No network, no funding, no roadmap. Just lunch invitations to strangers. How one woman’s courage built a movement that spans continents.
What’s happening: Kaley Chu, one of the world’s youngest CSP® (Certified Speaking Professional) and a recipient of the prestigious 40 Under 40 Business Elite Australia Award in 2023, has built a seven-figure business that combines keynote speaking, executive coaching, and community platforms that help people develop their public speaking skills and authentic storytelling abilities.
Why this matters: Her journey from shy immigrant to international speaker demonstrates how authentic connection and vulnerability can build sustainable business success, offering a roadmap for entrepreneurs who feel they lack networks or resources.
When Kaley Chu challenged herself to have lunch with 100 strangers, she had no grand business plan. The Melbourne-based entrepreneur simply wanted to conquer her fear of public speaking and break out of her comfort zone.
In 2018, Kaley Chu turned lunch into a life changing experience. Not just one lunch, but 100 of them. With strangers, over a year!
That simple challenge became the foundation of a business that now operates across three pillars: keynote speaking for corporate clients, one-on-one executive coaching for leaders wanting to improve their communication impact, and community platforms like 100 Speakers that provide practice spaces and training for emerging speakers worldwide.
From silence to stages
“I challenged myself to have lunch with one hundred strangers to break out of my comfort zone,” Kaley recalls. What started as personal development quickly evolved into opportunity.
One conversation led to a speaking invitation, then a speaking tour, until she transitioned full-time into keynote speaking. When COVID eliminated paid speaking gigs overnight, she pivoted to coaching, helping others craft and tell their stories.
For Kaley, mindset became everything in scaling from zero to millions. “My favourite quote is ‘As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same,'” she explains.
The vulnerability advantage
Over more than 500 lunches, Kaley discovered that vulnerability accelerates trust and opens lasting relationships. “When you are willing to be real and share your own struggles, people naturally open up to you. Vulnerability is not weakness, it’s a superpower in both life and business.”
She learned that genuine connection transcends physical proximity. “You can be sitting next to someone and not truly connect, or be thousands of kilometres away and feel deeply connected,” Kaley explains. “In any setting, digital or in-person, meaning comes when you share something that makes your heart beat faster, something few people know about you.”
Building others up
Now recognised as a TedX speaker and Keynote speaker based in Melbourne Australia, Kaley focuses on empowering others to find their voice through community platforms, free masterclasses and judgement-free practice spaces.
Her approach balances encouragement with practical training, helping people craft messages that resonate. The goal: creating confident speakers who make real impact.
The personal rewards have surprised her most. Beyond business success, she’s discovered lifelong friendships, new opportunities, and communities she never imagined. But the moment that meant everything? Watching her eleven-year-old son step onto a TEDx stage.
“That was a crazy proud mama moment, and a reminder that our actions inspire far more than our words.”
The network effect
For founders who feel they lack connections or resources, Kaley’s advice remains simple: have lunch with strangers. It’s the fastest way to build genuine relationships and launch opportunities.
“One conversation can lead to another, and before you know it, a supportive network emerges from unexpected places,” she says.
Her current projects include the Next Top Speaker tournament and 100Speakers.com, platforms that give everyday storytellers space to build confidence and reach new audiences.
Global ambitions
Kaley’s vision extends beyond individual success. She aims to empower thousands of new voices worldwide, taking her movement global so people everywhere feel seen, heard and inspired.
Her story demonstrates how small human acts, like sharing a meal with a stranger, can lead to extraordinary impact. Through vulnerability, presence, and generosity, she’s built not just a business, but a movement that’s reshaping how people connect and communicate.
The key takeaway from Kaley’s founder journey: perfect conditions aren’t required to start. You simply need courage to use your voice and create meaningful connections.
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