Zest

12/15/2023

Do you know Zest's origin story?

During her time in tech leadership at high-growth, fast-moving companies, Jen struggled to maintain her own wellness routines. Working crazy hours, she didn’t have time to pursue personal and professional growth — coaching, yoga, meditation, etc - there just wasn't time on the calendar. 😢

She watched her own team struggle with making time for this, too.

She realized if she brought in education-oriented, wellness-supporting opportunities into the workplace, then they were more likely to get on the calendar. Plus, everyone could benefit - professionally, personally, as a team, and as a company. 💪

That's when the idea for Zest was born. 💡

She started bringing in incredible teachers to run yoga, fitness, and meditation classes for staff. 🧘‍♂️ Employees were eager to develop skills together. It felt great to have permission to do this at work... not to mention it was convenient. It also had the added benefit of building cross-departmental connections. Recruiters loved having these special perks for talent attraction & retention.

These programs were undeniably effective at teaching employees ways to better manage stress, increase productivity, and improve wellbeing.

But what Jen noticed is that when she passed ‘program management’ over to HR, they often didn’t have the bandwith required to keep them going. To design, launch and promote these programs requires ongoing capacity. HR already had a lot on their plate. And Jen couldn’t continue to do her day job and this newly created passion project.

That's when Zest became a reality. 🤩

Zest now runs wellness-supporting development programs on behalf of HR teams at different companies and sectors. For businesses that want to offer group-oriented programming, but don't have the internal bandwidth to make it happen, Zest offers a new way.

We've since helped thousands of hardworking people and hundreds of teams - remote and onsite - across the U.S. If any part of this story resonates with you, get in touch! We'd love to help your team.

06/21/2023

"In a sea of competitive spaces to live and work, you need something unique to offer prospective tenants... and something to get current tenants to stick around."

Explore new ways of thinking of tenant attraction + retention here: https://zestpdx.com/blog/rethinking-building-amenities?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

06/14/2023

Blanca Amezcua is a meditation and yoga teacher based in Mexico City. She leads classes, workshops, and retreats around the world in both Spanish and English.

For Zest, she leads highly impactful meditation classes. At every class, she introduces a new mindfulness technique, shares supporting neuroscience, and guides the group through an immersive meditation experience.

Blanca brings newness and vitality to every class and we are delighted to share her poise, presence, and wisdom with Zest clients. Learn more at

Blanca Amezcua is a meditation and yoga teacher based in Mexico City. As a board member at Hridaya Yoga, she leads classes, workshops, and retreats around the world in both Spanish and English. For Zest, she leads meditation classes for organizations, and is beloved by employees.

06/07/2023

When office and multi-family landlords, property managers, and asset managers incorporate wellness programming into their tenant amenity offerings, the top 4 most impactful results are...

(hint, it's not only the occupants that benefit!)

https://zestpdx.com/blog/tenant-programming-impact?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

05/31/2023

Most small and mid-sized companies don’t have the resources to hire a dedicated FTE to manage their wellness programming. Outsourcing to a trusted partner can help.

Are you ready? Here are some signs: https://zestpdx.com/blog/10-signs-your-office-building-needs-a-wellness-program-operator?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

05/24/2023

"According to , 87% of office landlords are now offering classes and other events to elevate their properties, increase net operating income and maximize agility." https://www.us.jll.com/en/views/from-spaces-to-places-with-purpose?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

05/17/2023

Are you a trained meditation instructor, looking for more teaching opportunities? Zest is actively recruiting freelance Latine and BIPOC mindfulness group facilitators to lead Zoom-based classes for corporate groups.

Send us a message to learn more, or apply directly here: https://forms.gle/F4jcN45CD1JkyUz69?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

05/03/2023

A high-quality employee wellness program is an important part of a healthy workforce, which can save you money in the long run.

Read "Why You May Need An Employee Wellness Program" https://zestpdx.com/blog/why-you-need-an-employee-wellness-program?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

04/26/2023

Occupiers were already seeking out differentiated office space prior to the pandemic. This 'flight-to-quality' trend has accelerated.

Are you an owner or operator of office properties ready to make a move to boost leasing activity?

Consider weekly yoga and meditation classes that support occupier wellness, employee experience, and convenience. Zest makes it easy to roll out a virtual or in-person wellness program, in 30 days or less.

Read the full report by Cushman & Wakefield here: https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/united-states/insights/which-amenities-are-driving-leasing-activity?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

04/19/2023

"Meditation, when done in this particular way as a daily practice, is very effective in treating anxiety, as effective as a drug, says the study’s lead author, psychiatrist Elizabeth Hoge of Georgetown University."

Read "Can Mindfulness Reduce Anxiety as Well as a Drug?" in The Greater Good Magazine:

A new study finds that teaching mindfulness practices to patients with anxiety works as well as using a standard drug treatment, with fewer side effects.

04/18/2023

Instructor Spotlight: Kathy Most LCSW

Kathy Most is a licensed therapist and Mindset Coach. She specializes in the treatment of anxiety, stress management, self esteem, and emotional eating. For Zest, Kathy teaches interactive workshops for our clients focused on Stress Management. These virtual events help employees better identify their stressors, learn proven management strategies, and work with their mindset to better navigate future stress.

Learn more about Kathy: https://zestpdx.com/instructors/kathy-most

Kathy Most LCSW (she/her) is a licensed therapist and Mindset Coach. She specializes in the treatment of anxiety, stress management, self esteem, and emotional eating. For Zest, Kathy teaches interactive workshops for our clients focused on Stress Management.

04/12/2023

Want to understand the universe of options for employee wellness programming?

Zest offers complimentary 30-min wellness consultations to help you refine an effective strategy for your group, given your goals and budget.

Booking now for 2023: https://zestpdx.com/contact?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com