Back in the 70s I (Steve) had a retail store selling antique and

last generation furniture with a big refinishing business and the

combination of the 2 and the long buying trips suited me but the

massive recession in the late 70s put an end to all that, rather

brutally.

In the 80s I did a bout in corporate but in the late 80s I opened a

stained glass studio and did large specialty glass installations in

hotels, businesses and a few homes and had a show schedule for

my jewelry. The name "Crystal Earth Studio" was dreamed up

when I was sitting on a big chunk of quartz looking out at my

garden:)

It became pretty obvious very quickly that I couldn't compete

with the indian, thai, chinese and bali jewelry that was flooding

the market so I closed my studio and went to India and found

Jewelry shops to make my designs and had a 1500 mile sales

route selling from the back of my car to stores carry big Jewelry

display cases.  That went well as the market was just starting but

the quality of jewelry from suppliers from India were allot of

problems in those days and I ended up owning all their problems

. . so . . . 

I went to India and using my experience as a craftsman found

craftsmen and craftswomen & families that could be taught and

trained their leaders in the jewelry school in Mumbai and

eventually went to live in India to control quality . . . that was 27

years ago . . . I stopped the shows because it was becoming all

price price price.

This business became hard to make money in about 15+ years

ago when the overseas suppliers started flooding the show scene

in the US and EU and using the under $800.00 "free gift" route

in each zone to resupply their clients by passing Tariffs, Taxes

and stateside cost like my Naples shipping spot + my employees. 

I ran a legal business so I couldn't compete so I created a

unique app called the Stocking plan that allowed me to supply

my Jewelry free into stores, managing their inventory and only

get paid for what sold, that was 15+ years ago. This gave me a

small competitive edge in stores that wanted quality.

Our focus isn't price. Its making great Jewelry which is real

sterling and running a fully legal US and India side business. If

you are interested in the cheapest price out there and thats your

strategy I'm probably not for you though I can show you why a

price strategy has been called "the fastest route to the bottom"

and a great way for a owner to work themselves to death for no

money!

I'm for stores that want to build a line following and want to

show great jewelry to their clients with consistent quality, a line

that offers full exchanges, replacement quarantees and can

stock stores free, if they are willing to do their part.

Steve