Gene the Jeweler

Please Don’t Train Your People the Way Gene the Jeweler Does

Which is basically not at all.

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Published

7 years ago

June 19, 2017

Jimmy DeGroot

IN THE VIDEO BELOW you’ll meet Gene the Jeweler, a creation of industry consultant Jimmy DeGroot.

Gene is likable and earnest, but he’s also a little, well, clueless. You should definitely try not to be a Gene.

In this episode, Gene is interviewed about how he trains his employees. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a lot to say on the topic — because he doesn’t offer any training. In fact, Gene mishears “train your employees” as “tame your employees,” and you start to wonder if that actually says something about the way he thinks!

And it soon becomes clear that Gene, who took over the business from his parents, isn’t doing so well. He’s doing everything in his business from accounting to cleaning to decorating, but he’s not seeing any growth.

The character is a parody, but for some jewelers, the underlying themes might hit close to home.

Maybe there’s something to this training thing after all?

Watch the video:

Please Don’t Train Your People the Way Gene the Jeweler Does

Jimmy DeGroot

Jimmy DeGroot is a jewelry store manager who has been in the business for over 20 years. Now he spends his time training teams around the world at jewelrystoretraining.com and sharing marketing advice through his blog site at jewelrymarketingguy.com. Sign up for training videos here.

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This Third-Generation Jeweler Was Ready for Retirement. He Called Wilkerson

Retirement is never easy, especially when it means the end to a business that was founded in 1884. But for Laura and Sam Sipe, it was time to put their own needs first. They decided to close J.C. Sipe Jewelers, one of Indianapolis’ most trusted names in fine jewelry, and call Wilkerson. “Laura and I decided the conditions were right,” says Sam. Wilkerson handled every detail in their going-out-of-business sale, from marketing to manning the sales floor. “The main goal was to sell our existing inventory that’s all paid for and turn that into cash for our retirement,” says Sam. “It’s been very, very productive.” Would they recommend Wilkerson to other jewelers who want to enjoy their golden years? Absolutely! “Call Wilkerson,” says Laura. “They can help you achieve your goals so you’ll be able to move into retirement comfortably.”