We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Margo Keck a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Margo, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?

My hero is my daughter. Being a single mom to my only child Hunter and learning to balance work and life.
My mindset since I was 18 has always been working hard and growing myself in Corporate America. I have been extremely blessed to have mentors early in my career who never judged me and gave me amazing opportunities even without a College Degree. I started at the bottom and worked long hours to be able to stand beside some Corporate Giants in the Hotel Industry. I have worked as a Director for Marriott, Sheraton and a Corporate Director for a large company in Atlanta Georgia.
When I was 30 and knee deep into my career I was wonderfully blessed to become pregnant with a beautiful babygirl. During that time I learned quickly how to balance raising a child full time and being a Hotel Director full time. There were times that brought me to my knees unsure that I could do both but during those valleys is when I learned the most.
As I grew in my career and learning daily how to be a good mother and role model, is when I started to change what I truly wanted in my life. My daughter Hunter taught me about grace and how to love myself without the big Corporate position. I started to see the world in a different way and what I truly wanted. My materialistic way of thinking and searching for something to make me happy was a false belief. As Hunter went through her toddler years then teenage years that role of single mother became more apparent that I was needing to be more present and take a break from Corporate America. Which is exactly what I did from the time she was 9 years old till about 15. I revamped my way of thinking and became the mom that took her child every morning to and from school, going to every school event, supporting her during her own personal growth and even during very difficult times fighting a broken school system. I was able to see things that I wanted better for my daughter and became an advocate for her to get those things she and every child deserves.
During those crucial developmental years I started a non profit organization called Healing Through Grace with my daughter. This non profit was founded by our own challenges dealing with horrific bullying in the Baltimore County School System. Uncovering an educational system in Maryland that was broken and needing accountability for destroying 8 years of my daughter’s school files. The destruction of those school files was to cover up the horrific bullying done by teachers, administrators and students to my daughter.
What was seen by others as a curse became a blessing to me and my daughter. It took us years to let go of the past betrayal by one’s that should have protected her but my daughter is the HERO that got me through those dark times. She is the light that shines bright and has taught me the act of forgiveness.
The blessings of forgiveness brought us both closer to our relationship with the Lord. My daughter is the one who encouraged me to take a chance on myself and be vulnerable and trust in the Lord at all times. By doing so is when I decided to open Margo Jeweler’s 8 years ago. By letting go of my Corporate mindset and going out on faith was scary but extremely rewarding. My goal 8 years ago was to be honest with every single customer even if it meant I had to send them to another Jeweler. Since my mother has been a Jeweler for decades the confidence in doing the job as Jeweler was the easy part. The insecurity in the beginning was being a sole owner and not knowing how to navigate the business ownership process. But day by day I trusted the Lord and said if you open the doors I would walk through them and that’s exactly what he did and still doing as of today.
Being rewarded Best of Florida in 2023 and again in 2024 makes me know that being “Successful” is not about money but about looking in the mirror and being grateful and thankful.
My daughter Hunter, my parents and my dear friend Donna have been with me every step of the way opening my Jewelry Store and the difficult times when I was Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis 3 years ago. There have been times that I can’t get out of bed or needing to travel out of town for treatments but during those times my daughter, parents, friend and clients have been there every step of the way.
I want to thank my Beautiful Daughter Hunter for making me a better person. I love you Hunter to the moon and back.

Margo, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My core principals are very different than most business owners. I don’t rely on traditional Marketing but I follow an old school approach called Guerilla Marketing. Being hands on and pounding the pavement is a principle I started from day one of Margo Jeweler’s. Taking responsibility for every single thing that occurs at Margo Jeweler’s is something that is overlooked nowadays. I believe in trust and a customer first has to hear about you then see for themselves if it’s someone they trust to leave their most treasured possessions with. That level of trust is the most crucial to being successful in any industry. I hear people ask me how I was able to be successful in Corporate America or as a business owner and it’s not a secret it’s actually really simple but it’s something that you can’t buy or pay for. It’s something that comes from within yourself and its the desire to do something you love so much. It’s something potential customers are able to see and feel the first time they meet you or walk into my store.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

When I first started my business I tried putting my trust in people I didn’t really know only to unfortunately have them steal from me. I realized quickly putting my trust in others that I didn’t know was going to hurt my business. So for years I pretty much did everything myself with the help of my mom and dad. Then as my business grew I was blessed to meet an amazing couple who helped me with certain projects that I needed help with to take my business to the next level.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

I try not to overthink this question too much because I want to be the person I have always been. I wanted to have a business that I saw was lacking in my area or even as I traveled to other areas throughout the United States. I never wanted to put my trust into large and expensive Marketing Companies that didn’t know me or my back story. So I kept it true to my own personal upbringing and brought that into Margo Jeweler’s. Like I said before Trust is the key to success. When a customer trusts you they will go out and tell their friends about you. Every week I have new customers come in and say this person told me about you. That to me is a blessing and something I never get tired of hearing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://MargoJewelers.com
• Instagram: MargoJewelers
• Facebook: MargoJewelers
• Twitter: MargoJewelers
• Yelp: MargoJewelers