University News Last updated 08 January
Graduate and marketing entrepreneur Olivia Mae Hanlon has been named Birmingham City University’s Alumna of the Year.
Olivia, who graduated with a degree in Psychology and Criminology in 2019, is the founder and CEO of Girls in Marketing, a community-led platform she launched shortly after university.
What began as a passion project has grown into a leading education and networking hub for marketers, with more than 500,000 followers across social media, regular events, an industry-leading podcast, and partnerships with major brands including Adobe.
On what it means to be named our Alumna if the Year, Olivia said: “It feels amazing. When I was at university, I was a huge advocate for BCU then, but I think even more so now. It’s a great privilege, and it’s nice to be recognised, especially as someone who isn’t from Birmingham.”
An expert in organic marketing, including SEO, content marketing and eCommerce, Olivia has trained over 12,000 marketers through internship programmes that have supported more than 6,000 interns.
In 2024, the Liverpool-born founder was named on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in the media and marketing category, becoming the first person from the city to receive the recognition.
On Olivia’s proudest moments since graduating, she said: “Being named in Forbes was obviously a huge moment for me, and I’m incredibly proud of it, especially as the first person from Liverpool to be included. That recognition meant a lot.
“But there’s another side to it too. Girls in Marketing is my first real business, my baby, and I’m just as proud of being able to build something sustainable from the ground up. As a female founder, creating a business that supports a lifestyle I genuinely enjoy feels like a massive achievement.
“I get to do work I love, meet amazing people, speak at events, and create a life that feels aligned with me. After a period of burnout last year, finding my way back to enjoying the business again was really important. So, while the Forbes recognition was special, building a sustainable business I truly care about means just as much to me.”
Olivia’s journey into marketing began long before university. As a teenager, she ran a blog covering feminism, psychology, fashion and social issues, later discovering she could turn blogging into paid work.
While studying at BCU, she freelanced in content writing and SEO alongside her degree, gaining practical industry experience.
She said: “I had a YouTube channel with my cousin when we were 13, then I started blogging a couple of years later. During the first year of university, I realised you could make money from blogging after my partner introduced me to the concept as he was working as a web developer at an agency.
“I started doing some blog work for the agency as they needed a content writer and then was introduced to the world of marketing. I've never looked back since!
“I worked with freelance clients as my job during university, from blogging to content creation and SEO, and when I graduated, I found a marketing job straight away.”
Olivia explains that Psychology is a highly transferable degree: “There are so many skills I learned during my degree that I use every single day at work.
“One of the biggest ones is writing. In psychology, you do a huge amount of essay writing, assignments, and of course my dissertation. All of that really prepares you, especially when combined with research skills. Marketing involves so much research and writing, so even the foundations of a psychology degree are incredibly useful in that sense.
“Beyond that, there’s also the psychology of the buyer or consumer. Understanding how people think and what motivates them is a huge part of marketing, and studying psychology really helps with that.
“I’m constantly thinking about the psychology behind decisions and behaviours. Whenever I run webinars or teach, I always bring psychology into it.
“I’ve also found that many people who are interested in psychology end up going into business or marketing, because the skills you gain from a psychology degree are incredibly valuable in those fields.”
Although unsure of her career path initially, Olivia loved psychology at school. Wanting independence without being too far from home in Liverpool, she looked for a city that offered both freedom and affordability.
After attending a BCU open day, she was inspired by a criminology lecture and impressed by the university’s atmosphere. The experience convinced her immediately, and she was sold on BCU. She later became a course ambassador herself, having fallen in love with both the city and the university.
Olivia’s university experience changed significantly over time. In Olivia's first year, prioritising socialising and completing work at the last minute led to poor grades, a wake-up call for someone who usually held herself to high standards.
In her second and third year, she shifted her approach. She spent much of her time studying in the library with friends and embraced a healthier balance between work and social life. As a result, her grades improved dramatically, and she graduated with a first, proving to herself that hard work paid off.
Olivia developed the idea for Girls in Marketing while at university, after feeling isolated as a freelancer. She officially launched the community nine months into her first full-time marketing role, later pivoting the platform online during the pandemic.
After balancing work, freelancing and the business, she left her role to run Girls in Marketing full-time, where it has continued to grow rapidly.
One of the things Olivia loves about her role is how varied it is. She said: “Every day is different, but the way I structure my days stays the same. I organise my week around themed days to stay productive. For example, Mondays are usually business and admin days, with emails, finances, and general planning.
“Other days are content-focused, which are always my favourites. Those are the days I’ll get ready, go out and film content, either at home, in the office, or in local cafés and restaurants. I also work on brand partnerships, where I’ll take a brief, come up with ideas, write scripts, film the content, and send it over, which is always exciting.
“Because no two days are the same, having that structure is really important for me, especially as a business owner juggling lots of different things like content creation, speaking, and travel. It helps keep everything focused and manageable.”
Now leading a thriving business and global community with over half a million social media followers and thousands engaging with the membership and other learning opportunities, Olivia is excited about what the future holds.
"We’ve got lots of plans for Girls in Marketing, particularly around bringing the community together more in person. We’re starting to explore in-person events, and we’d love to grow that across the UK, and potentially internationally too,” Olivia said.
“On a personal level, I want to continue building my personal brand. That means more speaking, more educational work, and eventually writing a book. I haven’t started yet, but it’s a big goal of mine.
“This year is really about laying the foundations, building the ideas, experiences, and content that could become a book when the timing feels right, whether that’s late next year or the year after.
“While my brand has always been rooted in marketing, I’m deeply passionate about supporting women more broadly, helping them feel confident, ambitious, and capable of building careers or businesses, whether that’s in marketing or not. A lot of the talks I’ve been doing recently focus on confidence and ambition, and I want to keep developing that.
“Overall, 2026 is about growth, both personally and for Girls in Marketing, with a strong focus on community, impact, and creating opportunities to connect in real life.”
Reflecting on her time at BCU, Olivia said: “BCU was my home for three years. The psychology department was a huge support, especially in my final year, and I absolutely loved my time there.”
On what it’s like to be back at Symphony Hall, Olivia reminisces: “My graduation day was something I loved every single second of. At the same time, I felt incredibly overwhelmed and nervous. I think that’s completely normal as a graduate, especially when you’re surrounded by so many people and facing such a big moment, like walking across the stage.
“That was probably one of the first times I truly experienced being in front of that many people. Symphony Hall is huge, and although I’d done similar things before, this felt like the next level.
“It was overwhelming not just because of the scale, but because it felt like a real landmark moment, that sense of ‘okay, what happens now?’ You’ve spent years at university, and suddenly you’re there, walking across the stage, receiving your certificate, and it feels like the beginning of the rest of your life.
“Coming back now feels different. It brings a sense of pride, but also contentment. Even though I was nervous and excited about the future at the time, looking back, even though it’s only been about six years, I feel really at peace with how things have turned out.
“It’s nice to see that transition between who I was then and who I am now. And I think it’s reassuring for graduates to know that even if they feel overwhelmed in the moment, a few years down the line, things can feel calm, settled, and right."