We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Zion Kolibas. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Zion below.

Zion, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

Legacy is such a big, moving word; a long-life message that one leaves an imprint on society with… The message I have always stood by and tried to both embody and project, is a life of positivity, peace, and love. Call it cheesy but in a world so successful at negativity and stress, being a light in the murky mist of our society is a blessing and should be embraced. When we love our own selves and the universe around us, it inspires passion and motivation to follow our own personal dreams and goals to a level that is different than any other. If that passion for life and goalsetting spreads, communities become whole and healing is done both on the inside, and the outside. I hope to inspire people to embrace themselves, the world around them, and recognize their worth as priceless and their goals as absolutely attainable. I want to leave a legacy of confidence, motivation, and joy. Understanding following one’s goal will require both hard work, and failures. yet understanding this, it is accepted with positivity and knowing that your dreams can become a reality through that hard work and those failures. A legacy of peace is what I want to leave behind, and I work hard to manifest that within myself and the world around me.

Zion, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Over the years, there has been so much growth, discovery and new ideas for new projects to the point I have put myself under the label of a ‘Life Enthusiast.’ My two branches of work differ each other in a lot of ways but all stem back to who I am. I’ve had a passion for the arts since I was a child and growing into the modeling industry over my teenage years helped gain exposure and leeway for future projects in adulthood, which has had its ups and downs among the usual trials and tribulations I have faced. I started modeling when I was 14 and the passion has not died down in the slightest; getting to bring these beautiful expressions in fashion to life is empowering and artistic, for fashion has been and will always be one of my favorite forms of artistic expression. Though fruitful, the modeling industry is an extremely cutthroat industry, and you HAVE to have comfort in yourself and confidence in your self-worth when chasing dreams like these. Rejection is PART of the industry, it’s imperative to your success and one should find power in that. I love to connect with my fellow artists and photographers through Instagram, which I recommend referring to if there’s interest in both my current, and future work. Now, years into modeling and exploring, I came to find a new passion I had always felt but did not have the means of navigating: animal care. I have been a huge animal lover since birth, my first dream job as a kid being that of a veterinarian. Starting as an entry level care technician I started to connect and learn about all sorts of care linguistics: dog breeds, animal patterned behavior, and the ins and outs of the animal industry. This turned from a doggy daycare job to a full-on career of animal care and licensed training to become one of Utah’s top dog trainers, though the passion is not JUST for dogs. I have worked with all sorts of animals, both domesticated and exotic, and there’s really no other thing that fills my spirit like getting to connect with these animals and ensure their well-being. People do not understand how important it is to properly care for your own pets, and the animal environment at large around you.
I’d say that I stand out from others because I have an apparent passion for what I do, nothing is money driven or egotistically ran. I want to ensure good work, where your pets are cared for and trained properly if needed, I do not feel satisfied with my work until that is made so. The love I have for the animal world around me is both seen and felt by my loved ones in my life. and upon a quick conversation it wouldn’t take a random person much to see that I have that level of charisma and passion that is unique to the world around me. I am proud of the work I do because I know things are getting done the right way, I know these animals are getting loved and cared for properly and, in turn, I see how happy the humans become once they realize how loving their fur babies are being cared for. If you don’t know about me, my passions and the work I do, know that you will be working with one of the most careful, dignified and passionate people out there; from behind the camera to behind the leash, and it really won’t take more than one conversation to unveil.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

These days, social media is EVERYTHING, and if you don’t want to put in the effort behind building your profile, success is slim and that’s the harsh reality of it. Now of course this depends on WHAT you want to do, but overall social media is how we connect and learn about one another, whether that is a personal account or learning about one’s business/services. This type of forum is incredibly important for people with passions for modeling, acting, or artistically performing in any sense. The work is tough, you have to be posting daily, following new people who fit into the realm of what you are doing and where you want to be going. Hashtags are huge, people follow hashtags independently so your content being branded with a lot of hashtags promotes more exposure which ultimately you are fighting for. You are competing against the crowd that wants to be just like you, and that wants to do what you do. The competition never ends, everybody is thirsty for success whether it’s with integrity or not, so you have to have thick skin and the determination to keep posting, keep branding, keep showcasing. Rejection will find you, it finds everybody, take it with a grain of salt and keep following your dreams. Become an online persona that really SPEAKS to what you do and who you are. Keeping that confidence and following through with your work on social media will result in bigger followings and success. The fight is worth it, don’t give up on yourself or your business. The right people will see you if you keep up with that exposure.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

This is a broad question, for there are so many rewarding aspects of doing what I love. In terms of artistic performing and modeling, the rewards come through the feeling I get while I am at work. When I model runway fashion, it feels as if I am bringing a piece of artwork to life, embodying that piece and carrying it down the runway is incredibly rewarding as it leaves me feeling confident, artistic, and creative. Being behind the camera embodies a sense of empowerment within myself, and I would say that feeling is rewarding to a very high extent. Everyone deserves to feel that way. Exposure is rewarding because it paves the path for new opportunities, which is the result of hard work and determination. Being able to help inspire others to follow their dream while following mine is extremely rewarding; we live in a society where too many people give up on their goals because of insecurities or lack of confidence. In terms of my involvement in the animal industry, the rewarding aspects differ from those as an artistic performer. Being able to connect with the animals that I do, nothing makes me happier than when I see that I am helping improve their quality of life and ultimately, their well-being. Along with that, being able to help connect pets with their owners through the work that I do is extremely rewarding as now both human and animal have a more positive sense of well-being that is so often put in the dark or overlooked due to frustrations and communication barriers. When I can help properly train an animal and foster a good relationship, they go home with better behavior and excitement to learn more. Seeing the owner’s reaction of joy and ease is always incredibly rewarding. The biggest reward in what I do, however, are the connections that I form with these dogs, cats, and furry friends. I love animals and will always be an advocate for their fair treatment and quality of life; I’ve stood by that statement as a child, and I will proudly take it to my grave.
To conclude, I am very grateful in that I have two goals, though widely differing, that I love to chase and am constantly enthralled with accomplishing. I push the message of everyone finding their creative niche and doing the same. It will be worth it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/zionbaileykay

Image Credits
Todd Collins Photography Makeup by Stephanie Tomlin Leather by Corvus Cazier Kat Weeks of Ravens Leather Designs