WHEN entrepreneur and author Krista Goon started her podcast, Womenpreneur Asia, four years ago, she never imagined reaching the milestone of 100 episodes.
This achievement has fuelled her enthusiasm and drive as she prepares to launch Season 8 next month.
Each episode published may last about an hour, but extensive preparatory work goes behind it. The Womenpreneur Asia podcast has gone through seven seasons, with 14 episodes per season.
Krista, as she is better known, however, has consistently delivered inspiring stories. With two seasons per year, the podcast has become a platform for showcasing the amazing resilience of her guests in both the demanding business world and their personal lives.
“My podcasting journey has its fair share of challenges, with its highs and lows. I am thankful that most of my guests are kind and gracious, save one or two with a prima donna attitude.
“I like my guests to share with their heart, not only their successes but also their frustrating moments,” Krista told Buletin Mutiara in an interview recently.
Asked how she felt after completing 100 episodes on Feb 2 this year, Krista’s eyes sparkled with joy.
“Did I ever think I would reach 100 episodes? No. Because my initial intention was simply to get it started.
“Sometimes, you do not need to know 100 per cent before you start something. A lot of people are scared to start a business because they think they need to have everything figured out. But you can’t know 100 per cent.
“When I started, I did not know how many episodes I would produce. I would produce as many as I could if I found the right podcast guests. And if enough people listened, then I felt it was worthwhile.
“So, when more and more people tell me they listen to my podcasts, I feel encouraged. It is their feedback that keeps me going.”
“Is she doing podcasts to make money?” This is often one of the first questions Krista is asked.
“I tell people I don’t approach podcasting with that mindset. You use your podcast to serve other people first and along the way, people will come and help you. I provide a platform for people and I hope they share honest stories.”
At the start of every episode, Krista informs her listeners that the podcast is sponsored by Redbox Studio, a company she and her husband co-founded over two decades ago. Through Redbox Studio, they teach business owners how to leverage their websites for improved marketing. The couple also co-authored a book, titled Web Wisdom, in 2016 to share their expertise.
Before delving into podcasting, Krista herself was an avid listener of podcasts for over 10 years.
In 2019, she pitched the idea of hosting a podcast during a presentation at a two-week leadership workshop in Hawaii. She was among 16 women entrepreneurs attending the sponsored programme, organised by the US-based East-West Centre, for women entrepreneurs from Asia Pacific.
Upon her return to Malaysia, Krista started to actively work on her podcast in March 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. While immersing herself in podcasting, she has dedicated time to WomenBizSENSE, which she co-founded with Datin Josephine Yoong, in 2006. This initiative aims to nurture and support other women entrepreneurs in the state.
Following the advice of her mentor Dr Kathleen Kozak, who also hosts a radio show in Hawaii, Krista chose to spotlight Asian women entrepreneurs on her podcast, rather than limiting her focus to only Malaysian ones.
“I believe that in Asia, we sometimes don’t appreciate what we have. We tend to think the West is better.
“If we don’t hear stories from role models in Asia, we will not know that Asia is so rich, so diverse and so full of inspiring women who initiate fascinating businesses.
“Although we have a lot of very good stories to share, Asian women are very shy to do so, unlike their Western counterparts who are very open. By sharing your story, you can inspire other women.”
Through her experience, Krista discovered some common threads among women, regardless of whether they have 30, 10 or five years of business experience. They share the same fears, worries and challenges.
She said even if a woman has been in business for 30 years, it does not mean she has overcome everything, as there are new challenges to navigate.
Some stories shared by Krista’s guests are remarkable, as she encouraged her guests to share narratives they have not told anyone before.
Take Deepa Jivan, an Indian woman based in Hong Kong, for instance. She was thriving in her business supplying party items like hats and balloons, to overseas supermarkets, sourcing her supplies from Chinese manufacturers.
However, she revealed her biggest concern, now that she has five employees, is expanding her business.
“Some may think she is crazy. She can handle five people now, but what if her team expands to 20? She worries she won’t have time for herself and her family. So, I encouraged her to tell her story.
“At the end of each podcast, I always provide the guest’s Instagram, website or LinkedIn link so that listeners interested in connecting with them can do so.
“Perhaps someone relates to her situation, or somebody has a strategy to help her business grow without managing 20 people.
“To me, that is the beauty of podcasts. Anyone from anywhere in the world can reach out to her.
“When she shared the story, I was very grateful because it was very honest. Not many people can do that; it is not the norm. They often feel if they don’t grow their business, it’s a failure,” Krista explained.
Mandy Pao, another podcast guest from Hong Kong, shared her struggles and how she experienced burnout after managing her creative and marketing agency for the past decade.
With eight employees under her management, she nearly went into depression. At one point, she did not know what to do with her life. Eventually, she decided to let go of all her employees. Then, she started a new business to help other burnt-out entrepreneurs to regain their lives.
“She only takes creative jobs that she likes and delegates the work to sub-contractors in the Philippines.
“Her second business is that she coaches women entrepreneurs who are on the brink of burnout. Now, she says she has the freedom to travel to Bali for a holiday whenever she wants.”
There is one episode that moved Krista to tears.
Yap Sook Yee, a Malaysian woman, bravely shared her journey of coping with her child’s rare disease, called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), which progressively weakens muscles and nerves.
Devastated by a doctor’s prognosis of only a few years for her son, Yap and her husband made the difficult decision to leave their jobs and dedicate themselves to caring for him. With her son’s muscles growing weaker, she ensures he remains engaged in activities, like drawing or painting, to prevent him from being confined to a wheelchair or lying down all day.
Driven by her experiences and the lack of support groups, she established a non-governmental organisation to assist families affected by SMA.
“In Malaysia, there is hardly any emphasis on this rare disease. A child with this condition cannot attend school.
“Constantly caring for her son can be quite stressful. Recognising the lack of support and affordable treatment options, she decided to take action. She founded an NGO not only to advocate for her son but also to assist other families facing similar struggles.
“For me, her story is profoundly moving. She does not know how long his son will live but she is not giving up. As long as she runs her NGO and support group, she will advocate for access to life-prolonging treatments.
“Her life as well as her husband’s, revolves around providing the best possible care for their son.
“It is admirable that she is willing to share her story despite the heartbreaking reality that her son’s life may be cut short. He is now 12 or 13 years old, and the fact that he has lived this long is itself already a miracle, surpassing the doctor’s prediction.
“To support her NGO and her son’s treatment, she creatively utilises his artwork by printing it on bags and framing it for fundraising purposes. Coming from a creative and marketing background, she has approached corporations like Maybank for assistance through their CSR programmes.”
Krista’s podcast narrative has inspired a Vietnamese guest to venture into podcasting soon.
Additionally, about 10 others have approached Krista seeking guidance on how to start a podcast. To save time, Krista is currently in the final stages of writing an ebook on podcasting, instead of offering individual assistance.
Nowadays, she only accepts interviewees recommended by her previous podcast guests. Preliminary calls with potential guests are crucial for Krista to gauge values and establish good chemistry before the actual recording starts.
Having a degree in Communications with a major in Journalism, and 25 years of experience in web development, copywriting, and marketing certainly enhances Krista’s podcasting endeavours.
After each episode, Krista conducts a thorough self-evaluation, striving to maintain a high-quality final product for subsequent episodes. Her determination, combined with the utilisation of software and systems, has significantly contributed to the growing popularity of her podcast.
Being tagged by guests on LinkedIn further enhances her visibility and credibility. Furthermore, her podcast is available on Spotify, expanding its reach to a wider audience.
“Every time I make a new episode, I make a new friend. For me, right now, I have multiple contacts across Asia, because I have interviewed people from nine or ten countries, including Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, of course.
“I am someone who thrives on learning, discovery, and connecting with others. Thus, this podcast fulfils my personal objective.
“What I cherish most are the friendships I have with these people. Every time my guests connect with me on LinkedIn and share a post tagging me, it helps amplify the reach of my podcast. When they tag me, more of their friends would know about me. It is like helping me grow my podcast.”
In the 100th episode of Womenpreneur Asia, Krista took on a reverse role, transitioning from interviewer to interviewee as Padmaja Vaswani, an experienced entrepreneur from India and her former podcast guest, interviewed her about her podcast journey.
As Krista looks ahead, her podcast journey continues into the next month and beyond. For her dedicated fans, they look forward to another 100 episodes and beyond!
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Siti Nuratikah Rahmat and courtesy of Redbox Studio