Liza Pavlakos,Speaker & Business Mentor's Interview

We invited Liza Pavlakos, Speaker & Business Mentor, for an interview with Most Popular Stories to know more about her entrepreneurial journey.

As a motivational speaker and business mentor, Liza Pavlakos has brought about a mind shift in thousands, energizing them to work to their full potential. As a committed philanthropist, Liza Pavlakos is involved in making a difference in the lives of underprivileged children in slums and orphanages and helping others experience this satisfaction as well.

Liza Pavlakos is also featured on CNN as a thought leader from Australia, and a motivational speaker, encouraging people to become successful entrepreneurs. Her core strength is energizing teams to strengthen their business performance and bring about sustainable changes in businesses.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey as an entrepreneur.

I am Liza Pavlakos. An entrepreneur, storyteller, and human rights supporter, inspiring individuals to live their best possible life. At the age of 20, I began my entrepreneurial career by developing the first Miss India Beauty Pageant for Australia.

From Events Management, I went into a business partnership and opened an array of tailoring outlets across Melbourne. Our client base included the F1 Grand Prix, The Australian Open, Melbourne Cup, and a variety of International designers. It wasn’t long before I realized that my true passion was to empower others to overcome challenges by becoming a keynote speaker, recognized globally for touching the hearts of my audience.

I have presented to International Corporations like Coca-Cola, ANZ Bank, Qatar Airways, and more, with audiences as large as 4000. I have also featured on CNN as an advocate, inspiring people to speak up against violence.

My mission is to inspire individuals to defy adversity by drawing on their own stories of survival and changing their narrative with positive psychology.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey as an entrepreneur.

Part of what an entrepreneur does is solve problems. They make something more efficient, provide a better service, or build a new product that helps people in their everyday lives. Whatever it is that entrepreneurs are trying to sell, their business should change and improve their lives (and turn a profit).

I have always built businesses that were always empowering others. With the Miss India International Beauty Pageant, I was enabling the delegates and my audiences to feel empowered through my shows. In the tailoring businesses, I allowed our customers to feel good through the tailoring of their garments, and I also enabled my tailors to start their own business by owning their stores.

Today, as a keynote speaker, I empower others to rise above adversity to live their best possible lives.

What was the vision behind it?

My life story is a narrative of grit and gravitas, a testimony of a journey from abuse, homelessness, domestic violence, and abduction to a self-made entrepreneur.

Through life experience, I understand that when affected by trauma, your life feels like it is changed forever.

Trauma can manifest several symptoms that leave you feeling undeserving of a better life.

Adversity forces us into survival mode, a life where you are just doing enough to keep going and merely existing in life.

I decided to change my life by pushing through… beyond survival.

Going beyond survival is realising that if you want to get over the past, you have to start by facing it — bravely and one step at a time.

Adversity taught me courage and conviction to become more independent and to pursue my passion in entrepreneurship. My vision was always to inspire others to overcome adversity, just like I had because I believe that we all have a story to tell, everyone faces challenges. However, we are not the product of our circumstances, and we are the product of our choices.

Describe the services that you offer to your customers and in whatway they are unique?

I am a keynote speaker and a life coach.

As a keynote speaker, I have presented with major organizations all around the world that include Coca- Cola, AON Insurance, Columbia University, ANZ Bank, and more.

Through soulful storytelling, I share my harrowing journey from overcoming homelessness, abuse, abduction, and human trafficking to becoming a self-made entrepreneur who is inspired to create positive change with unwavering conviction.

Through my keynote presentations, organisations will understand how to be resilient during stressful times, how to face adversity with strength and courage, how to plan for the future with an expanded vision of what’s possible and Neurophysiology: How to rewire your brain and change the way you think.

My three main keynotes are :

Pain to Purpose– Living with courage and hope in uncertain times.

Mind over Mood– How to cultivate courage and release your fears.

The Power Within– How to create accountability and inspire action.

I also offer coaching sessions to my clients.

Through private one on one coaching sessions, my clients learn how to master their emotions and tap into courage, strength, and passion for finding confidence in the face of adversity.

What difficulties which you have faced or you are facing?

The most considerable difficulty has been speaking about deeply personal matters. These subject matters, although extremely relevant to inspire the audience, can be complicated for some to hear. However, the truth of the matter is that these topics also can create positive change. As Arnold Bennett said, “Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts”.

How do you handle the pressure and manage stress?

Staying focussed is vital. As a mother of five children, I need always to prioritize my work and family life. Instead of thinking about all my work in front of me and getting overwhelmed, I break things down into smaller steps and figure out what needs to be accomplished first, second, and third.

Breaking up my tasks into more minor duties takes the pressure of the situation, and I don’t get overwhelmed. If I ever do get exhausted, I ensure to take time out and do something rewarding for myself. Everyone needs time to recharge. If life and work get too much for me to handle, then I seek support from my therapist to assist me in dealing with my difficult challenges. We do not need to handle things by ourselves, and there is always support out there.

What is one strategy that you believe has helped you grow as a person/startup?

The one strategy has been to love what I do.

My passion has become my purpose. I genuinely believe that entrepreneurial passion is essential to success.

The other strategy is to realize the importance of working with a coach you believe in. It is extremely vital to engage coaches and mentors that can help identify learning gaps in your career. I am blessed to have been working with Nathan Gold. He coaches people around the world on how to prepare for high-stakes speaking opportunities through keynotes, workshops, and 1:1 sessions both in-person and online. The Wall Street Journal called Nathan, “An elevator pitch expert.”

Finding the right coach will take your business to the next level, and I am fortunate to have been able to recognize the importance of having a coach in the business. I have been privileged to be working with Nathan, and it is a learning that I do not take for granted.

In your opinion, what are the keys to success?

Self- belief is at the heart of being an entrepreneur because you have got to believe in yourself to succeed.
You have to have a willingness to take action.
Entrepreneurs need humility, credibility, and determination. When you are humble about your work, you always leave room for improvement.