July 19 2010
by C.S.

It always amazes me how stark of a contrast in attitude and discipline a successful retailer exhibits in comparison to one who is struggling. The same thing can be said about jewellery designers and also staff. Talent is rarely a good indicator of future jewellery making success, as is with desire to succeed. I've just returned from doing back to back jewellery trunk shows with one of the most successful jewellery retailers in Canada, so I will use them as an example to illustrate my point.

This store carries only precious metal jewellery, many brand name international designers, but strongly supports Canadian jewellery designers. The owner is in his late forties and has had the store for almost 20 years. There are 2 locations and, including head office administration staff, he has over 20 employees. The volume of jewellery they sell is phenomenal for the size of the stores. They are an industry leader.

They work hard. They invest in thoroughly training their staff and expect all of them to work hard and be their best. Quite often jewellery designers like to live in the "designer myth" that they are creative people for whom routine does nothing but stifle their creativity. Jewellery making is not just about being creative. There are many aspects to successful jewellery making that have little to do with talent. You should enjoy it if you are going to do it, because there are many other more lucrative and easier ways of making a living. However, too many people are focused on the enjoyment and not enough on the discipline that it takes to succeed in jewellery making as a business. As a wholesale designer, you have to have the drive and tenacity required to make the quantities customers order, at the time they want things delivered. Likewise, this retailer is ready to be open for the long hours, and always to be energetic and professional to ensure that the customer has a great shopping experience.

The less successful retailer finds it puzzling that their staff is not motivated to perform well, the sales are poor when management is not around. And yet, management does not want to spend the time to train and motivate their staff; some managers do not even want to spend the time to recruit and screen potential employee candidates properly. When they have poor performing staff, less successful managers do not provide criticism, regardless of how positive and vital it can be. We see it all the time, and everyone has at some point walked into a store and, from the service they get, they immediately know that the store is not long for this world. It is the same for the jewellery making business. After one delivery or show, customers can tell if they, and likely other shoppers, will ever want to buy from you again.

Successful retailers are never complacent. They change their displays regularly, and their staff are constantly cleaning and rearranging current stock. They invest in new display cases and lighting. The same is required in successful jewellery making. A good designer has to constantly update his/her look, even though they must be consistent their aesthetic appeal. This means sourcing new components, upgrading their quality and experimenting with different colours and silhouettes. Even if their last collection was a smash, just as a retailer’s display was swanky and received many compliments, a jewellery designer must take a risk and change her look and surpass their last achievement.

To go back and read part one of this article entitled Jewellery Making Business Success II click here".