A true Vero Beach native, that’s who she is, and yet just a small part of what defines her.
Her name? Jillian Jackson. Where you may recognize her from if you’re a beachside dining extraordinaire – Ocean Grill, where she has worked for nearly five years. Yes, she’s a server, but again – only a small part of what defines her.
So who is she, and what makes her cool?
She has a passion for people, for making connections, and for manifesting her dreams into reality. She is a mother, a sister, a daughter, a colleague, a traveler any chance she gets, and a go-getter.
“No matter the situation, it’s possible to manifest anything into your life.”
~ Jillian Jackson, Zencation Retreats
Her main focus currently is her company, Zencation Retreats – and if it sounds like a bit of Heaven on Earth, it may as well be.
“I have always been in the service industry,” Jackson stated. “Whether in marketing and advertising, to hosting events, to serving at Ocean Grill. The commonality with all of these jobs is that they all involve helping people with a service that is of help to them.”
Zencation Retreats, Jackson explained, “Focuses on mental, emotional, and spiritual health, and that’s what I love. I want to better myself and those who are around me, and for that sense of empowerment to carry on to others.”
Photo courtesy Jillian Jackson.
Although Zencation Retreats is still in the works, Jackson hopes to have her travel company to a point soon where there is a retreat once a month. She and her business partner, Colbert “The Alchemist” Saint-Laurens, out of New York, scoped out their current retreat location in Costa Rica, and the pictures of it are immaculate. Zencation Retreats offers Kundalini Yoga, Qi Gong healing exercises, along with meditation – all designed to help one unlock stagnant energy, increase blood circulation, and become free from any negative emotions keeping one unhappy, sick, or in a feeling of entrapment.
Photo courtesy Jillian Jackson.
The vision and reality that has become Zencation Retreats is just a portion of Jackson’s professional goals, while her personal goals are centered around making time for self-care. As an entrepreneur, single mom of two active boys, service industry worker, and her continuous ventures in marketing and advertising, she stresses the need for meditation and personal development.
“People don’t realize how important that 20-minute meditation will make you feel,” Jackson said. “It’s sometimes just necessary, and will make anybody feel amazing.”
Reading is another way that Jackson practices self-love, and she says she’s been doing a lot more of it lately when she intentionally makes time to.
“Reading opens up my mind, so I’ve been passionate about it lately,” she shared. “My future is so important to me, as is creating generational wealth.”
Jackson admits she is protective of her hometown, and loves that she was born and raised in Vero Beach. She travels often, and when someone comments on how nice she is and asks where she is from, she admits she may fib depending on what the persons root interests are behind why they want to know.
“If they are asking because they want to move here if everyone here is as friendly as I am, I tell them I’m from West Palm,” Jackson laughed. “If they’re asking just to ask, I’ll be truthful.”
Like so many other Veroans, Jackson wants to keep Vero Beach the secret is has been for so long.
“One thing I have always loved about our community is that it’s small and everyone, for the most part, works together,” Jackson expressed. “One thing I love about working at Ocean Grill is getting the opportunity to meet so many different people, from local business owners and families, to out-of-state visitors who have been coming to Vero Beach for as long as they can remember, either for vacation or visiting families. There’s always that warmth and small-town feel. Plus, in season, Ocean Grill is always booming with business.”
“The only source of knowledge is experience.”
~ Albert Einstein
As for being a female business owner, Jackson speaks loud and proud, full of strong-will and confidence.
“My biggest source of influence is any person who is trying to better themselves,” Jackson said. “I love to see women who are business owners – their success gives me the motivation to keep going. My biggest supporters are friends and family.”
For more information about Zencation Retreats, visit the website that Jackson recently launched, to find out about pricing and availability, and meet the team of professionals that will be at the retreat to make accommodations as personally suited as possible to each guest vacationing.
I earned my bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Central Florida, and my bachelor's in nursing from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, GA. I certainly embrace my experience as a nurse (and have experience as a firefighter and EMT as well), however my passion has always been in the field of journalism. I thoroughly enjoy writing and making words come to life.
When I'm not behind a computer screen typing or in front of a canvas painting, you can usually find me somewhere near the water with my two kids and my husky, Skye (who also blogs and has her own YouTube).
I think small businesses that are locally-owned and operated are far under appreciated so I support and recommend them whenever I can.
Oh, and I am fueled by sunshine, coffee, and pixie dust.
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