“Together, We Lead Beyond the Status Quo – From Adversity to Impact”
Leadership for Iris Du has never been about titles or recognition. It has always been about growth, purpose, and service, about showing up for others while staying true to yourself.
Her journey began long before she became a multi award winning business leader, bestselling author, community advocate, and proud mum. At 15, Iris arrived in Australia alone from Hong Kong as a high school dropout. She barely spoke English and carried two oversized suitcases, a mix of fear and hope, and the unshakable determination to make her parents’ sacrifices count.
The culture shock, language barriers, and isolation were overwhelming. Yet those early challenges became the foundation of her resilience. Without family or guidance, she learned self-leadership through trial and error, finding the courage to show up each day, the curiosity to keep learning, and the willingness to grow through failure. Every setback built her strength, and every small success reminded her that she was capable of more than she believed.
Living in a new country, Iris quickly learned the importance of hard work, persistence, and creating a safe and supportive environment for herself and those around her. She credits her parents for instilling these values early on. Their sacrifices and quiet acts of generosity taught her that true leadership is not about position or status, but about courage, compassion, and service to others. Those lessons became her anchor as she continued to navigate life’s uncertainties.
In 2012, Iris lost almost everything — her marriage, home, job, beloved pets, and several family members, all within months. Drowning in debt and heartbreak, she found herself at rock bottom. During her darkest moments, she came across a line that changed her life: “What you feed your mind will lead your life.”
That was her turning point. She chose to rebuild from within, strengthening her mindset, purpose, and leadership skills. What began as survival became her mission to help others rise too. She transformed from a victim of her circumstances into a leader of her own life, and that transformation became the foundation of everything she teaches today.
With more than 18 years of leadership experience, Iris now supports people from all walks of life including business owners, executives, families, and individuals, helping them build clarity, resilience, and confidence to live and lead with purpose.
As the Co Founder and Director of You Want Group, Iris guides leaders and organisations to grow consciously, align strategy with purpose, and create sustainable success. Through the company’s global giving partnership with B1G1, she and her team have created more than 220,000 social impacts worldwide, supporting education, clean water, food, and healthcare for communities in need.
Her work has been recognised nationally and internationally with more than 25 awards celebrating leadership, business, and community contribution. She also helped raise more than $60,000 collectively for Project Karma, supporting the fight against child trafficking and online exploitation across Australia and Southeast Asia. Her philanthropy and advocacy were featured on the global television series Adventure All Stars under Channel 7+, broadcast to more than 100 million households worldwide.
Beyond business, Iris is the Co Founder and President of LEADA, a not for profit organisation she established with her partner Thai. LEADA empowers families, youth, and everyday leaders through programs in wellbeing, safety, and inclusion, creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and capable of leading in their own way.
She also serves on multiple boards and advisory committees, including the Association of Leadership and Diversity Australia, the AUS Asia Business Council, and the Safe City Advisory Committee for the City of Melton. Over the years, Iris has collaborated with organisations such as the Mental Health Foundation Australia, The Salvation Army, Lions Club, Rotary Club, and a range of multicultural and community groups, continuing to support initiatives that strengthen connection, inclusion, and wellbeing across Australia.
Iris’s book, Great Leadership Starts With You: Be the Leader You Want to Be, written during the pandemic, became a #1 Amazon Bestseller. The book captures the essence of her philosophy that leadership begins with self awareness and grows through service.
One of the practices that keeps Iris grounded is gratitude. Each evening, she and Thai reflect on three things they are grateful for and one thing they can do just 1% better tomorrow. It is a simple ritual that keeps them anchored and focused on progress, not perfection. To help others experience the same transformation, Iris also created her own Gratitude Journal, designed to help people reflect, realign, and grow one step at a time.
“Growth does not have to be dramatic to be meaningful,” she says. “If you improve by just 1% each day, that is 365% growth in a year.”
To Iris, leadership is personal. It is how she lives, parents, and leads, whether in business, community, or at home. As a proud mum to her son Tyrus and life partner to Thai, she believes that true leadership starts in the everyday moments, how you treat people, how you listen, and how you lift others as you rise.
Her mission is clear, to inspire and empower people from all walks of life to become even greater leaders, creating impact and transformation for themselves and others while being the leader they want to be.
She often shares a few guiding lessons that have shaped her life and leadership:
- Be coachable:Stay open, curious, and humble — there is always more to learn.
• Ask for help: You do not need to have all the answers; seek mentors and peers who can guide you.
• Focus on solutions: Challenges are inevitable, but what defines you is how you respond.
• Celebrate progress: Success is built through small, consistent steps taken every day.
• Practice gratitude: Notice what is already working and build from there — gratitude fuels growth.
• Lead yourself first: The energy you bring sets the tone for everything around you.
• Serve with your heart: Leadership is not about titles or power; it is about how you make others feel and the difference you create.
These principles have guided Iris through business, family, and community life, reminding her that transformation begins when we take responsibility for our growth, and true impact begins when we use that growth to serve ourselves and others.
Iris believes that together, we lead beyond the status quo because every time we rise above the labels, limits, and expectations that hold us back, we remind others that transformation begins within, and when we grow beyond fear and lead with intention, we create change that reaches far beyond ourselves.
