:

• Personalise your customer experience from day one
• Launch a simple but effective loyalty programme
• Stay top-of-mind with consistent social engagement

Grow your online community, not just traffic and build an engaged audience with brand ambassadors.

Content:

(00:00) Introduction to ABO Quick Wins

(00:39) Personalise Your Customer Experience

(01:33) Create a Simple Loyalty Programme

(02:16) Engage Customers on Social Media

(02:50) Conclusion and Final Tips

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What does it really take to leave a stable corporate career and finally bet on yourself?

In this episode of Asian Business Owners, I sit down with Renaud-Louis, founder of Amplitude, a Hong Kong watch atelier born from 18 years of experience at Rolex and a lifelong passion for craftsmanship.

Renaud-Louis shares the pivotal moments that pushed him from corporate comfort to entrepreneurship.

What you’ll hear:

• The honest realities behind starting a retail business: choosing the right location, handling customers, managing cash flow
• Navigating a major identity shift
• The emotional and financial risks with the support of his family

Timestamps:

（00:00）Introduction to Asian Business Owners

（00:33）Meet Renaud-Louis: From Rolex to Entrepreneurship

（01:36）Early Career and Passion for Horology

（03:50）Journey to Hong Kong

（06:12）Balancing Rugby and Watch Repairing

（10:02）Climbing the Ranks at Rolex

（14:57）This or That Questions

（15:48）The Pivot Moment: Founding Amplitude

（19:10）Finding the Perfect Shop Location

（20:43）Setting Up the Shop and Initial Challenges

（22:58）The Importance of Customer Relationships

（23:36）Learning from Mistakes and Managing Cash Flow

（24:28）Transitioning from Corporate to Entrepreneurship

（25:36）Family Support and Humility in Business

（26:18）Teaching Kids the Value of Hard Work

（28:00）Creating a Community of Watch Lovers

（30:06）The Art and Craft of Watchmaking

（33:46）Future Goals and Aspirations

（37:03）Final Thoughts and Advice for Business Owners

👉 To find out more about Amplitude:

The website

On Instagram

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You don’t have a big marketing budget? No problem.

Listen to this Quick Wins episode where I cover:

• How to use user-generated content for social proof
• Free tools for creating pro-level content
• How to collaborate with your local community to grow trust

This is perfect for early-stage founders, small teams and solopreneurs looking to grow with creativity, not only with cash.

Content:

(00:00) Introduction to ABO Quick Wins

(00:14) Marketing Budget Challenges

(00:40) Hack #1: Leverage User-Generated Content

(01:38) Hack #2: Use Free Tools for Content Creation

(02:25) Hack #3: Collaborate with Local Communities

(03:00) Conclusion

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