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Podcast: The 12 Days of Christmas … Like You’ve Never Heard It Before

Kyle Bullock — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 10:25:23 +0000

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IN THIS SPECIAL EPISODE of Over the Counter, host Kyle Bullock grabs a guitar and presents you with his very own, jeweler-specific version of the classic holiday song, “The 12 Days of Christmas”.

We won’t spoil it for except to say that, while you won’t hear about any partridges in pear trees, one part of the song remains, reassuringly, the same. (Can you guess which part?)

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Podcast: After Tragedy, One Young Woman Turns Her Grief Into Beauty

Kyle Bullock — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 03:00:26 +0000

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FOR HIS LAST PODCAST of the season, Kyle Bullock of Over the Counter tells the story of Emma, a woman whose life was turned upside down when the man she loved and hoped to marry died in a car accident.

For Emma, the tragedy caused her to completely change the direction of her life. She left community college, where she was studying to become an art teacher, and moved to a different school to try out the art of metalsmithing. Quickly showing promise in her new field, as well as finding comfort in the act of creating jewelry, she decided to build her skills further with a months-long jewelry apprenticeship in Florence, Italy.

Emma’s instinctual method of working through her grief was to create beautiful jewelry that was redolent with symbolism. And while her loss remained one of the defining events of her life, she was able to move forward and now runs her own jewelry brand, Emma Elizabeth Jewelry (emmaelizabethjewelry.com), based in Grand Rapids, MI, but sold nationally.

That Emma was able to build a satisfying, deeply meaningful career by fashioning beauty out of the most terrible of losses should provide a lesson for all jewelers, says Kyle.

“Don’t ever forget that every and every piece we create or sell means something deeper to the customer that we might ever imagine,” says Kyle. “In the same way, don’t ever forget your own experiences. Owning and managing a jewelry company can bring difficult, sometimes even painful, experiences for you to deal with. It has in my life, for certain. But in the nature of our work, we are given a unique opportunity to shape our circumstances into something beautiful. So, go out and do beautiful work, listeners. The world needs it.”

SPECIAL OFFER: Here’s a special offer that fans of Over the Counter and the velvet voice of Kyle Bullock won’t want to miss. The author recently released a new book called Mister Christmas, described as “the story of a white-collar loser who has his life turned around when a mysterious stranger offers him a job creating a real-life Santa’s toy factory”.

For listeners of this podcast, Kyle is offering the audiobook version of Mister Christmas for only $3. To get the deal, go to misterchristmasbook.com to order, then use promo code “OTC” at checkout.

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Podcast: When a Planned Purchase is a Style Mistake, Honesty Always Pays

Kyle Bullock — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 04:05:20 +0000

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SOMETIMES THE JEWELRY customers most want, or have even dreamed about for years, simply isn’t right for them. Owing to our professional expertise, many jewelers know when this is the case. But, as often as not, customers don’t.

Whether it’s a hue that doesn’t match a woman’s coloring, a design too gaudy for her personality, or a gemstone too large or small for the wearer’s proportions, jewelers can typically sense when something is or isn’t right for a client. Of course, no jeweler ever enjoys telling someone that the item they covet will make them look awful.

However, when you’re seeking to create lifetime customers, it pays to be honest — albeit as tactfully as you can.

In this episode of Over the Counter, host Kyle Bullock, owner of Bullock’s Jewelry in Roswell, NM, tells the story of Denise Oros of Linnea Jewelers in LaGrange, IL, and what Denise did when a customer entered her store and asked for a very expensive item that simply wasn’t right for her.

Enjoy the episode.

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Podcast: Making the World a Better Place in Steps Both Big and Small

Kyle Bullock — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 04:05:23 +0000

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THIS MONTH in Over the Counter, Kyle Bullock has his mind on the environment.

In the latest episode of his podcast, the owner of Bullock’s Jewelry in Roswell, NM, tells a series of interconnected stories related to efforts big and small to make the jewelry industry more friendly to consumers, local communities and the planet.

These efforts range from the high-profile work of the Diamond Producers Association to promote more responsible diamond mining and production to the almost entirely overlooked efforts of one of Kyle’s own employees, Sherri Clark, who hoards used scraps of paper so they can be re-used in the office.

Kyle asks her why she does this.

“To help the environment,” she says. “And to save money.”

“But paper is cheap!” says Kyle.

“Not to the trees,” Sherri answers.

Can’t argue that.

The critical message here? Every little bit helps. And no matter what your role in the industry, everybody can do something. Want to know how you can help? Kyle shares some ideas in the podcast.

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Podcast: Until the Very End, This Cancer Patient Created Jewelry Memories for Her Family

Kyle Bullock — Fri, 09 Aug 2019 04:01:21 +0000

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IN THE LATEST EPISODE of Over the Counter, host Kyle Bullock tells the story of one of the most memorable custom-design sales of Sandra Locken of Sarini Fine Jewellery in Vulcan, Alberta, Canada.

In the heartbreakingly beautiful tale, Sandra is assigned a rush job for a woman dying of terminal cancer, whose passion in her final days (and even her final minutes) is creating jewelry memories for her family.

Kyle concludes: “Remember that what we do in the jewelry business goes far beyond little hunks of metal. We are invited to share in the expression of people’s hearts and souls in a very real, very emotional, and very honest way.”

Enjoy the story. (And have those tissues ready.)

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Podcast: A Flash of Cash and Other Meditations on the Value of Jewelry

Kyle Bullock — Thu, 25 Jul 2019 04:04:11 +0000

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IN THIS MONTH’S Over the Counter, we’re bringing you a collection of stories aimed at reminding you of what is most important in life.

It is so easy to go day by day, nose to the grindstone, that we lose sight of what matters.

In fact, we may start to believe that what we are doing at work is what is most valuable — that our identity comes from work, or wealth, or from accomplishments.

And the truth is, it doesn’t.

Today’s episode is just one attempt to show you what the word “value” really means. (And it means different things to different customers.)

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Podcast: This Diamond Heist Simply Didn’t Make the Grade

Kyle Bullock — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 11:30:06 +0000

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THIS MONTH, Over the Counter shares the story of one of the more poorly planned, under-rewarding diamond heists you’ll ever hear about. Let’s let host Kyle Bullock set up the episode: “When you sell valuable things, it’s not a matter of if, but when, a criminal will try to steal something from your cases, which is why safety and preparation should always be a top priority for jewelry stores. But in today’s story, the crime in question took place not in a jewelry store, but in a place that features even more unique and irreplaceable set of valuables. It also features a criminal who could have used, uh, a few tips before pulling off the heist of a lifetime.”

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Podcast: Against the Odds, a High School Student Fights to Keep the Family Jewelry Store Alive

Kyle Bullock — Wed, 29 May 2019 04:05:31 +0000

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“WHO DOESN’T LOVE a good underdog story?” asks Kyle Bullock at the start of the latest episode of Over the Counter.

We absolutely agree. That’s why we think you’ll love this particular underdog tale — of a 17-year-old high-school student who had to step up and run his family’s struggling jewelry store after his father died of cancer.

Learn the identity of this very special jeweler, and hear his story, in this month’s podcast.

Also, don’t miss the bonus episode in which Kyle talks with Andrea Hill of Hill Management, a jewelry industry management consultant, about what jewelers most need to do (and how they need to think) when facing the toughest of times.

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Podcast Bonus Episode: Andrea Hill Shares Survival Strategies for Jewelers Facing Daunting Challenges

Kyle Bullock — Sun, 26 May 2019 09:14:20 +0000

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IN THIS BONUS EPISODE of Over the Counter, Kyle Bullock talks with jewelry industry management consultant Andrea Hill of Hill Management Group about what jewelers need to do when facing difficulties similar to the one faced by the jewelry store featured in Episode 10 of the podcast.

Andrea tells jewelers what to do, not do, and more importantly, how they should frame the challenges ahead to maximize their chances of success.

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Podcast: This Advertising Copywriter’s Last Minute Pitch Changed Everything

Kyle Bullock — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 10:20:15 +0000

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IN THIS MONTH’S throwback version of Over the Counter, you’ll hear the story of a frazzled advertising copywriter struggling to come up with a last-minute slogan for a jewelry company’s new consumer campaign.

We can’t spoil more than that, but can let Kyle Bullock tease a bit more.

Says Bullock: “This story is one that you’re going to want to hang on until the very, very end, because I think the payoff is going to be worth it. I hope so, anyway. Because out of all the stories I have featured on this podcast, I think that this one might be the one the hits closest to home for all of us.”

Learn why when you listen to the latest episode of Over the Counter.

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