🟡 Digital Marketing, Done Better! Smart50 List 2023 🚀 Father 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Skater 🛹 CEO || Knows Nothing About Football ⚽️ 🏉 || Knows how to accelerate your sales.

For over three decades, I've helped visionary businesses harness emerging technologies to create extraordinary growth. 

From the dawn of mobile phones to today's AI revolution, I've consistently turned technological disruption into competitive advantage for my clients.

My journey began in 1987 with the first wave of mobile technology. 

The Car Phone.

Since then, I've successfully navigated every major digital transformation - from the internet's emergence in 1996 (launching the World's first coin operated Internet Kiosk) to digital marketing's evolution in 2010, & now the AI revolution. 

Each wave has deepened my expertise in spotting opportunities others miss.

Today, I lead Sydney Digital Marketing Agency, established in 2014 and recognized among Australia's smartest businesses on the 2023 Smart50 list. 

We partner with medium & enterprise businesses to reduce their cost of customer acquisition and transform their marketing results through data-driven strategies that consistently deliver measurable ROI.

What sets me apart isn't just the depth of my experience - it's my ability to see around corners and guide businesses toward future opportunities while delivering results today.

📍 Partner Benefits:

→ Strategic Innovation: You gain access to cutting-edge marketing strategies tested across diverse industries. Our early adoption of AI & automation tools means you're always ahead of competitors.

→ Proven ROI Framework: Our proprietary approach combines data analytics with creative strategy, consistently delivering 3-5x return on marketing investment for our clients.

→ Risk Reduction: Leverage our 35+ years of experience navigating digital transformations. We've already learned the costly lessons so you don't have to.

→ Holistic Growth Focus: Unlike agencies that chase trending tactics, we build comprehensive strategies that align with your business goals, market position, & growth targets.

→ Future-Proofed Solutions: In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, we ensure your marketing infrastructure is built to adapt and scale, protecting your investment long-term.

The 3 things to know about me - outside of my professional bio 👇

1️⃣ I’ve been digital since dial up - 1996 ☎️

2️⃣ My son+daughter were born 18 yrs apart 🥰

3️⃣ At least once a year I take a 4 day silent retreat to disconnect from the crazy. 📵 🤐

Simon Gould ✪ CEO ✪ Sydney Digital Marketing Agency ✪

Quick pause to say Thank You 
Welcome Back to Work!

If you read our posts, watch the videos, or spend any time with our content at Sydney Digital Marketing Agency | ⭐️  Digital Marketing Designed To Power Your Business Revenue, it genuinely means a lot. 

Time is the one thing none of us have enough of.  2026 will be noisy. AI, tools, promises everywhere. 

What still matters hasn’t changed: clarity beats shortcuts.  

Wishing you a strong, healthy start to the year. 


#SydneyDigitalMarketing #SDM #HappyNewYear #2026

Simon Gould ✪ Founder ✪ Chief Thinker ✪ Sydney Digital Marketing Agency

🏆Smart50 Lister. Founder. Father. Creator. Knows nothing about football ⚽️ 🏉 But knows your business is paying too much to acquire new clients. We fix that. So you can grow revenue, faster. ♻️ (B2B & B2C experts)

Your next best customer will ask AI for a shortlist of companies like yours.

If your brand isn’t in that answer, your competitors will be.

Over the last 12 months, buyers have been getting full answers from AI and Google AI Overviews before they ever hit your website. 

Now IMO most B2B sites are still built like glossy brochures, not like the best sales rep on the team.

That shows up as:

↘ fewer demos
↘ more “ghosted” opportunities
↘ a P&L that feels like “we can’t confidently hire yet” even when marketing numbers look fine

In this edition of The Growth Marketing + AI Edge, I break down how to rebuild your website as a 24/7 revenue engine in an AI‑first search world, plus the exact 90‑day plan SDM are using with clients right now.

If you want to see where your brand shows up (or doesn’t) in AI answers, comment GEOAudit and I’ll share details of the complimentary AI visibility audit we’re rolling out for Australian service businesses.


______________________

My first post of the year so a big shout out to my network - Welcome back to work and Happy New Year from all of us at Sydney Digital Marketing Agency | ⭐️  Digital Marketing Designed To Power Your Business Revenue

View newsletter: The Growth Marketing + AI Edge

G'day readers and welcome to my first article for 2026. In 2025, buyers got complete answers inside AI and Google results, then skipped your site enti

Open article: Stop Treating Your Website Like a Brochure: Turn It Into Your Best Sales Rep in an AI‑First Search World.
​ by Simon Gould ✪ Founder ✪ Chief Thinker ✪ Sydney Digital Marketing Agency • 8 min read

Stop Treating Your Website Like a Brochure: Turn It Into Your Best Sales Rep in an AI‑First Search World.
​

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴. 

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂.


A lot of service businesses assume the problem is volume. So they tweak budgets, bids, keywords, and agencies.
 
But what’s actually breaking is intent. You’re paying to interrupt people, not to help them decide.
 
That gap doesn’t show up in dashboards. It shows up in low-quality enquiries, wasted follow-ups, and a constant feeling that ads are “working”… but not really.
 
This video breaks down where that gap forms, and why fixing it isn’t about doing more inside the ad account.
 
If this feels uncomfortably familiar, book a strategy call with Sydney Digital Marketing Agency | ⭐️  Digital Marketing Designed To Power Your Business Revenue and we’ll tell you plainly where the leak actually is.





#SydneyDigitalMarketing #SDM #GoogleAds #Ads #DigitalMarketing #Clarity #Business

Most B2B websites I see are built like brochures.

↳ Pretty hero images
↳ Vague value propositions
↳ "Contact us" buried in a footer

But your best customers aren't browsing. They're 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨.

They've already asked AI for a shortlist.
They've already seen your competitors.
They land on your site with ONE question:

"Can these people actually solve my problem?"

And your brochure website answers with... stock photos of the Harbour Bridge (if you''re in Sydney) and mission statements.

Meanwhile, your sales team is working twice as hard to close deals that should've been warm.

The fix isn't a redesign.
It's a rethink.

Your website should work like your best sales rep:
→ Understands the buyer's pain before they say it
→ Answers objections before they're raised
→ Guides them to the next step without friction

That's what we call building for revenue, not vanity.

If your website isn't generating qualified leads on autopilot, it's not a sales tool. It's a liability.

—
Sydney Digital Marketing Agency | ⭐️  Digital Marketing Designed To Power Your Business Revenue

P.S. I break down the full 90-day plan to fix this in my newsletter. Link in comments 👇

#DigitalMarketing #B2BMarketing #WebsiteStrategy #LeadGeneration #2026Planning

You're not buying clicks anymore. You're paying a Sloppiness Tax.

📬 The Growth Marketing + AI Edge | Latest Edition 

In today's newsletter, I break down why Google Ads costs are up 13% YOY for Australian trades and service businesses - and why the real leak isn't where most people think.

What's inside:

→ The shift from "broken ads" to "broken decision systems"
→ Why your competitors can afford $13/click when you're maxed at $5
→ The 10-second mobile test that exposes the biggest conversion killers
→ How to stop paying Google's "sloppiness tax" in 2026

Plus: This week, I'm opening 4 slots for a 15-minute Google Ads Leak Audit specifically for service businesses spending $5K+/month and seeing costs climb.

Last year, we found an average of $4,700/month in preventable waste.

Read the full edition below 👇

(And if you want the audit, comment "AUDIT" or DM me to book before Friday)

Sydney Digital Marketing Agency | ⭐️  Digital Marketing Designed To Power Your Business Revenue

TL;DR: Google Ads costs are up 13% in Australia. The real expense isn't the click, it's what happens after. Here’s what changed in 2025 and how to sto

Open article: 🎢 Google Ads in 2026: It's Not The Expensive Click That's Costing You. It's What Happens Next by Simon Gould ✪ Founder ✪ Chief Thinker ✪ Sydney Digital Marketing Agency • 8 min read

🎢 Google Ads in 2026: It's Not The Expensive Click That's Costing You. It's What Happens Next

𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗕𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁!! 𝗜𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗘𝗢 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲, 𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗻?  


"No Errors" does not mean your SEO is working. Most tools tell you if your site is broken. 

They 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 tell you if your site deserves to rank. If you’ve seen traffic stall while competitors take the lead, you're likely optimised for safety, not demand. 

According to Ahrefs a massive 𝟵𝟲.𝟱𝟱% of all content gets zero traffic from Google. 

𝗔𝘁 Sydney Digital Marketing Agency | ⭐️  Digital Marketing Designed To Power Your Business Revenue, 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗲:  

• Revenue-driving pages vs. Google-prioritised pages.  
• Content depth that actually exceeds the competition.  
• Internal linking that guides the buyer journey. 

"A 'healthy' site is useless if it’s invisible. Let’s get you into the 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝟰%." 

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲? 

Book a Technical SEO Performance Audit with the SDM team.   




#SydneyDigitalMarketing #SDM #SEO #BusinessGrowth #SEOStrategy

in an AI‑first search world, your next best customers are getting shortlists and “best of” answers from AI and Google AI Overviews before they ever land on your site.

If your brand isn’t being mentioned there, you’re already behind.

In this article from our Founder we break down a 90 day plan to ensure you're brand stays relevant and visible.

🧡  VP Recruit's New Website is Live | But Here's What We Did BEFORE We Designed Anything


Most businesses jump straight into redesigns – new look, modern feel, better images.

We start with three questions:

A – Who is your AUDIENCE, and what do they actually need?
B – What makes your BRAND genuinely different?
C – What are COMPETITORS doing, and how do you stand apart?

This is our ABC methodology. 

Strategy before design. 

Always.

Before redesigning and rebuilding your website, ask yourself:

→ Do you know exactly who you're trying to reach and what problem you're solving for them?
 → Can you articulate what makes you different (beyond "quality" and "service")?
 → Is your site structure built for user behaviour or just for looking modern?

For VP Recruit we mapped candidate vs. client journeys, identified decision triggers, and positioned labour hire as strategic partnership 🚫 not a commodity.

Then we designed and built.

The result? 

A website that doesn't just represent the business ⏩  it drives it forward.

Congrats to the VP Recruit team. We wish you the greatest success in growing your business. 

As always a massive shout out to the SDM team Jan, Cedric and Puneet Singh for the care and l💛 they out into their work 

And to businesses wondering if their website is performing or just existing – let's talk.

Sydney Digital Marketing Agency | ⭐️  Digital Marketing Designed To Power Your Business Revenue

I recently asked a friend who runs a business: "What's your customer acquisition cost?" 

He said, "𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿? 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗣𝗖 𝗶𝘀 $𝟰." 

I said, "𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺." 

Here's why that matters… 

𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲. 

A low CPC doesn't make you profitable. 

But it answers the question every founder should be asking: "How much does it actually cost to acquire a customer?" 

One thing nobody will tell you is... 

𝗖𝗣𝗖, 𝗖𝗣𝗟, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗔𝗖 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀. 

Unless you have a well-built CRM like HubSpot or similar: 

No dashboard shows this automatically. 
No agency report connects the dots. 
No shortcut. 

So what does tracking the right metric actually mean? 

It means connecting every dollar spent to actual customers acquired, not clicks, not leads.

• CPC = cost per click (measures ad efficiency, not business outcomes)
• CPL = cost per lead (measures form fills, not customer quality)
• CAC = total spend ÷ customers acquired (measures what actually matters)

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀:

Your CFO needs CAC to justify the marketing budget. 
Your sales team needs qualified leads, not high volumes. 
Your growth depends on knowing which channels deliver profitable customers. 

𝗔 $𝟰 𝗖𝗣𝗖 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴. 

But knowing your CAC is $620 while your customer LTV is $15K does. The actual work looks like this...

1. Track total marketing spend by channel
2. Count actual customers acquired (not leads generated)
3. Calculate CAC per channel: spend ÷ customers
4. Compare to customer lifetime value

No vanity metrics. No "record engagement." No agency theatre. 

Just honest math that shows what's actually driving revenue. 

𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗔𝗖? 

DM me "𝗖𝗔𝗖" or book a strategy call with Sydney Digital Marketing Agency | ⭐️  Digital Marketing Designed To Power Your Business Revenue to audit what you're actually measuring. 



#B2BMarketing #PerformanceMarketing #MarketingMetrics #CAC #GrowthMarketing #SDM #SydneyDigitalMarketing

Working with passionate, purposeful & impact-driven individuals, ideas, projects & organisations || Host of Ultimate Global Podcast

Hey, I’m Saurabh. 👋 I’m the 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 & 𝐂𝐄𝐎 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐬, a bold new B2B events and storytelling brand built on one simple belief: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬; 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐳𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲.

Through LiveHaus, 𝐈’𝐦 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 that move people to act and redefine how business events are experienced across the country.

𝐈’𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨-𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐥𝐞, 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐲𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐲’𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭-𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬. We bring together builders, founders, and operators through curated roundtables, Builders Days, and social wellbeing sessions designed to spark connection and momentum.

⸻

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐒𝐨 𝐅𝐚𝐫
I spent 3+ years in B2B SaaS sales at Zensai, starting as the first SDR in ANZ and growing into an Account Executive role, closing high-value deals across APAC and leading initiatives that blended sales, partnerships, and community-building.

⸻

𝐌𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲
As a proud migrant, I landed in Australia six years ago with no network and no playbook.
I’ve built everything from the ground up: one coffee, one connection, and one “why not?” at a time.

⸻

𝐌𝐲 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬
Thriving at the intersection of Ecosystems, Sales, Community, Partnerships, and Startups: powered by hands-on SaaS experience and a deep passion for bringing people together.

If you’re building, hiring, fundraising, rethinking, or just want to swap stories over a cappuccino, let’s chat. ☕

📧 saurabh@thelivehaus.com
📧 skaura772@gmail.com
📞 +61 0459 735 356

Saurabh Kaura

𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐨, 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭. Because coming out isn’t just telling people; it’s accepting what’s happening within you first. It takes guts - enormous guts.

And it takes even more courage when you are born and raised in a culture where these conversations aren’t encouraged…

and where no one has ever dared to come out, even though I’m sure there are many out there.

But before you even come out to anyone else, there’s a stage no one talks about:

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟.
𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐲. 𝐒𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐲. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐲.

You’re sitting with thoughts like:
“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭?”
“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘦?”
“𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦?”

🥹 That realisation is weird.
🥹 It’s heavy.
🥹 And in that moment, it feels like the hardest thing in the world.

🫶 But the truth is that for many people, it only gets harder from there.

Maybe it was the openness of Sydney in 2021 that gave me the courage to finally do it. And that decision shaped my confidence in ways I never expected.

That confidence spilled into every part of my life.

I started a walking group.
I started a podcast.
I started coffee catch-ups.
And eventually I started building projects like LiveHaus and Impact Circle.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮:
Coming out might feel like the biggest milestone but what comes after can be even tougher.

Being single after coming out has been rough in ways I never predicted. It started affecting my mental health quietly, over time.

And when you’ve never been in a relationship, it gets harder and harder to relate to people around you, especially when you’re at a similar age and everyone seems to be doing things you’re not doing.

❓It can make you feel behind.
❓Out of sync.
❓Like you’re watching life happen around you.

𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴; 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

And while you do start understanding love in ways you’ve never seen before; it takes courage to keep your heart open without losing yourself.

So here’s my reminder today:

Before you meet anyone. Before you judge them. Before you assume they’re “all good”…

Ask a simple question:

R U OK?  

Because you never know what someone is carrying. And I can bet you, that one question can change lives.

If this resonates, message one close friend today and check in to see if they are really okay. Don’t wait for Sep to do that. 🧡

🇦🇺 building australia’s next-gen b2b event series | saleshaus • peoplehaus • startuphaus • techhaus | founder & ceo @ livehaus | open to event partnerships, sponsorships & brand collaborations

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I didn’t start LiveHaus because I was waiting to get my Australian citizenship. I started it because I lost my job. Twice. Yesterday, someone asked me if LiveHaus was something I’d been waiting to launch after getting my citizenship.

Truth is that LiveHaus wasn’t part of the plan at all.
In June 2025, I lost my job.
I spent two months in a brutal job market.

Finally landed a role that felt perfectly aligned with my strengths.
Then I lost that job within a month.

At that point, I had two options:
1️⃣ Jump back into a job market that wasn’t exactly inspiring
2️⃣ Take a calculated risk and build something of my own

I chose option two.

Before LiveHaus even had a name (or a logo), a few people backed the idea purely on belief:
🍵 Sid Tatikonda (Antler)
Visakhan Vythilingam
Ricky Pearl (Pointer)
George & Adem (The B2B Playbook)

No pitch deck.
No event announced.
Just trust.

I opened a Notion doc and asked myself:
❓ What am I genuinely good at?
❓ What do I love doing?
❓ Where does my 6+ years in Australia and my network actually matter?

The answer was obvious:
🫡 6 years in sales
🫡 3 years deep in HR tech
🫡 Strong communities across Sales and People/HR
🫡 Sydney as home turf for community-building

I also knew I was in a rare position to take a risk:
🔥 Citizenship secured (no visa dependency)
🔥 Savings in the bank
🔥 No debt, no dependents
🔥 So I went all in.

I built a team of interns across design, web, socials, outreach, partnerships, photography, videography and yes, even a DJ because if we were going to do this, it had to be high-quality from day one.

Was it risky?
😑 Absolutely.
😑 New brand.
😑 Zero credibility.
😑 Launching events during the busiest season of the year.
😑 Clashing with Christmas parties.

But I wanted to prove something to myself more than anyone else.

Then came a massive moment:
Highspot (via Joe Hindmarsh MBA) became our first-ever LiveHaus sponsor, backed by incredible partners like:
Stolen+Co (Steve Tolen)
Pointer (Ricky Pearl & Cameron Morgan)
Earlywork (🌞 Dan Brockwell)
The B2B Playbook and Chief Revenue School (Adem Manderovic & George Coudounaris)

That momentum didn’t just validate LiveHaus. It unlocked Season 2: bigger, sharper, and more ambitious.

If there’s one takeaway from this:
Sometimes the thing you’re most proud of doesn’t come from careful planning, it comes from being forced to choose courage over comfort.

Founders. Sales leaders. HR and tech operators. If you’re building something meaningful in Australia, Season 2 of LiveHaus is for you.
 
LiveHaus Season 2 tickets are now out. Book yours now: https://lnkd.in/gJhpZqe2

𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐬. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲. 🇦🇺🇮🇳Today is a rare and meaningful coincidence. 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐲 and 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐚𝐲 fall on the same date.

🫶 Five months ago, after six years of living in Sydney, I stood at the Sydney Town Hall and took the Australian citizenship oath. Not just as a formality but as a commitment.

💛 A commitment to the freedoms this country offers.
💛 To the liberties we sometimes take for granted.
💛 To the values that quietly make Australia one of the best places in the world to live.

Australia is special not because it’s perfect but because it strives to be fair, open, and human.

Today is also a moment to acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who were here long before any of us, and whose history and culture remain foundational to this land.

Australia’s strength has also come from migration from people arriving with hope, effort, and the willingness to contribute. That’s what has made this country culturally rich, diverse, and globally respected.

I’ve seen this firsthand.
Through 100+ coffee catch-ups, 90+ community walks, and countless conversations, I’ve met hundreds of Australians from all backgrounds. I’ve also travelled across Europe.
I can say this with conviction: 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭.

But friendliness should never be mistaken for weakness. And openness should never be taken for granted.

Recent events remind us that immigration cannot only be about opportunity; it must also be about responsibility.

Bringing your culture to Australia is something to be proud of. But accepting 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬, 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.

You’re not asked to erase who you are. You are asked to honour where you’ve chosen to belong.

That’s why I believe the conversation around granting citizenship should go deeper: not just testing knowledge, but 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬, 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. If someone chooses to live in Australia, integrating into the Australian way of life, values, and respect for others should be part of that commitment.

Today also marks 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐚𝐲, a celebration of democracy, constitution, and collective responsibility.

As an Indian-Australian, I feel grateful to belong to both stories and conscious of the duty that comes with that privilege.

Citizenship isn’t just a status.
It’s a responsibility we live every day.

Let’s have a respectful conversation today about belonging, responsibility, and what it truly means to call a country “home.”

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Monica amit Rhys UNSW City of Sydney Clover Alex Jordan The Hon. Victor Dominello Kamal Vidit Sachin

✈️ Moving countries alone should count as a personality trait.  Because if you’ve ever moved away from where you grew up: new city, new country, new everything, 

…and figured it out on your own?

Don’t let anyone ever tell you you’re not brave.

When I landed in Australia…
I landed by myself.

No family waiting for me.
No friends.
No familiar faces.
No “friend of a friend” to save me.

And I still remember Day 1 in Sydney like it was yesterday.

It felt… odd.
Unreal.
Heavy.

My mind was full of doubt:

What have I done?
Was this the right decision?
Will I make new friends?
How do I even start building a life here?

It wasn’t just a new country.

It was a 180-degree culture shift from where I came from.

Different people.
Different lifestyles.
Different conversations.
Different everything.

⸻

Over time, I learned the “real moving countries” curriculum:

Making new friends as an adult.
Starting new projects from scratch.
Finding your people without a shortcut.
Building a routine with zero support.

Choosing a path in the unknown…
getting lost…
finding a new path…
then getting lost again.

But here’s what nobody tells you:

That’s not failure.
That’s growth.

Because when you build your life from zero, you discover a version of yourself you never met back home.

More resilient.
More independent.
More grounded.
More confident.

You learn to sit with solitude without calling it loneliness.
You learn to start again without needing validation.
You learn to back yourself; even when no one else can see the vision yet.

So if you’ve moved away and built your life from scratch…

I see you.

Packing up your whole life and starting fresh in the unknown?

That’s one of the bravest things a person can do.

Respect. Always. ❤️

I know some of my friends can relate well to what I am saying here: Sara, Mohit, Utkarsh and many more.

❤️‍🔥  𝐒𝐲𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐲 + 𝐌𝐞𝐥𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬. Last time we ran 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐬, the tickets sold out faster than we expected and the room was electric.

Here’s a quick feedback video from Steve Tolen (Founder Stolen+Co) on what it felt like attending the first ever SalesHaus. 🎥👇

This isn’t another “sales event”.

It’s:
 ✅ high-energy room
 ✅ practical GTM playbooks
 ✅ elite people
 ✅ great food + drinks
 ✅ DJ energy
 ✅ content you’ll actually share after

🚀 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐬 2026 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝:
📍 Sydney — 25th March 2026
📍 Melbourne — 23rd April 2026

🔥 𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠:
👉The 2026 GTM Playbook (ANZ Edition): Pipeline, Positioning & What’s Actually Converting
👉 Career Accelerator Panel: How to Become a Top 1% Seller in 2026

💸 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐩𝐮𝐭):
We’re currently keeping tickets at $50 to cover basics:
venue, food/drinks, DJ, moderator, photography + videography.

Because we’re building LiveHaus to be sustainable long-term so we can keep creating experiences that are genuinely meaningful, high-quality, and memorable (the kind you remember and tell others about).

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐬-𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞?

Drop your vote:
 $15 / $25 / $50 / $100
(And if you’ve got another number, comment it.)

If you want to 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐧 2026 (speaker / sponsor / marketing partner), DM me. Happy to share the benefits and packages.

We’ve got a seriously elite speaker lineup dropping soon, stay tuned. I can confidently say: if you’re in sales in Sydney or Melbourne, you won’t want to miss this night.

And if you know someone in Sales / GTM who needs this in their life, tag them below. 👇

Courtesy: 
- Venue Partner: The Commons 
- Videographer: Akshanth Suresh at Riser

𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲. 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦. 🥺 That’s the energy we felt at SalesHaus Season 1. When we were outreaching last season, we thought we were just inviting people to a networking night.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫:
✅ passion
✅ eagerness to learn
✅ operators sharing what’s actually working in ANZ
✅ people genuinely excited to meet others in the trenches

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐁2𝐁 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 6 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬.
🫡 I know the highs.
🫡 I know the grind.
🫡 I know the constant “prove it again” energy.

𝐒𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐬:
A quarterly room where Australia’s sales + GTM people can come together to:
🔥 share what’s trending
🔥 learn from real operators (not theory)
🔥 build high-trust relationships
🔥 and experience a modern B2B event setting that feels fresh, fun, and valuable

If LiveHaus can contribute to creating that space, then we’ve achieved what we set out to build.

🔥 And now we’re taking SalesHaus Season 2 to Sydney AND Melbourne.

SalesHaus 2026 (Sydney)
📍 The Commons (Sydney CBD)
 🗓️ Wednesday, 25 March 2026
 🕠 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM

Expect:
 ⚡ keynote + sharp panels
 🤝 curated intros + real Rev chats
 🎧 DJ, drinks, food + after-work energy
 🧠 GTM insights you can use the next morning

Big shoutout to the people who backed Season 1 early especially Ricky Pearl (Pointer) and our speakers/partners (Joe Hindmarsh MBA, Steve Tolen, Adem Manderovic, Sohail Foryabee, Byron Dempsey, Earlywork) who helped set the tone from day zero 🙏

If you’re in Sales / GTM / Enablement / RevOps (or building revenue in ANZ), this is your room.

Comment “SALESHAUS” and I’ll DM you the Season 2 link. By the way, we also have a WhatsApp group just in case you are keen to join. 😉 

Courtesy:
- Our Venue Partner: The Commons
- Our Videographer: Akshanth Suresh @ Riser

If I could bet on only 3 skills to win in 2026, it’s these: 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠. Because let’s be real: In 2026, it won’t matter only what you know. 

It will matter who knows you, what they remember about you, and what they say about you when you’re not in the room.
1) 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠
Your brand should speak for you: even when you’re not in the meeting.
It’s your reputation, positioning, and signal in a noisy market.

2) 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠
Great storytellers don’t “sell”.
They move people.
They make their work feel meaningful.
They turn ideas into belief.

3) 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠
It’s no longer optional.
Opportunities move through people; not job boards.

And here’s the magic:
𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 3 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.

That’s exactly what we’re building with LiveHaus: a room where ambitious operators, founders, creators, and leaders come together to:
✅ sharpen their brand
✅ learn how to communicate with power
✅ build genuine connections that lead to real outcomes

𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 6+ 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫. I moved here to build a life.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬:
You can have a great job, a busy schedule, even a strong network and still feel lonely.

Because belonging doesn’t come from being “around people”.
Belonging comes from being seen.

𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐲𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐲: trying to fit in, trying to find my people, and quietly learning how to start over in a new country.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠:
👉 The fastest way to build connection isn’t small talk. It’s stories.

The real ones.
The messy ones.
The ones people usually hide behind “I’m all good.”

And honestly, that’s also why R U OK? matters so much to me.

Because a lot of the time, people aren’t okay.
They’re just getting better at pretending.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐟𝐟:
☕ coffees
🚶‍♂️ walks
🏃 runs
👥 meetups
🎤 LiveHaus events
🎤 Impact Circle events 

Not because I’m “busy”.
But because connection is medicine and you never know what someone is silently carrying.

That’s also why I’m genuinely excited about an event happening in Sydney:

🔥 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐫 🔥
A night of raw human storytelling built around themes like:
blind faith, beginnings, finding belonging, twists of fate, becoming invincible.

If you’ve ever…
🫶 felt disconnected even while surrounded by people
🫶 needed perspective
🫶 wanted to feel inspired again
🫶 or just wanted to be in a room that feels human…

…this is your sign.

📍 Sydney CBD
🗓 Tue 17 Feb | 6-9pm
📌 Mezzanine House

If you want to come, I’ll put the ticket links in the Comments section below.  

And if you’re more of a “connection in motion” person:

🌊 I’m also organising a Coogee to Bondi walk this Sunday. Happy to add you to the WhatsApp group if you’re keen. 

Let’s keep building rooms (and walks) where people feel seen. ❤️

Monica Rosenfeld Shiv Bhardwaj

Don’t worry if SXSW Sydney got cancelled. LiveHaus has got you covered. 😮‍💨 Sydney, we’re launching something BIG. 🚀 StartupHaus 2026 is officially LIVE.

And we’re building this to become the biggest startup night in Sydney and Australia. 🇦🇺⚡️

❌ Not a conference.
❌ Not a pitch night.
❌ Not another “networking event” with dead vibes.
❌ This is a founder + VC + operator collision room.

A proper after-work experience where the startup ecosystem comes alive.

If you’re a:
🧠 Founder
💰 VC / angel
⚙️ early-stage operator
🌱 ecosystem builder
…this is your room.

And yes, we’re also bringing something special:
 🎤 3 selected founders will get to pitch in the room.

The kind of moment that can change a trajectory.
 (if you’ve built startups, you know exactly what I mean)

🎟️ Tickets are paid + limited + curated.

👉 Book your tickets using the Humanitix link in the event below. 
 
If you want in, don’t overthink it,  Sydney’s startup crowd will move fast on this one.

Let’s make 24 March 2026 a proper moment for the ecosystem. ⚡️

Jane Oja, Anh Dao and 4 other connections attending

View event: StartupHaus Sydney · March 2026: Founders, VCs & Operators Unite

StartupHaus Sydney · March 2026: Founders, VCs & Operators Unite

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Simon Gould ✪ CEO ✪ Sydney Digital Marketing Agency ✪

Saurabh Kaura

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The Battle

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