In this episode of the Pearls of Wisdom Jewelry Podcast, we meet Babs, the powerhouse behind a beloved jewelry store that’s been thriving for over 20 years in her historic downtown district. With a style all her own and a heart full of generosity, Babs has built a brand that’s as much about people as it is about beautiful pieces.

What began as a shift from biochemical engineering to creative entrepreneurship turned into a business rooted in passion, grit, and connection. From encouraging her staff to “just be themselves” to throwing unforgettable events like golden ticket giveaways and goody bag bonanzas, Babs has created a retail experience customers keep coming back for.

In this episode, she shares how she’s evolved with the times—launching a new website just in time for the pandemic, doubling down on local and online marketing (yes, even in bathroom stalls), and leaning into trade shows and collaborations. We also hear about her love for Montana Yogo sapphires, the surprising results of her anniversary event, and why she doesn’t see herself retiring anytime soon.

Whether you’re a small business owner, jewelry retailer, or just someone who loves a story full of heart and hustle, this episode is packed with insight and inspiration. Babs reminds us all that you can build a successful business without compromising who you are—and have a lot of fun along the way.

Listen to the full episode on the Pearls of Wisdom Jewelry Podcast and experience why Babs truly is the queen of “pearls of wisdom.”

Brought to you by:

Southern Jewelry News: https://southernjewelrynews.com/

Jewelry Store Marketers: https://jewelrystoremarketers.com/

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#industry #podcast #GraceMarieJewelry&Design

In Episode 80 of the Pearls of Wisdom Jewelry Podcast, we meet Mike and Elise Rose, owners of Grace Marie Jewelry & Design in Lynchburg, Virginia. What started as an inherited jewelry store in a small New York town has become a thriving family business built on grit, learning and dedication to their craft.

In this episode, Mike and Elise share their story of how they took over Elise’s dad’s store with no formal training in the jewelry business and learned through real-world experience and mentorship. After several years in upstate New York, they moved to Lynchburg in 2020 and opened Grace Marie Jewelry & Design in the middle of a pandemic. Despite the challenges, they’ve grown their brand, community presence and capabilities and just moved into a historic Main Street location that was once home to Lynchburg’s oldest jeweler.

You’ll get a behind the scenes look at how this family run business works – from their kids helping in the store (including an 11 year old who’s already got fans among the customers) to how they scale a business, who to hire and when and the balance between growth and sustainability.

They talk about their adoption of new tools like laser engravers and CAD design software, community collaborations like bridal boxes and their approach to customer experience. Their passion for personalization and custom work shines throughout the conversation as does their commitment to supporting other downtown businesses.

They also share valuable lessons for small business owners – finding a mentor, buying groups like RJO and continuous learning in an ever changing industry.

Whether you’re in the jewelry business, run your own family business or just love entrepreneurial stories, this episode has got it all. Grace Marie Jewelry & Design is not just a store, it’s what happens when tradition, innovation and community come together.

Listen to the full episode on the Pearls of Wisdom Jewelry Podcast and if you’re in the Lynchburg area, go visit Grace Marie’s new location and experience it for yourself.

Brought to you by:

Southern Jewelry News: https://southernjewelrynews.com/

Jewelry Store Marketers: https://jewelrystoremarketers.com/

Learn more about the Pearls of Wisdom Jewelry Podcast https://southernjewelrynews.com/podcast

Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform:

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Josh Durham from Parker Jewelers in Carlisle, PA, joins the podcast to share his story as a third-generation jeweler running a family business established by his grandparents over 50 years ago. Now, Josh and his wife face the challenge all jewelers face: driving consistent traffic and customers to their website and store.

Josh shares his journey of understanding and implementing SEO. After noticing a smaller competitor was matching Parker Jewelers online, Josh realized it was time to get into SEO. With a beautifully designed Shopify site with live inventory integration from Edge, Josh found out there was a big gap in his site’s optimization and opportunities were being left on the table.

Josh shares tips he learned about SEO. He was able to understand the importance of updating product titles and meta descriptions that improve visibility in Google search results.Rather than spending big on ads, Josh believes SEO is a more cost effective way to attract real customers who are actively searching for specific jewelry pieces or services like custom engagement rings.

You’ll learn the realities of SEO including the effort involved and the importance of creating repeatable processes. Josh says although SEO can feel overwhelming at first, breaking it down into smaller tasks makes it achievable for independent jewelers who want to grow their business online.

Guy gives practical tips on how to use Google Business Profiles, local SEO and how having a strong online presence through blogs, Google updates and reviews can get you more customers. Josh’s proactive approach and hands-on approach shows you don’t have to be a digital marketing expert to understand the basics, even if you’re going to delegate or outsource these tasks.

They also talk about common problems jewelers face, like how to attract and train good staff, and how important a marketing strategy is for long term growth. Josh’s experience and Guy’s expertise combine to give jewelers actionable tips to improve their digital marketing.

Listen in to see how Parker Jewelers is transforming their online presence with SEO and how your jewelry store can do the same. Guy provided Josh with practical advice to help improve his SEO strategy, and he’s ready to help your store too. Don’t miss out – reach out to Guy today to start seeing results for your website.

Brought to you by:

Southern Jewelry News: https://southernjewelrynews.com/

Jewelry Store Marketers: https://jewelrystoremarketers.com/

Learn more about the Pearls of Wisdom Jewelry Podcast https://southernjewelrynews.com/podcast

Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform:

• Apple Podcast = https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my.-..

• Amazon Music/Audible = https://www.audible.com/pd/Pearls-of.-..

• iHeartRadio = https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-pe...

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