“For me, accepting and owning your true self, even if it’s in bite sizes, is beauty. The beauty of it is that nobody on this earth is you or can be you even if they tried.”
“As far as the beauty industry has come, I believe that it can go even further by making room for women of colour, not only to be ‘faces’ but to sit on boards and in management positions to make key decisions that can further transform the beauty industry.”
This is the belief of Margo Fargo from Bloemfontein, who has not only walked the Miss South Africa stage but did it making a statement and rocking her natural hair. She also represented her city in the Miss Earth South Africa competition.
She shares with Get It Magazine that beauty is so multi-dimensional and impossible to define but it starts with self-acceptance.
She is a start-up business owner of a local coffee company, Grinda Coffee Co. “A single origin bean from Uganda and Ethiopia. It’s more of a passion project to showcase our people’s hard work and the good coffee our continent has to offer the rest of the world.”
She also founded a stainless steel straw company, Far_Go straws which also falls under one of her passion projects to help reduce the use of single-use plastics. She consults part-time in branding and marketing for various corporate and creative companies across the country.
“There is a project dear to my heart I am busy working on and I unfortunately can’t give away too much. Keep an eye out for it as the community of Bloemfontein will be able to get involved in this green project.”
Even though she currently lives in two different cities she will always be a Bloemfontein rose as she explains: “Bloem is home, there is nothing like community, our people are engaging, warm and the city has gems such as Naval Hill. That’s my favourite place to go when I want to clear my head or watch the sunset, which is the best by the way. Also, everything is a 15-minute drive away.”
Margo says that never in her life did she think beyond her family and a few friends would know her name. She giggles slightly as she says: “I wouldn’t say that I am a household name as yet! However, it’s heart-warming and surprising at times when people come up to greet, conversate, or even smile in my direction. That means a lot because it shows a feeling of warmth and friendliness.”
According to her motivation and inspiration go hand in hand. For this dynamic entrepreneur, it consists of her family and her tribe. “They support me in ways I could have never imagined. I find inspiration from day-to-day people I meet along the way, who are a testimony of how possible it is to do what you have set your mind on. When motivation is not around to give me that kick, discipline has to take over. Waking up knowing I have to wake up and do at least one task.”
Margo says that she really does not think she has accomplished her greatest achievement as of yet but would say, choosing to follow her dreams and choosing to go for anything she sets her mind on – big and small – is an achievement in itself.
“As much as I love being around people and places, I’m quite introverted. I really just had to condition myself based on my career. I love a good laugh and think I’m quite funny – (No jokes).”
Text: SAZLY MOSES Photography: LOUIS REYNHARDT PRODUCTIONS
