She’s following her dreams!
Gretta Jackson is making history as the first Black woman to own an Outback Steakhouse restaurant in Detroit, WXYZ reports.
She is Detroit-born and raised. Now, she’s making the city she loves proud with her new business.
“My roots definitely run deep in Detroit, 6 Mile, and Davison. Raised by my grandparents, raised in the church, and raised in love. Went to Detroit Public Schools and graduated from Detroit Northern in 1993,” she told reporters.
On this day 19 years ago I began my journey with OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE as a part time server… What started off as a…
Posted by Gretta Eddington-Jackson on Thursday, February 18, 2021
Jackson went to college and majored in business marketing. She started her education journey while raising a new baby, which only adding fuel to her fire.
“I was working 30 hours a week, carrying 12 credit hours, and had a newborn baby. I got pregnant with her my first semester of college. So, that made me have to work a little bit harder to do some of the things. Because I now had two people to provide for,” Jackson said.
At 23, while interning in the corporate world and going to school, Jackson decided to start working at Outback Steakhouse. She began work as a server, working her way through the ranks to become bartender, assistant manager, kitchen manager, front house manager, and then, senior manager.
“…After starting with [Outback], I quickly decided that this could possibly be a career choice. They create an environment where you don’t have to be afraid to be yourself. You don’t have to be afraid to grow and develop,” Jackson told reporters.
A few weeks ago, Jackson was promoted to managing partner of the Outback in Roseville, Michigan. Jackson’s community of family, friends, local residents, and the Outback corporation included have expressed how proud they are of her.
Jackson says she hopes that other young women look at her story and are inspired to pursue their dreams.
“Literally 19 years in the making, no shortcuts, nothing was given to me. I literally worked my way through every position, came up in the ranks. When you’re so focused on you and what you’re trying to do, you don’t always take the time to realize or understand how it’s going to affect other people. And I did not and could not have imagined the impact that my success or my own personal success would have on others,” Jackson said.
Congratulations, Gretta!
Photo Courtesy of WXYZ/Gretta Jackson Facebook