Mentor. Visionary. Fighter.
THERE’S A REASON WHY JEFF OLSON, Neora Founder and Chief Executive Officer, was nicknamed “Damn the Torpedoes Olson” as a young man. Jeff is a determined leader, and when he feels that something he believes in is being threatened, he is committed to defending it.
This innate drive and personal belief system is why, when the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) began pursuing Neora and alleging false claims against the company in 2016, Jeff not only wanted to defend the company name, he wanted to prove with data-backed evidence that Neora was operating with integrity.
“It took me over a year to get my law firm committed,” Jeff remembered. “I had a meeting with our attorneys on the case and told them we were going to take this all the way. If I had lost, I would have appealed all the way to the Supreme Court. I felt I was right from the beginning, and I wasn’t going to give up.”
Jeff stayed the course and emerged from the arduous seven-year legal battle with a historic victory. But that is not the only way Jeff has proven to be a leader and trailblazer in the direct selling industry. He was a top field distributor in two separate companies and then went on to become the Founder and CEO of The People’s Network which eventually merged with LegalShield. All that before launching his dream company as the Founder and CEO of Neora.
Along the way he mentored many people that have gone on to become top trainers, field leaders and executives in the industry. Jeff has demonstrated thought leadership in this industry for decades—including being a driving force behind why tools, systems and a belief that personal development should be the foundation of every sales organization.
A Master Mentor
As a young executive, Jeff’s tenacity surfaced most noticeably when he found himself trying to solve problems by sheer force of will. This “beating his head against a wall,” as he describes it, only lasted so long before he discovered that shifting his approach could garner more success.
Climbing the corporate ladder became more about philosophy than action. As a seasoned veteran, mentoring now allows him to share that belief system with others.
“Mentoring is a lot like playing tennis,” Jeff shared. “You can’t play unless there’s another good player on the other side of the net. When you find someone who’s receptive to learning, it’s exciting. You can’t teach all the answers, but you can teach them about mindset and philosophy. And that can help them navigate; solve problems; and shorten their learning curve.”
Make People Better is the three-word mission behind Neora, but it’s also the catalyst for Jeff’s life. Jeff is a well-known thought leader in personal development as the bestselling author of The Slight Edge and is the owner of Live Happy, the premier resource advancing the message of positive psychology.
“The level of mentorship he has provided to the industry is unique,” said Amber Olson Rourke, Neora’s Co-Founder and President. “He’s a compassionate leader who never misses an opportunity to be available to the field. He doesn’t see himself any higher or more important than anyone else. He has the absolute loyalty of the people he leads because he’s right there with them and not above them.”
Empowering Leaders
Cohesion and macro-management are two of Jeff’s leadership priorities. Qualified, experienced talent deserves the latitude and freedom to complete tasks how they see fit. Jeff’s quarterly management meetings support this, and he ensures each gathering ends with an assigned list of action items for all teams. From there, staff members are expected to work together to complete projects and speak up if they hit a roadblock. Synergy outperforms silos, and Jeff has learned to release the expectation that everyone will work the same way he does. The result has built a unified front and mutual admiration among co-workers.
“The reason I’m at Neora is because of Jeff,” said Deborah K. Heisz, Co-Chief Executive Officer. “He treats everyone with respect, and he genuinely wants everyone to succeed. He wants to help people grow, so that’s where he focuses his time and energy. He reminds us of who we are and brings us back to center a lot.”
Vision for the Future
Jeff prides himself on his ability to scout the horizon and identify where the market is headed in three to five years. In his opinion, the direct selling industry is better positioned now than it has ever been because of the explosion of ecommerce and direct-to-consumer shopping patterns. He believes there is a unique trust factor stemming from personal connections in direct selling that traditional ecommerce lacks.
“The pandemic accelerated the gig economy and the pace of ecommerce massively,” Jeff explained. “If we want to be successful, we have to quit sitting in our corner and expect people to play like we do. Those days are over. It’s time to get in alignment with the way people are buying and working. The world has changed dramatically, and we must go to it. We can’t wait for it to come to us.”
As for his own future, Jeff hopes to be known as the guy who helps create systems and environments where people are empowered to become the best versions of themselves. After seven years of playing defense in court, he’s looking forward to switching to offense where he can invest his energy in expanding Neora’s footprint, distributor base and product portfolio. And with the knowledge that the business model he created in 2011 is now the new legal precedent, he plans to lean even harder into helping it grow and flourish.
DSN is proud to recognize Jeff Olson with the Bravo Leadership Award, recognizing his decades of tenacity, integrity and motivation. He has made a lasting impression on this industry in more ways than one—and is very deserving of this honor.
From the June 2024 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.
