[Jewelry making - Article 00273] - [Orchid] Designer Day 2005 Review

[Karen Christians]

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Hello All,

    I would like to take this opportunity to tell a little bit about
    Designer Day, organized by Cindy Edelstein of Jewelry Resources. 
    This isn't something I would be normally drawn to.  I am not a high
    end jewelry designer trying to eek out a living in NYC, but this
    year, I thought it would be interesting to attend. Designer Day was
    held at the Fashion Institute of Technology, with Michael Coan, the
    Department Chair, assisting throughout with the 125 or so who
    attended.  Cindy had asked me to take part as one of their one-on-one
    counseling sessions for business development. 

    First, I was pleasantly surprised to see Dana Singer, the Executive
    Director of SNAG.  Dana said that she was making a point this year to
    visit different exhibitions, such as MJSA Expo, Designer Day and to
    help her gain a broader view of the needs of the jewelry industry at
    large. 

    The day begun for me, hearing two excellent talks on marketing.  I
    took copious notes, recognizing some tweaking needed for my business.
    Jerry Cisco, a buyer for Bloomingdales was very dynamic and
    articulate speaker, recognizing the need for the service personnel to
    be educated about fashion jewelry. 

    After lunch, I begun the counseling sessions.  What I was happy to
    discover, was that many of the questions, issues, fears and
    enthusiasm were common to the hobbyist as to the professional.  Some
    where mid-career, and some making a very good business in selling
    their work and thinking about hiring their first employee.  I
    reviewed press packets, portfolios and gained some excellent
    information about finding art reps and how to work with them, from
    Alan Revere sitting next to me. 

    The one common challenge that nearly everyone voiced was, how do you
    make a living when you are doing it all!  Artisans were fabricating
    their work, going to shows, working the circuit, publishing their
    brochures, doing their books, etc.!  There were a lot of very tired
    people in their late 20's out there! 

    Here is what we agreed upon. 

    1)  IF you hate doing the books, STOP DOING THEM!  Hire a good
    bookkeeper to come once a week to once a month.  Let them write the
    checks, balance your account, file, make calls to suppliers, etc. 
    Think how much happier you will be when you know that every check you
    sign is good.  You can find a good one for $20 an hour.  It's not
    rocket science, it's tedious.  Would you want your accountant making
    your jewelry?  Of course not.  Accountants love to count numbers. 
    LET THEM. 

    2)  If you hate doing office work, STOP DOING IT!  Find a part time
    person who is interested in learning the business.  Can't afford one?
     There are all kinds of people who are starting out who would love to
    have this experience.  They are out there.  ASK.  Trade for learning
    to make jewelry, or send them to a class. 

    3)  Stop worrying how you are going to usurp 80 percent of the
    market place globally.  Start in your own back yard.  Get the local
    paper to write articles about you.  Do you have a story to tell? 
    Great, tell it!  Until you have exhausted everyone in your
    neighborhood, then you can wander outside your domain. 

    4)  Rexamine what is selling.  If it is not, scrap it.  Present
    current work with fresh work.  Now that you have more time not having
    to worry about your books, or have that perky assistant helping you
    with your office work, you will have more time to create your
    designs. 

    5)  Do you have employees?  DELEGATE!  Give them the opportunity to
    help you.  Do you hate setting stones, or polishing?  Contract the
    work out. 

    One woman mentioned that she could have a stone prong set, bezel set
    and polished for $12.  "Wow" I said, "that is cheap", "yes", but
    sometimes they are not very good".  "Well, I hope you don't pay them
    when they don't perform correctly".  "Oh", she said, "you mean I
    don't have to pay then?" 

    What did I walk away with from this experience?  You may think you
    are just a designer, or contract jeweler, or a professional stone
    setter, or an artist, the second you obtained a tax ID number, you
    became a business person.  Learn the business of doing business.  If
    you do only the things you love and give up the tasks you hate, you
    will be a happier and more productive person. 

    I want to personally thank Cindy Edelstein for asking me to
    participate. I'm impressed with what you are doing.  Thank you
    Michael Coan for being so gracious.  I was honored to assist where I
    could.  I learned much from this event and look forward to attending
    again next year. 

    Cindy Edelstein's website 
    http://www.jewelersresource.com

    Fashion Instiute of Technology
    http://www.fitnyc.suny.edu/html/dynamic.html

Karen Christians
M E T A L W E R X
50 Guinan St.
Waltham, MA  02451
Ph. 781/891-3854 Fax 3857
http://www.metalwerx.com/
Jewelry/Metalarts School & Cooperative Studio

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