Jewelers Vigilance Committee - U.S. State Department Gets Tough On Sourcing

This week we are thrilled to have Elle Hill, the Founder, and CEO of Hill & Co, on the show.  Some of the topics we cover are:  How do you win"E-tailer of the Year" from the world's largest jewelry trade show just two years after your launch?  What does it take to go from start-up to a 10 million dollar IPO for your jewelry brand on the Australian stock exchange in four years?  Why should you take an evangelical stance on embracing technology to translate a jewelry brand to its digital footprint?  

What does the Women's Jewelry Association mean to its members?  How has being a member of the WJA changed their careers? Inside the Jewelry Trade Radio Show created the #LendYourVoicetotheWJA campaign to give WJA members a platform to share their thoughts and lend their voice in support of their vital organization. Twenty-nine women in the jewelry industry talk about the importance of being a member of the Women's Jewelry Association.     

 What is the "Total Clarity" report from the Diamond Producers Association?  How does this first-ever comprehensive report bring the facts to light on the economic and ecological impact of diamond mining? How does the socioeconomic and environmental impact of large-scale diamond mining contrast with that of lab-grown diamonds? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. April Hayward, who was part of the team that produced the "Total Clarity" report to shed light on the findings.  

We took the show on the road to capture the live excitement and energy of this long-running southern classic, the Atlanta Jewelry Show. The Southern Jewelry Travelers Association (SJTA) is the nation's oldest association for independent jewelry representatives and the official sponsor and producer of the Atlanta Jewelry Show.  

What exciting ways are the Georgia Jewelers Association growing, educating, and empowering its jewelry members?  How is the Diamond Producers Association ensuring the sustainability of the diamond industry?  Why does your jewelry business absolutely need an advisory group today?  When should your retail jewelry store get into the lab-grown diamond business? We found the answers to these questions and more as we recorded live from the Georgia Jewelers Association Convention.  Jessica Rossomme is our guest host this week as she talks with Judy Lince, Executive Director of the G.J.A., Grant Mobley, trade lead for the DPA, Phillip Bosen, founder of Bosen Associates, and Doug Meadows, founder of David Douglas Diamonds & Jewelry.  

 We tackle some tough, pressing jewelry industry topics this week on Inside the Jewelry Trade radio show.  Questions such as: 1. What should jewelers do right now to avoid FTC compliance letters or worse, lawsuits?  2. How can vendors and retailers best protect themselves from new government policy enforcement of supply chain issues?  3. Can jewelers ensure a safe and fair workplace for employees while also decreasing legal risks as an employer?  4. Given the Wayfair Supreme Court case, how should a jeweler think about sales tax and what resources are available to implement these new tax changes? Our guests this week are Tiffany Stevens, the President, and CEO of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, and Sara Yood, Senior Counsel for the Jewelers Vigilance Committee.    

How does Virtual Diamond Boutique really work and is it worth it for jewelry vendors and retailers?  Can jewelers and vendors easily take professional quality photographs on this platform  Is it hard to use Virtual Diamond Boutique and can you create your own jewelry mobile app?  Our featured guest this week is Liz Stamm, the Director of Business Development for the Virtual Diamond Boutique answers these and other questions on this episode.     

   How do you develop a jewelry brand lifestyle?  What has changed recently in social media, and should you care?  Are there similarities between social media and traditional media you need to know about? Our special guest is Shane O'Neill, the Vice President of Fruchtman marketing delves into these topics and much more in this week's episode. Shane brings more than 26 years of creative and marketing experience to the show today. His experience includes concepting, directing, and producing effective digital marketing strategies including social marketing, SEO SEM (paid search), and website interconnectivity.    

Is it possible to successfully start a retail jewelry business today? Why did DeBeers have to launch their Lightbox man-made diamond line last year?  Jewelry concept vs jewelry product, which is more important? Ben Janowski, the founder of Janos Consultants, has been providing service to the jewelry industry for the past two decades. Clients have come from every sector of the industry - from mining companies to retailers - and have sought assistance in many aspects of this unique industry. Ben currently writes a blog at Janosconsultants.blogspot.com    

We talk with Ben Janowski, the founder of Janos Consultants.  His consulting firm has been providing service to the jewelry industry for the past two decades.   In this episode, Ben shares his insight into the transforming jewelry industry and the speed at which it is changing.  He also discusses the top issues confronting the jewelry business such as; the admittedly powerful global forces affecting the Trade, man-made diamonds, the rapid consolidation of the jewelry industry, the changing social standards, unavailability of financing, and jewelry's weakening position in the luxury global marketplace.