Aimee Odette, DSW
Aimee Odette, DSW, is an Associate Professor of Teaching at the University of Southern California’s Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and a seasoned social worker with nearly three decades of professional experience. She began her career after earning her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work in 1996 and has since dedicated her work to supporting individuals, families, and communities through both practice and education. Over the past 13 years in higher education, Aimee has focused on preparing future social workers, most recently teaching professional self-care and emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices for those working in helping professions.
Alongside her academic career, Aimee is an active entrepreneur deeply engaged in her local community in Venice, Florida. She and her husband co-founded a local bookstore, which they have successfully grown and expanded twice during their five years of ownership. Three years ago, they also purchased a local art gallery, further strengthening their commitment to fostering creativity, connection, and community engagement through local business. These ventures reflect Aimee’s belief that meaningful work often emerges at the intersection of passion, creativity, and service to others.
This year, Aimee launched a long-held dream: a coaching practice designed to support women in midlife who are navigating major life transitions such as career changes, divorce, or loss. Through her coaching and a free monthly women’s group focused on self-care and wellness, she encourages participants to explore well-being across multiple dimensions—including environmental, intellectual, and relational health. Guided by the philosophy that following one’s passions can transform work into purpose, Aimee continues to integrate social work, education, entrepreneurship, and community building into a career she believes is only just beginning.
• University of Southern California
• University of South Florida- M.S.W.
• Free monthly women's group focused on self-care and wellness
• Community book donation program supporting local library system and schools
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to relationships. Whether that's relationships with the people that come in and who you meet, your community, anybody that you touch. I just remember my mother saying to me, if you're within whatever, like 5 feet, 4 feet, and you're walking by somebody, say hello, make eye contact. I think that small lesson moving forward throughout my life, and then with my social work education, it's all about community and building relationships. Without building community, without those relationships in anything that I have done, I would not be successful.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received came from my mother, who taught me that when you pass someone, you should say hello and make eye contact—because relationships and simple human connection matter. More recently, I’ve embraced the idea of reframing imposter syndrome as a “beginner’s mindset,” which reminds me that growth often begins with curiosity and the willingness to learn.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say, don't give up. If it is a dream that you feel strongly about, don't give up. You will always find a way. Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. There are ups and downs, there are fantastic moments where you feel like this is the best thing in the world, and then there are moments of like, why am I doing this? That's normal. And so, if it is a dream, if it is a passion, you know, follow it. The success and all of that, it will happen. When you start feeling that imposter syndrome, think of it as beginner's mindset, and then it completely shifts the way that you tackle whatever issue. We're all beginners at something. Instead of thinking, well, I don't belong here, or this is too hard, or whatever the negative thoughts that start to eat away, think of it as, you know what, I'm a beginner at this, so it is going to be hard. There's a learning curve. We're not automatically going to feel like we belong because it's new. So, switching that mindset is huge, in going from that, you know, I don't belong here, to, well, I do, but I'm just learning. Surround yourself with mentors, too, and people that support you, that's super important, because I couldn't do any of this without people that believed in me.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is that entrepreneurship comes with constant uncertainty and requires resilience through inevitable ups and downs. At the same time, there is a powerful opportunity to expand the understanding of self-care beyond physical health to include environmental, intellectual, and vocational well-being, particularly while supporting women in midlife as they navigate meaningful life transitions.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think trust and honesty are most important to me, along with integrity. I guess the value of being true to yourself is really the foundation. If something doesn't align with your values, then you're going to stay aligned with who you are, and by doing that, the opportunities that are for you will always continue to flow.