Episode #70: She Grew Up Packing Soap Boxes. Now She's Taking a Filipino Brand Global with Mishal Arnaiz

Episode #70: She Grew Up Packing Soap Boxes. Now She's Taking a Filipino Brand Global with Mishal Arnaiz

What does it take to transform a family manufacturing business into an international brand? In this episode of Business Beyond Borders [https://dearinassociates.com/business-beyond-borders-podcast/], Cynthia Dearin [https://dearinassociates.com/cynthia-dearin-international-strategist/] sits down with Mishal Arnaiz [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mshlarnaiz/], second-generation leader at Universal Skin Cosmeceuticals [https://usclcph.com/], a Philippine manufacturer producing skincare and personal care products for brands around the world. Mishal shares the remarkable story of growing up inside her mother's factory, watching a single parent build a business from the ground up with little guidance but relentless determination. Today, she's leading the company's next phase of growth—expanding into global markets while modernizing the business without losing the values that made it successful. They discuss why international expansion isn't about rushing into new countries, but carefully testing markets, listening to customers, and making decisions based on evidence rather than assumptions. Mishal also shares how purpose-driven product innovation—from charitable initiatives to custom manufacturing for overseas clients—has become a competitive advantage. If you're building a manufacturing business, preparing for international growth, or navigating the challenges of a second-generation family enterprise, this episode offers practical lessons on leadership, resilience, and scaling across borders. In this episode, we discuss: * How a single mother built a manufacturing company from scratch * Growing up inside the family business—and choosing to stay * The realities of succeeding as a second-generation leader * Why testing markets beats guessing when expanding internationally * Building export relationships through product innovation * Creating purpose-driven products that strengthen your brand * How listening to customers shapes global growth * Mishal's vision for taking a Philippine manufacturer onto the world stage Want a clearer path from strategy to results? The conversations on Business Beyond Borders are grounded in the same framework we use with clients at Dearin & Associates. You can explore it in the Blueprint for International Success — a practical guide to navigating global expansion with clarity, momentum, and commercial discipline. Access the Blueprint here: www.dearinassociates.com/blueprint [http://www.dearinassociates.com/blueprint] Podcast Partner Global growth also means managing global money. OFX supports businesses operating internationally with competitive FX rates, streamlined payments, and better visibility over cross-border cash flow. Learn more or sign up via our partner link: https://app.ofx.com/registration?pid=15337 [https://app.ofx.com/registration?pid=15337]

Episode #69: She Hated Maths as a Child. Now She’s Expanding an Education Empire Across Southeast Asia with Varongsri (Dr.Ying) Poothakool

Many entrepreneurs launch businesses because they spot a market opportunity. Dr. Varongsri “Ying” Poothakool [https://www.linkedin.com/in/varongsri-poothakool-93b815213/] started hers because of a life-changing teacher. As a young child, Dr. Ying disliked mathematics. Everything changed when she met a teacher who used games, toys, and creativity to make maths fun. That experience inspired a lifelong mission: helping children develop confidence, enjoyment, and success in mathematics. Today, Dr. Ying is the founder of Math-Talent, an education company operating across Thailand, Laos, and the Philippines, with ambitions to expand further throughout Southeast Asia. Along the way, she has developed a unique visual-learning methodology designed to transform how children experience maths. In this episode, Dr. Ying shares the deeply personal story behind the business, including the extraordinary moment when her father mortgaged his only home to help her pursue her dream. She also discusses the realities of international expansion, adapting educational models across cultures, building franchise systems, and the lessons she has learned from scaling an education business across borders. In this episode, we discuss: * How one inspirational teacher transformed Dr. Ying’s relationship with mathematics * Why making learning fun can unlock extraordinary results for students * The powerful role her father played in launching Math-Talent * Building a successful education business from a personal mission * Expanding from Thailand into Laos and the Philippines * The challenges of adapting educational programs for different markets * Why choosing the right partner is critical for international growth * Creating scalable systems, teacher training, and quality control * Lessons from more than a decade of entrepreneurship * Why understanding your customers is essential to successful expansion Want a clearer path from strategy to results? The conversations on Business Beyond Borders are grounded in the same framework we use with clients at Dearin & Associates. You can explore it in the Blueprint for International Success — a practical guide to navigating global expansion with clarity, momentum, and commercial discipline. Access the Blueprint here: www.dearinassociates.com/blueprint [http://www.dearinassociates.com/blueprint] Podcast Partner Global growth also means managing global money. OFX supports businesses operating internationally with competitive FX rates, streamlined payments, and better visibility over cross-border cash flow. Learn more or sign up via our partner link: https://app.ofx.com/registration?pid=15337 [https://app.ofx.com/registration?pid=15337]

Episode #68: Why Smart Money Chooses Cities Before It Chooses Companies with Jason de Sousa

When businesses expand internationally, most attention goes to entrepreneurs, products, and markets. But behind every successful expansion lies something far less visible: infrastructure. In this episode of Business Beyond Borders [https://dearinassociates.com/business-beyond-borders-podcast/], Cynthia Dearin [https://dearinassociates.com/cynthia-dearin-international-strategist/] sits down with Jason de Sousa [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasondesousa/], founder of Ideia Partners [https://www.ideiapartners.com/], to explore the systems that make economic growth possible. Drawing on decades of experience in infrastructure investment, urban development, and cross-border capital flows across Australia and Asia, Jason explains why connectivity, transport networks, housing, and government policy matter just as much as business strategy. Together, they discuss what makes cities economically successful, why investors value stability above almost everything else, how governments can unintentionally destroy investment confidence, and what companies need to understand before entering new markets. This conversation offers a fascinating perspective on global expansion from someone who works behind the scenes shaping the environments where businesses grow. In This Episode - Why infrastructure is the foundation of economic growth - The connection between transport, productivity, and thriving cities - What Tokyo can teach the rest of the world about long-term planning - How housing shortages and poor infrastructure create economic bottlenecks - Why stable government policy is essential for attracting investment - The role of foreign capital in building major infrastructure projects - How cultural misunderstandings derail international deals - Why investors need more than money to succeed overseas - Lessons from working with Japanese and Asian investors entering global markets - What businesses should evaluate before expanding into a new city or country Want a clearer path from strategy to results? The conversations on Business Beyond Borders are grounded in the same framework we use with clients at Dearin & Associates. You can explore it in the Blueprint for International Success — a practical guide to navigating global expansion with clarity, momentum, and commercial discipline. Access the Blueprint here: www.dearinassociates.com/blueprint [http://www.dearinassociates.com/blueprint] Podcast Partner Global growth also means managing global money. OFX supports businesses operating internationally with competitive FX rates, streamlined payments, and better visibility over cross-border cash flow. Learn more or sign up via our partner link: https://app.ofx.com/registration?pid=15337 [https://app.ofx.com/registration?pid=15337]

Episode #67: Why Women Scale Differently: What the Gaming Industry Taught One Founder About Global Growth with Marla Rausch

What does it take to build a globally respected animation company when you can't rely on marketing, PR, or a big sales machine? In this episode of Business Beyond Borders [https://dearinassociates.com/business-beyond-borders-podcast/], Cynthia Dearin [https://dearinassociates.com/cynthia-dearin-international-strategist/] sits down with Marla Rausch [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marladrausch/], Founder and CEO of Animation Vertigo [https://www.animationvertigo.com/], the motion capture and animation studio behind projects for some of the biggest names in film and gaming, including Sony and Activision. Marla shares the remarkable story of how she built a production pipeline connecting teams in the United States and the Philippines, grew a company almost entirely through reputation and referrals, and navigated the challenges of scaling across borders in one of the world's most competitive creative industries. The conversation explores the realities of global growth, leadership, entrepreneurship, and why "going global" may be the wrong goal altogether. In this episode, you'll learn: * How Animation Vertigo won major clients early in its journey * Why reputation and trust became the company's most powerful growth engine * The challenges of building international production teams across cultures and continents * Lessons from more than two decades in the animation and gaming industries * Why women founders may approach scaling differently from their male counterparts * The importance of balancing growth with relationships and long-term sustainability * How Marla evolved from service provider to creator of original intellectual property * Why founders should focus on solving problems rather than chasing international expansion * The mindset shift that helped Marla continue growing after 22 years in business Want a clearer path from strategy to results? The conversations on Business Beyond Borders are grounded in the same framework we use with clients at Dearin & Associates. You can explore it in the Blueprint for International Success — a practical guide to navigating global expansion with clarity, momentum, and commercial discipline. Access the Blueprint here: www.dearinassociates.com/blueprint [http://www.dearinassociates.com/blueprint] Podcast Partner Global growth also means managing global money. OFX supports businesses operating internationally with competitive FX rates, streamlined payments, and better visibility over cross-border cash flow. Learn more or sign up via our partner link: https://app.ofx.com/registration?pid=15337 [https://app.ofx.com/registration?pid=15337]

Episode #66:Why Logistics Makes (or Breaks) Your International Growth with La Chang

Many companies focus on market entry strategy when expanding internationally. But even the best plans can fall apart when the operational realities of moving goods across borders are overlooked. In this episode of the Business Beyond Borders [https://dearinassociates.com/business-beyond-borders-podcast/] podcast, host Cynthia Dearin [https://dearinassociates.com/cynthia-dearin-international-strategist/] is joined by La Chang [https://tgl.co/about-us/], a global logistics expert, to explore the critical but often invisible role logistics plays in international growth. Drawing on deep, real-world experience, La shares what actually happens behind the scenes of global trade—and why so many companies underestimate its complexity. Together, Cynthia and La Chang unpack the operational side of international expansion, including: * Why logistics is often the deciding factor in global success or failure * How “Murphy’s Law” shows up in cross-border operations * The most common mistakes companies make when managing global supply chains * Why unpredictability is the norm—and how to plan for it * The realities of shipping, customs, and regulatory complexity across markets * How strong operational execution becomes a competitive advantage internationally They also discuss what happens when things go wrong—from delayed shipments to unexpected disruptions—and how businesses can build resilience into their global operations rather than reacting when problems arise. This conversation is for founders, CEOs, and leadership teams who are serious about international growth and want to understand what it really takes to operate across borders—not just strategically, but operationally. Want a clearer path from strategy to results? The conversations on Business Beyond Borders are grounded in the same framework we use with clients at Dearin & Associates. You can explore it in the Blueprint for International Success — a practical guide to navigating global expansion with clarity, momentum, and commercial discipline. Access the Blueprint here: www.dearinassociates.com/blueprint [http://www.dearinassociates.com/blueprint] Podcast Partner Global growth also means managing global money. OFX supports businesses operating internationally with competitive FX rates, streamlined payments, and better visibility over cross-border cash flow. Learn more or sign up via our partner link: https://app.ofx.com/registration?pid=15337 [https://app.ofx.com/registration?pid=15337]