Business Beyond Borders

Episode #74: He Knew Nothing About Manufacturing. Then He Built a Global Snack Brand with Sreenivas Saba

What does it really take to turn a traditional food product into a global consumer brand? For Sreenivas Saba, Managing Director of Uncle Saba’s, the answer involves a lot more than having a great product. It means teaching yourself an industry from scratch, taking calculated risks, surviving the inevitable highs and lows — and sometimes sending 30 or 40 product samples to the same prospective customer before getting to yes. In this episode of Business Beyond Borders, Cynthia Dearin sits down wit

Episode #73: The Global Opportunity Most Tech Founders Ignore with Ria Lu

The global games industry generates hundreds of billions of dollars every year. But behind the blockbuster titles is an industry where even successful studios can disappear overnight. In this episode of Business Beyond Borders, Cynthia Dearin sits down with Ria Lu, CEO of Levert Group, to explore what it really takes to build an international game development business from the Philippines. Before founding Levert Group, Ria spent seven years building another successful studio—only to see it colla

Episode #72: The Biggest Mistake Health-Tech Founders Make Before Going Global with Bianca Bowron-Cuthill

Mental health systems around the world are under enormous pressure. Demand continues to rise, clinicians are stretched, and governments are investing billions—but how do we know whether that investment is actually improving people’s lives? In this episode of Business Beyond Borders, Cynthia Dearin speaks with Bianca Bowron-Cuthill, CEO of Innowell, a digital mental health platform built on more than a decade of clinical research from the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre. Bianca share

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Episode #71: The Generational Clash at Work: What Leaders Are Getting Wrong

Everyone says there's a talent shortage. But what if the real problem isn't skills at all? In this special panel episode, Cynthia Dearin and Gerald Garcia bring together leaders from healthcare, hospitality, aviation, logistics, and technology to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing businesses today: managing four generations in the same workplace. From Gen Z's changing expectations to AI-powered recruitment, remote work, employee loyalty, and the future of leadership, the panel explores

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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, Cynthia Dearin sits down with Mishal Arnaiz, second-generation leader at Universal Skin Cosmeceuticals, 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

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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 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 operat

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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, Cynthia Dearin sits down with Jason de Sousa, founder of Ideia Partners, 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 As

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, Cynthia Dearin sits down with Marla Rausch, Founder and CEO of Animation Vertigo, 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 State

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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 podcast, host Cynthia Dearin is joined by La Chang, 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

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Episode #65: Why Global Strategy Fails in the Real World – Gerald Garcia

Many companies invest heavily in global strategy and market research before expanding internationally. But even the best strategy can fail if the people responsible for executing it aren’t set up to succeed. In this episode of the Business Beyond Borders podcast, host Cynthia Dearin is joined by Gerald Garcia, workforce strategy lead at Dearin & Associates, to explore why international growth is so often limited not by opportunity - but by leadership, talent, and culture. Drawing on decades of e

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Episode 64 - Europe’s Trade Rules Are Changing and Most CEOs Aren’t Ready - Kathryn Read

Europe is often described as a single market of 450 million consumers. In reality, it is one of the most complex, politically dynamic, and highly regulated regions in the world. In this episode of Business Beyond Borders, Cynthia Dearin speaks with D&A Senior Advisor, Kathryn Read about what has fundamentally changed in Europe and what global executives are still getting wrong. From Brexit and the war in Ukraine to tightening regulatory regimes and shifting geopolitical alliances, Europe is no l

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Episode 63 - Why Smart CEOs Get Brand Wrong Internationally — Kelly-ann Maxwell

We talk a lot about strategy, compliance, and execution in international expansion. But one of the biggest make-or-break factors in global growth is often overlooked: how your brand shows up in a new market. In this episode of the Business Beyond Borders podcast, host Cynthia Dearin is joined by Kelly-ann Maxwell, Brand and Marketing Strategist at Dearin & Associates. With a background spanning journalism, creative agencies in the UK, and brand strategy in New Zealand, Kelly-ann brings a sharp p

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Episode 62 - Global Strategy Is Useless Without Execution (Here’s Why) — Mike Todd

Many companies invest heavily in global strategy. Far fewer succeed in turning that strategy into sales once they hit real markets, real partners, and real complexity. In this episode of the Business Beyond Borders podcast, host Cynthia Dearin is joined by Mike Todd, international growth strategist at Dearin & Associates and the execution lead who works with clients when strategy turns into action. Mike has led international sales and execution across multiple regions, and he’s seen first-hand w

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Episode 61 - Supply Chain Logistics Update with Kim Winter

In this episode I talk to global supply chain expert, Kim Winter. Kim is the Group Managing Director of the Logistics Executive Group. He leads a global consulting, corporate advisory, M&A and executive search and media organisation from his base in Dubai, UAE. Today we’re talking about the current landscape for global supply chains and what that means for international business. Tune in to find out: • How the pandemic affected supply chains in the Middle East and elsewhere• What impact the war

Episode 60 - Why Your Small Business Needs an ERP with Tom Griffith

In this episode, I have a second conversation with Tom Griffith, Co-founder of Emma and Tom’s, which makes all-natural juices and other healthy drinks. In our previous conversation we spoke about Emma and Tom’s genesis story and Tom’s experience with growing an international brand. This time around, we got into further detail about running an international business with a focus on Enterprise Resource Planning and how to effectively manage the resources within a company to scale internationally.T

Episode 59 - Breaking International Barriers with Kathryn Read

In this episode of Business Beyond Borders, my guest is Kathryn Read, an international sales and marketing consultant with more than 20 years’ experience developing niche products in emerging markets.Kathryn helps small and medium companies to break through international barriers and she joins me today from Austria.Join us to find out:• How Austria handled the pandemic• The current relationship between Europe and the UK post Brexit• The importance of research when working internationally• How no

Episode 58 - Importance of Data in Launching a Company with Tatiana Miron

In this episode I am joined by Tatiana Miron as we discuss how to go about choosing the right market to launch your company and why having the right data is so important in that process.Based out of Marseilles, France, Tatiana is not only one of our Senior Advisors here at Dearin & Associates, she is also the founder of Prime Target, a firm that provides advisory, business intelligence services and solutions for international development.Join us to find out:• The importance of doing your researc

Episode 57 - Business Opportunities in the UK with David McCredie

In this episode I am joined by my friend David McCredie OBE, CEO of the Australia British Chamber of Commerce. David is an experienced and thoughtful leader of people and business. He interacts regularly with a wide range of businesses providing him with a unique insight into government, large corporate entities and SME’s. His ability to gain cut through and give insights into the opportunities for businesses to perform better, to grow and to reach the right markets has made him a key asset to m

Episode 56 - What Foreign Companies get wrong in the US with Zach Person

In this episode I chat to Zach Person who works closely with the team here at Dearin & Associates and is an expert when it comes to sales and business strategy. Zach is on the ground in Chicago and we explore the US market, why foreign companies often struggle to get traction there and what you can do to break ground in what is often considered the “holy grail” for businesses around the world.Join us to find out:• What is happening in the United States right now• How B2B sales work in the US, co

Episode 55 - How to Secure Research and Development Grants That Can Help Expand Your Business Overseas with Jason Hood and Eva Dobrzabska

In this episode I speak with Jason Hood, Founder of BourkeHood and his colleague Eva Dobrzabska, Head of Operations about research and development grants and how COVID-19 has sparked a wave of innovation across the globe.While the global economy has been hit with this pandemic, governments around the world are finding ways to support and encourage growth through tax incentives and government grants.Tune in to find out:• What exactly are Research and Development Grants,• Which industries can clai