How She Got There: Mai Olivo, CEO and Creative Director of Ruche, Inc.

Name: Mai Olivo
Age: 30
Job Title and Description: CEO and Creative Director of Ruche, Inc.
College/Major: Information and Computer Science (major) and Digital Arts (minor) at UC Irvine
Website: www.shopruche.com and www.threadsence.com
Twitter Handle:@maiolivo
 
Her Campus: What does your current job entail?
Mai Olivo: As a startup company, I wear many hats. A typical day entails doing everything required to get all of the site’s content to meet the standard of the Ruche girl. I also spend a lot of time finding new ways to reach the Ruche girl — not just to post another banner ad up, but to find a way to connect with her in a meaningful way. I strive to make look books and features that everyone will enjoy and I hope to inspire them.
 
HC: What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?
MO: My dream job as a high school graduate was to be a computer animator and work for Pixar. However, my college major focused more on computer programming and software, which I ended up enjoying in the end. My first job out of college was an applications developer at Philips Medical Systems.  I made internal tools to help automate manual processes in the company, and I don’t think I could have found a better job to start off my career. Believe it or not, I never had previous experience in the fashion industry; I just loved to shop.
 
HC: What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry when you first started out that you know now?
MO: It’s not as glamorous as it looks! It’s a lot more work than it seems, but it is rewarding. There’s a lot of meticulous planning and preparation that needs to be done to successfully launch something. Every detail must be well thought out in order to have a chance at success. It’s a monumental task to align everyone involved in a photo shoot with all of the products to pull off an amazing look book.  
 
HC: Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?
MO: There have been so many people that have changed my outlook, given solid advice, and inspired me along the way. Friends and family have provided an endless amount of inspiration and professional advice that I can always count on. My husband Josh gave me confidence to invest our life savings into some shoes to sell on eBay. He also gave me confidence to leave my job to pursue Ruche full time.
 
HC: What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?
MO:Don’t be afraid to take a chance. When Josh and I first decided to invest our life savings for some shoes to sell on eBay, we actually wire transferred the cash to someone in Pakistan (whom I met only online and via email contact). He seemed like a genuine individual with products to sell, so we went ahead and risked it all. Our reward for the time to find this person online and navigate a deal was the beginning of Ruche.
 
HC: What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
MO: Not delegating tasks fast enough. It’s difficult and a bit terrifying to start delegating tasks at first, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes more natural. I’ve since learned the importance of empowering our team and creating processes for them to work with. It’s given me time to focus on other tasks and grow our company.
 
HC: What is the best part of your job?
MO: Everything! I get to be creative, shop a lot, and play with clothes. I even get to bring my dog to work. I look forward to going to the office every day, there’s always so much to do and things change so fast.
 
HC: What do you look for when considering hiring someone?
MO:We’re not only growing a company here at Ruche, but we are building a Ruche family.  Our first few hires were friends and friends of friends; we’ve really grown strong roots for our family tree. We hire based on skills, motivation, and personality. We want someone who can fit into the Ruche culture and excel at the same time.  The goal for our employees is to have them be able to do what they are great at doing.
 
HC: What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
MO: I know it is cliché, but dreams can come true if you work really hard. It won’t be an easy ride, but it’s worth it in the end. If you really want it, you must be willing to put aside a lot of your other hobbies; it requires you to almost be obsessed with your goals.

• how she got there