Senior Partner Manager at Hootsuite | Enterprise Alliances with MarTech SaaS | Head of Sales & Marketing at MyRisk | Board Director | Author of "Connect & Act - Systematic Social Selling"

I spend my days working with boutique marketing agencies across Australia, New Zealand and Asia Pacific helping them build businesses that feel lighter, clearer and more scalable.

Agencies don’t struggle because of a lack of talent; they struggle because they’re carrying too much alone. That’s where I fit.

ActiveCampaign gives them the tooling. I help them build the engine, the rhythm and the confidence to grow.

After moving to Australia nearly a decade ago, I found myself drawn to the agency world — the conversations, the creativity, the honesty, the challenge of wearing ten hats at once.

One thread that runs through everything I do is the belief that business moves at the speed of human connection. It’s why I’ve created my #42coffees series: slowing down enough to hear people’s stories, understand their direction and find the right doors to open for them.

The same energy shows up in the in-person events I run across Asia Pacific. When people meet in real rooms, things shift: ideas get clearer, partnerships form faster and growth feels more human.

Since then I’ve supported partners at ActiveCampaign and beforehand at Hootsuite, GoTo, Noggin, KeepItSafe and across the broader MSP and MarTech landscape. The work is always a mix of:
→ partnerships (finding the right doors)
→ automation & lifecycle systems (removing friction)
→ Social Selling (building visibility without becoming someone you’re not)
→ productised services (so the business stops feeling heavy)

What I enjoy most is watching agency founders realise they don’t need to grow through burnout — they can grow through structure.

Moving to Australia was not a straight line. A layoff opened a moment of pause which became an inflection point. I studied leadership using the time to understand the emerging SaaS ecosystem. That allowed me to transfer my experience into a new market, build a partnership-focused identity from the ground up, and develop the human-connection mindset that defines how I work today.

I’m also a long-time writer with 28 books from travel guides to Social Selling and personal development. Writing helps me make sense of things and help others do the same.

Outside work, I serve as a Board Director of Sydney’s historic Castlereagh Boutique Hotel. It’s a role rooted in community, heritage and looking after something that matters — values I try to bring into my work with agencies as well.

If you’re a boutique marketing agency founder trying to shape the next stage of your business, I’d love to hear your story. Every agency journey starts differently and no one builds it alone.

Gunnar Habitz

Did you ever return to a place that played a significant role in your life?

Alexandra and I knew each other only for half a year when we decided to go from Europe to New Zealand for a couple of month, right after uni. Here we're sitting in Auckland at a lunch break from learning English at the Auckland University. Little did I know that I would move to an English speaking country.

Exactly ten years ago we returned to Auckland, stayed with the same kiwi family and travelled - this time without learning English but figuring out if the South Pacific suits us (hint. it still does!).

Now I will come to Auckland again for the ActiveCampaign #EvolvingAgencySeries event on Thursday 19 March.

This is the perfect change to discuss with local marketing agencies the role they play with clients in an AI world to keep the human connection.

And for me it means reconnecting again with the place that built our journey already so long ago.

Looking forward to meeting our partners, my host family and fellow professionals who still remember me.

Any marketing agency who wants to explore #autonomousmarketing, please check this out:
https://bit.ly/47kxi5j

What's your impression when you returned to such an important place in your life?

Helping boutique marketing agencies scale through human connection, automation & AI-powered workflows | Agency Ecosystem Lead @ ActiveCampaign (APAC) | Ghostwriting educational email courses for authority & conversion

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Imagine this: your marketing activities focus only on social media - and nothing converts. Or you write very good emails - but nobody reads them. That's a sign of a missing element. Which one?
💡
I'm talking about customer journeys. Most businesses are deep in their services knowing the benefits for the clients in and out - but they're coming from a view of the solution, not from capturing the problem.

That's the space for an expert who understands customer journeys. One of my favourites in that area is Mando Anderson who runs his boutique agency Yeah Mando after his successful term as onboarding specialist at ActiveCampaign.

Mando and I met at my favourite café in Sydney's famous Bondi beach, the legendary Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore.

Here are my thoughts from the 92nd episode of my #42coffees series:

1. Keep the human connection in digital channels without expecting to squeeze people thought static processes.

2. Turn subscribers into raving fans with the right approach from capturing leads on social media bringing them into email nurturing.

3. Show behind the scenes with customers stories alongside those customer journeys to be relatable and personalised (ActiveCampaign can help with that).

4. Don't just talk about authenticity, act as your true self even if it is quirky, raw and unpolished. Subscribe to Mando's newsletter to you see what I mean.

How do you describe the customer journeys for your business?

#emailmarketing #CRM #autonomousmarketing

Imagine you're a creative pro and enjoy working with modern AI companies? Now you have the chance!

I could observe the power of this type of role when I got a stretch assignment at Hootsuite to improve their Social Selling online course. I created the concept of new lessons while their animators, editors, narrators and video experts created magic out of it.

Now this type of role becomes available within the creative team at ActiveCampaign! We’re searching for a talented Animator & Editor to help us bring the brand to life.

This is an exciting opportunity to architect motion designs from scratch, partner with Product Marketing, and push the boundaries of what’s possible in SaaS. 

If you live in After Effects and Premiere Pro and have a meticulous eye for typography and colour theory, you’ll fit right in.

Check it out here: https://bit.ly/4rV15K4

A Happiness Coach for Corporate Professional Women | Happiness is Your Birthright | Transform Inner Critic | Being Seen, Heard And Respected | Choose Love Over Fear

As an NLP Happiness Coach, I empower women to release fear, reconnect with their inner wisdom, rebuild self-trust, and create a life of emotional freedom, truth, and joy.

I believe happiness isn’t something to chase; it’s a home within. 

Through gentle guidance and deep inner work, I help women let go of a thousand stories of unworthiness and meet themselves as a fuller expression of who they wish to be.

Every journey home begins with one brave step, and it always leads back to love.

For years, I believed happiness was something I had to chase. I tried to change others, hoping that would bring me the love and fulfillment I longed for. But the more I tried, the more I buried my own needs beneath guilt, self-betrayal, and quiet exhaustion.

The turning point came when I realized: no one else could walk this path for me. I had to choose it - to become the brave heart who would journey home to herself. That awakening was a blessing in disguise.

🌿 Today, I guide women who are ready to see uncertainty as opportunity, embrace imperfection as wholeness, and meet life as it is - with gratitude as their anchor.

Through NLP coaching and deeper self-reflection, I guide them in releasing fear, reclaiming their self-trust, and reconnecting with their inner wisdom - living a life of emotional freedom, truth, and joy is within reach.

I believe happiness is not a luxury - it’s our birthright. 

When we choose love, we choose peace. And when we walk this path together, we create ripples of gentleness, strength, and compassion - the very energy the world needs more of.

✨ My clients come to me when:

💧 They feel unworthy, unseen, or unloved.
💧 They’re tired of chasing approval or trapped in draining relationships.
💧 They’ve buried their dreams under fear, duty, or exhaustion.
💧 They’re ready - truly ready - to live fuller, and have no regrets.

Every journey home begins with one courageous step. Sometimes that step is as simple as a conversation.

📩 If this resonates with you, send me a message with “Brave Heart” or book a call. Let’s explore whether I am the right support on your journey toward freedom, joy, and self-trust.

Because brave hearts know - the journey home to love is the freedom they once hid from. And now, they walk toward it with gratitude, reverence, and awe.

Welcome home - sooner.

With love and light,
Eleen

Eleen (Yik Lie) Yaw - NLP Happiness Coach

On this 15th day of the Lunar New Year, when the full moon rises - symbolising completion, reunion, and wholeness - may you see that nothing in your life stands alone.

The joy and the struggle.

The gain and the loss.

The effort and the surrender.

They are not opposing forces.

They are parts of one complete circle.

Wholeness is not perfection.

It is the willingness to embrace every aspect of your life as part of your becoming.

As the first full moon of the year shines brightly, may it illuminate not only the sky above you - but also the quiet completeness within you.

And perhaps the deeper question to carry into this fullness is this:

If everything, even the imperfect, even the unfinished - is divinely placed to enrich the path you have chosen, can you allow yourself to live as though nothing is missing?

May the blessings of the Year of the Horse continue to expand your creativity, sweeten your heart, and reveal the abundance that has always been part of your wholeness.

Image credit: @gennygrevatte on Instagram

#blessings
#abundance

Eleen (Yik Lie)  Yaw - NLP Happiness Coach

Life Coach | NLP Happiness Coach | Empowering Women to Let Go, and Awaken to the Freedom of Love

🌱 The greatest version of yourself is not behind you. 

It is unfolding steadily now, provided you don’t stand in the way.

Becoming the best version of yourself is a work in progress.

You have lived through the best and the hardest seasons of your life.

Yet the greatest version of yourself is not behind you.

It is unfolding right now.

We cannot force what is coming our way.

But we can paint images in our imagination that anchor confidence in our hearts.

Imagination is a creative power.

When we dare to dream with curiosity, playfulness, and a sense of possibility, we begin to energise the goodness we wish to experience.

But a dream remains a dream if it stays only in the mind.

Without action, nothing changes in our reality.

The past chapters of our lives cannot be rewritten.

Yet we often hold onto them tightly whether the memories are sweet or painful.

If there is one thing worth doing in this lifetime, it is this:

Live fuller with everything you can offer yourself now.

You may have already realized that constantly pleasing others while disappointing yourself is a painful trade.

It is not worth hurting yourself because someone chooses not to trust you, or decides to walk away from your life.

In time, you realize a deeper truth:

The person who has felt for you most deeply is yourself.

The pain you endured. The suffering you walked through. You carried it.

But when doubt and discouragement become the voice in your mind, they begin to crush the very spirit you are trying to heal.

The best version of yourself is discovered through experimentation - living, choosing, falling, learning, and beginning again.

Spend time caring for your well-being.

Your state of mind.

Your attitude toward life.

And the way you treat yourself.

At the end of the day, you are the one who faces what is reflected back from the world.

Energy attracts energy.

What you cultivate within will eventually return to you.

You do not need to walk someone else's path.

You are here to choose your own.

Not everyone will understand you. Not everyone will support you. Yet this is part of the wholeness of life.

Knowing this truth does not disqualify you from becoming the person you aspire to be.

Nor does it prevent you from choosing a life that truly matters to your soul and your heart.

Live fuller is not a destination.

It is a quiet commitment you renew every day.

What small action will you take today to become more of who you're aspiring to be?

Your greatest chapter isn't something you remember, it's something you're actively writing right now, with every decision you make. 💫

#imagination
#blessings

🍵 The separation heartbreak is temporary, but the memories last much longer. 

As I finished my matcha at a nearby café, I took a quiet moment for myself, trying to “download” tomorrow’s content.

The stream of ideas felt rather quiet today.

Unconsciously, I realize I'm preparing to return home, and I will miss my family here for a while.

Such hidden emotions linger, even when I try not to see them.

I've learned not to share my 'missing someone' energy with anyone, especially my parents and younger brother.

I remind myself again and again, as we send off my other siblings to the airport.

Not to shed tears, but to bless everyone with a warm, happy smile, knowing we'll see each other again next year.

The separation heartbreak is temporary, but the memories of the wonderful time spent together last much longer despite occasional tension.

Let's savour those instead.

I intentionally choose to notice the blessings that arise in awareness.

Insecurity can make a lot of noise, but I’m not brushing it aside forcefully anymore.

I choose to breathe. 

I choose to calm myself. 

I choose to speak my gratitude often.

What I entertain returns - almost unmistakably. I’m aware of that.

I remind myself that life itself - the breath, the separations, even the challenges can all be blessings when seen with an open heart.

Tapping into the circulating energy of good fortune during this auspicious Lunar New Year, I trust:

Goodness is not scarce. It is ever-present.

Nothing is missing, lacking, or disappearing from us.

These are simply moments in the season - to appreciate, embrace, and ride with steady effort and a grateful heart.

What helps you navigate goodbyes without letting heartbreak overshadow the beautiful memories you've just created?

Missing someone is proof that you were blessed to have them close. 

The ache is temporary. 

The love that created it lasts forever. ❤️

#blessings
#gratitude

🕊️ You travelled this far not because you’re lucky.

It’s because nothing here could really break or stop you from choosing how you want to live each day.

I don’t want to slip back into old habits of grumbling or feeling sad and unmotivated.

There are moments when I feel lazy or unproductive, and I let them be.

I’ve noticed that nothing impressive comes from rushing or from being unhappy.

If I want to feel good, I simply do what makes me happy.

We have yet to master the skill of being the boss of our emotions, we’re getting there.

I’ve had enough of self-pity and the longing for comfort.

I’m fortunate to have a daughter with whom I can share moments of emotional turmoil. 

She listens and never tries to educate me.

Choosing becoming is not only giving ourselves the chance to understand ourselves better through forgiveness, compassion, and guidance.

It also allows us to meet people who share that same understanding.

These are the people who will enrich our journey moving forward.

They do not lead us; they simply live the goodness their presence attracts.

We walk beside them because we are one of them.

It doesn’t mean the journey ahead will be merrier.

But we know it will get better.

We understand that the meaning of life is never about smoothness.

It is a mixture of joy and struggle.

However, the mind begins to see struggles as blessings.

And embrace them, moving through with gratitude rather than grumbling or sadness.

Unknowingly, we live fuller and happier in this self-aware and intentional work in progress.

And perhaps this is the quiet truth we’re learning to trust:

The greatest version of ourselves is not behind us.

It is slowly unfolding - each time we choose awareness over complaint, compassion over self-pity, and growth over comfort.

What lies ahead is not perfection.

But it is a wiser, freer, and more loving version of who we are becoming.

If the greatest version of you is still ahead, what are you choosing today that helps that version emerge? 🕊️

#blessings 
#becoming

🧨🧨Joy is simple - it begins with a grateful heart.

Day 8 arrives with merriment and excitement, often welcomed by the rich, lively sound of firecrackers. 

Many businesses reopen on this auspicious day, greeting the year with hopeful hearts - ready to receive the flowing energy of prosperity.

Today, I spotted this delightful prosperity cat figurine at the nail spa - perfectly in tune with the spirit of the day.

One paw gently calls in abundance and wealth, the other welcomes infinite happiness.

And the little one stands firmly upon a bucket overflowing with 福到 (fu dao) - blessings arriving, just as promised.

May this Day 8 surround you with warmth, renewal, and joyful expectancy.

I’m sending you heartfelt blessings for the year ahead - 

🧧an abundant and effortless flow of prosperity

🧧a body deeply nourished and well cared for

🧧a mind that is clear, steady, and flourishing

🧧golden opportunities that arrive naturally and are received with humility

🧧and a beautiful rhythm of giving and receiving, flowing with ease beyond what the mind can measure

May what comes to you be generous.

May what moves through you be meaningful.

May what stays with you be peace.

Wishing you a year filled not only with wealth - but with fullness of heart, quiet joy, and blessings that keep arriving… steadily, and abundantly.

恭喜發財！💰💰
Gong Xi Fa Cai 🧨🧨

Prosperity isn't just about what flows in, it's about the grace with which we receive it and share it forward. 

May your year overflow with both. 

#prosperity
#abundance

Do you enjoy being in your own company?

Unconsciously, the quality of our day is often shaped by the emotions, states of mind, and attitudes we carry from the moment we wake up.

What usually comes to your mind each morning - especially on a Monday?

Is Monday a bad day?

It depends on what you allow your mind to decide.

Dragging? Tired? Avoiding?

Or grateful, excited, and focused?

Research shows that for many people, the main motivation for showing up at work is the month-end pay. 

We often admire those who work from passion or from something that began as a hobby.

They may seem lucky.

But what we may not see is the quiet effort they invested in trusting themselves and choosing not to settle for less.

Still, the real question is this:

Can you enjoy what you have right now and begin your day with happy thoughts?

When you drink your morning coffee, do you take a moment to thank yourself for continuing to show up - or are you simply rushing while drinking it?

When you are stuck in traffic, are you complaining - or using that moment to quietly bless yourself?

When you feel left out or unappreciated, do you sabotage yourself - or pause to comfort and encourage yourself first?

These small efforts, accumulated over time, remind you why you are the most important person in your life.

What you cultivate within will reflect outwardly - sometimes in the mirror, sometimes through the way others respond to you.

One day, you may notice that you have become someone you genuinely enjoy being around.

To enjoy our own company, perhaps we simply begin here:

Less stress. More presence.

Less pointing fingers. More forgiveness.

Less self-sabotage. More clarity.

Less doubt. More self-support.

May your Monday be blessed with exactly what your heart, mind, and body need most today. 

And perhaps a gentle question to begin the day:

Are you someone you enjoy spending time with today? 🍵

#blessings
#gratitude

🌿 Healing never comes from time alone. 

It comes from your willingness to understand yourself.

You are easily bothered by what others think of you. Why?

You may believe the people around you shape your identity and opportunities.

Yet, if you never invest in yourself to feel whole and sufficient within, no external approval will ever be enough.

Sometimes we live day to day, holding onto old habits, convincing ourselves that breaking them will only make things worse.

Even when those very habits have already created deep stress.

Recently, I noticed something about myself.

I tend to explain too much.

Maybe I trust the person enough. 

Maybe it's an unconscious habit of “You must hear me out."

After stepping back, I realized this:

Not everything requires a serious explanation.

Each of us lives within our own perspective.

There is no absolute right or wrong, only varying degrees of tolerance, acceptance, and understanding.

There is no need to insist that others think as we do.

What matters more is mutual respect in intention.

With loved ones, we choose to listen - not to correct.

With others, we listen, but we don't take everything personally.

Within ourselves, we remain neutral.

We emotionally disengage when necessary - not out of coldness, but because our inner world deserves gentle preservation.

Our joy.

Our creativity.

Our peace.

These are lifelines, and we keep them safe.

When we truly understand and respect ourselves, healing happens quietly.

Past drama loses its intensity.

It passes lightly, without demanding our energy.

Simply because we are busy living well, right here, in this moment.

What old habit are you ready to release, not because someone told you to, but because you finally understand it no longer serves who you're becoming?

Healing doesn’t come from time alone.

It comes from choosing to understand yourself more deeply each day.

Day 11 of the LNY - a double of the single digit 1.

May the effort you make in pausing to reflect be rewarded with double blessings and deeper self-understanding. ❤️

#blessings
#healing

🐎 Today marks the 9th day of the Lunar New Year 

In our tradition, this day is said to symbolize lasting good fortune.

初九吉祥，福运长长久久。

💛 May good fortune flow gently, remaining with us for a long, long time.

 初九纳福，喜乐绵延不断。

💛 With grateful hearts, may we welcome peace, joy, and infinite harmony.

天公生赐福，家和万事兴。

💛 May our homes be filled with good luck and warmth, and our days guided by unceasing peace. 

福到初九，好运长流。

💛 May abundance grow not only in wealth, but also in love and meaningful connections.

As we honour this auspicious day, may gratitude ground us and blessings surround us.

Today, I pause to appreciate the abundance already around me. 

A day that reminds us: blessings are meant to last, and joy is meant to flow.

May the 9th day bring you infinite blessings, gentle luck, and a heart full of gratitude.

#blessings
#gratitude

For many of us, life is rarely a smooth path of returning home to the Self. The journey is filled with curveballs - not to punish us, but to purify a 

Open article: Accepting All That Has Happened by Eleen (Yik Lie) Yaw - NLP Happiness Coach • 3 min read

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Eleen (Yik Lie) Yaw - NLP Happiness Coach

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The Battle

Gunnar Habitz

Eleen (Yik Lie) Yaw - NLP Happiness Coach

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Gunnar Habitz's LinkedIn Performance

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