Marlena Heck
Marlena Heck is an entrepreneur, interior designer, and business development leader based in Orange Park, Florida, with over 14 years of experience spanning design, construction, and small business growth. As the owner and operator of her own design and construction business, she has built a career rooted in hands-on experience, creativity, and a deep understanding of how to bring ideas to life. What began as a stay-at-home mom exploring ways to support her family quickly evolved into a thriving business, fueled by a growing social media presence that showcased her design work and attracted clients, collaborators, and investors.
Over time, Marlena expanded her work beyond interior design into construction and business development, partnering with investors and organizations to help scale businesses and execute complex projects. She has contributed to the growth of multiple companies, including work with roofing and construction firms, and has played a key role in launching and supporting small businesses from the ground up. One of her most notable achievements includes completing the design and interior work for the Convergis Building in Jacksonville, a turnkey project that highlighted her ability to step into challenging situations and deliver impactful results.
Marlena’s professional philosophy centers on humility, faith, and continuous learning, with a strong belief that success is demonstrated through results rather than credentials. Entirely self-taught, she has built her expertise through real-world experience and remains passionate about helping family-owned and early-stage businesses grow and thrive. She is actively involved in organizations such as National Women in Roofing and National Women in Construction, and continues to pursue her long-term vision of creating a business division dedicated to coaching and supporting entrepreneurs as they scale their ventures.
• National Women in Roofing
• National Women in Construction
What do you attribute your success to?
I definitely give all the glory to God, for sure. I'm a faith-based woman, and every time I felt like quitting, he just never let me, and he opened doors that I had never imagined would be opened. My family and I got interviewed for an HGTV series back in 2018, and just the fact that a headhunter for them had contacted me about my business - that's only doors, you know, by the grace of God, that he opened. When I started my retail store in 2016, it was faith-based as well, and I just can't put any of it on me. He created me and put the talent within me, and I just kind of took it from there. So I think it'd definitely be just giving the honor and the glory to him, for sure.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
From a young age, I’ve always been inspired by Joanna Gaines—long before she became widely known. I admired her style, her creativity, and the way she built something meaningful from the ground up, and she continues to influence how I approach the design side of my work today.
On the business development side, one of my biggest influences has been Daphne Livingston, who I affectionately call my “mama bird.” She truly took me under her wing when I began working with investors, and she’s taught me so much about relationship-building, strategy, and how to navigate the business side of this industry. To this day, she continues to support and guide me, and I strive to carry forward the same level of excellence and leadership that she models.
Through her mentorship, I’ve also become connected to organizations like National Women in Roofing and National Association of Women in Construction, which have been incredibly empowering as a woman in this field. Those influences—both creative and strategic—have shaped not only my career path, but also the way I show up and grow within my industry.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The very first thing I would probably say is something that's kind of controversial, unfortunately, but everyone knows who Joanna Gaines is, and look at the life she's built for herself. She does not have a degree in design, and neither do I. When I started, it was literally just - I was a stay-at-home mom when I was young, and I wanted to make some extra money for my family, and that just turned into something that I never could have imagined. That was just jumping right into it and not letting fear hold me back, and not letting the fact that I didn't have a degree hold me back. The naysayers are like, oh, well, you'll never be able to do this because you don't have a degree, or this, that, and the other. I did projects that some designers with a degree have never touched. So I think it's just showing everyone your worth and not letting naysayers kind of shoot you down and say you can't do something when you know you have the talent to do it.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest opportunities I see right now is helping small, family-owned businesses and investors scale and grow in a meaningful, sustainable way. I also see a lot of momentum in industry associations that are creating space for women in construction and roofing, which is incredibly empowering and opening new doors across the field.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think humility is super important, no matter how far you get in your career. Just to be humble - everyone starts from somewhere, and we're always growing. I tell my children, there's never going to be a day that you've arrived in anything. So you have to be open to learning and growing and learning new things. Never stop learning. But to be humble - be humble about your stories, be humble about your ventures, and never be scared to tell anyone when you hit rock bottom how you got back up, because everyone can relate to that.