Melissa Yu

She’s a creator of Brands and Beginnings, a native to the commercial world through her entrepreneurial endeavours, and a leader in the field of community building, drawing in people from all backgrounds in no small part due to her magnetism, charm and innate ability to connect with others.

A passionate and articulate speaker, Melissa’s innate purpose is to leave others in a better place than where she found them.  Her empathy and understanding aren’t at arm’s length; having lost her long-term partner to suicide, Melissa has very consciously fought the stigma surrounding such an emotionally and mentally difficult experience in order to advocate for causes relating to suicide awareness and prevention.

As a motivational speaker, Melissa is very much an active participant in the ongoing journey towards betterment; while inspiring her followers, Melissa’s constant personal development, and the sharing of that journey, makes her the motivator’s motivator.

Melissa double-majored in Psychology and Drama & Theatre Studies at Monash University, graduating with Honours in Psychology in 2012. Her academic achievements transferred into working in Royal Children’s Hospital, private psychology clinics, Lifeline Crisis Centres and family violence refuges with women and children. She was most recently a nominee for Young Australian of the Year 2019 and Channel 7’s Young Achievers Awards for Social Impact 2019.

This diverse background was coupled with an appetite for exploration.  A world traveller, Melissa’s interest in other cultures, and the processes required to develop culture and community, has given her an incredibly diverse viewpoint on the world.