Information Session · Friday, 16 October 2026 · 9:30AM – 12:30PM
Women Entrepreneurs Go Global
Unlocking Opportunities in Japan
日本市場への扉を開く
A morning session on entering the Japanese market. Includes a fireside chat with a Singapore founder who has brought Japanese products into Singapore and a Singapore brand into Japan, an overview of the Tokyo market-entry programme and Shiok! Singapore Market, and free one-to-one grant consultations with SME Centre@ASME.
Friday, 16 October 2026
9:30AM – 12:30PM · $8.90 (includes light refreshments)
DRAMA CENTRE, NATIONAL LIBRARY BUILDING
ORGANISED BY WOMEN BEYOND BORDERS × MUMS@WORK ASIA
In This Session
A look at Japan as your next market: the potential, the challenges, the connections.
- 01A fireside chat with a Singapore founder who has crossed the Singapore–Japan corridor in both directions.
- 02Why more Singapore founders are looking at Japan, and why now may be a good time to consider it.
- 03Which sectors are seeing the strongest Singapore-to-Japan interest, and common misconceptions about entering the market.
Programme
The morning's agenda
当日のプログラム
- 9:30 – 9:45amRegistration
- 9:45 – 10:25amFireside Chat with Sher-li Torrey. Discover how she grew a business into Japan, and how she started another business.
- 10:25 – 10:40amWhy Japan Matters Now: benefits of doing business in and with Japan
- 10:40 – 10:55amLight Refreshments
- 10:55 – 11:20amJapan Market Opportunities & Trends
- 11:20 – 11:45amTokyo Immersion & Shiok! Singapore Market 2027 — and some of the government grants you can tap
- 11:45am – 12:10pmSharing by SME Centre@ASME
- 12:10 – 12:30pmSME Centre@ASME one-to-one consultations & networking
Her two brands
Mums@Work Asia · Asia's Beauty Secrets
Fireside Chat
Sher-li Torrey
Founder, Mums@Work Singapore and Mums@Work Asia · Former Owner, Asia's Beauty Secrets
Sher-li Torrey founded Mums@Work Singapore in 2010, building it into a community of more than 70,000 women. In 2024, together with her business partner Deborah, she brought the brand into Japan through Mums@Work Asia, launching Return to Work Japan and developing relationships with Japanese companies, business organisations and women's networks.
From 2014 to 2019, Sher-li also ran Asia's Beauty Secrets, importing natural skincare products from suppliers in Shikoku, Kamakura, Chiba and Kyoto for sale in Singapore. Her products were sold at bazaars, pop-up stalls and carried by small retailers. This gave her firsthand experience in finding Japanese suppliers, earning their trust and introducing unfamiliar products to Singapore consumers.
Sher-li has therefore crossed the Singapore and Japan business corridor in both directions: bringing Japanese products into Singapore, and later taking a Singapore service brand into Japan.
What you can expect to learn:
- 01How Sher-li reached out to and developed relationships with Japanese suppliers and partners
- 02The challenges of importing and selling Japanese skincare in Singapore
- 03Why credibility in Singapore does not automatically transfer to Japan
- 04The differences between expanding a physical product and a service brand
- 05What she underestimated and would approach differently today
- 06How Singapore founders can better prepare before entering Japan
Asia's Beauty Secrets
Natural Japanese skincare sourced from suppliers in Shikoku, Kamakura, Chiba and Kyoto, and sold in Singapore from 2014 to 2019.
Mums@Work Asia in Japan
Mums@Work Asia events in Japan since 2024.
Guest Segment · 11:45am
From Singapore to Japan
Internationalisation workshop for SMEs, presented by SME Centre@ASME within our programme.
Japan presents exciting opportunities for Singapore SMEs, particularly in major markets such as Tokyo and Osaka. However, successful internationalisation requires more than identifying market opportunities — businesses need to assess their readiness, understand local customer expectations, and develop a practical market-entry strategy.
The workshop covers business readiness, market research, entry options, compliance and cultural considerations, and introduces Enterprise Singapore's Internationalisation Toolkit (ITK).
Victor Teo, ACTA
Assistant Business Manager, SME Centre@ASME
Eleven years in business advisory, supporting over 1,000 Singapore SMEs.
Free 1-to-1 Consultation
Free 1-to-1 Grant Consultations
個別相談
Representatives from SME Centre@ASME (Association of Small and Medium Enterprises) will be on hand for free, individual consultations on the day. A private conversation about what grants and financial support from the government you can tap on as a Singapore business.
東京
Tokyo, February 2027. And this morning is where it starts.
The Tokyo Journey
東京への道のり
This session includes an overview of the programme leading up to Tokyo.
Tokyo Immersion
Three half-day pre-departure sessions in Singapore, followed by two full days of Tokyo Immersion, covering Japanese consumers, culture, buyers and commercial readiness.
Market
Shiok! Singapore Market, a two-day pop-up at Tokyo International Forum, Lobby Gallery, Marunouchi. 15 to 18 Singapore women-led brands across three zones: The Look (beauty & wellness), The Creativity (lifestyle & design), and Fuel & Flow (food & beverage).
Two Days, Two Audiences
The two days serve different audiences: Friday is for trade, media and buyers. Saturday is open to the Tokyo public.
Included
Included: pop-up stall, bilingual materials, interpretation support, and a consolidated leads report.
Is This Session For You?
If you run a business in Singapore, or are building one, and you're curious about Japan, come along.
- Women running a product or service business
- Businesses that have found their feet
- Anyone curious about Japan as a next market, exploring or planning
Not yet registered with ACRA? Still welcome. Some grant support needs it, and this is a good place to learn how. Come as you are.
Register Your Seat
$8.90, includes light refreshments. Seats are limited.
Shiok! Singapore Market is next: Tokyo, 24–27 February 2027.
Friday, 16 October 2026 · 9:30am – 12:30pm · Drama Centre, National Library Building