MEMBER: OLIVIA SCARBROUGH
us a brief introduction of who you are and what you do at your current organization.
My name is Olivia Scarbrough. I am from Greenville, North Carolina originally and then I went to Ole Miss so I was in Mississippi in that area for about 5 years and then out of college. I moved to Memphis, and I lived in Memphis for 3 years and then last July my husband and I moved back here to be closer to family. I am a CPA with a regional accounting firm. I do tax work mostly with closely-held businesses and I sort of recently narrowed my focus down to construction and real estate.
Why did you join BPW?
I joined BPW as a way to stay involved with the community and to try to find a way to give back to the community. I was involved with some young professional type stuff when I was in Memphis and so when I moved here, I was doing some Googling and researching and that sort of thing. And then I had a really good conversation with Donna and Allison and decided this would be a good fit for me.
What hobbies or interests do you have outside of work?
Wine. My husband and I, we like to hike and we’ve been doing a bunch of state parks in the area. And we have two dogs so they go with us and get some of that energy out. I love to be on the water. My parents have a house on the river in little Washington. So anything by the water - the beach, the mountains - anything. Anything water related, I’m there.
If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you would do?
My husband and I discussed this the other night before the big drawing because we had a pool at work, but I think the first thing I would probably do is give a bunch of money to the two rescues that we got our dogs from. They’re awesome organizations. One’s here: Cause for Paws. And one is in Memphis. So I would probably just try to do something for them first… and then I’d probably go make some other bad decisions.
What is the best thing that happened to you within the past couple of months?
You’ve already heard about my dogs, but at one point I only had one and my husband and I got one after we kinda got settled here in Raleigh. We rescued a 3-and-a-half year old… I’m not sure what he is really… but his name is Sampson and he’s been the perfect addition to our family, because we’re not ready for human children. And I couldn’t really narrow it down to one because that was a really great thing and I also found out earlier this year that I was gonna be an aunt. My brother and his wife are expecting a little boy in January.
What is your favorite superhero and why?
So my husband says I had no childhood because I was not into cartoons and movies and I was an outside kid. I guess it’s a little unconventional but I would have to say my mom. She’s pretty awesome so if I can be half the person she is, I think that’d be pretty good.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
There’s a lot, but being in taxes I have to say people who bring in their tax work late. Don’t do it. Get in early. Get in early.
What is one TV or Netflix show you never miss?
This is Us.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
I think I’d like to be creative and decorative like in a Joanna Gaines-type way. Like, take a room and totally transform it. That is totally not something I am good at.
What can BPW do to support you in your career?
I guess I kind of mentioned this with the other, “Why did I join BPW?” I guess to just find a way to meet other people that are very similar to myself, have similar goals, and that sort of thing. But also a way to give back to the community a little bit. I know we’ve been talking about some of our nonprofit stuff and getting involved there. So I guess creating a network of people that you admire and are similar to and that you can bounce ideas off of each other and that sort of thing. I haven’t been here very long, but hopefully in the future. There’s a lot of good stuff going on.
