ROSSI was the manager of an upscale jewelry store in a wealthy section of town and was interviewing Nigel for a recently advertised sales job. Rossi looks at Nigel’s resume and notices that Nigel has never worked in retail before. Rossi says to Nigel, “For someone with no retail experience, you are certainly asking for a high salary.” “Well I suppose I am,” Nigel replies, “but you must understand that the work is so much harder when you don’t know what you’re doing.”

[componentheading] About our Joker [/componentheading]

My grandfather was a jeweler and a jokester, a torch I proudly carry,” says Ray Lantz, 32, store manager of Lantz Diamond Center in Claremont, CA. “I like to tell customers that my birthday is Dec. 27 — I was due on the 10th, but that’s our busy season so I waited till after Christmas.” With a bachelor of arts in politics from the University of San Francisco, Ray never imagined he would join his mom and dad in the family business. But “nothing else is as much fun,” he says. “I’m living the
diamond dream.” When not at work, Lantz hangs out with his wife, Sarah, daughter, Lucy, and Welsh corgi, Sonny. He enjoys coaching high school golf, reading, taking GIA courses online, and watching Jeopardy.

[span class=note]This story is from the March 2011 edition of INSTORE[/span]