We had the good fortune of connecting with Jillian Chernofsky and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jillian, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
In the businesses that I have developed, I have never felt I was taking much of a risk because I was starting need-based businesses, the numbers and goals seemed attainable and I felt I had the ability to overcome the consequences if it didn’t work out. Putting in the time to create a comprehensive plan to utilize multiple pathways to attain your goals is vital to achieving success and minimizing risk in a career. In my personal life, I was faced with one of the riskiest decisions I have been challenged with. Four years ago I had my first child and suffered from severe postpartum hemorrhage that almost killed me, twice. After receiving 8 blood transfusions and multiple surgeries, I was okay but my path to recovery was extensive and absolutely filled me with fear to ever have another child, even though I knew I wanted one. It took years of patience and courage to want to try again and face the risk head-on. There is so much that is out of your control when having a child, it felt much riskier than any calculated business endeavor, but I knew I needed to implement the same strategy to give me the confidence to face this challenge. I found a team of doctors and a hospital that I trusted and had confidence in my family that we could overcome the hardships together. April of 2020 during the start of the pandemic, we found out I was pregnant. The slower pace of life in 2020 allowed me to nourish my mind and body and gain strength to have a healthy delivery. With my team of doctors, my loving family, and one strong little baby, we welcomed him to the world last December. When faced with risk personally or in a career, having the confidence and plan in place to overcome the inevitable obstacles is vital.

What should our readers know about your business?
My husband and I were seeking a destination in Salida, Colorado to get married that provided a venue and lodging. We were unable to find that option, which planted a seed for us to create that space. After spending more than a decade in Breckenridge, Colorado we moved to Salida for a lifestyle and career change and were seeking this opportunity. I got my real estate license and was constantly on the hunt for the perfect parcel. In the fall of 2016, we went to look at a property and it was love at first sight. We were fortunate enough to close the deal in December of 2016 and have been working hard to improve the chalets and property grounds. Since we have been operating Creekside Chalets, we realized we do not want to be a wedding and event venue, we want to focus on providing exceptional lodging in a relaxing environment. The property is in a beautiful 8-acre aspen grove and has over a quarter-mile of creek frontage, it really captures the best of the Arkansas Valley. Getting to know our guests that visit the chalets has been one of the best aspects of owning the resort as well as knowing that we have a space that allows people to rejuvenate, create memories with the ones they love, and explore this beautiful valley is extremely rewarding. Our guests continue to visit the property because they know we care about their experience and take great pride in the property. It has been a rewarding experience for our family to grow the business, improve the property grounds and share this incredible place with others.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Owning a lodging business allows us to always “feel like” we are on vacation when our friends and family come to stay at the chalets. There are endless recreation opportunities in this valley depending on the season and numerous venues in town to end the perfect day conquering our outdoor adventure. In the wintertime, we love riding the lifts at Monarch Mountain with our guests and friends, going for a cross-country ski up Fooses with our dog, or doing some backcountry skiing in the perfect trees on Monarch Pass. In the summertime, you will find us on the river playing in Browns Canyon or on a family float through town. In the spring and fall, mountain biking is the most desirable way to spend our time on the S Mountain trails and ending with a burger and beer at Highside. Living in a small community with so many people that love the outdoors, embrace the community and enjoy raising a family-centered around this spirit has been really delightful. Walking into Elevation Brewery after a day on the trails and getting a hot wood-fired pizza from Amica’s is truly like walking into our friends’ house. After all the outdoor adventures, Mt. Princeton Hot Springs is the best place to soak away your worries and let your soul be warmed.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to give a shoutout to my wonderful husband Jason Chernofsky for pursuing this dream together. I couldn’t think of a more perfect role for him that continues to keep him challenged and fulfilled. He has such an amazing vision for the property, loves talking and connecting with the guests from around the world that visit the chalets, and somehow knows how to fix just about anything that goes wrong at the chalets. His confidence in his own skillset and character has helped lead us to accomplish so many improvements and continually stokes the fire for long-term success. I am so proud of him for making our dream a reality because it would not be possible without his tremendous dedication to making “vacation dreams come true!”

My father was also a huge influencer on my adventurous spirit and my ability to believe that I can achieve whatever I want. He was an entrepreneur, dreamer, and go-getter. I remember at a very young age creating vision boards, monthly and weekly goals, and plans of action to actually achieve them. He was grounded and taught me that great things don’t happen by chance, they happen through hard work and persistence. He also let me fail, which taught me how to get back up and try again. Unfortunately, my father passed away when I was 24 years old but the foundation he gave me has allowed me to accomplish so much and to continue to move forward through life when faced with adversity.

Website: https://creeksidechalets.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creeksidechalets/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CreeksideChalet

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CreeksideChalets/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/creekside-chalets-and-cabins-salida-2

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOsbVqEHTCms-Y2_0Emr_fg/videos

Other: https://creeksidechalets.com/about/

Image Credits
Catherine Eichel Photography Phreckles Photography Cloud Level Media Nik & Angel Photography

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