Olsen was the co-founder and chairman of Sensors Unlimited Inc., a company developing optoelectronic devices such as sensitive near-infrared (NIR) and shortwave-infrared (SWIR) cameras.

Currently, Olsen is President of GHO Ventures, LLC, in Princeton, New Jersey, where he manages his angel investments, South African winery, Montana ranch, Manhattan and Miami real estate, and performs numerous speaking engagements to encourage children – especially minority and female children – to consider careers in science or engineering.

Olsen initially wanted to be a baseball player but realised from local little league how tough the standard was.

Olsen was inspired by his father to become an electrician, always having the education at home to fix things in-house instead of calling a repairman.

[1] After being written off as a failure by teachers due to poor grades in high school, Olsen planned to join the United States Army until he was counseled to try college for several months.

Through an IBEW Local 3 scholarship, Olsen attempted college, kept his grades high, and graduated magna cum laude with multiple degrees from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

In an informal presentation at a New Jersey high school, Dr. Olsen estimated the price of his space excursion at US$20 million.