Front & Female Awards 2025: 4 female founders who are breaking the mould on women’s empowerment in Malaysia

A self-taught woodworker, Aida Ihsani is the founder of Malaysia’s first Women’s Woodworking Workshop, a HRDF-certified programme designed to equip women with hands-on woodworking skills. Since 2019, she has trained around 2,000 women from diverse backgrounds, driven by a mission to help women break free from societal expectations and limitations, giving them the autonomy to pursue their creativity, passions, and interests without restrictions or repercussions. 

“By providing a safe space for women of all ages and backgrounds, we can unlearn the limiting beliefs imposed by society,” says the law graduate, who also teaches woodworking in a number of international schools in Kuala Lumpur. “Women can grow by learning new skills and engaging in hands-on experiences, allowing them to discover their true potential.”

What is the greatest challenge you have overcome?

My biggest challenge was my biggest blessing. Despite graduating with a law degree, I faced financial difficulties to continue pursuing a career to become a lawyer and what seemed like a setback became my turning point that allowed me to carve my own journey.

What are your philosophies about work and life? 

My philosophy is to have faith in every aspect of life by letting go of control and embracing life’s uncertainties. I believe in consciously shifting priorities as we navigate through life’s journey. It’s okay to value different things at different stages because growth and change are part of the process. I choose to live with a ‘what now’ mindset, facing challenges head-on, taking risks, and making the most of every opportunity.

What advice would you share with other women on becoming change-makers in their own right?   

Being a changemaker isn’t about your position or title—it’s about who you are as a person and how you choose to live your life. Your actions, no matter how small, can create ripples of impact. When you break a generational cycle, you’re changing the future for generations to come. When you set a boundary at work, you’re setting a precedent that empowers others to do the same. When you stand up against abuse, you’re showing your children what courage and self-respect look like. When you empower yourself, you empower others around you. 

A former Montessori principal with 16 years of experience in the education sector, Hannah Tan founded Miss Teaspoon in 2011 to provide pre-teen and young girls with mentorship, confidence-building, and social-emotional development at a pivotal stage of their lives.

“At Miss Teaspoon, we shift the focus back to what truly matters: helping girls develop self-awareness, emotional resilience, and a sense of self-worth,” Tan says. “I see it as the self-help book section for children. By allowing them to connect with their inner voice, understand their needs, and embrace self-discovery, we equip them with life skills that don’t come naturally but are essential for thriving.” 

Through programs like the Weekend Girls Club and the Coming of Age all-girls camp, she has mentored over 400 girls in etiquette, leadership, and mindfulness. Based in Klang Valley, Malaysia, Miss Teaspoon works with private and international schools to equip girls aged seven to 14 with the skills and guidance they need to navigate adolescence with confidence, ensuring that the oft-overlooked element of social-emotional development in education gets the attention it deserves. 

Why is your work so important? 

At Miss Teaspoon, we create a safe and supportive space for girls during one of the most sensitive phases of their development—puberty. In an age of social pressure and endless online advice, we provide a social development platform where girls can navigate bodily changes, self-identity, and peer influences with the right guidance, community, and mentorship. Here, they find support, stay grounded, and learn from each other—building a strong foundation for womanhood.

What is most rewarding about what you do?

Having struggled as a quiet and reserved child, I know how difficult it can be to speak up, set boundaries, and say no. So, when I see a breakthrough in the girls—when they thank me for standing up for them, when I see it in their eyes, their nods, and in their goodbye hugs and letters—it touches me deeply. I’m driven by a desire to watch others grow, and that alone keeps me going.

The most common feedback I hear from parents is, “I wish I had this when I was younger.” I feel the same. I wish I had a space to openly talk about growing-up challenges and learn about the changes we all go through. Girls love to discuss these ‘grown-up’ topics, and I’m answering that call. 

Who inspires you and why?

I’m inspired by many incredible women who have shaped my journey. Susan Cain helped me embrace my quiet side and value introspection. Tilda Swinton expanded my creativity, expression, and humility, showing me how to use art to communicate deeply. Brené Brown taught me the importance of loving myself and embracing vulnerability.

One of my biggest inspirations is Vivienne Westwood, whose commitment to sustainability, quality, and individuality resonates with me. In an industry driven by fleeting trends, she stayed true to herself, living with purpose and simplicity. Like me, she was a school teacher, and in many ways, I feel like we’re kindred spirits.

A former investment banker who left finance in 2015 for the world of social impact, Dato’ Jacqueline Fong founded Tanoti. Located in Kuching, Tanoti works to preserve the ancient art of songket weaving, ensuring that this illustrious craftsmanship exists for future generations by empowering young women weavers and creating a viable source of income for them. 

By 2023, Tanoti generated more than RM380,000 in revenue, benefiting some 600 artisans across 25 communities. As it happens, Fong rekindled her long-lost love of theatre in 2024, bringing Tanoti’s artisanal heritage to the stage by producing her first musical, Dreamweaver, showcasing original songket works at The Old Courthouse Auditorium, Kuching.

“My mission is to ensure that our indigenous crafts continues to survive and thrive, so that the generations after us will be able to reap benefit from our rich and important craft traditions,” says Fong.  

What is the greatest challenge you have overcome?

My company had been operating in losses for six years before it started turning a profit. The greatest challenge was to prove that an organisation which focuses on delivering impact in a seemingly unviable business like handicrafts could be financially sustainable.

What drives your work today? 

It is important to support women craft artisans because they are the true custodians of our people’s culture, history and heritage. In addition, these women residing in rural and remote communities are empowered by the income they earn from crafts to be able to contribute to their families and their communities.

What advice would you share with other women on becoming change-makers in their own right?   

The first steps are always flawed. Of course they are. They are driven by dreams which no tools can prepare us for enough. The following steps we take after that are much more important, because this means that we graduate from being impetuously idealistic to becoming fiercely determined to succeed. 

It’s hard to picture former Nomura Asset Management business development associate Nadia Ismadi as a young university student pondering how to make her savings grow, and wishing there was an easy way to save money autonomously for the future.   

Years later, she co-founded Pod with a friend from university, building it up into an award-winning fintech company dedicated to improving financial wellness for gig workers and underserved communities across Southeast Asia. Under her leadership, Pod has built a platform that helps gig workers save, access microfinancing, build credit trails, and consume financial products—all with the mission of fostering financial resilience through education and accessible solutions.

Since its inception, Pod has grown to serve over 80,000 users, 40 per cent of whom are women, reinforcing Nadia’s commitment to bridging financial gaps for the underserved.

What is the greatest challenge or obstacle that you learnt most from?

Learning to let go, pivot and move forward when something doesn’t work.

What is most rewarding about your work?  

I believe there has been some progress made in the fintech industry, but there is still so much room for improvement. Speaking from my personal experience, when I joined the finance industry in 2015, women were already making significant strides in the financial services industry. But I left that world to start a fintech company, which men still dominate.

What advice do you have for other women trying to break into a male-dominated industry?

Find a female leader who is a champion in your respective industry, let them serve as an example that it is possible to achieve success. It lets you know that despite all the challenges you’re going through, you are not alone in this journey, and others have overcome whatever hardship you are facing. I found my ex-boss and mentor Rejina Rahim was that person.

Be sure to check out the other nominees shortlisted for the Front & Female Awards 2025:

• The trailblazers championing women’s health and well-being
• The inspiring young leaders under 30 who are fighting for a better Malaysia for women
• The mavericks advancing the female agenda, from sports to the big screen
• The leaders championing women’s professional development in business, politics and more
• The inspiring change-makers championing women’s equality and rights