BABE #371: OLIVIA KERN - Founder + CEO, Ollie’s Global
After traveling as a missionary for several years and seeing the hardships so many faced, Olivia decided to take action. She pitched an idea to her best friend and shortly after, they were headed to Thailand with a combined $800 in their pockets and the desire to heal. Today, Olivia is the founder and CEO of Ollies Global, a company creating sustainable and ethical products by partnering with and employing survivors of human trafficking and those living in impoverished areas. She’s also currently finishing her first book, titled “Finding Home: Journeying from Trauma to Truth.” Whether she’s face-to-face working with survivors or putting pen to paper, Olivia is doing it all with the intention of empowering the powerless and cultivating hope in every nation.
The Basics:
Hometown: Jacksonville, FL
Current city: Jacksonville, FL
Alma mater: N/A
Degree: N/A
Very first job: Auntie Anne's Pretzels
Hustle: Founder + CEO, Ollies Global
The Interests:
Babe you admire and why?
I try to live my life in accordance with the original babe, Mother Teresa. Her bold, selfless and hardworking character is one that I strive to emulate. I’ve walked the same streets in India that she did, and it was apparent that her footprints were still there, cultivating kindness. She set a precedent that changed the world, and I hope to as well.
How do you spend your ‘free’ time?
Spending time with my kids and foster kids traveling, enjoying bonfires and having dance parties. We really love to dance in our house!
What would you eat for your very last meal?
Pho, of course! I lived in Vietnam and would eat it several times a day from a little stall on the side of the road.
What’s something you want to learn or master?
I want to get my Master’s degree in psychology. I also want to master the art of empathy.
If you could have coffee with anyone in the world, who would it be?
Einstein. I have always been so intrigued with how his brain worked. He was said to have Asperger’s Syndrome, which I have as well. I would love to hear his thoughts on the world of today and hear his ideas on how to be a catalyst for an effective change. Something he said many times is, “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value,” which has always held my heart accountable. What is success if we have no value? What is success if we do not value the people around us? What is success if we do not value our own worth?
What’s something most don’t know about you?
I have Asperger’s Syndrome. I have kept this diagnosis very personal and private until recently. I struggled a lot in my life and had been misdiagnosed several times until I found an Autism specialist. My brain was just wired a little differently, and that is okay by me.
The Hustle:
Tell us about your hustle, providing an overview of your job and roles.
I am the founder of Ollies Global. Our brand produces ethical and sustainable items through empowering survivors of human trafficking and those living in impoverished areas; we are focused on the fair trade model. At Ollie’s Global, we only partner with our survivors and source locally from small crafters to ensure that each one of our employees receives a fair wage, are treated ethically and are empowered to live an abundant life! My role is very relationship-driven with our survivors—I make sure they know they are cared for and valued. I also run the day-to-day operations here stateside with our Co Founder Courtney Sloane. I am also currently finishing my first book called “Finding Home: Journeying from trauma to truth”. I am nervous but yet excited to have this book out there to help people along their journeys!
What does your typical workday look like? Which various ‘hats’ do you wear throughout the day?
My days are all but typical. More like hustle and bustle and no two days are the same. Running multiple businesses, being a foster mom and an author makes some days seem impossible. First and foremost, my priority is my kids and fostering. We take in kids that have some extreme mental illnesses due to trauma they have endured, so that takes a lot of time on some days to get stabilized. After that, I will lock myself in my office and get to what needs to be done. I am an extroverted introvert, so I really enjoy the time I have writing or responding to emails in peace and quiet. Every day is a new journey!
What inspired Ollie’s Global? What has the evolution of the business been like since you created it, and what was the most important piece of your vision for it?
I was a missionary for several years and afterward, decided that I wanted to do something more sustainable. At the time, I was living in Thailand and made the decision that I was done just feeling emotion—I was going to start doing something about it. I flew back to the states and asked my best friend (who had lived in twelve impoverished nations) if she wanted to join me on this crazy adventure. She said YES! We bought plane tickets back to Thailand, and with only $800 between the two of us, we began going underground and building relationships. Our first survivor was working for a US shoe company as a labor slave for over thirty years, and was sexually trafficked by American staff. That is how our first crafted item came about: shoes! She loved crafting shoes, even with all she had been through. We were patient and built trust with her and her family, and learned that her heart was to be a mother to other victims of trafficking. We began moving forward and hit the ground running, and we have since been able to employ fourteen survivors of human trafficking as well as empower them and their families to live a life of freedom and joy. We have been in a constant process of growth and learning. Even in all of the growth, one thing is never negotiable: we will never value a product more than the love and health of our survivors. Our vision will always be to love the unloved and to speak hope and light into the hearts of everyone.
What do you believe to be the key factors that contribute to forced labor and human trafficking? How does Ollie’s aim to break this cycle, and can we do to support the cause?
Selfishness and lack of value for human life are big contributors of human trafficking. We have talked about it so much, and those are always two things that we feel lead the way. Lots of businesses value product or money over life, and do not care about who they harm on their way to success. Ethics and human life are not valued enough to rid many of self-serving actions; self-indulgence is the catalyst to sexual exploitation. We believe that to end the cycle, we have to go to where it begins. So, we often sit, talk, and build relationships with the sellers and the bosses, hoping that our ethical code will be a catalyst for change.
How do you practice staying composed in emotionally-charged professional situations? Is this something you’ve learned through professional and/or academic training?
Debriefing daily as a team is vital to the emotional health of our staff. Leading with strength and empathy is important. Compassion fatigue is a real thing, and knowing when you need to pull back is key to success.
How have your past professional and academic experiences and lessons prepared you for the work you do today? How have they not prepared you?
I did not finish high school, and did not attend college. I went through several leadership internships and was on staff at a missions organization which equipped me to put my dreams into actions.
What would you say is your biggest career milestone to date and why?
Man, what a loaded question. Honestly, every day is a career milestone for me. Before I understood how powerful I was, I thought I would never amount to anything. But I would say the biggest milestone was employing our first survivor. I have fought for Ollies, and I have spent days feeling defeated, but with the support from my inner circle I have never given up on it. I am proof that there is no right or wrong way to be successful. Every card said I could never be successful. Our past failures can only dictate our future success if we give them permission to.
What’s your biggest strength in your role? What’s the skill you most need to improve?
Tenacity is one of my biggest strengths. If I had not had the tenacity I have had, I do not believe we would have made it this far. Being a visionary is a blessing and curse. Some days I have to be reeled back in to where we are now. Focus is definitely a skill I need to improve on.
Who are some women in your field that you look to for inspiration?
Every woman whose story is unheard. The women who have boots on the ground and are not looking for glory but looking to bring reformation.
Career and/or life advice for other babes (both inside and outside of you industry?)
Always know your worth! If you don't, someone else will always tell you your value. Do not be afraid to pioneer a dream that seems crazy. You are fierce and wonderful and a force to be reckoned with.
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