Get Inspired - INSTOREMAG.COM https://instoremag.com/fun/get-inspired-my-life-and-sanity-files/ News and advice for American jewelry store owners Mon, 07 Aug 2023 02:05:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3 Siblings Collaborate to Take Missouri Jewelry Store to the Next Level https://instoremag.com/siblings-collaborate-to-take-missouri-jewelry-store-to-the-next-level/ https://instoremag.com/siblings-collaborate-to-take-missouri-jewelry-store-to-the-next-level/#respond Mon, 07 Aug 2023 01:58:12 +0000 https://instoremag.com/?p=97901 They say their sibling rivalry is a thing of the past … although they pretend to be at odds for TikTok.

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Trisha Kennedy-Thompson and Aaron Kennedy say their sibling rivalry is a relic of the past, although they do sometimes pretend to be at odds, particularly in TikTok videos, where they like to have fun at their own expense (for example, donning a leprechaun costume or having a pie thrown in their face). Their personalities and selling and leadership styles are completely different, which they believe makes them work well together. Since the second-gen siblings took over management and eventual ownership of Kennedy’s Custom Jewelers in Blue Springs, MO, revenues soared from $2 million in 2016 to $4.6 million in 2022. As they celebrate the 40th anniversary of the business that their parents, Jim and Becky Kennedy, founded, they’re so in sync they finish each other’s sentences.

What’s unique about your store?

Trisha: Duratrans in our bridal area are all wedding and engagement photos of people who bought their jewelry from us. Customers love that we have a mural on the outside of our store that has a wedding ring and ribbons that wrap around it. My parents’ initials are at the end of the ribbons. They celebrate that love and the relationship that built this business.

How well do the two of you work together?

Aaron: We rarely fight. We used to not get along and now she does her thing and I do my thing and I don’t jump in on hers and she doesn’t jump in on mine. If I have an idea, I always talk to her about it. I’m out on the sales floor and do CAD custom design. I’m still the No. 1 sales person on the staff. I like to be out there in the middle of everything. Trisha does the marketing and donates to charities; she handles a lot of other things. It takes both of us, not one person, to do those things well.

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What do you think is the secret to the exponential growth of your business?

Trisha: I saw how respected my father is in the community. Early on I worked really hard in making sure people knew who I was, not just that I was Jim Kennedy’s daughter. We have a big passion for giving back. We’ve won business of the year for the city, Rotarian of the Year, Citizen of the Year.

What’s next?

Trisha: I want to keep growing but at the same time I don’t want to get so big that you lose the feeling you get here. I want to keep the momentum and keep the same feeling alive. Family is very important to both of us. I want to make time to be a mother and not miss out on those things. Aaron has a 4 year old and I have a 1 year old, so we have our hands full.

You decided to embark on a major renovation in 2021. Why was it time?

Trisha: Our store was very dated looking. The showcases were 30 something years old, with a wood look from the ’80s and it was just time. I started having the conversation with my father before we discussed buying the business from him and I looked around at showcases. Artco flew out and looked at the store and we discussed layout and what was possible. And so we came down to a final layout that was going to involve knocking out some walls. We rented an office space next door to our freestanding building, closed for two months and emptied out the whole store. We have new flooring, we tore out some walls, built some new walls, new paint, ceiling, lights and cases.

What did you hope to achieve?

Trisha: I know there are stores you walk into that look very high end and elaborate, but I wanted this to still be comfortable and not intimidating and I like personal touches. It’s very nice but it’s not stuffy and that was really important to me.

What is the focus of your business?

Trisha: We do a lot of bridal and custom but we’re a little bit of everything. We have a large estate collection, which brings in a lot of people. We have everyday silver to higher end colored gemstone and diamond jewelry. A rather larger repair shop; we do 30-some odd repairs a day.

What did Aaron immediately bring to the business?

Trisha: He had the CAD CAM knowledge. My dad was one of the first people who bought into that software and he did well with that, but it became outdated and then for a while we worked with some vendors, who designed and casted it for us. When Aaron came we moved everything in house. That kept costs down. That’s probably one of the bigger turning points, when we started pushing all in house custom design. We’re constantly investing in the newest software and staying on top of it so we can continue to compete.

What is your dad doing in retirement?

Trisha: Our dad still will come in on the weekend sometimes. His office is still his space. It’s not like he walked away and never came back. He actually bought another family business and put my cousins to work. He’s the landlord of an antique and estate shop. He turns 70 this year. He’s doing his own thing, enjoying it and staying busy.

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Have either of you done other types of work?

Aaron: I put in years of being a foreman on a tree crew. I did landscaping. Then I moved to South Florida and opened a jewelry store down there. I lived in Boca Raton for a couple of years, then our Mom became ill and I came back and got to be with her for her last six months. Then I decided i’m going to go back into jewelry. I got with another family owned jeweler and became a store manager before my sister and my dad reached back out and when the time was right we all came back together.

What drew you to jewelry and why was it appealing enough to stay in it?

Trisha: Growing up I never wanted to be in the jewelry business. I knew I wanted to be a mom and my parents were never home when I was younger. But their schedules opened up more and Shane Decker came to our store when I was in high school to evaluate the business for my parents. He talked to me and said, “I think you should reconsider because you have a personality that would do really well with this. You’re blessed that they built this up and if you reconsider you will also have that ability to take more time off.” But all I could remember is that Dad worked from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Starting out he was it. He would sell it and then make it at night. But I went for it and I’m so glad I did. I get to use all my talents, all my strengths here and I get to do a lot of different things. No day is ever the same and I love that. It is a lot of work and it’s worth it. I have a work life balance. I’m not working till 8 p.m. or anything like that. I do bring work home, but our mom died when she was 57 so I know life is short. You have to be in the moment. We’re cognizant of that.

When I brought my brother back into the fold I made it known i’m going to be starting a family and that is going to be my No. 1 priority so I offered him a bigger stake in the business, so i could be the mom I wanted to be. I do my best.

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Victorian Jewelry Is the Focus of This Online Store https://instoremag.com/victorian-jewelry-is-the-focus-of-this-online-store/ https://instoremag.com/victorian-jewelry-is-the-focus-of-this-online-store/#respond Fri, 21 Jul 2023 04:01:32 +0000 https://instoremag.com/?p=96834 Izzi Krombholz launches creative outlet that riffs on her family’s Cincinnati business.

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For 10 years, Izzi Krombholz, 32, has worked with her father, Lee Krombholz, at Krombholz Jewelers in Cincinnati. Last year, Izzi, who is also a musician, launched her own online business, Haus of Morning, which focuses on Victorian jewelry and goth-themed apparel. “I get excited every time I make a sale,” she says. One motivating factor was her own search for sophisticated alternative clothing, jewelry and accessories that didn’t make her look like a teenager. “I always wanted to find a way to tie my passions together. Jewelry, fashion, music. it all goes hand in hand,” she says. “I love mourning jewelry; that is the main thing that inspired this whole thing. Victorians were so sentimental.”

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New York City Jeweler Takes Family Business Online https://instoremag.com/new-york-city-jeweler-takes-family-business-online/ https://instoremag.com/new-york-city-jeweler-takes-family-business-online/#respond Tue, 06 Jun 2023 04:20:47 +0000 https://instoremag.com/?p=95501 Instagram efforts pay off for Elizabeth Izaguirre.

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Since ELIZABETH IZAGUIRRE, 27, decided not to become a dentist and instead purchased her mother’s three New York City jewelry stores, she has launched ecommerce, gone viral on Instagram, begun to sell high-end watches, and counts celebrities among her clients. She’s more than quintupled revenues at Elizabeth & Co. in three years. “I knew that we needed visibility,” she says. “We didn’t have a website or Instagram. We created an Instagram, @ Elizabethandco, and everything happened so organically. All I wanted to do was put together content that I loved and share it with the world.”

ONLINE EXTRA

How did the business begin?

It’s my legacy. My mom is from Peru and she immigrated here in the early 1980s. She came during a time when they changed the gold standard in the U.S. and with a lot of work and a little bit of luck she opened up a store in the Bronx and it took off. We came to Washington Heights, and my mom had such a great run for the past 30 years. I graduated college in 2017 and went to go study diamonds. I’m a GIA graduate and I prepared myself a little bit before I got into the business 100 percent.

What was your early experience with the business?

My mom was a single mom and she would take me to the store on the weekends. I began visiting my mother’s stores from a young age and was always taught the ins and outs of the industry and quickly began appreciating the jewelry and clients we worked with. My Mother gave me confidence and independence within the business and because of this I’ve been able to start expanding and building upon what she created.

How did you decide to follow in your mom’s footsteps as a jeweler?

I spent my entire life thinking I was going to be a dentist. I went through sophomore year as a bio major. I thought that was it for me. It wasn’t till my mom realized when I was a sophomore that I was really into becoming a dentist. She thought I would change my mind and ralize what she created. At the end of sophomore year I had to declare the major and my mom just took me to work with her. She took me to the diamond district here in New York and did all these business deals. She was a total boss bitch and she showed me what she was doing. It was so cool! The business deals were eye opening. I realized I could go my entire life without being the boss in the room. It changed my perspective on everything. How well respected she was throughout that day. How she just moved like walking on water. It was the coolest thing for me to see as a 19 year old. That’s when it really clicked to me. I’m doing the wrong major and maybe I should just go major in finance and business administration!

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How else does your mom inspire you?

She’s the first generation of jewelers. Being a woman in the industry, today it’s normal but back in the 1980s that was kind of unheard of. Dad always said `Stay home, take care of the kids.’ He wanted her to be a housewife and that’s not what she wanted to do. Thanks to her we get to live this beautiful fulfilling life. I love my mom because that’s my mom, but to have your mentor be this extraordinary woman, for me all I want to do is carry on this legacy. For my future kids, too. Mom is retired. She said, `I cried here. I suffered here. I bled here. I’m going to go see the world now.”

What did you do to prepare to buy the business?

It was very important to me to ensure I had all the knowledge going into the business. I studied at GIA so that I could learn all about Diamonds, CADS and more! I’m pleased to say that I am now a GIA Certified Jeweler and can supply some exquisite diamonds to my clients that will add an extra special touch to everything we do. Feel free to contact us for more information on this if needed.

How did the business really take off for you?

The first thing I knew that we needed is visibility. We didn’t have a website or Instagram. Social media platforms, that’s how a business is now seen. They want to see what you have online to see if it’s even worth going in. we created an Instagram and it went viral, it was so beautiful, everything happened so organically. Back in 2021, Cardi B invited me to Vegas for her birthday party. It was so awesome and everything went crazy afterwards. I started working with a Latin artist, Johnny Ventura. I’m Spanish and I like to represent the Latin community. I was involved with the Ventura family. Went to a music video in Puerto Rico to style the band La Cervesa. And from there I did a sponsorship with Remi Ma for the first all female rap battle. Then I had Offset come to my store as well.

What do you like about your work life now?

I know this is work, what we have to do, but I really do love it. I really do like creating the content. In order to give mind body soul and give everything you got you got to love it at least. Or at least you better. It makes me happier when my team feels like I’m worth following. How can I make them want to follow me if I don’t believe in my ideas? What keeps me going is knowing if I fail, they fail. If I fall they fall. My team and everyone around me I try to keep positive.

What does your mom think about your success?

She’s over the moon. Everywhere she goes, she says `You’ve got to follow my daughter.’ It’s the cutest thing ever. I know she’s so proud. I’m the youngest and I don’t think anyone ever expected much from me. I was such a rebel when I was little. I had such a big personality, where you can put me in a room where I don’t know anyone and I will make friends. I was never scared to knock on a door.

How did you get the idea you wanted to be a dentist?

My older sister is a dentist and she is eight years older. She did so well and got accepted into NYU with an amazing scholarship. We knew our parents were jewelers, but at the time, it didn’t mean anything to us. My sister trapped me into thinking we can open up our own practice. I was always bright in school in the science department. It did make sense at the time, so I went to NYU, too, and her professors were counting on me to represent the biology department, too. I did really well. And then at the end of sophomore year is when I took a turn.

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Borsheims Ike-It Award Winner Embraces Kindness https://instoremag.com/borsheims-ike-it-award-winner-embraces-kindness/ https://instoremag.com/borsheims-ike-it-award-winner-embraces-kindness/#respond Mon, 01 May 2023 23:42:49 +0000 https://instoremag.com/?p=93632 Senior buyer’s assistant shares her daily inspirations.

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Wendy Johnson, senior buyer’s assistant for Borsheims, has been selected by her colleagues as the winner of the company’s prestigious Ike-It Award, named for Ike Friedman, who owned the company from 1947 to 1989. Johnson, who grew up on a farm outside of Albion, NE, earned a bachelor of science degree in apparel marketing from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She began working at Borsheims in Omaha, NE, in 2007 and was promoted in 2019. “Our staff is grateful for her positive attitude and tremendous work ethic,” said Borsheims CEO and president Karen Goracke. Johnson lives with her husband Matt and sons Andrew, Aaron and Nathan, who all love soccer. “If I’m not working, I’m at one of their sporting events,” she says. “I like to walk a lot, hike, travel with my family, I just love being outside.”

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Risk Taker Grows Custom Jewelry Business with Her Dream Team https://instoremag.com/risk-taker-grows-custom-jewelry-business-with-her-dream-team/ https://instoremag.com/risk-taker-grows-custom-jewelry-business-with-her-dream-team/#respond Tue, 28 Mar 2023 04:57:05 +0000 https://instoremag.com/?p=92605 Philadelphia company has four locations and a staff of 20.

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I LOVE MANAGING PEOPLE. I think more than I love jewelry even. I think I have stayed in tune with people’s needs, which is a full-time job. If someone is starting to say they are overwhelmed, I’ll work on getting help in that department quickly. We do reviews every quarter, in depth, about what’s going on, how they’re feeling about their work, their boss, about me, and I make sure people take vacation.

WE HAVE AN UNLIMITED VACATION POLICY. If their manager approves it, they can take the time off. There’s no hard limit. Most people take a month off. If you start getting to eight weeks that would start to feel excessive. I have had people get married and go on their honeymoon and take three weeks off in a row. It tends to work out. The team loves it, so they make it work for each other.

OUR CULTURE is one of autonomy, accountability, and flexibility. I hire personalities, not skills, knowing that the right people can learn about diamonds – but the wrong people can’t learn flexibility or work ethic. Managing well is a lot of work – weekly one-on-ones, celebrating workiversaries, etc – but it’s the single most important thing I do. If you’re not a people person, make sure your manager is.

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This Beverly Hills Jeweler Is the Face of Her Retail Brand https://instoremag.com/this-beverly-hills-jeweler-is-the-face-of-her-retail-brand/ https://instoremag.com/this-beverly-hills-jeweler-is-the-face-of-her-retail-brand/#respond Thu, 02 Mar 2023 00:19:32 +0000 https://instoremag.com/?p=91552 Desi Torem models her own jewelry designs.

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Desi-Torem

Jewelry designer Desi Torem believes that everyone should feel like a celebrity no matter their budget. As the manufacturing source for her designs (jewelry manufacturer MK Luxury Group is owned by her father, Moshe Kraiem), she’s able to provide attainable luxury. A former celebrity stylist, she treats all of her customers like stars at the Beverly Hills retail jewelry boutique she opened with her brother, Justin Kraiem, last year. Desi is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and the face of the JustDesi brand.

ONLINE ONLY Q&A with Desi Torem

What has been your biggest challenge?

I would have to say that my biggest challenge has been balancing all the different hats that I wear. Sometimes it’s hard to relinquish the need to control every moving part of the business and trust myself to delegate responsibilities to my team. Creatives have a great sense of attachment to their art, so I’m constantly needing to remind myself that my personal attention needs to be focused on the more important aspects of the business.

What do you do to keep up your energy?

In 2022 I started a business, opened a retail store, planned my wedding, and got married, so I’ve been busy to say the least. My schedule doesn’t leave much room for “me-time”, but for the last year or so, I’ve been leaning more heavily on my religion to keep me grounded. Observing the Sabbath has really provided me the relief I didn’t know I needed. One day a week to shut off your phone, put your work aside, and connect with the people you care about allows you to recharge and start each new week with a sense of calm and renewed spirit.

How many roles do you have in the business?

My brother and I founded the company at the height of COVID as a team of two, so we really had to do everything on our own at the start. While my team is growing, I still take a pretty hands-on approach in my business and wear a lot of hats. I am still very much involved in the day-to-day operations and customer relations, in addition to the executive responsibilities and designing, of course. I treat this company like my baby and am still not quite ready yet to loosen the reins and am thoroughly enjoying every minute of our growth.

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How did you become comfortable modeling for your business?

It’s really challenging not to be self-critical. I still battle with my confidence in front of the camera, but I hope it inspires other women to get out of their comfort zones and challenge their self esteem issues too. While its difficult to do, I think being the face of my brand as an ordinary woman also really humanizes an otherwise very superficial industry. I think people can envision themselves in something better when they see real people modeling it. So while it still makes me wildly uncomfortable sometimes, I think its important for me to practice what I preach, and show people that luxury is within reach, confidence is built, and that everyone is deserving of feeling like a star.

What is your brand’s message?

My brand is all about attainable luxury for the masses. Our mission is to make everyone feel deserving of love and a bit of spoiling. Whether you are shopping for yourself or for someone else, its our job at JustDesi to make sure you leave with a sense of pride in your purchase. We live for the moments that put smiles on people’s faces and take the job of finding the perfect piece for each individual person very seriously. It’s a high-class, tailor-made experience for all. Budget shouldn’t stand in the way of luxury and value.

What is your secret to working with family?

I can see how working with family could be challenging, but it actually works really well for my brother and me. Justin and I both play very different roles in the structure of our organization, and really trust each other to do what we show up to do. I think the secret is establishing clear roles, agreeing on goals, and communicating behind closed doors when obstacles come about. I’m lucky to have him, truly.

Why does retail appeal to you?

While design is my true passion, I love the people part just as much. I come from the manufacturing side of the industry, and while that put us in a really unique position to service the market with incredible value, it also was exciting for me to be able to actually help people. Everyone needs a jeweler they trust. I become an enormous part of my clients lives and so many of them have become my great friends. Caring for my clients and getting to know them on a personal level, allows me to service them in a way they haven’t experienced before.

How do you create a luxury experience for everyone?

Simply put, our store breathes opulence, but our prices don’t break the bank. There is no better feeling than being invited into a store like a VIP, and leaving knowing that in addition to a wonderful experience, you also got a great deal. But more than that, I think, is the service you get when you walk into our doors. It’s incomparable. We’ll work with you, and treat you with the same respect and care, regardless of your budget. You’re welcomed in with champagne and chocolates, and walked through the showroom, to our in-house atelier where you can actually watch your jewelry being made. And because jewelry is such a personal thing, you’ll work with a style consultant to create a complete look, unique to your individual taste, lifestyle, and budget.

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What do you think other retailers can learn from JustDesi?

I think retailers do themselves a disservice by focusing too much on the sale and not enough on the client. It’s important to be flexible and accommodating, and while everyone knows the saying “the customer is always right”, great customer service is still very hard to come by. Owning your own business isn’t a 9-5 job. I’m on call for my clients 24/7 and even though jewelry doesn’t sound like it should be an emergency, I can’t tell you how many late nights I’ve worked, jewelry home-deliveries I’ve made, insane deadlines I’ve had to make, or unrealistic expectations I’ve had to meet. My clients know they can call me at any time and that nothing is out of my scope of work. I go above and beyond for them, and I think the personal attention and dedication to their happiness provided at JustDesi is something all retailers can learn and grow from.

What do you like about your location in Beverly Hills?

I grew up in Beverly Hills, so this area feels like home to me, but for most people, it’s suggestive of a very exclusive and intimidating neighborhood. Most of the surrounding stores can only be shopped by the rich and famous. Our intention was to deviate from that stigma and create an inviting, pressure-free experience, in an otherwise very exclusive neighborhood. We welcome all genders, races, and income brackets into our family, and have something for everyone.

How do you foster relationships with celebrities?

I try to treat them like real people, and I think that they appreciate that. I think so much of their lives revolve around how others perceive them, and I just try to keep it real with everyone regardless of their status.

What has been the most exciting aspect or moment of opening your store?

It’s hard to pinpoint the most exciting moment since this year has been filled with so many incredible highlights, but we just celebrated our one-year anniversary in December. Seeing the culmination of the many relationships we’ve cultivated this year come out to celebrate and support us was a really special and emotional experience for me. It wasn’t just a sense of pride, but rather, gratitude for the ups and downs and everything in between.

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What type or style of jewelry have you enjoyed wearing lately?

I have the luxury of changing up my jewelry, so my style and metal choices change pretty frequently. I think jewelry has the power to transform a look completely, so I accessorize based on my mood or outfit. I take a lot of risks with my fashion and my style changes all the time, so my jewelry needs to reflect a multitude of vibes from classic, to edgy, or glamorous. On my low maintenance days, my staple pieces will always include an easy pair of hoops, a bangle stack, multiple hand-chains, and some sort of evil eye for protection.

How has your life or career up to now surprised you?

Launching my business and planning my wedding at the same time wasn’t exactly the plan, but with COVID, we had to roll with the punches and adapt accordingly. I feel like building a business and starting a marriage have a lot of similarities, and I couldn’t do either one without a supportive team or husband. Teamwork makes the dream work!

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Wisconsin Jewelers Run “Family Business with Soul” https://instoremag.com/wisconsin-jewelers-run-family-business-with-soul/ https://instoremag.com/wisconsin-jewelers-run-family-business-with-soul/#respond Mon, 20 Feb 2023 05:01:42 +0000 https://instoremag.com/?p=90578 “What you see is what you get,” they say.

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Andy and Jenn Koehn are the modern-day Koehn & Koehn of their business, which was founded by Andy’s grandfather sometime in the 1930s. “We aren’t exactly sure when we were founded,” Andy says. “The Koehns aren’t so into numbers. Ha!” Jenn is responsible for back of the house, and Andy is up front working in sales, training and as a greeter. They call their enterprise a “family business with soul” and infuse it with all the authenticity, personality and humor at their disposal.

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Miami Diamond Importer Caters to Retail Clients https://instoremag.com/miami-diamond-importer-caters-to-retail-clients/ https://instoremag.com/miami-diamond-importer-caters-to-retail-clients/#respond Mon, 16 Jan 2023 01:04:56 +0000 https://instoremag.com/?p=89783 He says he’s found the American dream.

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Aslam Bakshi was 21 and living in India when he had the opportunity to move to the Caribbean for a job in a jewelry store, where he became a top seller. When his boss’s invitation to help open a store in Miami met obstacles, he worked for other Miami companies before opening his own, Diamond Images, 15 years ago. Although his wife, Rubina, is his only co-worker in their Miami office, which is retail focused, every custom piece is made from scratch in his building; many of his 300 neighbors are manufacturers. In the beginning, he says, he would drive 80 miles to make $150 profit on repair jobs. Now he has 182 5-Star Google reviews, his sweet spot in retail sales is $20,000 to $100,000 and he imports diamonds for other retailers, some of whom make jewelry for rappers.

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Zachary’s Jewelers’ “Girl Friday” Is the Pulse of the Annapolis Operation https://instoremag.com/zacharys-jewelers-girl-friday-is-the-pulse-of-the-annapolis-operation/ https://instoremag.com/zacharys-jewelers-girl-friday-is-the-pulse-of-the-annapolis-operation/#respond Wed, 30 Nov 2022 05:46:39 +0000 https://instoremag.com/?p=88614 Cheryl King plans events, spearheads merchandising and even takes on the role of store “mom.”

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Cheryl King has worked for Zachary’s Jewelers in Annapolis, MD, for seven years, establishing herself as indispensable from Day One, say owner Steve Samaras and his sister, Evangeline Ross, chief experience creator. King’s role has morphed from back-of-the-house specialist to store merchandiser and event planner. “She is incredibly creative, organized and smart,” Ross says. In addition to her formal roles, King has also become a jack-of-all-trades, Girl Friday, honorary store mom and the pulse of the operation, Samaras says. “It’s an honor and a privilege to work here,” King says.

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PAST LIFE. I was a stay-at-home mom for many, many years. I worked in property management and my ex-husband was a builder, so I was involved in picking the finishes. I was creative that way.

MULTITASKER. I think what keeps me motivated is that I never have two of the same days here. I always have something going on. If you sit at my desk and close my browser I will kill you! I have so many tabs open at the same time.

ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. I love doing the windows, but I don’t have any training. I wasn’t that stay at home DIY mom at all, but I do have a good eye. That’s been a lot of fun. My favorite part of my job is story telling through the window designs and watching people’s reactions as they walk by. A selfie with a window is the best compliment.

PLACEMENT. If you have a good buyer, the jewelry will sell as long as you can see the piece individually in the case. As long as there’s not too much there and it’s not too stacked. The most important thing is the ease the salesperson has in taking it out. Everything I do I do to make the salesperson’s job easier. For me it’s about balancing the case and making sure there’s not too much in a case. I don’t like a cluttered case and I don’t like to decorate inside a case.

WHO’S BUYING. I like that women are buying their own jewelry for themselves. I like that the tide is changing on that, that it doesn’t have to come from a man, or a significant other.

A HAPPY PLACE. Jewelry is a byproduct of what I like about being part of this family. I love shiny things. And I love the legacy of it and the sentimentality of it. We share so many happy moments here. Engagements and births and Sweet 16s. It’s all happy. It’s a very important thing right now. To have a place where you go every day where there is happiness.

NOT GOING ANYWERE. It’s for sure a family here. I know it sounds so cliché. They’ll have to carry me out of here honestly.

SENTIMENTAL JOURNEYS. I am still loving the stacking trend very much. And I like the idea of daughters getting diamond earrings from their fathers and trading up over the years, so by the time they’re 18 they have a nice pair of diamond studs. Or the add-a-pearl idea is amazing. They can collect pearls over the years and have a full necklace on their wedding day. I like the sentimentality of things, like a hidden birthstone inside of an engagement ring. And things that have meaning and things that can be passed down. I’m a sucker for sapphires for sure.

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Connecticut Sisters Find Strength in Designing a Bracelet Line https://instoremag.com/connecticut-sisters-find-strength-in-designing-a-bracelet-line/ https://instoremag.com/connecticut-sisters-find-strength-in-designing-a-bracelet-line/#respond Mon, 07 Nov 2022 01:44:56 +0000 https://instoremag.com/?p=87500 The jewelry features positive affirmations.

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ONLINE EXTRA: Q & A with Christina Baribault-Ortiz and Raeann Baribault-Schwartz

Q. How were you selected for an Academy Awards experience?

A. Christina: We have a wonderful team and a publicist working to shop the brand to the world. They look for up and coming, positive, cool brands they want to be part of the swag bag. Every aspect of participating in this event exceeded our expectations. We are thrilled to have our designs catapulted to prominence from coast to coast.

We cultivated some cool relationships. We got to hear so many of these celebrities’ personal stories. People think celebrities are cool. But to us we just made a bunch of new friends. It gave us more confidence in the brand. They want to be a part of our mission to spread positivity and the power-word process.

A. Raeann: It was such an authentic experience, they were so authentic with us and shared some amazing stories because we helped them pick their power word. It was a humbling experience for sure.

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Q. What’s next for the brand?

A. Christina: We are in conversations considering opening a select few retail accounts, bigger accounts that would be willing to partner with us and make a bigger impact on people.

A. Raeann: We’ve listened to celebrities and we’re developing some new power words to add. And some limited edition charity bracelets. Adding those throughout the year. Hope for Fertility. Our fertility struggle was the impetus for creating this brand.

Q. How do you choose which bracelets to wear each day?

A. Raeann: Each day it brings me something different. The new, colored cords really stand out. It even draws a little more attention to my power word that I’ve selected for the day. I have my core power word but I change them out with whatever I’m feeling. Whether I’m in mom mode, entrepreneur mode or feeling a little unsure about the day, it helps bring out my favorite version of myself. It’s worked so well for me I know it’s going to work so well for other people.

Q. How do you spend time off work?

A. Christina: That’s family time. Our kids are our No. 1 priority. We’re still so blessed to have them.

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Prices are $68 for a cord bracelet, $78 for a silver, rose-gold plated or yellow-gold plated bracelet and $98 in a necklace. The Lux collection offers necklaces, rings and bracelets in 14k white or yellow-gold with diamonds starting at $495-695. Several exclusive items that debuted at the Academy Awards event are now available for purchase. The Power to B collection can be purchased online at www.ThePowertoB.com or in-store at Baribault Jewelers at 81 Rankin Road in Glastonbury, CT. The line is also available at Water Street Jewelers locations at 769 Boston Post Road in Madison, CT, and 61 Whitfield Street in Guilford, CT.

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