Phoebe Rodgers
Phoebe’s a creative entrepreneur and content creator getting after her dreams from Tulsa, OK & Orlando, FL.
Phoebe’s lifestyle of faith has given her the confidence to try new things, explore new ideas, and experience new adventures. Her story proves you don’t need to have it all figured out for it all to eventually work itself out.
Whether it was starting her own company, “Magic Appears”, or growing a her social media footprint, her courage to step out and do what she loves has encouraged countless others to do the same.
What dream are you currently turning into reality?
Since graduating college in 2020, I've pursued quite a few careers. I was initially a real estate agent, then became a social media manager, and now I do social media content as a small business owner.
I still do some small social media management projects to bring in extra income, but I currently run a small business, designing & selling minnie ears. I know right.. probably one of the most random things you could think of.
My family has been taking trips to the Disney parks ever since I was little, and it kind of quickly became a sacred family tradition. It’s been a way for all of us, who are now grown and wouldn’t otherwise have tons of time to get together, to make time to be together.
Deciding to start my own business was kind of a crazy and random turn of events. I have always been an artistic person I'd say. My dad is a professional graphic designer & artist and I inherited a lot of his gifts. Starting what originally was a dumb TikTok, where I would talk about Disney quickly grew into an account that I invest lots of time, money, and energy into, and now have 100,000 people following.
One day, I just had an idea to take something I already love doing and talking about, & turning it into my career. Hence making minnie ears haha.
When did you first realize you discovered your dream?
I never naturally gravitated to a particular career. In college I studied communications because I figured it could benefit me in almost any career.
I think the fact that at the mere age of 17-18 we’re supposed to know what we want to do with our lives, and be so certain of it that we’re willing to put tens of thousands of dollars behind it to learn more about it is pretty insane. And, quite a bit of pressure. I was one of the people that just felt lost.
I’m now almost 3 years post graduation, and I'd say this is the first career I've pursued that I truly feel happy in and enjoy doing.
How does your faith go hand in hand with pursuing your dream?
I think pursuing a career takes faith. I would always get asked, “What do you want to do when you graduate?”. I would just never know what to say. It got discouraging fast - I really had no answer.
So, one night I just thought to myself, “Why am I on this earth?” - “What is my purpose?”
I always hear the saying, “Love God, love others”, and it’s so simple you almost overlook it.
I think that phrase sums up what life on earth should be pretty nicely.
No matter what career I'm doing, whether it’s what I consider “the dream” or not, am I loving God and loving others? In allowing myself to realize that, it took the pressure off of me to make the right career choice from age 17 and hope i’m not wrong. It took the pressure off of me to feel like I could only do one thing.
I believe that my faith and helping others find theirs should be my dream. It's easy to forget that because life is so materialistic. A career, at the end of the day, is supposed to make you money so you can continue living on this earth. I know some people who have been a construction worker for the past 25 years and absolutely love their life, and I know some people who have been pursuing what they would consider their “dream career” for only months and are miserable.
So, whether I’m a construction worker, an artist, a performer, a lawyer, an entrepreneur, a stay at home mom..whether I feel like God shouted from heaven, “This is what you are supposed to do with your life”, or if I felt like there was no clear path, am I loving God & loving others? Am I happy with my life outside of my job? Am I investing into my career, but also into my relationships, and my mental and spiritual health?
When I stopped worrying about finding my fulfillment in a job, I started allowing myself to find fulfillment in everything about life I was taking for granted.
What’s one or two practical steps you take to keep moving forward?
As I said, I am a small business owner that is very much still in the beginning stages. So, some days, I wake up ready to go - Motivated, excited, and expectant. Other days I wake up and I feel the opposite.
I think big goals and dreams are so important. But, I’m also a firm believer in taking it one day at a time. I often remind myself of the passage in Exodus where the Israelites were wandering. God would rain down manna from heaven, but only allow them to collect enough to get them through that one day. He wanted them to trust that He would provide for them.
And, that’s how I look at life and my career. I take it one day at a time and let God take care of me.
What encouragement would you share with someone who’s going after their dream?
Don’t doubt what you’re doing. Trust that God is guiding your steps.
If you feel like you’re doing what you’re supposed to do in the moment, do it. If it turns out to not be, you’ll have gained experiences that will benefit you one way or another.
Understand, sometimes dreams change. Just allow yourself to enjoy what you’re doing and have fun on the journey. God is a good God who wants us to be happy and have joy while we live on this earth. If you can find fulfillment and joy in what you’re doing no matter what it is, do it. And, consider yourself blessed.