Author name: exchangemsia_admin

BeingONE 2026, a two-day entrepreneurship and mentorship event dedicated to empowering women-led businesses through inspiring conversations, actionable strategies and holistic well-being practices, was successfully held on 10–11 April 2026 at WORQ, Bandar Utama, the event’s official venue partner. The event received support from established Malaysian women-led brands and industry leaders who contributed as speakers, mentors and ecosystem partners. This collective backing reflected growing recognition of the economic potential of women-led enterprises and signalled stronger private-sector collaboration in strengthening this important growth segment within Malaysia’s entrepreneurial economy. Women-led businesses continue to be a growing force in Malaysia’s economy. The Department of Statistics Malaysia reports that women-owned establishments make up 20.1% of registered businesses, generating RM136.9 billion in gross output. More recent coverage also notes that roughly 21% of Malaysian SMEs are women-led, reflecting continued entrepreneurial momentum and increasing economic participation. BeingONE 2026 brought together 100 women founders and aspiring leaders through programming designed to support strategic business growth while strengthening personal well-being and enabling participants to define their own version of success in life and business through community-based mentoring. BeingONE set a new benchmark for women-focused events by moving beyond conventional keynote formats and standalone activities, integrating structured mentorship designed to initiate a sustained growth journey for female entrepreneurs. “As founders ourselves, we understand the realities of building businesses while managing life’s demands. BeingONE is our commitment to creating a platform where women-led businesses are supported not only in scaling their ventures, but in sustaining themselves as leaders. We see this as the beginning of a stronger, more connected entrepreneurial community,” shared a representative of BeingONE. Anchored on three core pillars — Optimistic (business strategy and leadership), Nurturing (mental resilience and sustainable performance) and Energized (physical vitality and well-being) — BeingONE combined practical business insight with personal development to support women in building sustainable, high-impact ventures. The programme featured a lineup of industry leaders and experts, including business builder and innovation strategist Aireen Omar, TEDx Speaker Kuti Biazid, leadership facilitator Michelle Ann Iking, corporate leader Low Ngai Yuen and other specialists in brand strategy, investor readiness and executive performance. Sessions explored topics such as access to capital, scaling business models, strategic communications as well as perimenopause and its impact on business performance. BeingONE was co-organised by six established female entrepreneurs — Grace Tan, Alleena Abdullah, Emily Chin, Lily Sim, Yan Lim and Lina Tan — who together bring extensive expertise across communications, production, coaching, community building and enterprise development. Through their networks and partnerships, the organisers reach more than 110,000 women across Malaysia and Southeast Asia, catalysing broader engagement and long-term ecosystem support. Beyond the successful event, BeingONE 2026 now serves as the foundation of a year-round ecosystem focused on inspiring conversations, actionable business strategies and mentorship initiatives aimed at strengthening women-led businesses and fostering inclusive economic participation.