Meet Jessie Justice

Meet Jessie Justice. Casual longboarder, lover of Morning Meditation, and an experienced New Restaurant Trainer at First Watch. Although Jessie considers herself a Floridian through and through, she has been a part of 40 new restaurant openings in the last 5 ½ years across the country and brings a bit of herself to every stop along the way.

What’s your First Watch story?

I started working at First Watch when I was 18 years old, back in 2014 just as I was fresh out of high school in North Port, FL. I worked my way up as a server to a Black Apron, and now I’m a New Restaurant Opening Trainer working at our 4^th Street location in St. Pete, FL. Eight years and 40 restaurant openings later, I’m still going strong and hoping to see my career continue to grow with the company.

What is your favorite part of being a New Restaurant Opening Trainer?

I’m proud of every opening I do because of the teams and people that I get to meet while on the road. It reminds me that I’ve gotten this far with the support of so many. I try to stay humble, do my best and keep kicking butt.

What drives you?

Making progress, slowly but surely. It doesn’t have to be a big difference but noticing a small change tells me I’ve got this and can keep going. When I look at where I was just eight years ago, I realize how far I’ve come. I’m doing better than I ever did before.

What’s a motto you live by?

“If it’s not challenging you, it’s not changing you. If it’s not changing you, you’re not growing. If you’re not growing, then what’s the point? Growth comes just outside your comfort zone.” A friend shared this when she herself was going through a challenging time, and I told her to text it to me so I could look back on it when I need it. It’s still saved on my phone to this day.

What are your passions and interests?

I love being outside in the sun, getting my tan on and enjoying nature. If you see me around town, you’ll usually catch me on my longboard. When I’m not outside, I’m listening to music – classic rock, country or whatever is good – to get out of my own thoughts and enjoy the moment.

What’s a place that is meaningful to you?

It’s going to sound cliché because I live in Florida, but I love spending time around any body of water, whether it’s the beach, a lake or a river. I’m like a mermaid so if I’m near the water, that’s where I’m the happiest. Plus, the beach has the best sunsets!

“If it’s not challenging you, it’s not changing you. If it’s not changing you, you’re not growing. If you’re not growing, then what’s the point? Growth comes just outside your comfort zone.”

– Jessie Justice

How important is friendship to you?

My friends have always had my back, and I’ve leaned on them for years. They’ve been there to check in on me and help me up when I get knocked down, even letting me crash at their place. No matter what situation I was in – from moving out of my house at 16 to living out of my car – my friends have given me more support than my own family.

When you’re eating out, who do you bring around your table?

I like to eat alone because it’s how I’ve met many of my friends. Sometimes, I’ll just sit at a bar or restaurant by myself and be social and talk to the people around me. And trust me, I’ve met some cool people doing that. But if I’m inviting others out, my good friends and fellow NRO trainers would definitely be there with me!

What’s something you aspire to accomplish?

I want to live a comfortable, stable life. I’ve always wanted other people to live comfortably, too, since I’ve been through the same struggles. I want to have everything in place and be happy for the rest of my life.

If you had to pick three words to describe you, which ones would you choose?

Goofy, loyal, and trusting. Goofy because you can’t be serious all the time. Loyal because of the relationships I have with my people and strangers. And trusting because if you tell me something, I’m going to keep it between us and that’s a promise.

Want to join Jessie in making days brighter?