We recently connected with Vivian Olodun and have shared our conversation below.

Vivian , looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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.

From the very beginning, a portion of Flourish Media’s earnings has been dedicated to our nonprofit arm, Behind The Leaf, a 501(c)(3) organization focused on investor readiness for women entrepreneurs.

Behind The Leaf was created to close the funding gap by equipping women with the tools, language, and confidence to attract capital. Through this nonprofit, we host workshops, mentorship programs, and the Flourish Media Conference—an annual event in Miami, Florida that has been running since 2016. It’s a space where women not only learn how to pitch but also connect directly with investors who are ready to fund them.

We chose this cause because it’s personal. We’ve seen far too many brilliant women struggle not due to lack of talent, but lack of access. Investing in Behind The Leaf allows us to change that narrative—one woman, one pitch, one funded dream at a time. You can learn more about being a Flourish member and attending the next Flourish Media Conference at FlourishMediaConference.com.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Flourish Media was born from a genuine need—78 women came together looking for better ways to use online tools to stand out. What started as an organic gathering grew into something much larger. In 2015, we raised capital to invest in women-owned businesses, and by 2016, we hosted the first Flourish Media Conference at Florida International University. The women in that room looked around, saw the caliber of their peers, and asked us—my business partner, Dr. Tracy Timberlake, and I—to build something lasting for them.

That’s how the Flourish Media Membership was born: a place for women entrepreneurs to learn, collaborate, and grow together. Today, it’s more than a training program—it’s a thriving community of founders and change-makers who want to scale their businesses with clarity and confidence. Members gain access to marketing education, group coaching, and curated networking that helps them turn their ambition into real revenue.

As the daughter of immigrants from Panama and Nigeria, I didn’t grow up around entrepreneurship. My parents served in the U.S. military in search of stability. I chose a different kind of service—helping women create stability through ownership and branding. After studying political science and public relations at Barry University, I left corporate America to design a life centered around travel, freedom, and creativity. My first consulting company was fully mobile by design—every system built to run from my phone.

That ethos now powers Flourish Media’s franchise model. With operations ready to expand into 26 states, Flourish Media Franchisees inherit a business model built on freedom—no gatekeeping, no burnout, just smart strategy and scalable support. Watching this project evolve into a nationwide opportunity is a full-circle moment. We’re not just teaching women how to stand out online—we’re helping them flourish, on their terms.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Absolutely. My journey has been shaped by the understanding that knowledge gaps aren’t dead ends—they’re invitations. I was born in Germany to immigrant parents from Panama and Nigeria, who left everything familiar behind to pursue a better life in America.

That spirit of starting from scratch is something I carry with me. At Flourish Media, we created the Seasons quiz based on our learned experience to help others flourish.

When I first became interested in business, investing, and real estate, I knew very little. I didn’t grow up in an environment where those conversations were common. But I also knew that shame only keeps us small. I made a conscious decision not to let what I didn’t know stop me. Instead, I sought out people who did know more—mentors, peers, and professionals who had walked the road I was just beginning. I asked questions, joined communities, and surrounded myself with people who didn’t just tolerate growth—they expected it.

Growth happens in collaboration. That’s why I am passionate about creating environments where women business owners can ask questions and thrive. You can learn more about the Flourish community at FlourishMediaCo.com

That choice changed everything.

Being in nurturing, knowledgeable environments gave me the courage to try, fail, learn, and keep going. I learned that resilience isn’t just about toughing it out alone—it’s about allowing yourself to grow in the presence of others.

There’s incredible power in saying, “I don’t know, but I’m willing to learn.

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

One of the most important lessons I had to unlearn was the “lone wolf syndrome”—the belief that everything I created had to be done by me, and only me. That mindset may have felt safe early in my journey, but it became a ceiling I couldn’t grow past. I had to release the pressure of being the expert at everything and instead become excellent at collaboration.

Flourish Media, my PR and marketing agency, helped me shed that belief. We operate as a collective, bringing together a powerhouse group of highly skilled women professionals to serve our clients. Building a team based on trust, shared vision, and complementary talent was the catalyst for my next chapter.

During the pandemic, we created the Made for Millions Mastermind to help other women entrepreneurs practice the very thing I had to learn: how to build together. Members join at $300 per quarter or $1500 for a lifetime membership, gaining access to online courses, planned group projects, and quarterly in-person events. It’s not just about business growth—it’s about becoming a better collaborator and a more strategic leader.

We meet four times a year at the Capital One Café in Fort Lauderdale. Our next sessions are on September 19 and November 7. This community isn’t just an answer to isolation—it’s a commitment to building in public, together.

Our membership attracts high-frequency women from top companies like Google, Harvard Business School, and many women who have completed the Goldman Sachs program for entrepreneurs. Motivated women like that often reach these heights with their will and pure determination, but as we age gracefully into our 40s, 50s, and 60s, we know better, so we do better – together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://FlourishMediaCo.com
• Instagram: @FlourishMediaCo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FlourishMC
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-media-co/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@flourishmediaco
• Other: https://vivianolodun.com

Image Credits

@womenbymagda @alex_simon_photographer
@k.ameyphotography