Coco Tong awarded the Malaysia Top 20 Young Entrepreneur Award 2025: From Teenager Side-Hustle to Women’s Health Industry Leader

In an industry where passion, purpose, and perseverance shape true entrepreneurship, Coco Tong stands as one of Malaysia’s most inspiring young founders. From starting her first business at just 13 years old to leading a growing women’s health brand today, her journey embodies courage, grit, and an unwavering commitment to helping women regain health and confidence. Her selection as one of the Malaysia Top 20 Young Entrepreneur Award 2025 is a recognition not only of her business growth, but of her contribution to women’s wellness across Asia.

Coco’s entrepreneurial journey began not from opportunity, but from a simple desire ,“I want to earn my own money.”As a secondary school student, she wanted to buy shoes and a bag her mother refused to purchase. Rather than give up, she chose to stand on her own feet. She was ready to work in a café, but one day before her first shift, she discovered online reselling. That moment changed her life.

She stepped into Taobao reselling at age 13, and never turned back. While her peers focused on school alone, Coco was learning supply chains, logistics, customer service, and sales. She later represented well-known China brands such as Sancos & Liangmu and Shoyo, leading a team of over 10,000 agents.Coco proved early on that entrepreneurship is not about age , it is about courage, responsibility, and self-belief.

Years of experience taught Coco an important truth — good products and good systems must be built by oneself.Past collaborations often had weak structures, unclear systems, and products that could not bring real results. This pushed Coco and her team to create something truly their own.

Thus, Kireina International Sdn Bhd was founded with a clear mission,to help women restore hormonal balance, regulate menstrual health, and improve fertility , using natural, safe, effective solutions.Six years later, Kireina remains a single-focus brand, dedicating all resources into one area: women’s reproductive health. The brand emphasises sincerity, transparency, and results — a philosophy that has attracted thousands of loyal customers across Malaysia and Asia.

Throughout her entrepreneurial journey, Coco realized that the greatest challenges in business rarely come from products, markets, or external competition. They come from people. Leading a fast-growing organization meant facing different personalities, emotional dynamics, and expectations. She encountered misunderstandings, conflicting values, and moments of intense pressure — all of which could have discouraged a young entrepreneur.

Instead of letting these situations drain her, Coco chose to grow through them. She learned to view every conflict as a mirror reflecting her next stage of leadership. Whenever challenges arose, she asked herself: What is this experience trying to teach me? How can I strengthen my emotional stability? How can I elevate my leadership to support a bigger vision?

Her belief that “everything happens for me, not to me” became the guiding principle behind her resilience. Over time, these experiences refined her communication skills, sharpened her judgment, and elevated her ability to lead with clarity and compassion.

Coco often says: “Skills can be learned, but energy determines the result.” To her, a leader with strong energy naturally attracts the right people, opportunities, and growth. This belief has shaped her into a grounded and mature leader who can guide her team through uncertainty with confidence.

Today, through Kireina, Coco continues to empower women struggling with hormonal imbalance, PCOS, and menstrual disorders. She believes that helping women regain their health is not just business — it is a form of social contribution.
In her words: “When women become healthier and stronger, society moves forward with them.”

Coco is a rising leader in women’s health entrepreneurship. Beginning her journey at the age of thirteen, she has built a respected brand that has earned recognition across major platforms, including top women’s health recommendations and awards for wellness impact. To her, these acknowledgements represent trust from the women she serves.She often reflects that her entire youth was spent building something meaningful, and today that dedication is the foundation of her influence and leadership.

Coco believes that youth is a powerful advantage because young founders imagine boldly, learn quickly, and dare to move without old limitations. While inexperience and emotional pressure can challenge young entrepreneurs, she believes that a steady mindset and consistent growth can turn youth into strength.

Her message for young entrepreneurs is simple,find what you truly love and devote your life to doing that one thing well.

Coco’s vision for the next three years is clear and forward-driven. She aims to integrate AI and online education to help more women understand and care for their reproductive health, especially those struggling with PCOS and menstrual imbalance. Her goal is to bring health and confidence back into the lives of women globally as Kireina continues expanding its influence internationally.

Through LadyG, she remains committed to supporting women on their healing journey. For her, this work is more than business; It is a form of public good. She believes that when women become healthier and stronger, both the industry and society move forward together.