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.”

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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.

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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.

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This episode of Pearls of Wisdom showcases another amazing story from one of our colleagues in the jewelry industry. Our host, Guy, from Jewelry Store Marketers, sits down with a visionary in the world of luxury accessories, Irina Aran of Facets Fine Handcrafted Jewelry. She came to talk about her enduring and wonderful journey in this industry.

Irina’s story began from a small family-run business—just like what most successful businesses do. Now, she’s leading a luxury and antique jewelry company. Irina shared how her passion for craftsmanship and commitment to quality has been instrumental to her success.

Her story is a lesson in perseverance and resilience. She explained that even when things get tough, fear won’t let her dictate her future. The shocking story of a smash-and-grab robbery in her store tested her and her team’s mettle. She explains how being calm, putting safety at the top of mind, and turning adversity into an opportunity to beef up security. This also led them to strengthen community ties.

Irina also opens up an endearing story and a personal project—something close to her heart. She built a jewelry collection inspired by her late brother to support ADHD awareness. She highlights how she turned her grief of losing her young brother into purpose by designing a meaningful piece where a portion of the proceeds go to non-profit initiatives.

Entrepreneurs and creatives will also find inspiration from Irina’s experience with customer engagement, viral marketing, and running big giveaways. Listeners will also get insights on the importance of in-house craftsmanship instead of outsourcing and how social media is integral in the progress of a modern jewelry brand.

Tune into Irina Aran’s fascinating story. Learn the ropes and challenges of building a business that will last.

Brought to you by:

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In this episode of Pearls of Wisdom—brought to you by Southern Jewelry News and Jewelry Store Marketers—Guy Pineda is joined by co-host Elesa Dillon of Southern Jewelry News to welcome master jeweler and “accidental gemologist” Lance Pierce of Pierce Custom Jewelers. Lance’s story starts with his love of building custom hot rods which was put on hold due to sensitivity to paint chemicals. A last-minute decision to drive a friend to GIA’s orientation changed everything: not only did Lance escape the heat of the summer he also found his life’s work.

In this fun conversation, Lance shares how he went from being a top repair jeweler to a custom designer. He believes fixing broken pieces teaches you about durability, technique and craftsmanship – skills that later translate into creating heirloom jewelry. He talks about the emotional side of his work and shares stories including one about engraving an oxygen tank for a family who had lost a loved one and wanted to honor their passion for scuba diving. His focus on building trust and relationships with clients and suppliers comes through in every story.

But jewelry isn’t Lance’s only creative outlet. Listen in as he talks about his love of music and performs a little guitar for us. From forging metal to strumming strings Lance is an artist. Throughout the episode, Elesa and Lance also give a shout-out to Southern Jewelry News—over 34 years of industry insight—for keeping retailers and suppliers connected to the latest trends, best practices and success stories. Join us for this fun conversation about how passion, serendipity and skill come together to create pieces that are as memorable as the moments they commemorate.

Brought to you by:

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Welcome to another great episode of the Pearls of Wisdom Jewelry Podcast! Guy and Elisa Dillon of Southern Jewelry News sit down with Melissa Pierce of Pierce Custom Jewelers in Lake Mary, Florida. This episode gets into the artistry, trust and community that makes Pierce Custom Jewelers so special.

Melissa shares the story behind the family business she co-owns with her husband Lance, a master jeweler with over 34 years experience. Melissa talks about how her career went from corporate consulting to jewelry making and how she earned her graduate gemology degree. Together Melissa and Lance have built a business based on trust and offer a mix of fine jewelry and custom designs that reflect their clients lives and memories.

Melissa talks about the care that goes into each piece from understanding a client’s lifestyle to using CAD design and gemological microscopes. She also talks about their honesty policy where every item on their website is physically in their store – no bait and switch here.

Throughout the conversation Melissa talks about the challenges of modern jewelry retail such as educating clients on lab grown versus mined diamonds and managing changing client expectations. She shares stories of helping clients through big decisions like choosing engagement rings that balance sentimental value with practicality.

A big part of the conversation is about the Pierces’ community involvement. With clients spanning three generations Pierce Custom Jewelers is all about trust and relationships. Melissa shares a story about turning away a client who was uncomfortable with her ring being resized and then seeing that client come back as a loyal customer – proof of their integrity based business.

In addition to jewelry Melissa talks about the creative passions she and Lance share including their love of music. Listeners get a special treat at the end of the episode – a piano performance by Melissa herself.

Whether you’re a jeweler looking for inspiration, a client curious about custom jewelry or someone who loves stories of artistry and connection this episode has you covered.

Listen now! Check out more episodes of the Pearls of Wisdom Jewelry Podcast.

Brought to you by:

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Welcome to the Pearls of Wisdom Jewelry Podcast! In this episode, we welcome Slav, a leader in the jewelry industry and a key figure at Gems One, a top supplier of high-quality gemstones, diamonds, and fine jewelry serving over 1,000 independent jewelry stores across the U.S.

Slav shares valuable insights on the importance of effective marketing strategies and the necessity of integrating print media into your promotional efforts.

As we discuss the challenges jewelers face in today’s competitive market, Slav emphasizes the concept of “the power of seven,” explaining how consumers need multiple impressions before purchasing.

Slav highlights the significance of maintaining a consistent marketing message across various platforms to build brand recognition and customer trust.

He shares advice on how jewelers can streamline their marketing efforts and align their product offerings with their messaging in order to create a more efficient business model. He stresses the need for clarity and authenticity in marketing communications to build trust and loyalty.

We also discuss Gems One’s innovative initiatives, including their “Perfect Love” concept, which aims to enhance customer engagement and effectively close sales.

He added that this approach not only enhances their customers’ experience but also differentiates their brand in a saturated market.

To support that, Slav shares insights into upcoming trends in jewelry design and marketing, reinforcing how a well-thought-out strategy can impact a jeweler’s success.

It’s been an absolute pleasure having Slav on this episode. His expertise and advice are something you won’t want to miss. Tune in now and let his wisdom inspire your next steps!

Brought to you by:

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Episode 74 offers a wealth of knowledge from seasoned jewelers. Whether you’re a jeweler, a business owner, or simply a lover of fine jewelry, this episode provides a treasure trove of actionable insights and inspiring stories.

The episode begins by exploring the creative world of custom jewelry design. Jewelers discuss how they’ve embraced advanced technologies like CAD modeling and 3D printing to deliver bespoke designs that stand out in a competitive market. With half their workshops dedicated to custom projects, these artisans are constantly pushing boundaries in bridal and retail jewelry, meeting the demands of modern customers while preserving the artistry of traditional techniques.

Seasoned jewelers emphasize how sharing knowledge and resources can help newcomers avoid years of trial and error, making the jewelry industry a collaborative, supportive community.

Jewelers share how they engage with local fundraisers, support nonprofits, and immerse themselves in their communities. By giving back and forming meaningful connections, they strengthen customer loyalty and enhance their presence in the neighborhoods they serve.

From year-round advertising campaigns to innovative approaches like Facebook Live auctions, jewelers reveal how they stay top-of-mind with both loyal and new customers. The episode also highlights how lab-grown diamonds have transformed the market, offering customers more value for their money and reshaping the way jewelers approach sales.

Clienteling has become a game-changer for many jewelers. By recording customer preferences, holding themselves accountable, and delivering exceptional service, jewelers have seen significant improvements in their businesses. One jeweler recounts how this strategy turned around slow sales months, demonstrating the importance of investing in customer relationships.

Heartwarming and humorous customer stories add a personal touch to the episode. One story, involving a farmer who made a significant purchase on Christmas Eve, serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of treating every customer with respect.

The episode emphasizes the importance of staying true to a brand’s core values while embracing innovation. From redesigning store interiors to creating new logos, these changes reflect the evolving tastes and expectations of their customers.

Another recurring theme is the role of teamwork, with guests sharing how their businesses thrive thanks to dedicated employees. By fostering a positive work environment, offering growth opportunities, and encouraging collaboration, these jewelers have built teams that are as committed to success as they are.

Jewelers discuss strategies for maintaining profitability, such as shifting to more affordable materials like silver and refining price points. The episode also explores the impact of technology, from the rise of AI to the ever-changing landscape of social media marketing.

Episode 74 is a must-listen for anyone interested in the jewelry industry. It provides a comprehensive look at the challenges and opportunities facing jewelers today. From mastering the art of customization to navigating economic shifts, this episode is both a celebration of the craft and a guide for future success.

Tune in to hear from the experts and discover how the jewelry world continues to innovate, adapt, and thrive.

Brought to you by:

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