A sense of purpose, a pursuit of curiosity, and a chance to make a meaningful mark on the world are what Oksana Kolesnikova lives for. 

As a shy child, she used to have trouble expressing herself. Oksana saw the magic happening right when she discovered her love for the piano. Thanks to her supportive parents who introduced her to this form of art. Born in Siberia, Russia, she got enrolled in a music school when she moved to Kazakhstan. Then, in her teens, Oksana moved to the US where she grasped a treasure trove of opportunities while pursuing her music training. Soon after, she bagged a scholarship in the Florida State Young Artists Symposium Competition which gave her a blissful chance to first study at Saint Petersburg College (Florida), and later at Florida State University. Definitely a pleasant turning point in her life, in 1999 Oksana met her husband-to-be, Alex, at his birthday party before attending FSU. They were married in 2000 and he became her career manager. In 2006, the duo moved to LA. This award-winning artist started her journey after graduation as a performing artist across Florida. Having repeatedly played piano, her fan base began to grow immensely and it indeed led to a palpable surge in her confidence. But she did not stop there! Her drive to achieve the best made her land a prestigious position as an in-house pianist at the legendary Polo Lounge in Beverly Hills Hotel. Oksana remembers, “It was a good learning curve for me as I performed there daily to the world-famous movie stars, celebrities, world leaders and famous entrepreneurs, people that I only used to see on TV, growing up in Russia.” 

 

As time slipped by, she became a marvelous mother to her son, Alessandro, in 2009. Although a perfect way to restore love & sanity, that phase came with a nice bundle of changes in her career as she couldn’t travel as a performer any longer. As a highly experienced professional musician, she went ahead and explored a whole host of possibilities. “I am grateful to the 7 years playing experience at the Polo Lounge. I started to build my private studio of piano students, many of whom were celebrities and their kids that I met at my glamorous gig,” Oksana adds. Later, she also opened Oksana School of Music, where she hired other instructors to teach diverse instruments alongside her. Little did she know the destiny was all prepared to feed her entrepreneurial spirit. 

After hustling constantly, Oksana opened her first company: Oksana Management Group, Inc. Luckily, the idea of her business model blossomed into a success. She states, “OMG focused on including not only music services, but also foreign languages, academic tutoring, Art, Acting/Drama, Chess, Financial Literacy for children and teens, and many other after school enrichment programs that are now offered not only to private clients but also to the schools (public, private, charter), school districts, municipalities and counties as well as online customers.” After soaking up the appreciation, this charismatic female entrepreneur decided to franchise her company in 2019 and that’s when her second company Oksana Franchising International was born. With a proven track record in the industry, her company is proud to offer franchising opportunities designed for entrepreneurs who want to get into the rewarding field of education. Besides, Oksana Franchising International is committed to the growth and success of its franchisees and the communities they serve.

 

In 2020, Oksana Kolesnikova opened her 3 rd company Oksana Foundation, which is a non-profit organization with a big mission. “I had a dream of having my own foundation for many years. As an artist, I used to perform at numerous fundraisers and charities events for many years, and I always dreamed to have one of my own foundation one day. I have received overwhelming support from our donors and sponsors who joined our mission to make this world a better place,” Oksana includes. The foundation is created with an aim to spread the message of hope and offer positive, creative outlets that will give children a sense of purpose. Since its opening, it has provided extracurricular educational opportunities to countless underprivileged children, free of charge. Apart from this, Oksana and her team have dedicated their time, energy, and resources to help kids who have been affected by the recent global pandemic. 

 

The world has been captivated by Oksana’s talent and perseverance to pursue dreams, without the shadow of a doubt. Her indomitable spirit towards life inspires millions of women to hustle each day and every day! 

 

There is no denying the fact that millions of gifted and talented people don’t get the golden chance to express their talents. Already featured on Forbes, Oksana Kolesnikova feels blessed to have been perusing her passion for music, children, and education in her personal as well as professional life. She hopes to leave a great legacy behind & put her efforts into making this world a better place to live. She mentions, “America gave me a fertile soil to grow my talents, businesses, and to live my own American Dream. I’m more than ever determined to enable other entrepreneurs to build their own American Dream through my franchise system & grow my foundation to help as many children as possible across the country.” The classically-trained concert pianist works with a mission to live in a world in which every child is a creator, a creator of their own life and environment.

 

As someone who defies expectations, Oksana strives to live a life full of adventures and opportunities. Based out of Los Angeles, she is a globally accomplished pianist, composer, and entrepreneur. The depth of her talent allowed her to become an effective public speaker, educator, and philanthropist. 

 

This admirable personality has won a plethora of awards & recognitions throughout her chosen career which makes her stand out of the pack. Guided by strong values & ideals, Oksana Kolesnikova is among the “World’s 10 most successful Women Entrepreneurs Making a Difference”- World’s leaders’ magazine. Her brand, Oksana School of Music, was awarded the Best of Beverly Hills award in 2014. Besides, she has won the prestigious Hollywood weekly Magazine Pre-Grammy Educator of the year award in early 2020. The urge to nurture the creative spirit of kids made her receive the title of Ultimate Female Educator in Santa Clarita Magazine. 

 

Additionally, she has also been honored with the “Impact Company of the year” award by Dot.com magazine. Her background in music and education has helped her touch the sky and shaped her unique perspectives at the same time. Recently, Oksana grabbed the title of The most admired women leaders in Business 2021. Woman of the Week CBS and Best Classical Album award for her CD ‘Free Floating’ are her other commendable achievements, making her stand miles ahead of others. As Oksana believes in sharing her knowledge, she has an informative YouTube channel, Oksanabella, which has over 3 million views around the globe. Not to mention, she has become the first Russian-American female pianist to travel abroad and perform for the US troops. She feels utterly delighted to have received the most beautiful letter of appreciation from the US NAVY for having performed for the Troops overseas.

 

Needless to say, Oksana is a purpose-driven person who is willing to make the world a better place to live.

 

People of all walks of life find their entrepreneurial dreams and turn them into successful businesses. But a lot goes into the making of something great. You have to put in the hard work, and you have to be persistent. You have to be accountable, and you have to be kind to others around you. While growing up, Oksana Kolesnikova has had humble beginnings and experienced hardships like any other person. She is confident in her abilities to achieve her goals and strive towards victory. The experiences and knowledge that she has gained are proof of her selfbelief, which echoes through all that she does. Oksana shares, “We all have our distinct journeys in life which mold us, and make us all unique from one another. I appreciate the value of hard work, persistence, perseverance, resilience, accountability, being nice to people, and being humble. I think the journey I went through (Good and Bad) made me the person I am today.” A young and energetic businesswoman that she is, Oksana gives others a reason to work hard and have faith in themselves.

 

Unlike before, women of the new generation have moved into leadership roles and have become powerful voices in their workplaces. And although their gender should make no difference, the fact remains that they are still judged on the basis of their gender. Oksana says, “I’ve been fortunate enough not to experience gender discrimination in my career. But I’m grateful to all the brave women before me who paved a road for us in a male-dominated society.” As a businesswoman, she is working towards a world where women are valued, respected, and supported. “I think confidence, self-reliance; believing in one’s mission, selflessness, hard work, perseverance, humbleness are attractive qualities that every woman should possess in every society,” she added. Oksana Kolesnikova is undeniably a SHERO who selflessly gives all of herself to the people around her while making a positive impact on one’s community and/or the world.