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“MY PERSONAL ETHOS IS IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU GET KNOCKED DOWN, IT ONLY MATTERS HOW MANY TIMES YOU GET BACK UP.” In fact, when Olivia first started her professional modeling career, opening a restaurant was always in the back of her mind as a major career aspiration. Union+Main is an innovative culinary concept in East Greenwich, defining creative coastal cuisine through New England comfort food (her must-try dish is the fried chicken sandwich). And while the food is certainly a progressive accomplishment for the local Rhode Island town, Olivia thrives more on the community a restaurant fosters than the food itself. “I absolutely love the concept of bringing people together through food and drink. Even for my family, it is a foundational element: Everything for us revolves around eating and drinking — it brings us together,” she explains. Each project Olivia is involved with seems to transcend the original idea; it’s important for her to find a greater purpose. Case in point: Vide goes beyond just a canned cocktail, she believes in the company morale, and restaurants go beyond the menu as she wants to bring people together for lasting memories. So, what’s next for the multi-hyphenate? While she can’t quite disclose the specifics of what is next during our conversation — aside from the highly anticipated debut of Discovery+, The Culpos that occupies most of her time — she confirms that there are a few exciting projects on the horizon, which leaves me stunned. What could she possibly be doing next? She has successfully entered almost every industry, from fashion and beauty to hospitality and entertainment, yet shockingly, there’s one she has yet to explore: technology. “[Someday], I would love to do something in the tech industry. I’m open-minded, but anything in that space is really fascinating to me and would be really rewarding,” she says. Olivia continues to push herself into new, uncharted territories in her career. “I am always trying to go outside of my comfort zone when it comes to being an entrepreneur,” she admits. “For me, it’s important to practice vulnerability in everything you do.” Speaking of vulnerability, I must mention her relationship with Christian McCaffrey, the running back for the Carolina Panthers. A few days prior to our interview, Olivia’s Instagram post expressing the beauty of vulnerability in her relationship practically went viral. “I was worried it would be the same old story all over again and that all guys were the same. While my expectations were low, I knew I couldn’t close myself off and make decisions based on fear,” she wrote in her three-year anniversary post. 20 HAUTE LIVING hauteliving.com
It is her vulnerability that led her to love — and of course, balance. When I ask her how she manages to balance everything with her relationship with McCaffrey, she responds, “It’s tough. I think finding balance is hard for every relationship. In finding balance, you have to make tough sacrifices. I make a lot of sacrifices because [Christian] plays in Charlotte, North Carolina. I fly back and forth from LA to see him, and [Christian] makes a lot of sacrifices because he has to deal with me not being in Charlotte for weeks at a time because I am also busy trying to pursue my passion.” For Olivia and McCaffrey, they have a mutual understanding of the power of balance, which is what makes them so strong. “It’s about finding someone who loves you enough to make those sacrifices for the relationship to work. You want a partner who wants you to achieve your dreams and vice versa. That is the key,” she adds. Olivia’s words are profound and wise beyond her years. You can tell she has learned a lot of invaluable lessons throughout her career and personal life. “My personal ethos is it doesn’t matter how many times you get knocked down, it only matters how many times you get back up,” she says. “I know it sounds a little cheesy, but it’s the truth. Whatever you do in life, there will be natural ups and downs. There will be moments that you consider a failure, but what matters is getting back up, learning from them, and pushing forward.” Failure is not the first word that comes to mind when thinking of Olivia’s career, but she recalls when she began learning the importance of failing. “With Sports Illustrated, I tried out dozens of times before I was eventually offered to shoot for the magazine. It wasn’t overnight; it was 20 no’s before that one yes,” she reflects. “It’s inevitable to fail,” she continues. “Failing can bring people down and make them re-think everything they’re doing in life, making them pivot to try something new. But it’s about going back to the drawing board and thinking about what you can do to approach the situation from a different angle rather than just giving up. I think the biggest competitive edge anyone can have is [being able to] jump back up from a failure (for lack of a better word),” she declares. For indeed, it’s been Olivia’s tenacity that has set her apart.
