Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Lee.
Hi Megan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I spent eight years working for a General Surgeon here in Nashville. He taught me a lot—not just about medicine, but about integrity, high standards, and taking care of people. I’d reached the ceiling of my career as a Medical Assistant, and without going back to school- there wasn’t much room to grow. Then… COVID happened. Like a lot of people, getting a little of my time back made me realize I didn’t want to spend the next thirty years working eleven-hour days waiting for a retirement that might never come.
I took a chance on an opportunity that didn’t turn out quite the way it was advertised, but looking back, it was one of the best things that could have happened. It pushed me out of the security of a steady paycheck and into working full-time in the western industry, where I’d already spent years building relationships through content creation and live selling.
I’ve loved jewelry for as long as I can remember. My mom and both of my grandmothers had incredible collections, and I spent plenty of time “shopping” their jewelry boxes long before I ever dreamed of owning a business. Turquoise, malachite, jade, red coral, opal, tiger’s eye—or even random pretty rocks I found along the way—I wanted them all.
I started Turquoise In Style 2/22/22, but if I’m being honest, I wasn’t all in. I knew I didn’t want to be just another boutique. Jewelry felt different. It was timeless, every piece had a story, and I loved the idea of connecting people with something they’d treasure for years.
About a year and a half later, I was talking with another business owner who couldn’t understand why customers weren’t connecting with her brand. I remember saying, “People don’t want to scan a QR code. They want you. They want to know who’s behind the brand.”
Halfway through that conversation, I realized I was giving myself advice.
I went home and promised myself I would give Turquoise In Style everything I had for six months.
I never looked back.
At the very next market, I worked another vendor’s booth during the day, bought jewelry whenever I could, posted in my VIP group between customers, did personal shopping for my own clients, and skipped dinner every night so I could go live from the Airbnb. I was exhausted, but for the first time in my life, I was working just as hard for myself as I’d always worked for everyone else.
One of the shops I’d been buying from since the beginning noticed that. He watched me build my business piece by piece—even when I couldn’t meet his minimum order. He took a chance on me, opened doors most people never get, and over the years that relationship has become more like family than business.
Today, we’re preparing for our third year exhibiting during the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. My husband has joined the business full-time, my oldest son works alongside me until college steals him away, and we still have customers who’ve been with us since the “hot mess kitchen table” days.
The business has grown, but not much else has changed. The dogs still bark during live sales. My kids still wander through the office. I’m still obsessed with beautiful stones, the stories behind the artists who create them, and helping someone find the piece that feels like it was meant for them.
The biggest difference is that I finally bet on myself—and that’s changed everything.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not even close.
The hardest part wasn’t starting Turquoise In Style—it was realizing I wasn’t just selling jewelry anymore. For the first couple of years, I was hustling. If I needed money, I’d sell more jewelry. If I didn’t, I’d focus on content creation or whatever else paid the bills. I wasn’t thinking about systems, processes, leadership, or building a company. I was thinking about survival. Bookkeeping was me sitting at the kitchen table before tax season with stacks of bank statements, credit card statements, and TurboTax, hoping I’d categorized everything correctly. Every policy, every system, every process was something I had to learn because there wasn’t anyone handing me a playbook.
The skills that got me started weren’t enough anymore, so I had to keep learning while the business was already moving.
Looking back, I think that’s been the biggest challenge—not learning jewelry, but learning how to build a business around something I already knew how to do.
I had to stop asking, “How do I sell more jewelry?” and start asking, “How do I build a business that isn’t completely dependent on me?” That has been a much steeper learning curve than anything else.
I’m still learning. The difference is that now I know I’m not just a jewelry seller. I’m building a company.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Turquoise in Style is built on trust. People know I’m incredibly selective, and that’s intentional. I reject far more jewelry than I buy because if I’m going to put my name behind a piece, I have to believe in it. I shop almost entirely by instinct. Sometimes it’s the stone, sometimes it’s the craftsmanship, and sometimes I just can’t stop coming back to a piece. I’ve learned to trust that feeling.
We specialize in authentic turquoise and sterling silver jewelry with an emphasis on uncommon stones, heirloom quality, and pieces that become part of someone’s story. I believe jewelry isn’t finished when it’s made—it’s finished when someone lives in it. The earth gives it its beginning, the artist gives it form, I give it a home, and my customer gives it a story.
We’re an online business, and most of our community shops with us through our website and our live sales on TikTok, where we’ve built relationships with customers from all walks of life. Whether she or he is a nurse, a ranch wife, a stay-at-home mom, an executive, or a bartender, what connects our customers isn’t one style—it’s an appreciation for authentic craftsmanship and jewelry that feels personal.
What I’m most proud of isn’t a sales number—it’s the community. Our customers don’t just buy jewelry; they share the milestones attached to it. They come back years later to tell me where they wore a piece, who complimented them, or why they’ll one day pass it on. That’s always been bigger to me than simply selling jewelry.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I define success as having choices.
There was a time when success looked like hitting a sales goal or proving the business could work. I remember coming home from that August market (the one that changed the game for me) and doing $100,000 in less than twelve weeks. That was the first real “holy shit” moment. But over time, my definition changed.
When my son fractured his spine, I was able to step away, take him to appointments, and be fully present without worrying that missing work would put us in a financial hole. That meant more to me than any revenue milestone ever could.
Success is being able to show up for my children. It is taking them on vacation, building a life with a man who loves me fully, and creating enough freedom that we can eventually chase our dreams together. It is also hearing the stories behind the jewelry my customers wear and watching women who once hid from the camera proudly show off their stacks.
I do not care much about follower counts or looking successful to other people. I would rather have 28 loyal customers than 2,800 people casually watching. For me, success is living life on my own terms, continuing to grow, and never letting life simply happen to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.turquoiseinstyle.com
- Instagram: @turquoiseinstylemego
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turquoiseinstyle
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@turquoiseinstylemego
