The Apprentice's Olivia ‘BULLIES MADE ME STRONG!'

The reality star reveals how schoolyard trauma inspired her to give the gift of life

- Florence Hartigan

Looking at Olivia Rogers, a top contender on The Apprentice Aotearoa, the last thing you see is a victim. The 31-year-old former general manager of a boutique travel company lives life in the fast lane, balancing a flourishing career with a bustling social schedule, which includes planning her upcoming wedding with partner of three years Nick.

But for Olivia – who describes herself as someone who can be “stroppy and quite fiery” – the life she leads now is a far cry from her childhood in Tauranga, where schoolyard bullies filled the future entrepreneur’s days with anxiety and loneliness.

“The Olivia you would’ve met then was a lot different to the Olivia people know now,” she marvels. “Before school, I was extroverted, but being seen as different and getting bullied, that turned me introverted. There were multiple times in primary school where I found myself eating lunch in the toilets.

“There was lots of name-calling and alienation. When I was at intermediate, we used to have this place where everyone would go to see their crushes. I got this note from a guy and I was all excited, but when I went down there, the kids threw dog poo at me, which was horrific.”