Norliza Pavlakos is an internationally recognised entrepreneur and keynote speaker, finding success in business with her companies and ventures, including establishing Australia’s first Miss India International, co-founding Melbourne Luxury Tailoring Services and launching The Liza Pavlakos Foundation. Delivering frameworks forged from real life experiences, Norliza is an inspirational and powerful speaker who is in high demand across a range of industries.
After overcoming adversity in her personal life and starting with no business expertise, Norliza launched Miss India International in Australia, which attracted 4000 attendees and secured full sponsorship. Her next business venture was taking over a struggling café in Melbourne, which became profitable and thriving within a year. Shortly after, Norliza co-founded Finest Alterations, now known as Melbourne Luxury Tailoring Services, scaling it to five stores and serving prestigious names including the Australian Open, Marriott Hotels and Fashion Week. As an experienced entrepreneur, she founded The Liza Pavlakos Foundation, which partners with grassroots organisations to support underprivileged individuals globally. Norliza also founded The Support Pages, a mental health directory helping people to get to know their therapist before their first session.
Since starting as a keynote speaker in 2015, Norliza’s speaking career has received international praise, earning the prestigious Golden Gavel award from Toastmasters International and being named among the Top 10 Female Speakers in the World by Real Leaders. She has also published the books ‘The Indefatigable Entrepreneur: Built From Nothing’ and ‘Conviction: How I Turned Trauma Into Purpose’, sharing her journey from being homeless at 16 to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Recognising her impact in business and philanthropy, Norliza was featured on the cover of America’s Women Magazine in 2022.
Trusted by Fortune 500 companies globally, Norliza has delivered keynotes for Microsoft, PWC, Qatar Airways, Coca-Cola, Lenovo and many more. Her acclaimed keynote speeches explore topics such as leadership, resilience, decision-making and performance under pressure. Available for keynotes, workshops, panels and virtual sessions, hire Norliza today to hear her transformative and practical insights for businesses and individuals.
Social Media
Books
The Indefatigable Entrepreneur: Built From Nothing
Conviction: How I Turned Trauma Into Purpose
Conviction: How I Overcame My Traumatic Past and Found My Purpose
Norliza Pavlakos' official speaking topics are listed below:
The Power of Nothing: Turning Underestimation into Your Most Powerful Advantage
When you come from a place where nothing is guaranteed — no support, no advantages, no safety net — you develop strengths the world does not expect. In The Power of Nothing, Norliza shows underestimated professionals how to transform doubt, bias, and adversity into the instincts, resilience, and clarity that drive breakthrough success.
Through storytelling and actionable frameworks, she reveals how having nothing became her greatest catalyst — enabling her to build five businesses from zero capital, lead teams under pressure, and rise to global recognition.
The Conviction Effect: Decisive Leadership in Uncertainty
When uncertainty rises, hesitation becomes the costliest decision a leader can make. The Conviction Effect gives leaders a clear, actionable blueprint for navigating ambiguity with confidence, speed, and strategic clarity.
Drawing from life-or-death moments that shaped her leadership instincts and her journey building five businesses from zero capital, Norliza reveals the internal mechanisms that allow leaders to decide boldly, act quickly, and create alignment even when the path is unclear.
The One-Day Reset: Rapid Resilience & Performance Reset Under Pressure
When pressure spikes, setbacks hit, or burnout begins to surface, most professionals lack a reliable way to reset quickly. The One-Day Reset teaches a proven 24-hour recovery protocol that helps individuals regain clarity, stabilise performance, and move forward without needing months of rebuilding.
Official Feedback From In-Person & Virtual Events
"My favourite talk of the year. Completely captivating. The room was completely focused from start to finish. She commands the stage like very few speakers can." - Microsoft
"An outstanding speaker who inspires meaningful change." - Zurich
"Powerfully connects with audiences and inspires resilience." - Qatar Airways
"Insightful, actionable, and authentic." - Coca-Cola
"An unforgettable presentation. The room was speechless. Our team is still talking about it weeks later." - Vestas
"Authentic, powerful, and exceptionally engaging. Exactly what our leaders needed to hear — practical, real, and immediately applicable." - PWC
"Phenomenal, actionable, and life-changing." - Just Eat
"Authentic insights that deeply resonated with students." - University of Melbourne
- 2026 - Published books 'The Indefatigable Entrepreneur: Built From Nothing' and 'Conviction: How I Turned Trauma Into Purpose'
- 2025 - Published book 'Conviction: How I Overcame My Traumatic Past and Found My Purpose'
- 2022 - Featured on cover of America's Women Magazine
- 2020 - Awarded Golden Gavel by Toastmasters International
- 2020 - Named among Top 10 Female Speakers in the World by Real Leaders
- 2020 - Founder of The Support Pages
- 2019 - Received Super Achievement Award at The World Women's Leadership Congress
- 2018 - Founder of The Liza Pavlakos Foundation
- 2006 - Co-Founder of Melbourne Luxury Tailoring Services
- 2002 - Associate Founder of Minibar Piccollo
- 2000 - Founder & Creative Director of Miss India International
How to hire Norliza Pavlakos
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Norliza Pavlakos for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
