Unusual Middle Georgia business wants to offer people an escape to nature. Here’s how

Nestled in a middle Georgia forest is an unsuspecting and eccentric retreat and event venue business. The Florrest, opened in 2021 by owner Mena Teijerio, offers a nature sanctuary.

Teijerio said the space was created intentionally to support the empowerment of heart-led souls and purpose driven companies.

The awe-inspiring retreat boasts domes immersed in a forest and includes a 1,654-square-foot event dome with air conditioning, a pavilion, a pool, accommodations for up to 15 people for overnight stays, a 6-person infra-red sauna, a commercial cold plunge, a Thermospa hot-tub, and more than 12 miles of trails with flowing creeks.

Teijerio said life experiences and opportunities fueled her inspiration for opening The Florrest. She lived in several cities around the world, including Buenos Aires, Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York City, London and Miami. She had traveled around the world most of her life.

After training as an economist, interning at the Institute of International Finance in Washington, D.C., being the chief operating officer of an internet startup in Argentina with her brother, getting her masters degree at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, having experiences with investment bankers in Chicago and Buenos Aires, and working in a business recovery group in London, Teijerio moved to Miami.

It was in Miami in 2010 when she had a moment that would change her life’s trajectory.

“Even though I had a family, career, and abundance, I felt unfulfilled and trapped in a life that didn’t feel authentic,” she said. “I went through a very tense divorce and I still had a long road ahead of me to heal myself from lack of boundaries, an eating disorder, fear of speaking my truth, and chronic pain that led me to wanting to claim back my life again.”

Teijerio said for the past 14 years she has immersed herself in the realm of development, consciousness, healing, and wellness. She dove deep into retreats, always learning, and got certified in many healing modalities.

Teijerio purchased the property in December 2019 after a serendipitous alignment when she was looking to divest from Florida and hurricanes and diversify. She did not have a business plan at the time but said she followed her heart.

“I moved to The Florrest during the summer of 2020 after being quarantined on the 39th floor of an apartment building in Miami for four months - each moment led to this one,” she said.

It was then that Teijerio realized she wanted to start a business where others, whether alone or in groups, could disconnect from a world that oftentimes moves too fast.

“At the core of this sanctuary is the knowing that everyone belongs in nature and that it is one of our greatest teachers,” she said. “Beyond individual beliefs, religion, and age, we can find this common ground.”

Teijerio said The Florrest merges her business background with her intuitive consulting work in nature to empower people to rest from conditioning, awaken to possibilities, and thrive in their communities.

The Florrest offers group and private retreats with curated experiences, team-building, workshops, online training, and is an event venue that can be rented out for other individuals, organizations or businesses to host their own retreats.

Teijerio said the expansive retreat gives the community a new perspective, a breath of fresh air, peace and clarity, and allows people to experience what it feels like to be in a safe and welcoming space so they can claim it more in their everyday lives.

Teijerio started her Awaken Flow foundational program in 2015. She has recorded meditation, developed mindfulness apps and published her first book “The Alchemy of Words.” She is also the best-selling author of Success Redefined - a book she co-wrote with Jack Canfield, author of “Chicken Soup for the Soul.”

Teijerio said there is nothing that makes her happier or more fulfilled than seeing people and teams come alive and break free from the past, expand, and create a positive impact in their communities after a visit to The Florrest.

The Florrest is located in Hillsboro approximately 20 miles north of Macon, and will be holding its second annual Thrive Hive Retreat from Oct. 3 to Oct. 7.

“I love that the people in this community are kind and loving souls who are open and ready for their lives to feel more vibrant and aligned,” Teijerio said. “I’m very grateful that this business attracts clients that I am thrilled to meet and support on their journeys - I have invested all my effort, heart, and assets for this space to come to life.”