Our Sidekick community is made up of people from all walks of life. Their backgrounds, their passions and their stories are part of what makes them so good at what they do. Olivia is a Commerce/ Information Systems graduate with background in classical singing. She has built houses in Vanuatu, loves to travel and is an awful gift wrapper. Read why she loves what she does.
Where were you working before you started Sidekicking?
I worked at various retail stores, before working casually in data entry for a fashion brand.
Tell us something unique about yourself (hobbies, interests, experiences etc)
I am passionate about music, and studied classical singing before continuing with my commerce degree majoring in Information Systems. I love all walks of music (Post Malone to Etta James). I still enjoy playing music as a hobby to distract me from all things uni.
I love to travel and have been lucky enough to have travelled so much at my age. My most memorable experience travelling was building a house on a remote Vanuatu island for the most deserving family, you simply can’t replicate that feeling of joy!
What was your first Sidekicking gig?
It was working with the catering team at a conference.
Coolest thing you’ve done at Sidekicker?
Working as a Brand Ambassador side of stage at Homegrown Festival in Wellington. Being paid to watch your favourite artists sing metres from you? Not bad for a “job”.
What was your first job?
Gift wrapping at a department store. I was never good at it, and even after wrapping hundreds of gifts, am still terrible.
What do you hope to do in the future?
Work in the tech industry. I would love to move overseas to gain more experience and learn more about innovation and the future of technology in business (in places a little larger than New Zealand).
I also want to finish off my bucket list of travel, I think learning about the world first-hand is some of the best education you can get.
What did you want to be when you were younger?
It changed every week. A vet, a lawyer, a journalist, a singer, pretty much everything but working in Information Systems so its funny to see how your goals change as you grow up!
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone who wants to be a Sidekick?
You really have nothing to lose! It’s so much fun and completely flexible.
Why do you love what you do?
I can manage my work hours and type of work directly, and have full flexibility over my schedule. It also allows me to meet and interact with new people, far more than you would so working in the same place each week. I also love the app, and think it’s very innovative in changing the way our generation view work.