The Reality of Launching a Startup Abroad (and Loving It) with Fanny Berteaud of Selectra

She moved to Japan at 19 and never looked back. In this episode of Founders in Jeans, Emily Jean sits down with Fanny Berteaud, Country Manager at Selectra, who built the company’s Tokyo operations from the ground up and now oversees both the Japanese and Australian markets. From cultural shocks in academia to navigating business as a young foreigner in Japan, Fanny’s story is equal parts bold, inspiring, and refreshingly honest.If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to launch and scale a business abroad while balancing identity, leadership, and personal passions, this conversation will give you a front-row seat.⸻⏱ Time-Stamped Guide00:00 – Emily’s intro and podcast updates01:39 – Meet Fanny Berteaud: her journey from France to Japan03:00 – How she introduces herself at parties05:01 – Why she chose Japan in the first place05:37 – The cultural shock of French vs Japanese universities07:05 – Landing the opportunity at Selectra10:42 – Why she stayed in Japan long-term13:16 – The balance of safety and challenge that keeps her there13:45 – The unexpected challenges of being a foreigner in Japanese business15:46 – Building Selectra Tokyo from scratch19:31 – Expanding into the Australian market22:46 – Managing across French, English, and Japanese languages26:21 – Lessons in leadership and communication29:19 – From basketball to snowboarding: sports shaping business resilience34:58 – Running a half marathon and lessons on discipline38:28 – Rapid fire: favorite Japanese dish, destination, and what she misses from France41:27 – Where to find Fanny and Selectra⸻⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐If you loved today’s conversation, please rate, review, and subscribe to Founders in Jeans - the podcast celebrating women claiming their worth in business, leadership, and life.⸻💌 Build the life you deserve - on your own terms. Subscribe to the Founders in Jeans newsletter, the no-BS guide to startup life, consumer brands, and becoming your most confident, successful self, written by Emily Jean. Join 50,000+ women redefining wealth, community, and growth: foundersinjeans.beehiiv.com/subscribe⸻Follow Emily:https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/⸻Follow Founders in Jeans:https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans/⸻Follow Fanny Berteaud & Selectra:www.linkedin.com/in/fanny-berteaud-433691111https://selectra.jphttps://selectra.com.au⸻Keywords:entrepreneurship abroad, launching a business in Japan, French entrepreneur in Tokyo, women in leadership Japan, cross-cultural leadership, business in Japan vs Australia, managing multicultural teams, Selectra Tokyo expansion, Fanny Berteaud Selectra, startup challenges Japan, expat career journey, young leaders abroad, female founders international, scaling operations overseas, startup resilience, cultural adaptability in business, student moving abroad, Sciences Po Keio exchange, studying abroad in Japan, leadership lessons for women, balancing sports and career, personal growth abroad, running a half marathon lessons, sports and business mindset, Tokyo business culture, trust-building across languages, managing across borders, expat entrepreneurship, business growth Australia, women in global leadership, how to start a career in Japan, managing in different languages, resilience in leadership, finding identity abroad, work-life balance Japan, foreign women in Japanese business, startup founder stories, intercultural communication in leadership, scaling international operations, expat success story, Japan expat entrepreneur, women founders podcast, leadership evolution young founders, business culture differences France Japan Australia, building trust in global teams, Selectra expansion story, sports and entrepreneurship parallels, nabe Japanese dish, Nozawa Onsen Japan travel tip, living abroad challenges, moving to Japan as a student, expat life Tokyo