For Arianna O’Dell, marketing is very much professional problem-solving. And often telling others that she is best at solving problems, the 2008 Oak Harbor High School graduate is making a career, and waves, doing just that.

Just seven months ago O’Dell left her line-up of New York City marketing jobs to start her own business called AIRLINK Marketing. AIRLINK is in many ways O’Dell’s digital arm for problem-solving. Armed with a modest team of freelancers, O’Dell helps hospitality businesses across the U.S. attract and retain clientele by improving their digital marketing, design and exposure.

“It’s a full-service digital agency that provides PR services, graphic design and web design services to hospitality clients, basically restaurants, hotels and travel brands,” she said.

At any given time, O’Dell is working with up to 10 clients and 15 to 20 graphic designers, writers and developers stationed all over the world.

“I wanted people that could help with different projects, because I definitely can’t do it all by myself,” she said. “Over a lot of trial and error on different projects, I found a lot of extremely talented freelancers and they’ve been able to help me a lot.”

While founding one’s own business at age 26 is a feat in itself, O’Dell has also done so while traveling the globe. Since February, she has lived in places throughout Eastern and Western Europe and the Middle East, strategically moving between hotels and AirBnB listings to maximize her money.

And though many people assume her love for traveling motivated the globetrotting, O’Dell said her big move overseas was to solve one of her own problems: the significant NYC price tag on starting a business and renting a living space.

“A lot of people think that I had dreams of traveling,” she said. “That was true, but it was also the right financial decision because in New York starting a business is so expensive. And my rent when I would go to places like Spain or Bucharest in Romania, it was a fraction of the price, almost one-sixth, of my rent in New York.”

O’Dell’s savings from living overseas allowed her to start AIRLINK without any venture funding or loans, and even allowed her to pay off remaining student loans from her time earning an International Studies degree at the University of Washington.

However, O’Dell admits that this solution presented some problems to overcome as well. To make her traveling financially and professionally viable, O’Dell has had to make several changes, including lining up her work schedule to accommodate the various time zones her clients operate on.

The average workday for O’Dell in Europe means beginning work at 2 p.m. and clocking out at 3 or 4 a.m.

“I had to change my sleep schedule just a little bit,” she said. “It’s kind of contingent on what kind of projects we have in the pipeline on a given day, but a lot of times I need to be online for U.S. hours.”

While roaming, O’Dell needs only her mobile wifi hotspot, MacBook Air and suitcase. She utilizes shared office spaces through different services and established temporary base offices in Spain and Romania while building her clientele.

Now AIRLINK has three offices — in New York, Lebanon and Romania — and O’Dell has a core team of six other internationally based professionals in addition to her freelance workers.

For O’Dell, all of her success would not have been possible without the invaluable marketing education she gained throughout high school. O’Dell participated in Oak Harbor High School’s DECA program, a national association that serves to kickstart emerging student entrepreneurs.

O’Dell also took several marketing classes with OHHS DECA advisor and business and marketing teacher Eric Peterson.

“He was so supportive throughout high school, I had never really had a teacher that showed an interest in helping me further my career goals,” she said. “He was like that with all his students and when we needed help he was there for us.”

It was in high school, with Peterson’s help and through DECA, that O’Dell says she learned what it really takes to run a business. While working as the manager of the student store, she learned how to order inventory, work with suppliers and even do taxes for the small business.

“I was really fortunate to be a part of DECA and the marketing club, that’s where I actually learned the technical side of starting a business like acquiring a business bank account and what insurance is needed,” she said.

According to O’Dell, this early exposure and education led her to open a baking business during the summer after graduation from Oak Harbor High School. She believes it’s always been her desire to start another business.

“I think when I kind of did some internal soul-searching I found that I’m happier when I have the greatest freedom to do the projects that I want and to pursue any idea that I have,” O’Dell said.

And for O’Dell, a marketing service was the perfect fit. She said it allows her to connect people to ideas and products that have the potential to positively influence their lives.

“Marketing is such a creative field and it really allows me to do a range of things that I’m passionate about,” she said. “I try to take only  clients whom I’m really passionate about, especially if they can help people or somehow improve lives.”

Though back in New York, O’Dell plans to travel to Hong Kong come November. For other future business owners, O’Dell gives simple advice: try not to make excuses and take a leap of faith.