Name: Olivia Whitt
Position: Principal
Company: arkin.
What do you enjoy the most about working in the field of construction and development?
I love working with highly driven people and teams, and the construction sector is full of dynamic and hard-working individuals working together to achieve a shared goal. I began arkin. because I’m passionate about championing ambitious companies and equipping them with the tools to do themselves justice and gain a competitive edge. Seeing other business owners and smaller companies truly thrive and come into their own is hugely rewarding.
Where do you see your life in the next 5 years, what possibilities are ahead of you?
Having only officially launched arkin. in October, I am still at the beginning of my business journey and the possibilities feel endless – it’s both a very exciting and very daunting place to be. In five years, I want arkin. to be known as a leader in the field and trusted partner of successful construction-sector businesses. I can’t wait to propel the business forward to become a dynamic team of strategic thinkers and doers, partnering with motivated companies to achieve great things.
When I’m not busy with arkin, I also do a lot of work in advocating for women in design and construction. We are at a point in the industry where we have taken significant steps towards diversity, but there is still a long way to go. Over the next 5 years, I believe that transformation is possible, and I would love to play a significant role in fostering positive change.
If you could write a letter to a 13-year-old ‘you’, what would you say?
Dear Liv,
It’s okay to slow down occasionally, you’re still so young. You don’t need to try and change the world just yet; but preserve that tenacity, vision and energy that tells you that you can. Keep choosing the least comfortable path (even if it’s scary), and never take no for an answer. Nothing is going to go the way you have mapped out…and it’s going to be the best thing that ever happened to you.
What are the 3 skills you have developed to get to where you are at present?
- Resilience: success lies in the ability to adapt, evolve, and keep reaching even when it seems impossible.
- Networking: there is so much value in building meaningful relationships with a diverse network of people.
- Agility: seize the opportunity as it arises and be ready to take action.
