When Harry Keswani was growing up, he would say to himself, “One day I am going to make something of my life and give back to others.” It was a thought that ended up driving him to become a successful businessman after growing up in a very modest home in England. He watched his mother work until 2 or 3 in the morning sometimes, doing factory piecework on her sewing machine in their home. He saw his parents struggle to put food on the table and vowed that he would make a better life for himself and his family, and in turn, help others not as fortunate.
After finishing his education in England, he wanted to work for himself. Seeing limited opportunities in his home country, he left for the United States. He ended up in Ocean City, Md., and saw that successful business owners in the early 1980s sold T-shirts, pizza or jewelry. With some experience having sold fine china and crystal in England, jewelry was the most appealing option. In 1987, he found a vacant storefront on the ground floor of the Star of the Sea condominium at the south end of the Boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach. He started selling silver and some fine jewelry. His business steadily grew, and when an adjacent arcade closed down, Harry assumed the lease on two more units to expand his store. He did so with some trepidation, but his fears were quickly allayed as his business grew and prospered in a larger space. He also added more fine jewelry to his offerings, and with more space and more customers, he found himself working 14- to 16-hour days, with only a few part-time employees to assist him.
Several years later, he moved into two additional spaces, adjacent to his current store, and decided to make a major change in his business. He remodeled his entire space, giving it a more upscale feel, and launched a line of custom jewelry under the eponymous name Harry K. Today, there are more than 7,000 unique pieces of jewelry in his store, and Harry’s primary role now is doing custom jewelry design for his customers. While he has a website that provides a good deal of information and designs, he does not sell anything online. To buy Harry’s jewelry, one must go to his store.
As Harry has grown his business, he has focused on building his brand, and emphasizing quality and service to his customers. While at one time he had visions of multiple stores, he realized it would be difficult to maintain the level of quality he and his customers expect, and ultimately decided to focus on a single location. Harry gives great credit to his employees, some of whom have made the multiple transitions with him.
As Harry became successful, he looked to fulfill his dream of helping others. As he looked for opportunities to make a difference in the lives of those who were not as fortunate, he was quickly attracted to the needs of children. He discovered that many children in our area go to bed hungry and wanted to do something about that.
“I wish there wasn’t a need for the kind of program we have started, but there is,” Harry said. “These kinds of problems exist in underdeveloped countries around the world, but unfortunately we have the same issues here in Delaware – we just do a better job of hiding the problem.”
Today, through the work of the Harry K Foundation, there are food pantries in 52 schools in Delaware to help feed the children in our communities. In addition, Harry provides backpacks filled with food for children to take home on the weekend. The school personnel discreetly put the backpacks in lockers, where no one can see them, so the children don’t also have to live with the stigma of being less fortunate.
As Harry looks into his crystal ball, he recognizes there will come a time in the future when he retires from the jewelry business. While he will miss working with his staff and his customers, he will be able to devote even more time to the Harry K Foundation and work to help ensure that no children in our state will ever have to worry about where their next meal will come from.
Harry has no doubt been able to fulfill his dream of making something of his life so he can make a difference in the lives of others. When asked what advice he would give his 18-year-old self, he said, “Keep working hard, and if you are fortunate in life, you will receive the greatest reward of all … being able to help others who need it.”
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This column provides an opportunity for readers to connect with the personal side of business leaders in area communities. Many of our local business owners and CEOs are thought leaders in their community, and they can provide valuable insights and ideas on issues of common interest to all of us. Successful businesses are essential for a healthy and growing society, especially as people continue to move to this area looking for employment opportunities. This column will highlight leaders who are not only successful, but also making a difference in our communities.
Jeffrey Fried has been an executive in the healthcare industry for over 40 years, including serving as the president/CEO of Beebe Medical Center for 24 years. After leaving Beebe Healthcare, Jeff started his own consulting and executive coaching company, and has coached executives in a variety of industries. In addition, Jeff has partnered with a company called Vistage, the oldest executive coaching company in the country, where he serves as a local chair on the Delmarva Peninsula and leads/supports a group of medium-sized business owners and CEOs. Jeff and his wife Sherry reside outside Lewes and between the two of them have three children and five grandchildren. Last but not least, they are the parents of two rescue dogs.
