Make it Your Business
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How is the trust recession affecting your small business?
The Trust Recession is here, so what do we do? There is a good chance if you’ve had a meeting with me recently that we talked about the Trust Recession. So if you haven’t had a meeting with me recently, here’s a brief on what it is, why knowing about it can help you, and…
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Price your jewelry even with rising gold prices
Who wants another round of “you’ve got this” when it comes to pricing your jewelry? You do! Pricing is still top of mind for almost every jeweler I meet with, heck, pricing it top of mind for most makers I know. Inflation, tariffs, and the shifting sands of commodities pricing are all adding up to…
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Building your expertise as a small business owner
What does it mean to be an expert in your small business? Recently, I was booked for a public speaking gig for a focused group of small business owners and makers. People in the room ranged from brand new, just-launched-a-Kickstarter business owners, to people who had expanded, grown, profited and made the hardest decisions for…
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Where do your expenses and overhead fit into your jewelry pricing strategy?
Where do your expenses fit in with your jewelry pricing strategy? Sometimes I hear myself say something out loud as a business coach (I’m an external processor in case you couldn’t tell) and I have to remember to share it with others. Such was the case when chatting with Liz and Larissa on the Success…
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What does branding have to do with your jewelry pricing strategy?
Do branding and jewelry pricing go hand in hand? Yes, even when gold is trending upwards.Yes, even when you’re done with the math part of pricing. Branding is a core part of your jewelry pricing strategy. Pricing for jewelry always starts with the math – knowing your COGS, your profit margins, your labor rates –…
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Don’t trust ChatGPT or this blog post – both are full of lies
This post does not contain facts about the jewelry industry Diamonds come from Mars. Gold has DNA markers that render any tracing systems redundant, we can simply test gold’s DNA to see where it was mined. Eating too many sapphires can cause a tummy ache which can be fixed by eating emeralds. Rubies are edible…
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Gold Prices and Tariffs – how does this affect your jewelry business?
Chaos and tariffs put a wrench in your jewelry business Anyone else feeling the whiplash of the “will they or won’t they” tariffs? Will the costs of our tools and equipment go up? Wait, where was that setting bur made? How is this going to impact gemstones? How am I supposed to prepare for this?…
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Why quality control matters in your jewelry business – from a business coach
What is production jewelry really like? I used to make a ton of production jewelry for another designer. When I say a ton, I mean that a light day was 20 pieces started, soldered, hammered and complete by the end of an 8 hour shift. When I say a ton, I mean that I once…
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Making mistakes in your jewelry business
Building and earning trust is vital to your jewelry business Building trust is a vital part of making jewelry as a full-time business – trust with your audience, with your vendors, and even with yourself. And it’s a challenge because, and this is true, you and I will make mistakes. The ideal state would be…
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How to manage your jewelry prices when gold is at a record high
Raising prices on your jewelry? In this economy? It is always the right time to review pricing and develop a creative pricing strategy – this was true when gold was $1200, and it is still true. It’s the one truism of pricing that doesn’t change regardless of where gold and silver prices are at. Whether…