MEGAN VAN GUNDY, 32, has an infectious laugh and, if her enthusiastic, mile-a-minute speech pattern is any clue, a lot of energy. Both characteristics must serve her well as general manager and main jewelry buyer for her family’s business, Van Gundy Jewelers, which has locations in Ventura and Camarillo, CA.  
 

VAN GUNDY JEWELERS, VENTURA AND CAMARILLO, CA 
 
 
MEGAN VAN GUNDY, 32, has an infectious laugh and, if her enthusiastic, mile-a-minute speech pattern is any clue, a lot of energy. Both characteristics must serve her well as general manager and main jewelry buyer for her family’s business, Van Gundy Jewelers, which has locations in Ventura and Camarillo, CA.  
 
Van Gundy’s first foray into the business came early, like that of most kids who grow up in jewelry stores. 
 
“There is a photo of me calling customers on the phone at 10 to let them know their orders were ready, but after college my parents were gracious enough to say ‘Go figure it out first; either you’re committed or you’re not,” she recalls. 
 
Megan worked in the hotel business before returning to jewelry retail and the family fold seven years ago. She works with her parents, Tom and Priscilla Van Gundy, her brother Aaron and her sister-in-law Amy.  
 
Megan supervises six staff members in Ventura and three in Camarillo, spending time at both stores most days. It takes a precise schedule to oversee two stores, so Megan expects her staff to be as punctual as she is, to make it all work. The one element she can’t always control, though, is the Southern California traffic. “If one person is late, I know it’s caused by traffic and I know everyone else will be late, too.” — Eileen McClelland 
 
 
TUESDAY AUGUST 6 
 
6:30 a.m. My pre-work routine starts with breakfast for my three furry children, Mailee, Taters and Trixie. I?make a cup of coffee and bowl of oatmeal that I enjoy outside while the dogs play. I shower and get ready for work. 
 
8:30 a.m. Arrive at our first store. Visit with staff and review custom work to ensure timely delivery. 
 
9:30 a.m. Arrive at our second store. Help with set-up. 
 
10 a.m. Get voicemail message that customer wants to return a watch she bought two years ago. She says it’s not keeping time.  
 
10:30 a.m. Meet with staff and review their tasks for the day. 
 
11 a.m. Phone meeting to review marketing and holiday events.  
 
12 p.m. Review and call on watch-repair estimates. 
 
1 p.m. Back to other store to pick up custom men’s diamond and platinum band to deliver to customer’s home. 
 
3 p.m. Return to second store. Holy smokes! 17 voicemails. Majority of them are sales calls. Take care of new e-mail. 
 
4 p.m. Assist customer with Rolex watch repair. Schedule meetings with staff to review sales goals.  
 
5 p.m. Meet client to finalize Vegas delivery of engagement ring. 
 
6 p.m. Close up. I work on task list and notes for next store meeting. 
 
7 p.m. Sushi with my dad, Tom. 
 
8 p.m. Feed and play with my dogs. Shower and bed. (Still recovering from trip to New York.) 

 
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WEDNESDAY AUGUST 7 
 
8 a.m. Store meeting with all staff. Role-playing exercise is awesome training experience. 
 
9:30 a.m. Arrive at second store. Assist staff with setup. 
 
11 a.m. Meet my brother Aaron who manages our website. Discuss ways to gather more of visitors’ information. 
 
12:30 p.m. Phone meeting with marketing firm to finalize Web optimization search. 
 
1 p.m. Advise associate on handling a few open-ended sales.  
 
2:15 p.m. Grab a bagel and a water, check cellphone messages.  
 
3 p.m. Phone meeting with my mom, Priscilla, to review our cash-flow worksheet and review a proposed TAG Heuer order. 
 
3:30 p.m. Process shop jobs.  
 
6 p.m. Close store. 
 
6:30 p.m. Dinner at home, feed dogs. 
 
7 p.m. Walk dogs to park. 
 
8 p.m. Shower and bed. 

 
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THURSDAY AUGUST 8 
 
8:45 a.m. Arrive at first store. Review customer follow-up lists and tasks for the day. 
 
10 a.m. Arrive at second store and meet with staff to review tasks. 
 
10:45 a.m. A customer comes in with six boxes of jewelry from an estate. Would like me to identify items in need of an appraisal. 
 
12:30 p.m. I complete the assessment. Obtained items for appraisals and took in a few items for remount projects to turn into gifts for grandchildren.  
 
1 p.m. Meet with staff to organize remerchandising of store to include new product that has arrived from the Vegas show. 
 
2 p.m. Phone meeting with Philip Stein rep to discuss details of upcoming trunkshow.  
 
2:20 p.m. Meet with customer to discuss 3-carat total weight diamond studs. He would like ideal cuts for his wife to celebrate the birth of their first baby. Cool! Can’t wait for their second child. I’m hoping for twins! 
 
3 p.m. Haven’t eaten yet. Grab tea and muffin from nearby bakery. 
 
3:15 p.m. Process repairs from shop, call and e-mail customers for pickup. Process watch estimates. 
 
6 p.m. Close store. 
 
6:30 p.m. Attend Chamber of Commerce mixer at new eatery. 
 
7:45 p.m. Home, feed and play with dogs. 
 
8 p.m. Shower and bed. 
 

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FRIDAY AUGUST 9 
 
8:30 a.m. Arrive at our first store. Review custom work for shop to ensure timely delivery. 
 
10 a.m. Arrive at second store and meet with staff. 
 
11:30 a.m. I realize it is 78 degrees in the store. I'call the air-conditioner company for servicing. 
 
12 p.m. Associate working with customer and Philip Stein watches. It is so hot in the store, everyone looks like they are in a gym rather than a fine jewelry store. I go next door to the restaurant and order margaritas for anyone (staff or customer) who wants one. 
 
1 p.m. Customer leaves with two Philip Stein watches and deposit on men’s Pianegonda ring. I treat him to lunch as an apology for the temperature in the store. 
 
1:45 p.m. Meet with my dad to discuss new location possibilities. 
 
3 p.m. Confirm associates’ attendance at Hearts on Fire University this year. 
 
3:30 p.m. Process repairs from shop, call and e-mail customers for pickup. Process watch estimates. 
 
6 p.m. Close store. 
 
6:30 p.m. Head home, feed dogs. 
 
7 p.m. Take dogs for a walk. 
 
8 p.m. Shower and bed. 
 
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SATURDAY AUGUST 10  
 
8 a.m. Late start. Feed dogs. Have my coffee and oatmeal before getting ready for work. 
 
9:30 a.m. Arrive at second store and set up store 
 
10:30 a.m. Check e-mail. Receive confirmation that a new hire passed her physical test and is able to start next week. Call new hire to pass on information. 
 
11 a.m. Give associates maintenance tasks for the day. Inform them of fourth-quarter promotions to help them prepare their client lists. Hand out new Roberto Coin merchandise for staff to go through. 
 
11:30 a.m. Oh, no. It’s 77 degrees in the store! I thought the problem had been resolved. I consider putting in a service call, but it is Saturday, which means it would be an “emergency” call, with extra fees. I decide to wait until next week.  
 
12 p.m. Assist bridal couple.  
 
1 p.m. I discuss with staff diamond-price increase, ask what they know about the ruby embargo and talk about how to try to identify treatment on tanzanite stones. 
 
3 p.m. A customer offers the Invicta watch he brought in for a battery as trade for the Rolex Submariner on my wrist. I ask him if he’s sure he wants a used Rolex Submariner that has been worn by a girl. He thought that was pretty funny. Needless to say, I obtain some customer information that will enable me to follow up with him when the new Sea Dweller comes in. 
 
4:30 p.m. Close store. 
 
Weekend begins 
 
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