Gary Dawson is one of the of the most creative and technically adventurous jewelers out there today, passionate about sharing his jewelry-making know-how and enthusiasm for custom design. In this episode, we spoke to Dawson about his personal experience navigating his business through the COVID-19 pandemic, the excitement of tying cutting-edge technologies with the heritage of the past, and what's in store for custom designed jewelry in 2021 and beyond.

2021, perhaps more than any other new year in recent memory, is filled with anticipation, expectation, and hope. In this episode, Andrea Hill shares five tips for businesses looking to improve and expand their online reach this year. She also suggests several valuable online tools and apps that can help encourage more innovative thinking and simplify content creation for your website and social media channels.

The global shutdown resulting from the COVID-19 crisis is unprecedented, and it’s changing the jewelry industry on many levels. Companies of all sizes are facing serious economic disruptions, as business owners struggle to navigate through the uncertainty. In this episode, Erich Jacobs, President of the Jeweler’s Board of Trade (JBT), shares his analysis of how the crisis is impacting credit, supply chains, and e-commerce, and if the current data are beginning paint a clearer picture of a future reco

Despite recent efforts by the jewelry industry to address transparency and tracing issues with colored gemstones, the conditions under which they are sourced remain highly opaque. In this episode, Daniel Nyfeler, Managing Director of Gübelin Gem Lab, discusses his company’s Provenance Proof initiative, including a blockchain for colored stones and the Emerald Paternity Test, both aimed at improving gemstone sourcing transparency across the global supply chain.

Our guest on this episode is Dan Pharr, president of Pharr Valuation in Richmond, Virginia. With 30 years of jewelry industry experience, Dan specializes in business valuations of closely held and family owned businesses. In this interview, Dan discusses the best practices for business owners who want to exit their companies profitably while ensuring their legacies endure. He also explains how to use business valuations to a boost marketability and better prepare for the purchase or sale of a business.

Our guest on this episode, Sara Yood, senior counsel at the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC), has made a career out of helping businesses wade through the myriad guidelines, regulations, and laws that apply to making and selling jewelry. In this discussion, Yood talks about her path into jewelry law, the newly announced line of 1k gold jewelry, lab-grown diamond marketing claims, sourcing and chain of custody procedures, and how designers can protect their intellectual property.

Responsible sourcing and transparent supply chains are key topics in the jewelry trade and more important than ever to consumers. In this episode we're joined by jewelry designer, founder of the Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference (CRJC), and leading voice in the resposible jewelry movement, Susan Wheeler. She discusses her own responsible journey, the CRJC, efforts to improve gemstone traceability, and the powerful role that communication plays in connecting the global jewelry supply chain.

With the current generation of master craftspeople aging out of the jewelry industry, demand for professionally skilled workers is high. But a number of barriers stand in the way of developing an effective education-to-employment pipeline. In this episode, award-winning jewelry designer, goldsmith, author, and educator, Nanz Aalund, discusses her efforts to raise awareness about these issues and to help develop the necessary training and apprenticeship programs to meet the industry’s growing needs.

Recipient of an Honorable Mention in the Custom Design Distinction category of the 2019 MJSA Vision Awards competition, jewelry artist and gallery owner Llyn Strong is recognized for her signature collections and her distinctive custom designs. In this episode, Llyn discusses how she got started making jewelry, the story behind the creation of her award-winning cuff bracelet, and how she approaches marketing and selling her custom design services.

Susan Crow—owner of East Fourth Street Jewelry in Northfield, Minnesota, and Responsible Practices Distinction winner in the 2019 MJSA Vision Awards—is dedicated to proper environmental, ethical, and sustainable practices. In this episode, she talks about the challenges and overall rewards of building a responsible supply chain and adopting green processes.