What is your gender?
How old are you?
NOTE: The average age of our survey takers was 62, while the most common age was 68.
What circus animal do you think best represents your work persona?
NOTE: Some of the notable “Others” included a Raven (“Talkative, clever, will never forget an enemy, can be loyal if you feed me meat”); Duck (“Calm on top, paddling my feet like crazy to stay afl oat”); Squirrel (“Always crazy busy but frequently doing stupid crap”); and a Puppy (“Customers know I can be playful but also loyal and honest with them.”)
When do you feel most engaged or in the flow at work?
In short, the answer would be “when busy”, especially when jewelers get to use their hands. Our readers reported feeling most engaged at work when they are actively involved in the creative and problem-solving aspects of their craft. Many said they found deep satisfaction and engagement when designing custom pieces, as well as “working directly with customers to bring their visions to life.” The hands-on nature of jewelry making, such as stone setting, polishing, and detailed bench work, was also frequently mentioned as a source of flow. “Repairing sentimental or high-value jewelry and returning it to a happy customer” was reported as exceptionally rewarding. Other factors that enhance engagement include mastering new techniques, collaborating with colleagues, and overcoming challenging technical issues.
What is your personal walk-out song?
1. “Eye of the Tiger” SURVIVOR
2. “My Way” FRANK SINATRA
3. “I Will Survive” GLORIA GAYNOR
4. “Simple Man” LYNYRD SKYNYRD
5. “The Four Seasons” VIVALDI
6. “Thunderstruck” AC/DC
7. “Back in Black” AC/DC
8. “Don’t Stop Believin” JOURNEY
9. “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” VARIOUS
10. “Fireball” PITBULL
NOTE: The three songs that store owners most identify with are all fierce and individualistic — the perfect combination for small business owners. Others receiving votes that fit the same mold were songs like “She Works Hard for the Money” by Donna Summer, “We Are the Champions” by Queen, and “Thanks for Making Me a Fighter” by Christina Aguilera. Some jewelers thought the exercise was lame (“LOL, we’re not in our 20s,” wrote one respondent), but we beg to differ! Our walkout song? “Everyday I Write the Book” by Elvis Costello, naturally!
On a scale of 1 to 5, rate your satisfaction with your professional life and your life as a whole:
NOTE: Over the 18 years we’ve been running the Big Survey, our survey base has become older, wealthier, and happier! For Professional Life, the average score has climbed from around 3.80 in 2010 and 2015 to 4.15, while for Personal Life the average score has risen from 3.65 in 2010 to 4.24 this year. Perhaps not surprisingly, those earning the most (over $500,000 a year) reported the most Life and Professional satisfaction with almost two-thirds of such jewelers saying they were “totally satisfi ed.” Those earning less than $30, 0000 a year were the least likely to report being “totally satisfi ed” with their professional lives, but they were the second-highest ranking cohort in terms of “life satisfaction”. They weren’t making much money but they were evidently happy.
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If you had one request for the “fortune teller” booth in relation to your business, what would it be?
If independent jewelry retailers could sit down with a fortune teller, their questions would be strikingly consistent. At the top of the list is the future of their businesses. Will the store grow, shrink, sell, or close? Because so many jewelry stores are family-run, the future of their business is also the future of their legacy. Closely tied to store success is the next most popular question asked by readers:
What will happen to gold prices? Jewelers want to know if the market will stay strong, fall, or soar to new highs — and whether they’ll be able to keep their margins intact.
Retirement looms large as well. Many jewelers are asking not only when they can (or should) retire, but also what comes next: Who will take over, and will the business survive? That dovetails with questions around succession and the next generation — whether children, grandchildren, or no one at all will step into their shoes.
Beyond that, jewelers are curious about future trends, the impact of lab-grown diamonds, and the broader economy. A few said they prefer not to know what’s coming. For some, though, the best fortune might be simply having fewer surprises — and a little peace of mind.
What superstitions or good luck rituals do you have in your store?
Many independent jewelers practice some sort of ritual to ward off something bad happening. Ironically, something bad could even be a certain client walking into the store. “Never speak a client’s name unless you want them to make an appearance,” wrote one respondent, and several others echoed the same sentiment. Similarly, some advised to “not talk about the big sale until it’s complete.” Others rely on certain lucky substances, like knocking on wood, sprinkling salt across the front entry, or burning sage and candles. One even wrote, “shmear the cake.” Many rituals involve money, like making sure all of the bills in the cash register face the same direction, carrying a lucky coin at all times, and keeping a citrine in the cash register. Some said that the first customer of the day is the key: You must sell them something in order to have a successful day. And still others invoke a team ritual, like a 30-second dance party or standing on their heads before an event. Meanwhile, about half of independent jewelers shrug off luck entirely, stating that they only need their faith, prayer or even nothing to get by. The rest hedge their bets — just in case the universe is listening.
On what occasions do you fib?
| To support a surprise gift |
|
71%
|
| To boost a staff member’s confidence |
|
18%
|
| To save someone from embarrassment |
|
47%
|
| To compliment someone’s jewelry taste |
|
33%
|
| To close a protracted sale |
|
4%
|
To close any sale
|
|
1%
|
| When handling a complaint |
|
8%
|
| To get out of a time consuming request |
|
22%
|
| When letting someone go |
|
6%
|
| Never |
|
13%
|
NOTE: To sum up the findings, a couple of quotes from our survey-takers: 1) “I’ll not outright lie, won’t say jewelry is an investment, and avoid hard sales tactics. But if the toast needs a little butter for ‘It’s a great day,’ ‘You’re one of my favorite customers,’ ‘You pick such great things,’ well … then I butter it up.” 2) “When answering the phone after hours, I’m the cleaning lady.”
Rate yourself on our extrovert scale from “lock me away in the back of the shop” to PT Barnum-style entrepreneur (1 to 5)
| 1. |
|
3%
|
| 2. |
|
14%
|
| 3. |
|
34%
|
| 4. |
|
33%
|
| 5. |
|
15%
|
(AVERAGE IS 3.5)
What was your favorite school subject?
| Math |
|
20%
|
| History |
|
18%
|
| Art |
|
15%
|
| Science |
|
14%
|
| English |
|
10%
|
Workshop
|
|
6%
|
| Gym class |
|
6%
|
| Computer class |
|
2%
|
| Music |
|
2%
|
| A language |
|
1%
|
| Other |
|
6%
|
MAJOR SURPRISE: We expected shop to rate higher. For what it’s worth, the jewelers earning more than $250,000 a year were over-represented by those who liked Math and History, with those two subjects accounting for half the responses. Want to know if a job candidate has a successful career ahead of him? Perhaps ask them if they enjoyed algebra or stories about the Revolutionary War.
Tell us whether you think the following things have changed for the better or worse since you first opened your doors.
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