Melissa Williams, Learning Dimensions Network
Melissa Williams has a deep passion for learning, despite hating school as a student. She describes surviving and at times, suffering through her education, but in her twenties, she realised the problem wasn't her - it was the system.
This ignited her mission to spend her career busting the belief that people can’t learn. Melissa’s journey with LDN began when she was the company's first employee 30 years ago. After leaving to gain practical experience as a global general manager, she returned as CEO and later bought the company outright.
LDN works with large, blue-chip, and government organisations, particularly in the construction and infrastructure sectors, as they are leaders in safety leadership. They specialise in equipping frontline leaders and supervisors - those who were promoted for their technical skills but often lack the necessary people skills to manage a team.
Their philosophy is simple but powerful: they do not provide 'off-the-shelf' training. Everything they do is uniquely designed and customised to a client's specific needs. The company focuses on adult learning principles, creating psychologically safe training that busts people's negative beliefs about their own abilities. LDN's goal is to drive transformational change by shifting beliefs, attitudes, and mindset, not just behaviour.
The company is also a low-risk provider, with a deep bench of experienced team members who can step in if needed, providing clients with confidence that their projects will be delivered seamlessly.
Despite being a leader in the industry for over 30 years with an exceptional reputation, LDN’s work came solely from client referrals or repeat business.
The company and its CEO lacked visibility in the market as Melissa had personally avoided public profiling for decades. To reach more people and have a bigger impact, Melissa knew she had to get herself and the company out there.
She decided it was time to put on her "big girl pants" and be more visible. The company partnered with The Audacious Agency to strategically leverage awards and media. The plan wasn't just about winning; it was about using the awards process as a vehicle to validate their work and build credibility.
The strategy focused on showcasing LDN’s unique approach and the tangible results they achieve for their clients and their own team.
Results: The profile-building partnership has been incredibly successful, publicly validating LDN's expertise and impact. The company received numerous awards, including:
The awards that LDN treasures most are the Gold for their client's WHS program and the Breakthrough Culture Award, which recognises the company as one of the most loved places to work in Australia. The recognition proves that LDN "walks the talk" on workplace culture and that their team loves what they do.
Message from the client
"The awards have publicly validated that what we're doing works, and that's the most valuable part. It gives us comfort that we're doing the right things, and it’s a testament that the work we do is legitimate".
“I had avoided public profiling for decades, but came to the realisation that the more people she can reach and shift their beliefs around the ability to learn, the better it will be for everyone. The awards actually work in terms of credibility, and people can see there is evidence that what we do works and that we are a quality provider.”
“My advice to any leader is simple - stay with it, stay on the course and don't give up. Be more visible...because the more you do that, the more you're going to shift the world of learning and development. And from my perspective, that means more people are going to reach their potential.”
Melissa Williams CEO, Learning Dimensions Network (LDN)
