Welcome to the GuiltTrips podcast. I'm your host, Kendra Lockhart. As a goldsmith and
gemologist, I'll be speaking 24 carat on all things jewelry, metals, and gems. Join
me plus a few friends to demystify both materials and designs as your private jeweler. Let's
tune in on these topics and get golden. In today's episode, I'm going to discuss three
talents. I've established my artistic intelligence. I'm known for my business intellect. Whatever
one seems to underestimate or downplay in themselves is their own people IQ. So my
last area of expertise is the magic in making an opportunity, which is far more artistic
and elemental in our industry than being a good designer or a good jeweler. Any business
owner would tell you that it really comes down to the humanity and the community that
helps you have a clientele, have a business, reasons to conduct commerce. In today's talk,
I'm going to outline the eight different ways that I've used my magic. We all have some
form of interconnecting competence and confidence. As an introvert, I'm a little more selective
with the people I have my face to face conversations with, but that has absolutely nothing to do
with the fact that it's still a very universal experience. So let's begin. The first time
that I initiated an organic conversation to lead to an opportunity was with my professor
in undergrad. I was at the University of Illinois in a metals program, and the teacher of my
class, unbeknownst to me, was the head or the president of Snagg, Society of North American
Goldsmiths. Her discipline happened to be exclusively silver, and she was in museums
for some of her home accessory creations. None of this was public information. She was
just Professor Thayde, somebody that I was spending four months with, learning skills,
getting a grade, the usual. But there's always more than meets the eye. And it really is
just a matter of discovery and asking questions and letting people reveal themselves to you.
She gave me a particularly great score on one of my projects. And I asked her, what
was it about what I was doing that you found so original? And not only did she give me
an outside opinion, almost like an interview of how she experiences my vision around design,
but she said, I think there's a career for you in this. And one of the places that you
should start looking at are professional groups, trade organizations, industry networks. Well,
I never did join Snagg, but upon graduation, I did find out from other artists as I began
to build a new tribe of friends, colleagues, peers, the Chicago Artist Coalition. This
would bring me in contact with one of my longest adjacent creatives, who is a professional
painter. We ended up being in close proximity at the same art show. Another group that became
instrumental for me was the WJA. That is Women's Jewelry Association. Now, in order for me to
submit some of my designs for competition, I had to be a member of the Illinois Jewelry
Association. I didn't realize at the time that there was a separate component that was
strictly female. It was easier to have open chain discussions on how we're perceived,
how we can manage that when taking the shot and asking for the job, the project, the commission,
the contract being considered for even counter-bitting and being part of a client's price shopping.
There was a president whose name was Ruth, and I found her style very compatible with
mine as far as personality type. Fast forward over 10 years having had interactions with
her. She is technically an unofficial referral. As I was interviewing for this current job
that I have, it benefited me to mention Ruth's name because she had been a past employee
in the exact same position and responsibilities that I now have. She had left a very good
impression and was well respected by the owner and vice president. The second opportunity
I created is introducing yourself to contractors. It's important to be more than just a name
and a face. They need to understand where you're valuable. Now that can seem vulnerable
at first, that any of that concern really eclipses what kind of beautiful compliment
and intersection you can have. The first time I really began to express myself that way
was when I was in that design position, my first real design position. Contractors would
come in and I was learning to review the projects with them. So sooner or later, I was going
to have to be the communicator to them around what the client's vision was, what I knew
what was possible, and them being the executors. But to begin to share, this is who I am, this
is the role I'm playing within this company, where I'm strong is in countersketching and
metalsmithing, and where I'm weak is understanding your process. And so that really does open
the door as far as context and from context. I've always been a big believer in you should
have context stronger than content. You don't have to be a master communicator. If I understand
where you're coming from, and where you're going and what the intention is, I can fill
in the blanks even if you're not the most organized of thinkers and speakers. Having
good rapport with our contractors allows me the comfort outside of our business relationship.
What can you suggest as far as where I can go to find this type of metal alloy or technique
or specialist? And so you begin to use your networking as room for referrals. Instead
of this scavenger hunt, it turns into a time saving technique. The third time that I created
my own opportunity was in apprenticing. I knew that it was my next big jump as far as
growth. I also knew that at the time, Evanston was the place to be that had a strong concentration
of studio showrooms. Half of it was the work. And the other half was where the creations
were made. As I've mentioned in previous episodes, that's when I began to pull together all
of my drawings, some of the photos of the works I had done. I took pictures of my items
on a budget with a Polaroid camera, but a picture is still a picture regardless of
the quality. Walking in and asking to have a simple chat all came from a book I read
called What Color Is Your Parachute? And it was how to interview people and allow them
to suggest the opportunity instead of you looking a little too aggressive or ambitious
in how it can serve you. So I had the tone down and it worked out. I went to four different
showroom studios and one said, quite honestly, we're in our golden years. We're looking
to downsize and eventually sell in the next couple of years. I can recommend that you
go and talk to so and so. Great. They're already on my list and I'll be happy to mention that
you have encouraged me introducing myself over there. I landed at the place that worked
out well for me because the person I apprenticed under was a Master Goldsmith from Hong Kong
and he was obviously one of a kind, a total unicorn, and many other locations didn't
have him. I can't say it enough as far as when you are in the interview process that
one opportunity you should very much consider making is asking about growth opportunities.
Let's pretend you are interviewing for a sales position, but it is your dream to become
a gemologist. It would be important to say how does the company feel about people who
want to have continuing education? Are there any channels that you have internally regarding
this? Are there any roles that are being developed now that you're not actively posting? I'm
very passionate about training and education. I reached out to my director and said, as
much as I love the role I'm in where I see myself in the near future, having mastered
this is the learning and development division. It was suggested back to me, why don't you
have a coffee talk with the current field educator? Unfortunately, the company downsized
for cost saving. So what I pivoted to was applying to be on panels. The old job that
I had was very much into crowdsourcing, collaborative thinking and communication and group problem
solving. One of my favorite quotes by Wayne Gretzky is, you miss every shot you don't take.
So see into the invisible. Go and find media outreach. Get yourself visibility. And I say
this in perfect timing as I'm in a mini course right now with a woman whose brand is called
Career Muses on how to be seen. And that is something that's always a work in progress
because the landscape of how we find each other is constantly iterating and changing.
Reach out to your favorite types of media. Locate that place where you can give a quote
and be in print or on TV. Find products to test. Leave a review. Start establishing authority.
Think of different ways to get known so that you become part of being in circulation. And
I can't say it enough. This podcast was a solution to the very unsavory proposition
of training people for free on top of a role I was already pretty maxed out at doing at
my last job and look at the circulation that it's gotten. This is now listened to in over
20 countries with very little promotion. Number six, take the call. What do I mean by that?
The art of picking up a phone is less popular than it used to be. The chance, almost like
a game or a lottery of picking up the phone and wondering what kind of possibility lies
in between the lines here can best be demonstrated from when I took a call from Mark. He was
expanding into the lab grown market. I was working in a watch show room at the time that
also did custom designs and he had asked for an opportunity to stop by and show us his
goods. I ran it past the owner who at the time expressed concern and anxiety around,
I really don't want to go into anything that's not genuine, which is understood. It was 2019
and the familiarity just wasn't there. But I've always loved the trailblazer in myself
and the pioneer in others. So I took his number and called him and said on my day off, is
there any way I can come down just for my edification and take a look at what you're doing so that
I'm learned on where our industry might be going. Sure enough, that turned into such
a beautiful relationship that when a student client of mine called me and said, I need
to make an engagement ring. I'm in the Air Force. Here's my budget. It was an excellent
opportunity. It was a win-win-win because my client got an impressive ring for under
$10,000. I got to have my first commission using lab grown diamonds. So now I could say
I'm experienced at this and go back to my existing patrons and say, here's what's new.
And it was a win for Mark because we established a beautiful relationship that's now seven
years strong. And there was almost, we were just within striking distance of, do you want
to come in and be a representative? Do you want to be partnered with us? But nobody had
a crystal ball and we weren't quite back on solid ground. Any of us post COVID lockdown.
Another way to make an opportunity is to go to a trade show. Have I worked one before?
Yes. Do I love the grunt and the grind and the grit that it takes to do a trade show?
No, I don't love it, but I am looking for what happens on the other side and beyond
my feelings about things. And I have met some extremely interesting specialists as far as
techniques. I did a trade show back in 2009 at Navy Pier in Chicago where I met somebody
who was demonstrating laser welding. The importance of that is it's a time saver because it's
spot repair instead of overheating a ring. You don't have to remove a stone, which is
a time saver and it's also cost saver and it's also a risk saver. So that was just one
of many people I got to meet there. I found up and coming designers. I found old established
brands that were reinventing and exploring new channels and directions for themselves.
I found somebody who was a master gem cutter and if nothing else, even if I didn't have
business to do with them, reigniting my inspiration for what I do when you're in something for
decades, it can get a little jaded. So it's important to refresh and rediscover. Being
open to other people in the trade, getting to know you as well, paid off. I was given
an opportunity that had passed through a couple people's hands to go and participate in an
art show for Le Kaiser jewelry. I got to make some weekend money. I got to see new product.
I got to meet one of my favorite new artists. And more importantly, when the time came,
I was able to hand that position off to my art colleague through the Chicago Artists
Coalition, Marcy, who became their manager and now has a new opportunity in the industry,
which is recycling her learning curve of jewelry as a professional painter. And to close it
out, social time, I'm a big believer in stranger magic. What I mean by that is I'm off the
clock and I could be sitting either sketching something out or reading an article about
my industry's latest developments and it could be at a coffee shop. It could be at a bistro.
It could be on the train. And somebody just might ask me, Hey, what are you reading? What
are you doing? And it strikes a conversation that was completely unplanned that could lead
to an introduction that could lead to, Hey, I need to know you. Or my friend is in the
market for an engagement ring. Can I give him your number or contact information? And
I'd say that that has worked out for about 10% of my clientele because I'm not that big
into advertising and self promotion. I self manage very well. I will be my own rep as
far as my work in galleries. I'm a little more refined and reserved about it. And perhaps
that is better because I end up having a client who sends a client and that client sends
a client and then that client sends a client. So it's very referral taproot. And I treasure
that. I hope this has given you some things to think about as far as finding where you
belong, both personally and professionally. Business is something that you have to parent.
As a female, I'm over the boss babe persona. You aren't somebody with this toy brand. You're
a parent that needs to find the right fit for your child and nourish it, not neglect
it. It was a recent Gary Vaynerchuk conversation of instead of wanting things out of your business,
what are you doing to nurture it? It's not a genie in a bottle. You're the genie in
its bottle.
Thank you for listening and learning with me. I would love you to share this project
with people finding rare beauty in today's world and throughout our times. Until the
next episode, keep your own stories sparkling.