My big idea: Expat Business In A Bag

Hi! What's your elevator pitch?

I help digital nomads and expats build businesses that travel well.
As an expat myself, I’ve moved from London to Australia, Malaysia to Scotland, and now live in Singapore. I know what it’s like to rebuild from scratch and now I help others create businesses that move with them, not against them.

Why does the market need it?

When expat women follow their partners abroad, they often leave behind careers, confidence, and community. I wanted to change that.

We’re constantly adapting to new places, cultures, and ways of life. When your kids are young, you meet people at the school gates. But once they’re teens, those casual connections vanish.

Expat women have so much to offer, such as new passions, new perspectives, and untapped experience. Running a business gives you purpose and profit. But here’s what usually happens: you build something brilliant… only to move again. Suddenly, all your clients are back in the country you just left. You’re back to square one.

I’ve lived that cycle. So I built a business that travels with me and now I help other women do the same. Because your partner’s job may decide the postcode, but your purpose decides the profit.

Where is the business today?‍

Thriving! I’ve become known as the go-to business coach for expats, with clients and connections across Hong Kong, Australia, Portugal, Spain, Malta, the UK, France, Malaysia, Bali, Thailand and of course, Singapore.

What made you think there was money in this?

Though I’m originally from London, I’ve run businesses in Australia, Malaysia, the north of England, Scotland, and now Singapore.

In 2020, I launched a product-based business and quickly hit six figures with clients like Meta and the US Embassy. But I realised I’d have to give it up the moment we moved again. At a networking event, I looked around the room and wondered: how many of these brilliant women would have to start over if they moved too?

So I became my own ideal client and created a second business in Singapore — Expat Business in a Bag. I’ve now built businesses from beaches to backyards, and I help travel-loving founders stop winging it and grow with focus, fun, and strategy.

What's your biggest strength?‍

Networking. There was a time in Singapore when you wouldn’t find a single event I wasn’t at! I genuinely love hearing people’s stories, connecting dots, and introducing people who might collaborate, support one another, or even become clients.

My emails are another secret superpower. Every one I send gets replies like, “I felt like you wrote this just for me” or “That tip you shared made me money!”

What's the secret to making the business work?‍

Keeping it simple. I tried everything - podcasts, PR, email marketing, videos, reels. Eventually I found three things that truly worked for me: Emails (my audience loves them) Instagram (it fits my niche) Networking (100% my personality).

So now I double down on what works, ditch what doesn’t, and only try new things when the essentials are running smoothly, like adding PR this summer while I paused networking during my travels.

What funding do you have? Is it enough?‍

Self-funded and I have the most supportive husband in the world. He’s constantly telling me to outsource more because he sees the potential in what I’ve built. I’m lucky to have him cheering me on every step of the way.

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Tell us about the business model‍

My customer journey is simple and effective. Top of funnel is Instagram + in-person networking Then I invite them to download my Lead magnet so they join my mailing list. I invite my list a few times a year to book calls or join free coaching days and when I have something to sell (1:1s, group programs, group coaching) I sell it via email. 

That’s it. My journey is clear and so I am not wondering what I should send to each new person I meet. 

What were you doing before?‍

I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was 17. And honestly? At every stage, I was my own ideal client.

I ran a PR and marketing agency. I created an arts subscription box for toddlers. I did freelance writing for parenting magazines. I even started a t-shirt printing business while on the PTA and now I’m a business coach and marketing strategist.

I’m a big fan of Calendly. I genuinely don’t trust myself with time zones. It saves me (and my clients!) so much hassle.

What’s your future vision?‍

I’d love to invest in small businesses in every place I’ve lived. The ones with potential, passion, but not enough funds to outsource certain tasks. I want to support founders who are brilliant at what they do; they just need the breathing space to do more of it.

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