36Kr Global Insights | From Family to Entrepreneurship: She Embarks on a "Second Life" in the Southeast Asian Beauty Industry
Before becoming a cross - border seller, Prema's life had no direct connection with "entrepreneurship". She used to work in foreign trade in a state - owned enterprise. The job was stable and the rhythm was clear. However, in another stage of her life, she chose to focus on her family. After her child was born, she left the workplace and became a full - time mother. In those years, her life revolved around her family, and she gradually got used to another rhythm.
But changes were also taking place quietly.
"After being a housewife for several years, I found that I actually still had a strong motivation for self - achievement and still wanted to do something," she recalled.
This idea didn't appear suddenly but gradually accumulated in the day - to - day life. She began to pay attention to industry information again and rethink her past experiences - her background in foreign trade, her sensitivity to consumption trends, and her interest in beauty products all reminded her that she might try a new direction.
Around 2021, the e - commerce in Southeast Asia entered a stage of rapid growth. The increasing penetration rate of mobile Internet and the upgrading of consumer demand made cross - border e - commerce a new window for entrepreneurship. It was in this context that she came into contact with Shopee. "At that time, Shopee was very popular in Southeast Asia, so I thought I'd give it a try."
However, there was a very practical reason for her to really decide to enter this industry - the product.
As a female consumer who had been using false eyelashes for a long time, she had a natural sensitivity to this category. "Since I often wear false eyelashes myself, I know this product very well and also know what female consumers care about."
Starting from the most familiar needs, she targeted her first batch of products in the beauty tool market, extending from false eyelashes to related products such as makeup brushes. In the early stage of entrepreneurship, she almost completed all the work alone: finding suppliers, listing products, studying platform rules, and learning operation strategies.
"Actually, I was working alone at that time. Now I have a small team. I think it's quite a dream come true for my career," Prema shared.
The path from family to entrepreneurship may not seem grand, but it is real enough.
(Image source: Provided by the seller)
Finding the Direction through Trial and Error: Growth and Breakthroughs with the Platform's Support
After really starting the operation, Prema soon realized that cross - border e - commerce was not as simple as "list the products and they will sell".
In the first five months after opening the store, she was almost in a state of continuous trial and error. She tested different styles one by one, but the data never showed obvious improvement. The orders were scattered and the feedback was vague. She began to doubt if she had chosen the wrong direction. "I was quite anxious during that period. I often doubted myself, thinking if I was not capable enough."
The turning point came in the sixth month.
She began to re - examine the market, adjust the product styles, and try to find a breakthrough through packaging optimization and price strategies. At the same time, the suggestions from the platform's customer manager also helped her gradually establish a clearer operation logic. "The customer manager would help me analyze the problems, give me some directions, and even give me confidence when I was most anxious. I think this is very important."
The orders began to increase, and the store's sales gradually picked up. Half a year later, the monthly sales reached 40,000 - 50,000 yuan. With the accumulation of operation experience, this figure gradually expanded to over one million yuan per month.
The growth was not achieved at once but formed through the superposition of multiple nodes.
As the business progressed, she focused on the differentiated operation in multiple Southeast Asian markets. She found that the beauty preferences in different countries were very distinct. For example, the aesthetics of Vietnamese consumers were quite similar to those of Chinese consumers, while Filipino consumers preferred a stronger, more Western - style makeup. "The consumption habits in Vietnam and China are about 95% similar, but the style in the Philippines is more Western - oriented with a stronger makeup look."
These insights helped her gradually establish the logic of cross - market product selection.
At the same time, the platform's marketing tools also became an important driving force for growth. She especially mentioned the changes brought about by influencer cooperation. When facing a growth bottleneck, she tried content promotion through AMS (Affiliate Marketing), and the order volume increased quickly, with the overall sales volume growing by about 40%.
"Many beauty influencers actually have their own credibility, and video demonstrations are more intuitive, which is particularly effective for beauty products."
In Prema's view, the platform not only provides traffic but more importantly, provides methods. "The platform's strategies are actually based on the market. As long as you follow them, you will generally get results."
(Image source: Provided by the seller)
Leapfrog Growth through Localized Fulfillment: When Growth Accelerates
In addition to the adjustment of operation strategies, what really brought the business into a new stage was the change in the fulfillment model.
As the business expanded, Prema decided to gradually shift the company's business from cross - border direct mail to localized fulfillment. When the platform promoted the overseas warehouse model, she was one of the first sellers to participate.
This decision was not easy. For cross - border sellers new to overseas warehouses, this was undoubtedly a brand - new challenge. But she chose to rethink the problem from the perspective of consumers. "If you want to run the store well, you should first consider what consumers want, rather than just thinking about your own costs."
The results of this decision and the shift soon became apparent. Two to three months after the localized fulfillment model was launched, the store's monthly sales soared from 400,000 - 500,000 yuan to over one million yuan. Faster logistics timeliness made consumers more willing to place orders and significantly improved the store's conversion rate.
Prema gradually realized that the competition in cross - border e - commerce was no longer just about product competition but about experience competition. "The platform is actually helping us make judgments in advance, such as logistics, marketing, and site expansion. These are all trends."
Therefore, in every strategy adjustment, she would choose to follow the platform's rhythm closely. From short - video marketing, affiliate marketing to localized fulfillment, from site expansion to advertising, she regarded the platform as a long - term partner rather than just a channel.
This also made her more certain about the future - to continue to deepen her presence in the Southeast Asian market and further improve her brand - building and operation capabilities.
As the interview was coming to an end, Prema shared her transformation from a full - time mother to an entrepreneur, as well as the challenges and mental journey behind it. She didn't deliberately emphasize "success" but preferred to describe this experience as a "choice". "I think all things actually depend on the core. The first is the ability to take action, and the second is passion," Prema described.
She especially mentioned that many women would worry about their families and risks when starting a business, but the most important thing was to take the first step. "If you want to do it, just start." What really supported her to persevere was her interest in the e - commerce industry. "Because of love, I can persevere."
In today's rapidly developing cross - border e - commerce, more and more women like her are redefining their career paths in new ways. From family to career, from local to global, their stories are becoming an important force in the growth wave of Southeast Asian e - commerce.
Image | Unsplash
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