Meet, Jackie Ospina, our host-turned-Internal-Operations-Associate. Her story at Sifted is representative of the organic upward trajectory at our company. We love to see people in a role at Sifted and then grow into a larger, more defined position that puts their talents to use. We’re known to create roles for people, rather than the other way around.
We admire Jackie’s natural affinity for healthful food trends (see her almond milk recipe below), and the way she’s synchronized service between all of our cities.
We caught up with her to see how things are going in her role.
What inspires you most at your job?
I enjoy working for a startup and having a say in the way we do things. Coming from a larger company, it is refreshing that when I have an idea on how things could be better, I am empowered by leadership to flesh my idea out and implement changes pretty quickly. I’m also inspired by how hard people work at Sifted to recenter the lunch hour on whole foods and community so that our clients have the fuel they need to change the world.
What’s your journey been like at Sifted?
I started as a host at Sifted while I was in college and happily worked in that capacity for about 9 months. I did some intern work during those 9 months in sales and finance until I graduated with my bachelors in Hospitality Administration from Georgia State and started my "big girl job" in university dining as a service manager at Georgia Tech’s new dining facility. I had always held the idea of working for Sifted full time in the back of my mind but it took working for a large corporation to realize how valuable Sifted's company culture is. I reached out to Abby, Sifted’s COO, after working at Georgia Tech for 6 months and am so glad to say that Sifted welcomed be back on the team in a full-time capacity as Internal Operations Associate.
What do you love most about the company?
I really enjoy working at HQ and getting little daily lessons on how to run a kick-ass business.I feel like Sifted’s leadership values authenticity and empathy which are two major values of mine and I’m glad to be part of a team that is so encouraging and motivated to do the right thing.
You have a passion for simplifying things in life, both when it comes food and our overall practices at Sifted. Would you share with us an easy, but healthful recipe you love and why?
Non-dairy milk is becoming more popular as people are realizing the health benefits of subbing plant-based products for conventional dairy products. Most almond milk sold in stores contains sweeteners, thickening agents or other additives that undermine the benefits that nut milks naturally provide. Additionally, buying raw organic nut milk can be pretty expensive which is why I decided to make my own (it’s easier than it sounds!). Please try it, and let me know what you think! Share your experience and pictures on Instagram or Twitter, and don’t forget to tag @siftedco.
Recipe:
2 Cups of almonds
8 Cups of filtered water
¼ teaspoon Pink himalayan salt
1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
Cheesecloth or nut milk bag
Start by soaking the almonds in filtered water for at least 6 hours. The water should cover the almonds completely.
Once the nuts have been soaked, drain and rinse the nuts until the straining liquid is clear.
Place ½ of the soaked nuts (about ⅓ cups), ⅛ teaspoon of himalayan salt, ½ teaspoon of maple syrup and 4 cups of filtered water in a blender and blend on high for about a minute. Repeat this step with the remaining ingredients.
Place a colander on top of a wide mouthed 64 oz container and strain the pulp from the milk.
Repeat this step with the nut milk bag/ cheesecloth and strain the remaining fine pulp from the milk, using your hands to squeeze out the milk.
If you’re picking up on the hustler vibes Jackie is putting forth and you have an interest to work in a startup where your ideas are heard, challenged and put into action, give us a shout, email hi@sifted.co.