Kelly Williams
K.W. Goldsmith, Minneapolis, MN
This article originally appeared in the April 2015 edition of INSTORE.
When Kelly Williams graduated college with a degree in fine art in 1995 and a jewelry apprenticeship, she became hooked on metalwork almost immediately, moving on to work as a designer goldsmith and to study at top trade schools. In 2010, she became sole proprietor of K.W. Goldsmith, a full-service custom trade shop. In that role, she’s also the goldsmith for half a dozen retail stores. In 2012 she launched her own line of cowgirl jewelry, Whiplash Designs. — Eileen McClelland
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1
Inspiration will strike whenever I least expect it, so I always have a sketchbook handy. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten up in the middle of the night to sketch an idea I just had.
2 Take care of your tools and they will take care of you. Any time you invest in tools, it’s always a good investment. If it makes your job more efficient and saves you from frustration, it’s always a great purchase.
3 Coffee makes everything better.
4 A goldsmith must pay attention to detail. Not only when you’re creating a piece — to make sure everything fits together and is functional — but also, attention to what the client wants. Sometimes you have to read between the lines to understand what they are trying to communicate. They come to you with a vague idea; they have something pictured and you have something pictured and you have to get the two pictures to match up, to figure out a design that will be functional and durable and still what they are visualizing.
5 Nothing goes 100 percent according to plan. Always have a backup plan, a plan B and a plan C.
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Four Decades of Excellence: How Wilkerson Transformed a Jeweler's Retirement into Celebration
After 45 years serving the Milwaukee community, Treiber & Straub Jewelers owner Michael Straub faced a significant life transition. At 75, the veteran jeweler made a personal decision many business owners understand: "I think it's time. I want to enjoy my wife with my grandchildren for the next 10, 15 years."
Wilkerson's expertise transformed this major business transition into an extraordinary success. Their comprehensive approach to managing the going-out-of-business sale created unprecedented customer response—with lines forming outside the store and limits on how many shoppers could enter at once due to fire safety regulations.
The results exceeded all expectations. "Wilkerson did a phenomenal job," Straub enthuses. "They were there for you through the whole thing, helped you with promoting it, helping you on day-to-day business. I can't speak enough for how well they did." The partnership didn't just facilitate a business closing; it created a celebratory finale to decades of service while allowing Straub to confidently step into his well-earned retirement.
