Kate Peterson of Performance Concepts facilitated.
(Press Release) OAK BROOK, IL — RJO retail members set aside time recently to meet with industry professionals to contemplate the future of their stores. The RJO Succession Experience, facilitated by Kate Peterson of Performance Concepts, armed stores with the tools they need to pass on their business to the next generation of jewelers.
“This was the best money we have invested in our store in years,” said Kathleen White of Enhancery Jewelers. She explained that the experience gave her and her husband, Martin, a better view of the valuation of their company, and it helped her realize that she wasn’t quite ready to give up the business emotionally. Not only did the experience provide jewelers financial and legal insight into the transition, it also delivered information to address the emotional side of succession and those fears of losing a sense of self — both in the community and personally.
“The cost of this weekend was much less than we spend on most advertising campaigns,” said Kathleen White, who traveled from San Diego, CA for the weekend. “And what we took away is invaluable!”
Stores who had already identified their successor were encouraged to bring the future owner to the educational weekend as well. Samantha Tupper from Winks Fine Jewelry in Brookings, SD, said, “We are still about 10 years or more out, but this weekend gave us a great place to start. We have a lot of uncomfortable discussions in our future, and this weekend will make those discussions much more manageable.”
Sponsored by RJO vendors Ostbye, Federated Insurance and Charles Frey & Associates, the next RJO Succession Experience will be held in the spring 2019.
Presenters included Kate Peterson (Performance Concepts), Jack and Craig MacBean (Ostbye), Barbara Nuss (Profit Soup), Marc Loden (von Breisen & Roper, Federated Insurance), Dan Pharr (Pharr Valuation) and Chuck Frey (Charles Frey & Associates).
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Ready to Relocate? Wilkerson Makes Your Move Seamless
When Brockhaus Jewelry decided to leave their longtime West Main Street storefront for a standalone building elsewhere in Norman, Oklahoma, owners John Brockhaus and Brad Shipman faced a familiar challenge: how to efficiently reduce inventory before the big move. Their solution? Partnering with liquidation specialists Wilkerson for a second time.
"We'd already experienced Wilkerson's professionalism during a previous sale," Shipman recalls. "But their approach to our relocation event truly impressed us. They strategically prioritized our existing pieces while tactfully introducing complementary merchandise as inventory levels decreased." The carefully orchestrated sale didn't just meet targets—it shattered them.
Asked if they'd endorse Wilkerson to industry colleagues planning similar transitions—whether relocating, retiring, or refreshing their space—both partners were emphatic in their approval. "The entire process was remarkably straightforward," Shipman notes. "Wilkerson delivered a well-structured program, paired us with a knowledgeable advisor, and managed every detail flawlessly from concept to completion."
