Xiao-Ly Koh, chef and founder of Xiao by Crutz patisserie in Petaling Jaya takes us behind the scenes of building a 14-year pastry career in Malaysia.

From early online sales on Facebook to a flagship store, she explains her love for French pastry and everything crusty!

She cites how the French have a philosophy about “garnishing with a purpose”- how every decoration should add texture and flavour, not just look pretty.

She explains how she educates customers about French pastry, balances artistry with business, and uses seasonal menus, inspiration and beloved characters from Studio Ghibli and local ingredients to keep things fresh.

Social media, especially Instagram, has amplified her brand, but she emphasizes that word-of-mouth remains the strongest marketing tool. There’s a powerful message here for entrepreneurs: craft with care, learn from feedback, and build a legacy.

What you'll learn:

• 00:00 – Xiao-Ly, chef and founder of Xiao by Crutz patisserie and her journey to a flagship store.
• 02:00 – Defining roles: chef first, entrepreneur second; navigating multiple hats including content creator
• 04:30 – What is French pastry? Textures, garnishing with a purpose, and visual appeal.
• 08:30 – From education to trust: introducing customers to French pastry and expanding the menu.
• 12:00 – Marketing with stories: themed collections (Ghibli, kopitiam, local holidays) as differentiators.
• 16:30 – R&D in a small team: collaboration with staff, testing flavors, balancing trends with core offerings.
• 20:00 – Instagram as a visibility tool, but not the entirety of the business and how to differentiate which trends to follow (or not)
• 23:00 – Burnout, resilience, and the long game, pacing, legacy over quick growth.

3 big takeways:

• Craft and commerce can coexist: treat your artistry as a business asset by educating customers and balancing novelty with reliability.
• Garnishing with a purpose matters: visuals should complement flavor and texture, not just decorate.
• Build for longevity: balance ambition with sustainable systems, and focus on word-of-mouth and quality as your strongest growth engines.

For the full show notes, visit WomenpreneurAisa.com

This episode is sponsored by Redbox Studio.

In this quick solo episode, Krista Goon, host and creator of Womenpreneur Asia, redefines leadership through a personal lens—arguing that leadership often looks different from the front of the room and that followership can be a powerful catalyst for change.

She shares how academic excellence gave her visibility, how a quiet act of contributing built an entrepreneurial community, and how a simple “yes” to follow created something larger than any single person could achieve.

The balance of leading and following—timing, context, and courage—becomes a practical framework for womenpreneurs in Asia seeking impact without waiting for a title.

Listen in for memorable insights, actionable takeaways, and a reminder that true leadership is a collaborative act.

• [00:00:00] Redefining leadership: leadership can show up as listening, supporting, or saying, “I’ll follow you.”
• [00:01:00] Leadership through strengths: excelling academically can increase visibility and respect.
• [00:02:00] Organic leadership: co-founding a women’s entrepreneur group that grew from 6 to 30 and beyond.
• [00:02:45] The power of followership: following a vision can create results bigger than one person.
• [00:03:00] Balcony vs. dance floor: leadership and followership are complementary; know when to lead or follow.
• [00:04:00] Core belief: leadership isn’t about titles; both roles create change when used fluidly.

Get the full show notes at WomenpreneurAsia.com

This episode is sponsored by Redbox Studio.

In this episode, I speak to Sonam Ludhani, a Dubai‑based revenue operations (rev ops) and AI strategist— who explains how to make every dollar count for small to mid‑sized businesses.

From pivoting from supply chain to GTM at tech giants to building small but powerful AI tools, she reveals practical steps to align people, processes, and tools (even with Excel) to grow margins.

Learn why “the nervous system” approach to rev ops matters, how to avoid AI hype and why prioritizing talent over tools can unlock real value.

Listen, subscribe, and stay connected for more practical guidance.

What You'll Learn:

- 00:00 – 00:10: Sonam’s current focus in rev ops and AI

- 00:10 – 00:20: Rev ops as the nervous system—aligning sales, marketing, and operations

- 00:20 – 00:30: Career pivot from supply chain to GTM/AI; why taking her MBA at London Business School was the only option

- 00:30 – 00:40: Building practical AI tools (getting hands-on) and the significance of a growth mindset

- 00:40 – 01:10: Why small startups can succeed with MVP tools (e.g. Excel, HubSpot)

- 01:10 – 01:40: Data visibility, funnel metrics, and stopping revenue leakage

- 01:40 – 02:20: AI use, change management, and the importance of culture

- 02:20 – 02:50: The new roles in AI - GTM Engineer and the evolving AI workforce

- 02:50 – 03:30: How she develops confidence and why she is keen to help other women get into tech

- 03:30 – 04:30: Practical playbook for business owners: diagnose, stop leaks, build systems

- 04:30 – 05:00: Final reflections and how to connect with Sonam especially if you're a young woman in tech

3 Key Takeaways

- Rev ops = the nervous system that unifies what your teams do, so you don’t rely on gut feel.

- Start small: Excel or simple tools can create a single source of truth and reveal where revenue leaks hide.

- AI is powerful when paired with change management and people; treat AI like an intern, delegate the drudge work, and focus on human‑level storytelling and face time with customers.

Like our show? Help others find our show when you rate/review Womenpreneur Asia.

For the full show notes, visit WomenpreneurAsia.com

If you’d like to show up online with clarity and confidence, check out my program at FromVisionToVoice.com and take part in the ongoing Weekly Visibility Challenge.

This episode is sponsored by RedboxStudio.com