Olivia Blaylock is the inaugural CGO.
Olivia Blaylock.
Business growth and leadership development organisation The Icehouse has welcomed Olivia Blaylock as its inaugural chief growth officer. Blaylock’s appointment is set to drive innovation within the organisation, creating impact for midsize businesses and business leaders across Aotearoa.
Blaylock underscores her alignment with The Icehouse’s mission to empower Kiwi business owners. “I have a personal purpose around improving the lives of New Zealanders, and all of my career has been aligned with that.
“I don’t know where it comes from or why, but I think New Zealand is the greatest country in the world, and I want to make it better for New Zealand businesses,” she said.
“Having an opportunity to work for an organisation like The Icehouse, that’s helping grow the engine room of the nation’s economy is really exciting.”
With a background in marketing, sales, and business leadership, Blaylock’s professional journey encompasses a decade-long tenure in the corporate and non-profit sectors. Notably, Blaylock was recognised as the Sales and Marketing Professional of the Year by the SM Institute of New Zealand during her tenure at the Child Cancer Foundation. Subsequently, she owned and led David Forman Ltd as managing director alongside her partner Stuart from 2009 to 2021.
As chief growth officer at The Icehouse, Blaylock’s responsibilities include connecting with the challenges of midsize business leaders, channelling their voice, and amplifying the potential impact that can be achieved on the Owner Manager Programme, Leadership Development Programme, and 1-to-1 Business Coaching, among others.
“All business leaders know that looming feeling of uncertainty. You know you’ve built or led a damn good business creating impact for Kiwis. But, after months or years on the field, isolation and imposter syndrome creep in and you can’t see the wood for the trees.
“In 2023, this feeling might be amplified. It’s a tough time for business leaders and it’s normal to feel a bit stuck. [Sometimes] you need a fresh set of eyes to assess your game plan.”
Blaylock’s connection to The Icehouse runs deeper than her professional role; she completed the organisation’s Owner Manager Programme in 2011. As an alumnus, Blaylock said it feels like a great place to be: “It builds on my experience and connects to my purpose.”
Blaylock has plenty of insight into what makes business owners tick; as an example, she highlights a quintessential Kiwi trait – the ‘No 8 wire’ mentality – an innate resourcefulness and ability to improvise solutions. However, she stresses the importance of stepping back to diagnose issues comprehensively before implementing fixes.
“We can be swamped as business owners in the ‘doing’, and that’s where I believe [we] can add real value to owners and their businesses because sometimes it’s about working out what it is you shouldn’t be doing to be able to make it work.”
Blaylock’s entry into The Icehouse also echoes her aspiration to foster diversity and inclusivity within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. She envisions more opportunities for female business leaders and a more diverse set of prospects that The Icehouse can offer to the community.
This is supplied content and not commissioned or paid for by NBR.
