Olivia Carr

Olivia Carr's Biography

Entrepreneur, social change maker and philanthropist

Olivia Carr is the Founder and Chief Giving Officer of the global brand Shhh Silk, a purpose-driven business redefining beauty, wellness, and sleep and harnessing the power of community to drive social change.

The mission behind Shhh Silk is more than just building a profitable business. Olivia Carr has forged a brand synonymous with giving back, inspiring people and changing lives; doing good is in her DNA.

But what makes Olivia Carr's keynote so moving and inspiring is her personal story. After becoming a young single mother at age nineteen, Olivia defied the odds, but it wasn't without years of personal struggle. For Olivia, what lay ahead was a decade of financial hardship, a fight for an opportunity in the workforce, followed by a personal battle with anxiety.

Olivia's incredible, raw, open and sincere story offers the audience many moments they will find moving, inspiring and thought-provoking. She shares the right mix of highs and lows to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, waiting with anticipation to see how her story ends.

Olivia Carr's most recent battle with post-pandemic anxiety is an example of a topic that Olivia shares through her lived experience in a relatable and essential way for the audience to understand as we all navigate our way 'back to the future' post-pandemic.

Olivia is a mother, a no-secrets entrepreneur, a philanthropist and a social changemaker. And ultimately? A true inspiration.

Speaking Topics Include

Social Commerce: Everyone's doing it, but we're doing it differently

What the pandemic taught me about business

My five most important lessons learnt in business

Gratitude and leadership, why it matters?

Team culture is more than a buzzword

The business of making a difference and finding purpose

Slow to grow, the art of having it all

Back to the future - Re-emerging post pandemic

Transitioning back to the workplace post-pandemic is not without its challenges, both personally and professionally.

Olivia's most recent battle with post-pandemic anxiety is an example of a topic that Olivia shares through her lived experience in a relatable and essential way for the audience to understand as we all navigate our way 'back to the future' post-pandemic.

Olivia shares how she re-engaged her workforce after lockdown life. And how she has had to challenge her leadership style post-pandemic.

This keynote delicately discusses mental health through the eyes of Olivia as she shares how she had to navigate from isolation to leadership whilst battling post-pandemic anxiety.

This keynote enables leaders, peers, and organisations to consider why it is essential to reconnect, re-engage and check in with each other.

Purpose driven leadership

Since the inception of Shhh Silk in 2015, they have donated, paid it forward, gifted, volunteered and everything in between. The company's deep embedded purpose culture has allowed it to thrive and grow in a time that others have not. It is more important now than ever for organisations to identify, communicate and fulfil their purpose internally and externally.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit our shores in March 2020, Olivia and Shhh Silk instantly felt the impact and uncertainty. For the first time since launching in 2015, Shhh Silk faced a series of zero-sales days in a row. With a cash flow run rate that would see the business facing closure within a few weeks, Olivia did something she had never had to do before. She reached out to her community of customers and followers and asked them to help save Shhh Silk. What happened next was astounding, short of a miracle. Her online customers and retail customers rallied behind the business and showered it with support. They saved Shhh Silk and its staff. They allowed Shhh Silk to have its strongest sales year on record, which enabled the business to pay it forward to its community bigger than ever before.

As a brand built upon the ethos of doing good, Olivia's customers, in return, paid it back and allowed the business to thrive when retail was facing real hardship and financial turbulence.

My entrepreneurial journey

Pregnant at 19, Olivia defied the odds, but it wasn't without years of personal struggle. For Olivia, what lay ahead was a decade of financial hardship, a fight for an opportunity in the workforce, followed by a personal battle with anxiety. Olivia shares how she has mastered the art of determination and never giving up, having now built a multi-million dollar sleep, beauty and wellness brand without any external funding or outside investors.

Mum (at 19). PR guru. Supporter of all women. No-secrets entrepreneur. Pioneer of sleep masks for the homeless. And ultimately? A true inspiration.

Olivia's incredible, raw, open and sincere story offers the audience many moments they will find moving, inspiring and thought-provoking. She shares the right mix of highs and lows to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, waiting with anticipation to see how her story ends.

From hardship to philanthropist (finding your why)

Pregnant at 19, Olivia defied the odds, but it wasn't without years of personal struggle. For Olivia, what lay ahead was a decade of financial hardship, a fight for an opportunity in the workforce, followed by a personal battle with anxiety. Olivia shares how she has mastered the art of determination and never giving up, having now built a multi-million dollar sleep, beauty and wellness brand without any external funding or outside investors.

Success in business demands so much, starting with knowing your purpose and the heart and soul of your brand, exceptional problem-solving skills, and strategic thinking that generates meaningful outcomes. Olivia has mastered the art of leading with purpose.

The mission behind Shhh Silk is more than just building a profitable business. Olivia has forged a brand synonymous with giving back, inspiring people and changing lives; doing good is in her DNA.

Having experienced real financial hardship early in her life, she now uses those experiences to inspire and support others to pursue their dreams no matter where they are in their life right now. And to give back to others, pay it forward as so many did for her when she needed it most.

When your mission is more significant than any obstacle, you can achieve great things.