Brave Enough to Begin: Olivia’s Story
At 19, Olivia took a chance on an idea. Today, at 22, she runs Liv’s Beauty Room in Barooga, the community where she grew up. Her story is about finding her own way in the beauty industry, learning to back herself, and the people who helped her do it. Here it is in her own words.
Hi, I’m Olivia. I’m 22 years old, born and raised in the Cobram/Barooga community, and the proud owner of Liv’s Beauty Room, where I work as a beauty therapist at the Barooga Work Hub in Barooga, NSW.
At 22, I’m incredibly proud to be building a business and a career that I genuinely love, right here in the community I call home. What started as an idea when I was just 19 has grown into something I never could have imagined, and looking back, I’m amazed by how much has changed in just a few short years.
When I started Liv’s Beauty Room at 19, I was already beginning to realise that the beauty industry was changing, and that finding your own place within it can take time. Starting out in any industry comes with challenges, and those experiences helped me understand what I wanted my own career to look like. I quickly realised that I didn’t want to simply follow the traditional beauty standards that had shaped the industry for so long. I wanted to find my own approach, one that felt genuine to me and reflected the way I wanted to make people feel.
"If I could speak to my 16-year-old self now, I would tell her that supporting yourself and believing in yourself is so important."
I don’t believe those traditional standards were wrong, they were simply a reflection of the industry and expectations at the time. Just as trends continue to change, I believe the beauty industry should continue to evolve too. I’m certainly not aiming to erase the past. I’m incredibly grateful for the foundations that were laid before me, and I want to build on them, evolve them and create something that feels right for the next generation.
I couldn’t have started thinking about working for myself without the support and mentorship I received along the way. One of my biggest mentors and greatest supports since day one has been my good friend Alice, who has also built her own successful career in the beauty industry through her business, Allure Spa, since 2022. Alice and I worked together for a little while before she took the leap to work for herself, and watching her build something of her own gave me the confidence to start imagining what that could look like for me too.
Behind closed doors Alice has always encouraged me to back myself and has supported me through so many challenges.When I first started out, my confidence was something I really struggled with. I’ve come to realise that confidence comes from experience, and Alice was able to share so much of hers with me while I was still finding my feet.
Having someone who believed in me, especially in the same industry, someone who shared their knowledge and encouraged me to back myself made such a difference to my development. I’m incredibly grateful to have had that support early in my journey, and it’s something I hope to be able to give to other women as I continue to grow.I am so so glad I had that friendly push from Alice, I wouldn’t be here today without that mentorship and more importantly that friendship.
You can learn what you need to know in your courses, but what makes you different in this industry is how you apply yourself after that qualification. Those extra little courses to upskill, the hours spent researching products, reading reviews, considering different perspectives on controversial topics — it all plays a part in continuing to grow your skills and knowledge and, ultimately, providing the best possible experience for the people who make the time and spend the money to come to you.
I will be forever grateful for the people in this town and the surrounding areas who choose to make room for me in their budget, who leave work early to make their appointment, or even come in on their day off. The fact that people are willing to make those sacrifices to support my small business is something I never take for granted. It truly is incredible. Moments of doubt would be natural for a 19-year-old opening a business in a competitive industry. One of the biggest questions I had was, “Am I too young? Are people going to give me a chance or take me seriously?”
I’ve learnt that the best way to move through those moments of doubt is to focus on the people who have given me a chance, who trust my knowledge and skills, and who continue to support me. Their belief in me has helped me build my own belief in myself.
Another question I’ve had to work through is, “Do I deserve to charge what I charge?”
This was, and honestly still is, a huge area of self doubt for me. I’ve never naturally had a strong “business mindset” if I could do what I love without charging anyone, I would! But I’ve learnt that running a business also means recognising the value of my time, my skills, my education and the experience I provide. I’m still learning to become more comfortable with that. I’ve learnt that it’s okay to increase my prices when my business and my costs require me to.
Growing up in regional Victoria, I always imagined I would either go to university or find a job locally, but I never pictured myself becoming a business owner. My cousins moved to Melbourne and loved the opportunities that a bigger city had to offer, and I’ve always looked up to them, so for a while during high school I thought that might be the path I was meant to take too. I ended up with Liv’s Beauty Room! Looking back, it almost feels like it happened overnight, but there was a lot of courage behind the decision. Going from working full-time to starting a business from the very beginning was a huge transition, and I’m so proud that I trusted myself enough to take that leap.
"From her early days in a VET course studying beauty. I’ve watched Olivia grow into a confident young business woman. A future community leader. " – Kimberley Tempest. Cobram Secondary College Principal.
I’ve come to realise that some of the greatest opportunities can be created right here in regional communities. So much of what makes small towns special is the support network around them. There’s something really unique about seeing people support one another, celebrate each other’s successes and genuinely want to see local businesses thrive.I feel incredibly lucky to live, work and give back to the community I call home. And one of the things I’m most excited about is watching the next generation grow up here too. My baby cousin Lyla is five, and I can’t wait to watch her grow up in such a beautiful community and hopefully see her realise that she can create whatever kind of future she wants, right here if she chooses to..
I would say that life really is too short. You need to put yourself first in every aspect of life and you need to be your own biggest supporter. Following the crowd or what you think is expected from you was not something I wanted to do. I wanted to look back and feel fulfilled and confident that I had made the right decision for myself.
When I was 16, I was in Year 11 at Cobram Secondary College and chose to complete VCAL rather than VCE. VCAL gave me the opportunity to work while continuing my schooling, which I knew would be a much better fit for the way I learnt and the future I wanted to build.
Looking back, that experience taught me so much more than what I learnt in the classroom. I developed skills in time management, independence and communication, which have continued to be incredibly valuable as a business owner.
If I could speak to my 16-year-old self now, I would tell her that supporting yourself and believing in yourself is so important. I’d tell her to always be kind, stay true to who she is, and most importantly, start with a plan. If you’ve already started with a plan, you’re already one step ahead. I’d also tell her not to be afraid of making mistakes. Mistakes are a part of every aspect of life, and they don’t mean you’ve failed. They give you the opportunity to learn, grow and do things differently next time. I’m actually grateful for the mistakes I’ve made along the way, because they’ve helped shape the person and business owner I am today.
I wouldn’t be where I am today without experiencing setbacks or having a rough start. Those things happen, especially when you’re starting out in the workforce and, in most cases, working your way up from the bottom.Unfortunately, we can’t control the people around us. We can’t control what people think about us, what they say to us, or what they may say about us. But what we can control is how we respond to those things, how we pick ourselves back up, learn from the experience, and keep moving forward.
I’m also navigating the less glamorous side of running a business, learning about tax, GST and BAS, all of which are completely new to me. It’s definitely been a learning curve, but I’m learning as I go and reminding myself that I don’t need to have everything figured out straight away. I’m still growing, both personally and as a business owner. I’m actually excited to look back on this chapter a few years from now and remember how overwhelming these things once felt.
I certainly couldn’t tell my story without mentioning my mum’s unconditional love and support for me. She is the most important person in my life, I am rich in life because I have her. Liv’s Beauty Room has grown into so much more than a business to me. It has given me confidence, independence, friendships, opportunities and a sense of purpose that I’m incredibly grateful for.
I’m still only 22, and I know I have so much more to learn. I don’t have everything figured out, and I certainly don’t expect to. If there’s one thing I hope someone takes away from my story, it’s that you don’t have to wait until you feel ready, confident or qualified enough to believe in yourself. Sometimes you just have to be brave enough to start, learn along the way and trust that you’ll work the rest out.
I’m so proud to be building my future here in the Murray, surrounded by people who have supported me from the very beginning. I can’t wait to see where the next chapter takes me, and I hope I can continue to encourage other young women to back themselves, have a go and create a life they genuinely love.
Because you don’t have to be perfect to start. You just have to be brave enough to begin.
Olivia’s story is a reminder that following a dream can begin right where you are. Regional living does not have to be a barrier to building a career or business you love. With courage, support and a willingness to learn, young women can create opportunities in the communities they call home. 💜
Follow Liv at: https://www.instagram.com/beautyroombyliv/
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