Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacqueline Seaton.
Hi Jacqueline, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and grew up there and in New York City. I moved to Orlando in November of 2020 and began working with the Avalon Park Group in December 2020 as Manager of the company’s brand new Coworking space, called The 5th Floor. I had been working previously in Coworking in NYC for 10 years and also had another 10 years of retail management experience. I was pleased to be able to bring these skills and experience to contributing to the development of The 5th Floor Orlando.
Besides my regular 9-5, I also make art; I love to write and paint. I’m drawn towards surrealism in painting since it gives the artist an opportunity to create images more of the imagination than reality. I’ve also participated in the Avalon Park Arts and Cultural Center as an artist exhibiting my paintings and hosting painting events.
What I’m most proud of with my art is the freedom I express in my work. I feel like art is boundless and inspiration and ideas can come from anywhere. If I had a goal for when someone looks at my art, it’s for them to get some of that feeling of the freedom of expression, and realize they can utilize that too.
Right now, I’ll continue to learn about all the great things life in Florida has to offer, keep working to manage the sales and operations at The 5th Floor and expanding our services and clientele, as well pursue my artistic interests, and sharing my art with the community whenever I can.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Sometimes it has been a smooth road! For instance, moving to Orlando in the middle of the pandemic may not seem like it would have been smooth but I was able to join my company APG and find a great place to live right away.
However, I had to adjust to a new lifestyle and culture pretty quickly, and to the wildlife in Florida, that we didn’t get in NYC. One of the challenges in my overall story was also raising my daughter while working some quite demanding positions. However, on the flip side, raising her was one of my greatest joys and accomplishments. As many women can attest, its not always easy to balance our work and family, and other responsibilities, yet we seem to always find a way.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
When I joined the Avalon Park Group as Community Manager of The 5th Floor, the coworking space was still under construction. It was inspiring to be a part of the completion of the space and help to create the operational and other systems necessary to get the space up and running. I’m essentially responsible for day-to-day operations as well as sales. Over the past two years, we’ve been very successful in growing our memberships as well as expanding our lines of business.
We’ve also physically expanded, adding another floor in July of 2022. Our space offers a wide range of options for businesses to work in, from private offices and shared desk space to virtual offices and meeting rooms. We also do a variety of events in the space, everything from business launches to birthday parties. The coworking space has been a welcome addition to the Avalon Park community, and I’m always meeting people who are happy to know we are here for them, to run their businesses from, or hold their events close to home.
One of the things I’m passionate about is fostering connections with our members in the space and throughout the community, so we are always hosting networking, seminars, and other types of events during the year. I also believe being very flexible in our approach to the space is one of our greatest strengths, and focusing in on the particular needs of potential clients and our members. The 5th Floor has become an integral part of the community and I’m proud of what I’ve been able to contribute to that.
We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I believe success is very individual; there’s no one prescription for success or happiness, and we should all be able to define our own lives. We should go for what makes us individually happy and what benefits us and our loved ones and community.
We should keep on working at it to the best of our abilities throughout our lives and if we hit a bump in the road, we take our time to recover and then get back up and don’t give up. It’s almost like doing our very best on the journey is even more important than the destination. Finding, working on, sharing your joy and fulfillment, and persevering towards your goals is a success.
Pricing:
- Private offices on The 5th Floor start at $600 per month
- Shared desks are $265 per month
- Virtual offices are $99 per month
- Meeting rooms are from $30 per hour
- Event space quotes upon request
Contact Info:
- Website: https://the5thfloor.com/orlando/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-seaton-a248a064/
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the5thfloororlando/
