We recently connected with Odessa Christiana and have shared our conversation below.

Odessa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I was born a creative. My Mom said at age 2, I told her crayons were for babies and I demanded ink pens for my drawing pleasure. Years later, at 20, I found myself working a mundane job at a grocery store. I was often sad, depressed and longing for a life filled with vibrancy and intrigue. I envisioned a glamorous version of myself, dressed in high fashion, jet setting around like a rock star. If I whispered a word of this to my peers, I knew I would be the laughing stock of the week. The teeny glimmer I held within finally fueled my self belief enough to apply to art school. I had come to a boiling point where I could no longer ride in the passenger seat of my life. That Fall I celebrated my 30th birthday as a student of fashion design. My future felt brighter than ever.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

The years spent as an employee taught me many things including that building someone else’s dream was not for me. When I graduated from art college, I couldn’t stomach the idea of taking another job. One day at the library, I picked up a book on silk painting. Soon I had a newfound passion. Combining this medium with my fashion design skills led to starting my own line of art to wear. I flourished in this zone of creativity for some years, bringing countless garments forth from pure imagination, some being custom pieces for prestigious clients.

Looking back, I may have enjoyed a comfortable life had I simply kept a singular focus. Instead my path led to the world of Airbnb. My background in customer service and design helped me in becoming a very successful host. I can’t take all the credit as I have an incredibly artistic husband and together we created a magical vortex of a property which attracted a wide range of guests, events and film projects.

One day in 2018, I received a strong inner nudge to write a book detailing how to start and run a short term rental business. I thought this would be a quick project. Nope! There was so much to learn and a multitude of decisions to make, not to mention finding my writing “voice”. I finally self published in May 2020 and despite it being an extremely odd time in the world, my sweet little guide book hit Bestseller in multiple categories on Amazon.

Waking up daily and putting in the required actions to move visions and business forward as a multipassionate creator takes a lot more than practical skills. It’s an “inside” job. There was a point I knew if I didn’t take care of my mind and energy daily, I’d be in trouble. As I leaned more than ever in self development and embodied new beliefs and ways of being, it became clear I could help others in both a practical and spiritual sense. I added “coach” to my repertoire.

There’s not much I love more than empowering another creative to tap into their imagination and then watch them blow up any self imposed ceiling and build the business of their dreams.

This is the WHY behind my brand Rebel Unicorn founded in 2022.

It is an ever evolving work in progress as am I. It holds the expansive library of my creations.

My online storefront houses an extensive art gallery including my own digitized silk paintings, vintage art from my family collection and some of my husband’s edgier pieces. I also utilize this platform to promote “art for a cause” projects, which are meaningful to me.

In my coaching, I work with clients (primarily women) both 1:1 and in group programs. I embrace/embody practical skills, mindset, energetics and ancient wisdom.

Creatrix is a digital empowerment program. It covers the tech side of building a business using Squarespace as an all in one platform. I continue to add sessions and support my clients in the group space.

Practical Magic is a journaling program to develop consistency and self belief. I run it live from time to time as well as offering the self study course.

Airbnb hosting mentorship is available through my book, No Vacancy on Amazon, 1 to 1 coaching and an in depth digital training launching soon.

My Rebel Unicorn community is an exceptional network of creative entrepreneurs where authenticity, collaboration and big dreams run wild.

This is all so much more than a business to me. It is my life. I intend to add value to this planet for the duration of my existence here and after I am gone, I wish for my life’s work, my art, to continue making a difference.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Watching the soil I have wholeheartedly tilled bring forth a sumptuous crop!

Time and time again, I am in awe of what can come from a tiny seed of imagination. It’s such an extraordinary experience to become aware of your own creative flow and to witness what it brings.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

This is a really valuable question – thank you for asking.

A lot of us may struggle to understand the “unknown” yes? I believe we can learn to give each other the space to be, to discover who we are, to express ourselves and to evolve. There are so many factors that play into how we interact with people and life. I felt misunderstood for years in my job environment. I was surrounded by those who seemed to be made to wake up early, punch a clock and be told what to do all day. Personally, I could barely survive in that manner and it’s a testament to my will and resilience that I did. If you’re one who truly enjoys the benefits of holding a job and you have that one oddball creative friend who seems like a total hot mess to you, perhaps you could be brave enough to come together in a conversation to explore what makes you both tick. Find and celebrate both your differences and commonalities.

Contact Info:

• Website: Shop: https://rebelunicorn.shop/ Coaching/Programs: https://www.rebelunicorn.life/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/odessachristiana/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/odessa.christiana

Image Credits

Lani Garfield/Photos By Lani
Corlyce Olivieri Photography