Jill Vance

Background

About Jill Vance

The aroma of sea salt intertwined with honeysuckle is intoxicating. The softness of the sugar white sand, becomes more soothing with each step. In the quiet roar of waves breaking on the shore you find the calm in the ocean’s awesome power. Cast your eyes out to the horizon and you see where the cyan-blue sky with wizard-white clouds meets the pulsing heart of the turquoise sea. Savor this beauty and let its vastness seep into your mind. Are you there? THIS is my happy place-Fort Myers Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods. It has been quite a journey getting here. I grew up in Mahopac, NY—a daughter whose parents were both 4th grade teachers. I will never forget when I went away to college, the majority of letters I wrote to my parents made their way back to me with all the spelling and grammar corrected in red ink! Never pass up a teaching moment, my mom would always say. At the age of 14, I got my first summer job as a cashier at Stop-n-Shop in Orleans, MA on Cape Cod. To overcome the boredom of punching in the prices of each item in the cash register (yes, this was before scanners!), this is where I learned to make small talk and found it fascinating to learn more about people. Everyone has a story. My first job in hospitality was bartending at DiPaolo’s Restaurant in Oxford, OH while attending Miami University where I fed my interest in people and fine-tuned my listening skills. Once I graduated, I went onto hotel food and beverage management and then onto what I enjoy most-Sales. I spent most of my career in Cleveland, OH however, after the last polar vortex, it was time to depart to what I call “paradise”. After many family vacations to Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island, every time life got tough, I would close my eyes and think about the calming warmth on these beaches—my happy place. I now live in this beautiful destination where I am most happy AND get to promote it with great passion. So now, every time life gets tough, I don’t close my eyes, I OPEN them!