Click Here To Listen Williamson Business 100 Leading African Americans Margaret Ziegler
Margaret Ziegler, is owner of Vintage 615 Boutique & Vendor Marketplace in Spring Hill, Tennessee. After starting her own business, Mom’s Sign Company, and using her creative and business talents to master her craft within several local shops, she and her husband eagerly jumped at the opportunity to become the new owners of Vintage 615 in October, 2016. While Margaret’s journey to owning her own business has taken a variety of twists and turns, she believes it was all part of God’s plan and considers owning your own business and all the responsibilities it entails one of the best experiences of her life.
Margaret was born in Lebanon, Tennessee in the 50’s. She graduated from Lebanon High School and Hartsville Vocational & Technology School. While keeping her day job, she attended night college at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee and received her Associate Degree in Fashion Merchandising from Draughn’s Business College in Nashville.
Her work experience includes seven years in the purchasing department at the Tennessee Department of General Services, where she worked her way from a Data Entry Operator to Data Processing Supervisor. She worked for 10 years at M. Lee Smith Publishers and Printers as Systems Manager and then two years at The Greater Nashville Church as Women’s Ministry Leader before resigning to marry and become a stay-at-home mom with her two children. While raising her children she continued to volunteer and hold leadership roles at both her church and the school her children attended. She also provided care for senior patients and her 91 year old Dad who now lives with the family following her mother’s passing.
Margaret is currently a member and Ambassador of the Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce. Her enthusiasm and passion for the community and helping other entrepreneurs succeed is evident by being named New Chamber Member of the Year. And, Vintage 615 was recognized as Best Local Merchant in the annual Sizzle Awards. She continues to support and be involved in local churches and school fundraisers, along with The Unchained Movement.
Margaret’s path to owning her own business has played out a little differently than that of many business owners. Both her parents grew up in rural communities and because of other responsibilities did not graduate from high school. Her Mom was considered “the help” working as a housekeeper and her father was a UAW worker at Ford Glass Company. School proved difficult for Margaret because of a learning disability, at a time in the 60’s when there was little knowledge or resources to assist a child who learned differently from other children. Because of her early struggles with school, she was afraid and felt that she would not thrive or be successful as a traditional college student. So instead, she enrolled in Vocational/Technical school because she loved typewriters and enjoyed working in the administrative office during high school.
The family where her mom worked as housekeeper had a son, Joe Bell, who was in business and a Tennessee State Representative. His wife Jennifer was the office manager where Margaret attended high school and had discovered her passion for office work. Together they assisted Margaret in enrolling at Hartsville Vocational School and later obtaining her job in State Government. After a few years being not quite satisfied, Margaret enrolled in night classes at Cumberland University and found her own special way of learning as she attended classes at night and worked her State job by day.
Her experience in fashion grew out of a necessity to find clothes. As a very petite individual she grew frustrated by having to shop in the children’s department and having to sew many of her own outfits. So, she decided to go into fashion and enrolled in Draughn’s Business College where she received her Associates Degree and graduated on the Dean’s List.
While it would be a number of years before owning her own business, early struggles with school, gaining an education in a variety of different fields along with the work experience and support from others helped Margaret to continue to grow and thrive doing what she loved. So when Jamie O’Dazier, the previous owner of Vintage 615 contacted Margaret and asked if she would be interested in purchasing the boutique, because she believed Margaret could take it to the next level, it just seemed like the natural next step in the journey.
Vintage 615 provides Margaret with an opportunity to lift up and bring in other talented people. And, she works diligently to use the store as a platform to highlight the value in individuals and empower them. She loves seeing the light in people’s eyes when they feel empowered and believes that is what she has to offer at the table of “community.” In addition she believes in giving back, letting others who may learn differently know there is room at the table for everyone. Her own learning disabilities taught her to use common sense, listen, ask questions and observe – skills that continue to serve her well today.
