The ULTIMATE VOLUNTEER
BY RACHEL INSWASTY
Jennifer Wiggins may not be a Treasure Coast native, but she has worked hard to give back to the community through her work as a local CEO and volunteering for upwards of 20 nonprofits at any given time. She prides herself on being able to help others to create a workplace environment that fosters personal development and growth.
I was born and raised in a small town in eastern North Carolina with my parents and younger brother. My dad was a factory worker and my mom was a substitute teacher. I grew up playing in the woods, climbing trees, digging up sweet potatoes, working in the tobacco fields or taking care of animals. I went to college and earned a business degree with a focus in finance. I loved getting experience with different jobs and would usually have three to four part-time jobs at a time. I had worked 19 different jobs by the time I was 22 years old. I met my husband right after high school and we have been together for 17 years. We just had our first baby in December of 2020, Carter.
I have always enjoyed helping others and have done so since a very young age. Working with others to help grow their business and helping them to understand digital marketing, web development or website management is really important during this day and age. I hate to see people being taken advantage of, so it's always kept me motivated to help a company out of a hole or just being able to give them the right tools to flourish.
Our move to Port St. Lucie was purely by accident. In 2011, we had planned to move down to Fort Lauderdale and actually had all of our stuff in a storage unit while we searched for a home. Once we arrived, my husband and I realized the big city life was not for us … we both grew up in rural North Carolina where it's quiet and peaceful. As we were headed back up to North Carolina to figure out our next step, we randomly stopped to eat in PSL and started driving around. Both of us had a good feeling because it was calm but not too desolate. We made the move in 2011 and have been here enjoying it ever since.
My husband started our company, Clear SEM Solutions, in early 2007 as a hobby and later that year we made it a business. Clear SEM Solutions is a web development and digital marketing agency. We work with local businesses to build websites and/or help them with their digital marketing through Google and social ads, SEO and social media. In 2018, I partnered with a friend to co-own Just Breathe Aerials, a yoga and antigravity fitness studio, more commonly known as aerial yoga. I run the business side of things and she runs the studio. I have always loved yoga and am grateful to be able to have a studio for others who love it as well.
I have always been a giver and usually involved in a dozen organizations at one time. I think if you are able to give some of your time and extra resources, that's an amazing gift in itself. Not everyone is in a good place to do so and I am happy to help others.
There are so many amazing nonprofits on the Treasure Coast, so I do my best to help as many as I can and rotate through them. Right now, I am currently the president of the Royal Palms, a nonprofit that collects prom dresses all year and holds an event where local high schoolers can come get a prom dress for free so they can attend prom.
I sit on a number of other boards as well, mostly in the communications role. Both of my companies are also very involved in many nonprofits. At Clear SEM we work with Family Meals, Friends in Pink, The Source and Little Birthday Angels.
Just Breathe Aerials has worked with several different nonprofits as we do a donation class throughout the year and donate funds to the selected charity. We've also collected items for Little Birthday Angels and helped a fundraiser for Alex's Lemonade stand.
It's important to do something that you enjoy doing. I go to work every day or volunteer to do something that I feel good about at the end of the day. Being able to give back to others is very important to me and so that is exactly what I do in my day-to-day life and it never feels like I am working. It's most important to create or at least be part of an environment that feels like home. It is so much easier to work in a place where everyone feels like family.
