We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Vivian Olodun a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Vivian, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the decision of whether to donate a percentage of sales to an organization or cause – we’d love to hear the backstory of how you thought through this.

I believe for-profit businesses can do social good.

Seven years ago, I raised $15 million to invest in businesses that are owned and operated by women with my business partner Dr. Tracy Timberlake. Our nonprofit Behind The Leaf host the Flourish Media Conference in Miami, FL, to help women get to the money faster. The conference is two days and focused on branding, visibility, and business funding. Conference attendees are rewarded with Small Business Grants that are funded by the conference speakers. Learn more at FlourishMediaConference.com.

When I stepped away from corporate America, I knew I wanted to build a business that supported flourishing in life and career. With the right business structure and investments, my business could also give back to my community. My company has always paid a portion of its profits for philanthropic projects.

It’s been the highlight of my career to align Flourish Media with mission-driven organizations such as the Alacran Foundation, Genesis Hopeful Haven, and Behind The Leaf.

Flourish Media is a multimillion-dollar marketing collective that helps business owners speak clearly to their audiences on the platforms that mean the most to them. Flourish Media creates business development and training products, workshops, and networking events to help businesses grow. We are the leaders in luxury learning.

It’s been my experience that some of the most successful people look for ways to give back to the communities they care about. There are obvious financial benefits to operating a business this way. Businesses that prioritize philanthropy also see tax benefits on the back end.

Entrepreneurship is rewarding. Entrepreneurs create jobs, provide stability, and improve communities around them. Our government agrees and provides tax benefits that can help businesses financially by offsetting its donations with tax credits.

Currently, we are seeing inflation and signs of a possible recession. Savvy business owners should look for opportunities to increase efficiency and their return on investment. Donating a portion of your revenue is good for the larger community, but it also helps the business financially during this transitional period.

It’s smart business.

Vivian, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi, I am Vivian Olodun, lol. I am an author, serial entrepreneur, and mom. I am the CEO of a multimillion-dollar award-winning marketing firm called Flourish Media, based in Miami, Florida. My work has been seen in USA Today, Forbes Magazine, The Miami Herald, and more. I have a passion for helping women get to the money faster.

Seven years ago co-founder and I raised $15 million to support women in business through an annual conference called the Flourish Media Conference. This two-day matchmaking event connects minority women business owners with angel investors, banks, and alternative funding solutions.

I have 18 years in marketing with a long list of partnerships, including Capital One Bank, Samsung, FedEx, Harvested Focus, Alacran Foundation, The Bit Group, and a collision of small businesses and organizations that I affectionately refer to as “The Tribe.” My published work is an interactive journal called Stumbling Through Adulthood, an interactive journal for failing forward. The work is a collection of short stories that are funny, raunchy, and full of drama for readers trying to make sense of failure as they also navigate the journey into “adulthood.”

Unapologetically Black, I donn’t hide my Afro-Latino & Nigerian heritage. I candidly joke about my position as an advisor to thought leaders while facing the fact that I am often the only brown girl in the room. I am professional and witty, bravely pulling back the curtain to show that if I can do it, so can you! I am married with two girls under two years old.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson that I had to “unlearn” as an entrepreneur who donates a portion of our profits is that for-profit businesses don’t care about people.

Business is neutral. It’s up to the people in the business to decide how they want to impact the world around them.

I did not grow up in an entrepreneurial environment. All the adults around me worked for someone. It was my assumption that big business was bad. Something about having lots of money meant that the business owner must have done something nefarious to earn it. I’m laughing at myself now, but I know many people have this assumption. I know I am not alone in that mindset.

How much money a business makes is directly connected to how many people the business serves. It’s possible to earn a fine living helping people. It’s also possible to make a major impact with donations without hurting the business. In my business, we account for donation goals in our service rates and remind clients that when they choose to do business with Flourish Media, they are part of a larger ripple effect that helps women. It’s a mindset change for entrepreneurs to grasp how many choices they actually have in structuring their business finances.

We care about people at Flourish Media. Our clients are more than money, they are creative visionaries on a journey to make the world a better place for the communities they care about. Hiring Flourish Media is an act of giving because a portion of their service fees is openly used to help others.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I built my reputation in the market by staying true to my love for people. I know what it feels like to be underappreciated in the marketplace. I know what it feels like to know I have something to offer with limited resources.

Because of my years of experience in corporate America, I know I am uniquely positioned to help small businesses think big. I get excited when I meet new entrepreneurs with niche products and services. I genuinely enjoy showing them marketing techniques to amplify their vision.

My nonprofit Behind The Leaf regularly creates free resources to help small businesses, like our Government Contracting Guide that shows business owners how to register for minority status and submit 6–7 figure government contacts. Our Social Media Guide for small businesses highlights how to use each social platform for business with updated content dimensions. I am especially proud of our private Facebook Group: FMC Where Women Do Business, where we host free workshops throughout the year on a number of business topics, from fundraising for nonprofits to where to find pitch competitions to raise money to scale a business.

I want to see my Tribe win. My actions over the years show that.

Contact Info:

• Website: vivianolodun.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivianolo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FlourishMC
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivianolodun/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/VivianOlo
• Other: FlourishMediaConference.com FlourishMEdiaCo.com

Image Credits
Women By Magda and Alex Simon Photography