Meet Olivia Price, a marketing associate at SPKAA.
She shares her unexpected path into tech, the power of representation, and how she’s making her mark.
Bio
Olivia Price is a Marketing Associate from North Carolina, currently working at SPK and Associates since January 2024. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington. In her free time, Olivia enjoys attending concerts, reading, and spending time at the beach.
The Conversation
Hi Olivia, welcome to HERpower. Can you start by introducing yourself?
Olivia: My name is Olivia Price, and I’m currently based in North Carolina. My company, SPK and Associates, is headquartered in California, but we have team members all over the world—one of my closest colleagues works in Dubai. I’m a marketing associate, part of a small but tight-knit team of three.
I actually started as an intern, mainly handling social media and general marketing tasks. Then, in April, things shifted when one of our team members left, and I was asked to take over her role writing content for the website. At first, it was intimidating because I didn’t have much writing experience, but I took it as a challenge. And though I never expected to become a writer, I’ve come to really enjoy the process of writing and editing.
You originally studied marketing. What drew you to the tech industry, and how did you land at SPK and Associates?
Olivia: After graduating, I had a hard time finding a job in my field. I ended up working the front desk at a beauty salon while also running their social media. I knew I wanted something more marketing-focused, so when I found an internship at SPK and Associates, I decided to go for it. It was only 10 to 15 hours a week, so I could do it alongside my other job.
One of the things that made it feel right was that my interviewer—who’s now my boss, Michael—was also based in North Carolina, so we got to meet in person. I didn’t know much about the tech industry at the time, but I was upfront about that and said I could help with social media and was willing to learn. I started there, but when a team member left, I stepped into her role as a content writer. Although I hesitate to call myself a woman in tech, (working alongside women engineers and under a female CEO), I realized marketing technical products does require a large amount of technical knowledge. Going into this field wasn’t something I planned, but I never doubted that I could do it.
What has your experience been like as a woman in tech? Have you faced any particular challenges or found unexpected opportunities?
Olivia: I never thought I’d end up in tech, and I know a lot of women feel underestimated in this field, especially since it’s so male-dominated. Sometimes, I even underestimate myself because I’m still learning. But I’ve realized that once you prove yourself and do your job well, gender and age don’t matter as much.
I’ve been lucky—my company has a great culture, and I’ve never felt discriminated against. Our CEO is a woman, and we have female engineers, which is really encouraging. I’ve always felt like I was given a fair shot, and I’ve worked hard to prove myself capable.
What challenges do you face in your role?
One of the biggest challenges of my role is getting information from busy engineers. Sometimes it’s difficult to get even a 15-minute meeting or email response. I’ve noticed that our female engineers often respond quicker than some of their male counterparts. It could just be a coincidence, as some of our male engineers have no issues scheduling time to meet with me, but I think women sometimes feel like they owe more time to others. Even our CEO is super hands-on and always takes time to help, which I really appreciate.
I also sometimes struggle with feeling like I’m bothering people when I need information. I have to remind myself that my work is important—the content I produce draws people to our website, which can lead to sales and business growth.
You mentioned the importance of female representation in leadership. How has that influenced your own career journey?
Olivia: Absolutely. Having women in leadership positions makes a huge difference. At my company, diversity is valued, and I feel supported. Seeing other women in marketing and engineering roles encourages me to keep going. It helps to know there’s a path forward.
What motivates you to stay in this field, and what excites you about it compared to other sectors?
Olivia: We work with medical device manufacturers, and I find it fascinating how important it is that these products are made correctly. There’s a real responsibility in making sure these products meet safety and compliance standards. If something goes wrong, it can have life-changing consequences for people.
It’s not the flashiest side of tech, but it’s incredibly meaningful. Even though I don’t directly see the impact on patients, knowing that my work makes a small difference in ensuring safe and reliable products is really fulfilling.
How does your personal life align with your career?
Olivia: I work remotely, which has been great. I recently moved closer to my boyfriend and grandfather, so being near family has been really important.
On a personal level, I’ve always gravitated toward work that helps people. In college, I was involved with an organization that supported women who had experienced domestic violence—that was incredibly fulfilling. Now, even though I’m not directly in healthcare, I still feel like my work has an impact. Writing about life-saving products and raising awareness of their importance is meaningful to me.
How do you see your career evolving?
Olivia: I think moving forward, I’d like to take a bigger role in choosing the topics we write about and make a more significant impact in that sense. As for growing in my career, it’s hard to say exactly where I’ll go. I’m taking things one step at a time, and right now, I’m happy with where I am. But I do want to keep learning and evolving. We’ll see where life takes me.
Could you share a bit about your hometown or what you’d want people to know about where you come from?
Olivia: I grew up in a small town south of Raleigh, North Carolina. I loved growing up in this state as we have both the mountains and the coast within reach. I studied abroad in college and actually considered moving to England post-graduation, but over time, I’ve come to really appreciate where I grew up. My hometown was surprisingly diverse, something I didn’t fully realize until I went to college and met people with starkly different high school experiences. Now, I am within a 2 ½ hour drive from my parents and sister, and 5 minutes down the road from my grandpa. I am happy I stayed close, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t pick up and move. I plan to travel more, but for now, I am happy planting my feet in the NC sand.
Connect with Olivia
If you wish to connect with Olivia and learn more, seek advice, or share similar experiences, feel free to reach out to her via LinkedIn.
