“My childhood was exactly like what you’d imagine from a 2nd generation Asian immigrant in Australia – I studied well, went to a selective school, did a law degree even though I didn’t want to, and ended up with a cushy job in finance and law – the Australian dream.
The only difference in that process is that I trained in Taekwondo since I was 15. For the majority of my life, it was my sole passion that made me a self-defence expert.
The finance job was alright until it wasn’t. Working in London during the global financial crisis and watching the series of events unfold in front of me hit the nail in the coffin. I quit my finance job, much to my parents’ disappointment, and decided to become a personal trainer. I am deeply passionate about fitness and always loved the idea of helping people become their most confident selves. For me, training was always about helping people live a healthier life.
In the process of training people, I found myself becoming a life coach too. This change stemmed from my disgust with all the unethical behavior in the personal training field, and a longing to change that. However, I still lacked a mission that fulfilled me.
In 2021, I attended a domestic violence seminar by DV-alert, which was my first exposure to systemic gender-based violence. I assumed it would be just another day, but this class was where everything fell into place.
That class made me realise that this was a cause I could genuinely fight for. 25+ years of Taekwondo, quitting my job, 10 years of fitness coaching, becoming a life coach, advocacy for feminism, and a million other things in life all felt like they were falling into place; because now, I knew what I wanted to do – I wanted to help women lead a safer life without the fear of manipulation and violence.
It’s why I started, and still run Velocity Empowerment – focused on the prevention and early intervention of gender-based violence through emotional, mental, and physical self-defence. Every day, every session, I feel fulfilled knowing that I’m making the world a better place.” Alan Lau
“In 2019, I moved to Australia for my master’s in marketing, landing in Sydney with big dreams. This wasn’t my first adventure abroad; I had also studied for a Master of Arts in Paris which made me understand the business
“At 10 years old I started my 1st business. A card-making company. Without fail, I would finish my homework before the final bell, just so I could spend my whole afternoon creating handmade cards. I had a strict ‘no money
“From a young age, food was at the heart of everything in my life. I started baking as a child and even sold my creations as a teenager. But it wasn’t just a hobby—it was a passion that kept growing.
“I moved to Australia from the “Manchester of India” in March 2007. At just 20, newly married and stepping into a whole new world, I was eager yet overwhelmed by the culture shock. Navigating life in Australia back then was
