From Passion to Profession: Suzanne McKinney's Jewelry Journey

What happens when creative passion meets entrepreneurial spirit? Suzanne McKinney's journey with Beauty in Stone Jewelry provides a masterclass in turning artistic talent into a thriving business.

Suzanne believes jewelry is the essential finishing touch that completes any outfit. "Even if you're wearing just a T-shirt and jeans, when you add beautiful jewelry, you've put the icing on the cake and expressed your personal style," she shares. This philosophy has guided her from hobbyist to professional jewelry designer, creating pieces that help women feel polished and beautiful.

Working primarily with freshwater pearls, leather, and gemstones, Suzanne crafts everything from chunky statement necklaces with interchangeable pendants to precision-cut leather bracelets adorned with hand-wired crystals. What truly distinguishes her work is the personal connection she establishes with each piece and customer. One of her most meaningful services involves transforming family heirlooms into modern, wearable jewelry—preserving sentimental value while creating fresh, contemporary designs that often bring customers to tears.

The shopping experience with Beauty in Stone goes beyond typical retail. Customers can schedule private appointments at Suzanne's home studio, or host "Sippin' Shop" events where friends gather for wine, cheese, and jewelry shopping. For those seeking a more hands-on experience, Suzanne offers jewelry-making workshops where participants create their own pieces while enjoying a ladies' night out.

Suzanne's entrepreneurial wisdom comes from decades of experience, having run a successful glass engraving business for 28 years before finding her "happy place" in jewelry design. Her advice? "Everybody will tell you why you can't do something. You just can't listen to anybody. There really isn't anything stopping you but you." This resilience has not only built her business but created a family legacy, with her daughter now running her own successful glass engraving company.

Discover Suzanne's beautiful creations at beautyinstone.com or on social media @BeautyinStoneJewelry. Contact her directly at 423-262-7840 to schedule a shopping appointment or event.

To help you to navigate the home buying and mortgage process, Jonathan & Steve are currently licensed in Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia, contact us today at 423-491-5405 or visit www.jonathanandsteve.com. 

Transcript

Introducing Beauty in Stone Jewelry

Speaker 1 0:03

This is Benchmark Happenings, brought to you by Jonathan and Steve from Benchmark Home Loans. Northeast Tennessee, johnson City, kingsport, bristol, the Tri-Cities One of the most beautiful places in the country to live. Tons of great things to do and awesome local businesses. And on this show you'll find out why people are dying to move to Northeast Tennessee and on the way we'll have discussions about mortgages and we'll interview people in the real estate industry. It's what we do. This is Benchmark Happenings, brought to you by Benchmark Home Loans and now your host, christine Reed.

Speaker 2 0:48

Well, welcome back everybody to another episode of Benchmark Happenings. And so every time we always have a wonderful guest who's the star of our show, and so today I'm so excited to have Suzanne McKinney that has the most beautiful custom jewelry that she makes, called Beauty in Stone. So, suzanne, welcome.

Speaker 3 1:12

Thank you, christine, it's so nice to be here.

Speaker 2 1:15

Well, it's great to have you. And so, suzanne, you and I go back to being friends from one of our social clubs, the East Tennessee Boat Club. Right, yes, we do, and we won't talk about the boat club, but maybe that'll be a podcast for another day.

Speaker 2 1:30

It should be, it's a lot of fun though, isn't it? It certainly is, yeah. So, suzanne, I know you've been super busy and we've got the holidays coming up around the corner, and I think this is just a great time for you to be here and talk about your fabulous business that you've created, making jewelry, and you've taken a passion, something that you love, and you've made a business from it. So, tell us, Suzanne, what led you to start making jewelry. Tell us a little bit about that journey.

Speaker 3 2:09

Well, I love fashion jewelry and I think it's the finishing touch to any outfit and I would always finish my outfit with jewelry and I really think that if you're wearing a T-shirt and jeans and you leave the house with some pretty jewelry, then you've sort of finished your style, you know, put the icing on the cake and get to express your personal style with it.

Speaker 2 2:36

Yes, yes, I love that. And I remember the first time I ever met you it was at a boating club event. It was a Christmas party and I saw you and I thought, wow, she is so put together. I loved your jewelry and that was the comment I made to you. I said I love you, had this beautiful jewelry on and it looks so fat and you always look. You always look fabulous, suzanne, so you're a great advertisement for what you do. Look fabulous, suzanne.

Speaker 3 3:06

So you're a great advertisement for what you do. I remember that Christmas party. Yeah, I had on layers of long chains and this chunky eight millimeter rhinestone necklace. That was just really, really long and I doubled it. It was pretty sparkly for the holidays Beautiful.

Speaker 2 3:20

It was. It caught my attention, and you know me, I'm a squirrel, but I love bling and sparkle. So so you love making a fashion statement, and I love that. What, how you describe that is. It's really the finishing touch to any look, adding your jewelry, your personal style, and that's what I love about your jewelry is it's so creative and unique. And so how did you get to this place of making jewelry, suzanne?

Speaker 3 3:54

Well, I started as a hobby. I've always worked, done things with my hands. I've had other creative businesses where I had to learn skills, and that's just what I have a passion for. And then, with jewelry, wanting to make my own pieces and wear some things, I started doing it. I gathered so many supplies and so many things. I mean I had more supplies and stuff that I could possibly make to wear myself and I thought, wow, it would just be really fun to make a business out of this.

Speaker 2 4:24

And so.

Speaker 3 4:24

I did and I just I launched my website and then I had a few local boutiques who offered to have it in their stores and that was really exciting for me and that also got my kind of my name and popularity around town, because we live in this small wonderful town and people love to talk about you know, and so it's kind of cool that so you developed a lot of skills, not just, you were making jewelry for yourself, and I love that, it was a hobby.

Speaker 2 4:54

So, really and truly, you don't feel like you're ever working.

Speaker 3 4:57

That's the truth. You don't when you, when you love your work, you just never feel like it.

Speaker 2 5:01

It's just, and you know and people say that all the time find what you do and do that for a living. You just never feel like it. It's just my happy place and people say that all the time. Find what you do and do that for a living. You'll never have to work a day in your life. And, suzanne, it's rare that people actually do that. And so what a blessing that you were astute enough and had that entrepreneurial spirit we interview a lot of entrepreneurs here on this podcast. That entrepreneurial spirit, you know, we interview a lot of entrepreneurs here on this podcast. But had that and just went out and made that happen and you know, you kind of breezed over. Well, I started a website. Well, you had to learn how to develop a website too right.

Speaker 3 5:37

That is true, that is true.

Speaker 2 5:39

So that within itself is a lot of skill.

Speaker 3 5:42

It's. You know, it was fun for me. I guess for some reason it's artistic in a way when you, when you take a blank um template website and then you just put the pictures and videos and put it all together yourself. Um, so I did design my website, so I'm pretty proud of it. It's very pretty and nice and is and it has videos. Shows videos how to wear things and like I have a pearl lariat necklace and I'll demonstrate like six or so ways to wear it.

Speaker 3 6:12

And you know that helps people, you know. It also helps to get a having a video a little bit more up close look of it in a video than just a still shot.

Speaker 2 6:22

sometimes Because it's Wearing it. It is different. Different, isn't it? I mean, I ordered. You know, you order stuff off the internet all the time and you get it, and you're like that was not what I thought it was going to look like so I think that's so smart, suzanne, just having those videos, and your website is very good. It's easy to navigate. Beauty and stone right. Beautyandstonecom. That that's right. Okay, so tell us about some social media sites that you're present on.

Speaker 3 6:50

Okay, I uh, I'm on Facebook, of course and. Instagram, um, also on Tik TOK um, and I have a YouTube channel.

Speaker 2 7:01

Uh uh, youtube channel is you know all the video demonstrations and stuff and um and so, and tiktok, youtube, so facebook and instagram. I think you've got them covered pretty much, and pinterest too.

Speaker 3 7:19

Um, I can't keep every one of them up to date perfectly, but I am present on all of them.

Speaker 2 7:24

Wow, so you're on Pinterest as well. Yes, oh, that's awesome. So anybody can contact you and see your work on social media, and do they just need to? Is it just Beauty in Stone for all of these? It is.

Speaker 3 7:37

Or Beauty, actually Beauty in Stone Jewelry. Okay For the social media.

Speaker 2 7:43

Yeah, and I like that name beauty in stone. We were talking a little bit about that before the podcast yeah so, as I think that's kind of you sort of got the name that way thinking about beautiful gems, was it beautiful? Yes, I think that stones are beautiful and so.

Speaker 3 8:00

I thought, beauty, there's beauty in stone, yes, yes, and it's natural. And then, as I decided to name it that, and then I thought, well, people, it makes a beauty person. You are a beauty in stone. So I kind of like that. People said I like the play on words.

Speaker 2 8:17

Yes, I do too. I love that. And you know we, as women, we love to feel beautiful, we want to look our best. And you know, we, as women, we love to feel beautiful, we want to look our best. And you know, having these beautiful pieces of jewelry to wear with our outfits and stuff is just really, you know, it makes you feel more put together, like you said, and I'm looking at your jewelry today that you have on, and your necklace is gorgeous, gorgeous. Tell us a little bit about that necklace, suzanne.

Speaker 3 8:45

This necklace is so fun and popular People love it for a couple of reasons. It's a two-tone, so it's a gold and silver link. It is very chunky, isn't it?

Speaker 2 8:57

I love it, but it's not too chunky.

Speaker 3 8:58

No, it isn't. I mean it's not. You can actually layer it, which I think people do a lot also. They'll still wear longer things with it. But this piece is about 16 inches with a uh, a two inch extension.

Speaker 3 9:11

So that gives a little versatility there. And then it has a center uh ring that you open up and interchange different pendants on it. So the pendants and the chain can be sold, or I sell it separately. So when you come in you can buy the chain and you can buy the pearl on it, or you can buy a coin. Have those two for a while, come back and, you know, add pendants to it.

Speaker 3 9:35

So it's just a lot of different styles that you can put with it. Nautical pieces, I have, you know, anchors and, like I said, coins and just flashy gemstones.

Speaker 2 9:50

Yes and one. The one thing pendant I love that you have is the initials, so it's the gold disc with an initial letter in it, so you know if you want to get that necklace and that pendant, and so for me, my initial CR and I think I got the R. I need to come back and get the C, I need to do the C so I can wear that together.

Speaker 3 10:13

Yeah, and they do come in silver and gold. They're stainless steel, they come in silver and gold.

Speaker 2 10:17

So you could actually whichever one you want to, you know, make prominent, because it will go on the chain, because the chain is yes, both of those, and I know you use a lot of pearls, so what are the different types of pearls that you use with your jewelry?

Jewelry Shopping Experiences & Events

Speaker 3 10:33

the pearls I use are all freshwater pearls. Um, they're different shapes, um, smaller ones for earrings. Then I have they're called rice pearls uh, they're a little bit of an oval, more round shape, smooth, uh, smooth, okay. And then I have large baroque pearls, that kind of a very natural shape. Each one is different people even I even use those for earrings and people don't mind that they, no, don't match exactly yeah, they're very pretty, and that one you have on your necklace is very pretty too.

Speaker 2 11:04

Thank you, and also leather. You like to work with leather?

Speaker 3 11:09

leather jewelry. I do love to work with leather, and so I'm eyeing the one on your wrist and it's gorgeous.

Speaker 2 11:14

Thank you so it has everything.

Speaker 3 11:19

I start with just some cowhide and boy. This was a challenge learning how to make this. I bet the precision of it. It has to be cut nice. It's about an inch and a quarter wide, okay. Then there's five bands that it's slit into, and you know how I do that. I do that using it's a grip to my bench and it has four razor blades coming out of it, and then I drag the piece of leather through the the razor blades four razor blades coming out of it, and then I drag the piece of leather through the the razor razor blades and it causes these slits in it and then all of these pretty, pretty gemstones and pearls and crystals to make it sparkle a bit are, all you know, hand wired on, so there's a lot that goes into each piece.

Speaker 3 12:04

I dye the leather and put the snaps in it, so it's adjustable. There's brown and blue, white gold, all different colors.

Speaker 2 12:11

Well, the one when I was at your studio last. You had just made it and it was so beautiful. It was a kind of a goldish tone leather bracelet and it had that beautiful white flower.

Speaker 3 12:25

Oh, yes, I remember that so pretty, yes, and you know, that makes me think about something that flower that I can't get anymore here's the thing someone could bring in their grandma's jewelry their you know a you know brooch that their, that their mom had or a special piece or anything that I can turn it into something that they can wear.

Speaker 2 12:47

I do that a lot and I made one for someone locally recently.

Speaker 3 12:51

She had a piece that belonged to her mom and I just cut the I think it was a pin and cut the pin back off and I wired it onto one of these leather bracelets.

Speaker 2 13:01

That is awesome. She cried when I gave it to her. I bet she teared up.

Speaker 3 13:05

I was like oh, that says how much you like it.

Speaker 2 13:07

Yes, yes, yeah, I love that. So that's a great idea. And you know, a lot of us get jewelry inherited from our moms, our grandmothers and you know, let's be honest, most of us we don't wear it, of course, typically Of wear it of course, typically. Of course you can put it in something that's going to make a fashion statement that that we would like and be able to wear, so I love that.

Speaker 3 13:32

Thank you.

Speaker 2 13:32

And then I noticed the other bracelet you have is, uh, the crosses um.

Speaker 3 13:37

There's a curved sideways cross beautiful and I've put it on a stretch bracelet with pearls. And actually these little beads are kind of special. You don't know about it, but I actually had these manufactured myself because I couldn't find what I wanted, oh wow. So it's kind of special and it stretches on it's really pretty, really pretty, suzanne, thank you.

Speaker 2 14:04

So some of the fun things that you can do. Let's just say, people listening to this podcast and they're like you know what? I've got holidays coming up. How about going to your home? So how could we go about setting that up, not at your home, but let's say their home? You can come to my home.

Speaker 3 14:24

I actually have my studio set up to shop lots of items on display. Okay, if you feel like you see something on the website but you really need to try it on or see it in person. You want to see, you know how it looks on you or what color it really is or something you can come make an appointment and I'd love to have you over and shop in my studio.

Speaker 2 14:44

Okay, bring a girlfriend or two.

Speaker 3 14:46

Sure, you can do that. Bring a girlfriend, and then, if you want to set something up a little bit bigger, you can have me come over to your home, or again even my home. Bring a bunch of friends. We'll serve some wine, some cheese, and we'll just get together and shop that way too. But, I'll bring everything to your home and set up displays for you to have a nice evening.

Speaker 2 15:10

Absolutely. We know we did that last year. There was about probably 20 of us, yes, that came to your house and we had a beautiful hors d'oeuvre, charcuterie and wine and we we would take turns going upstairs and just shopping and it was just so much fun. Thank you, it was a great evening Fun, so I love that. So let's remember that so we can get that. Set up Book by appointment. Reach out to your website, call me.

Speaker 3 15:43

Could they call you Suzanne? Definitely call me, text me, call me, okay, and what would be?

Speaker 2 15:47

do you mind putting your number, giving us your number?

Speaker 3 15:50

Absolutely not. It is 423-262-7840.

Speaker 2 15:56

Okay, and this is your cell phone, correct? Yes, it's my cell phone, so call and text go to the website. And then so, are there any? I know when we were at Wine, Women and Shoes this year, you were there and you had a beautiful display of your jewelry and stuff. So is there any things coming up where you're going to be?

Speaker 3 16:18

Yes, actually there is and that is a storytelling in Jonesboro on the street. There. That is a big deal. Yes, it is. You know how? I don't know how many thousands do you remember?

Speaker 2 16:30

The story. So for those of you and I'm sure if you're listening you've heard of the Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro. It has grown. It's been around for probably 25 years at least and it is a huge event. People from all over the country come. We even have people from other countries that come. I met people from England that were at the storytelling event a few years ago. So it's a huge event and downtown Jonesboro if you haven't been there, it's just a fun place to go. But the Storytelling Festival when does that start, suzanne?

Speaker 3 17:03

It's the first weekend in October. It's just that Saturday and Sunday. People do come in on Friday, but the main events where the storytelling is going on is Saturday and Sunday, oh wonderful, so that'll be a lot of fun.

Entrepreneurial Wisdom & Family Legacy

Speaker 2 17:19

You'll be there with everything. Well, that sounds great. Is there anything else that you would like to share about your business, or things that you love to do, or something we've not covered?

Speaker 3 17:34

I think I wanted to talk a little bit also about another style of event that I do, and that is just having a ladies night out again in your home or my home and you could get together to make a piece of jewelry. I bring all the supplies, and I bring different colors and combinations so that you can sort of design your own too but, then it's not complicated techniques to learn, it's just something to get together. Have fun, make your own piece and take it home.

Speaker 2 18:02

Yes, and I missed that last event you guys did a bracelet and stuff. So, yeah, that would be something great to do and so I think that's a great opportunity and I think to me it's just it's just fun getting together with your friends, people that you know, and having that socialization and camaraderie. And then all women, we love jewelry, right.

Speaker 3 18:31

They do, and that's just what I love is to see. I don't know, everybody is so passionate about it too. They just they love it, you know they.

Speaker 2 18:39

Well, and I love how you can take a plain outfit and you can accessorize it differently and always have a different outfit, that's true, you know. So what would be something like pearls of wisdom, suzanne, that you would share with maybe a younger you, or someone that says, hey, I'd like to start a business of my own. What would be some things that you would share with that individual?

Speaker 3 19:07

Well, I'll tell you what. I started my own business at 21 that lasted for 28 years. That was glass engraving and I was young enough to not really let anything stand in my way. But that's kind of because I read a book and that book Think and Grow Rich. But that book it just told me that everybody is going to tell you why you can't do it. Everybody is going to say just all different kinds of reasons and you just can't listen to anybody.

Speaker 3 19:37

You just do you just do it. There really isn't anything stopping you, but you, and so that's what I've always done. I've. Just I had that glass and raving business and then I decided to go into faux finishing. I painted walls and furniture and decorative. So again, that was skill that I had to learn. I went to a faux finishing school. You know you're up on scaffolding and ladders and stuff. So I got older and found jewelry. I'm just really in my happy place sitting in my home studio.

Speaker 2 20:08

That's probably a wise decision now yes, so that's great. And I know your daughter, jen jennifer.

Speaker 3 20:16

She does the glass engraving and she does yes, she learned it from me, started at 18.

Speaker 2 20:22

she she has a wonderful, thriving business right now and I'm so proud of her, so I'm going to bring her on to do a podcast with her business. Because, yeah, we ordered a had a friend whose dad passed away and she does this beautiful engraving on granite flower pots. She does all kinds of things, but it was just gorgeous and so I definitely would love to have her on as well.

Speaker 3 20:48

So and you?

Speaker 2 20:49

passed that down to her. How wonderful, mother and daughter, you gave her a skill that has supported her for life.

Speaker 3 20:57

Yes, yes, and that was learned from my dad. That skill came from my dad, so she's a third generation and my brother did that all of his life also.

Speaker 2 21:08

Wow that is so cool. That's very cool, suzanne. So you come from a very artistic, talented family background and you also attempted something new the other day and I was so proud of you, for learning is how to ride a jet ski.

Speaker 3 21:25

Oh, my goodness, I tell you I was terrified. You go, girl, I'm like do you do this at my age, am I foolish? You know what I mean.

Speaker 2 21:34

No.

Speaker 3 21:35

I just thought I'd ride on the back with my husband forever. And like, okay, let me just get on the front.

Speaker 2 21:44

And if I'm still terrified, then I won't need to learn, It'll be okay.

Speaker 3 21:45

But I didn't. I liked it and he's such a good teacher he doesn't leave anything out. So I know I'm going to be safe with him. And so I learned to ride it. And then a couple of times I was out. And then we were out one day and one of the other friends of ours said why don't we just stop and pick up my wife's, because she's not here today. Pick up my wife's and you can write it separately. So that was the first time I was out on my own and I just it was such a thrill.

Speaker 2 22:11

I just was so proud. Yeah, I saw the picture and you were smiling so big and I was like, yay, that's awesome. And you know, what I love about you, Suzanne, is that you're not afraid to try things. And you know, age is really, it's a mindset, it's really just a number, and we can either choose to continue to learn and grow and try new things or we can just you know, I guess sit on the porch Be bored yeah.

Speaker 2 22:42

And you choose not to do that, and I love you for that, thank you. So thank you for being on today, suzanne, I hope you'll come back.

Speaker 3 22:57

And I hope we get lots of calls and bookings to do some Sippin' Shop. Lots of ladies that just can't wait to see and wear and try on and have fun and laugh with Absolutely.

Speaker 2 23:05

It is fun. Well, thank you, you have Beauty and Suzanne McKinney. Thank you for being here. Beauty in Stone Go to beautyinstonecom. On every social media platform you can see her jewelry, her beautiful videos as well, and you can call her. Contact her on her cell phone. Give us that number one more time.

Speaker 3 23:28

It is 423-262-7840. Thank you, Suzanne. Thank you, Christine.

Speaker 1 23:37

This has been Benchmark Happenings, brought to you by Jonathan Tipton and Steve Reed from Benchmark Home Loans. Jonathan and Steve are residential mortgage lenders. They do home loans in Northeast Tennessee and they're not only licensed in Tennessee but Florida, georgia, south Carolina and Virginia. We hope you've enjoyed the show. If you did make sure to like, rate and review. Our passion is Northeast Tennessee, so if you have questions about mortgages, call us at 423-491-5405. And the website is wwwjonathanandstevecom. Thanks for being with us and we'll see you next time on Benchmark Happenings.