KOTA KINABALU: Women have the ability and skills to become entrepreneurs, but many need encouragement and support to overcome the social pressures and self-doubt that can hold them back, said Zara’s Boutique Hotel proprietor Datuk Eliza Goh.
Speaking about women’s empowerment at CelcomDigi My5G’s ‘Bengkel Digital Usahawan 2026, Eliza said women can feel expected to put others first and may worry about criticism if they pursue success or become more visible.
“Sometimes women feel they cannot shine too much because people might talk about them. They may say they do not want to be famous or successful, when what they really fear is facing obstacles and challenges,” she said.
Eliza encouraged women in Sabah to believe in their abilities, noting that they could draw on support from the people around them.
“Women here have the ability and the knowledge. Some are highly educated, while others are highly skilled. We just have to give them confidence. I have always believed that confidence is halfway to success,” she said.
She said her experience running the hotel had shown her how encouragement and a supportive workplace could help women rebuild their confidence and move towards new goals.
Over the years, Eliza said, women who had worked at the hotel had gone on to establish businesses in their hometowns and pursue careers in Sabah and overseas. She described supporting them as part of a wider effort to encourage women to help one another.
Eliza recalled helping a young woman who had faced difficult personal circumstances and arrived at the hotel with little confidence. With support, personal guidance and training, the woman later continued her studies and secured a senior position at a five-star hotel in Sabah.
“She came to us feeling afraid and unsure of herself. We wanted to give her a safe environment, help her regain confidence and encourage her to continue her studies,” Eliza said.
The woman later returned to Sabah after working in Kuala Lumpur, she added.
She said women could thrive when they were encouraged, supported and surrounded by positive people. She also pointed to digital tools as a way for businesses, including hotels, to reach customers and manage bookings online.
“Women can do it. It is about giving them confidence, encouraging them and surrounding them with the right people,” she said.
Eliza said her commitment to supporting women was shaped by her mother’s determination to expand opportunities for people in their rural community.
Her mother had prioritised her education from a young age, sending her to Kota Kinabalu to continue her studies and challenge herself. Although her mother had limited formal education, Eliza said she was resourceful and entrepreneurial, seeking new ventures that could help local families improve their livelihoods.
“She was always thinking about how to create new businesses and help people,” she said, recalling her mother’s efforts to help local residents find better ways to produce and sell seafood, as well as support children whose families could not afford their education.
She said her mother’s example taught her that investing in one person could benefit an entire family and community.
“When you empower a woman, many people benefit, her children and the whole family,” she said. After studying and working in the United States, Eliza said she was inspired by a women’s centre and began considering how she could create similar opportunities for women in Sabah, particularly those from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
That vision led her to establish Zara’s Boutique Hotel as a place where women could learn practical skills, build confidence and gain work experience, even without higher education.
“In the hotel industry, you do not necessarily need a higher education. You need skills, patience and hard work,” she said. “They may come in as students and, with the right support, leave as entrepreneurs.”
She hoped to multiply the impact of that support by helping each person she nurtured encourage others in turn. Her broader ambition, she added, was to help reduce poverty in rural Sabah, one step at a time.
While the hotel was established with a focus on empowering women, She acknowledged the support of men in Sabah and said the business had also created opportunities for male employees through a restaurant venture.
“Empowering women does not mean leaving men out. The men in Sabah have been very supportive, and we wanted to create opportunities for them too,” she said.-BNN
