A career in building.
A belief in people.
I’m the founder of Odesa and Brand Rebel Media. My work brings together technical talent, digital commerce, and the decisions that turn a business into something that lasts.
Odesa is my core operating business. Brand Rebel Media brings together my work in media and commerce. Both come from the experience of building businesses myself.
I founded Odesa after experiencing how difficult it could be to find dependable technical talent for my own businesses. Today, Odesa connects U.S. companies with senior engineers from Eastern Europe through staff augmentation and recruitment.
Brand Rebel Media is my media and commerce company. It connects audience development, content, and commercial opportunities, extending the work I’ve done across digital marketing and ecommerce.
I also work with founders on positioning, ecommerce, and commercial priorities. My ecommerce experience includes advising ModaXpress on technology and conversion. ModaXpress is a separate, independently owned business.
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My first business began with a loan. Learning how to market, position, and build for the web was part of making it work.
That hands-on start took me through digital marketing and ecommerce, and eventually through building and selling three businesses. It also exposed a recurring challenge: finding technical people I could trust with the next stage of the business.
Odesa grew from that experience and my connection to Ukraine. I saw an opportunity to connect American companies with engineering talent in Eastern Europe. Today, I’m based in Lighthouse Point, Florida, and lead that work through Odesa.
The story behind Odesa21st Century Entrepreneurship · 25 minConversations on entrepreneurship, technical hiring, and building teams across borders.
The early business lessons and hiring experience that led to Odesa.
Choosing a hiring model and navigating the realities of a distributed team.
Where technical hiring meets the needs of an ecommerce business.
For ongoing commentary on hiring and company building:
Find me on LinkedInTell me about the business, the decision in front of you, and why you think we should connect.
val@brandrebel.comEmail is the most direct way to reach me.