What I’ve Learned: Brian McCall

Published

8 years ago

October 12, 2015

Make your employees happy.

BRIAN MCCALL, Midwest Jewelers & Estate Buyers, Zionsville, IN

Happy people! It is so important to create a work environment that makes the employees happy — it makes the whole thing work. I am very passionate and enthusiastic about jewelry and watches and I make sure to surround myself with people who share and feed my enthusiasm. A big part of this process is listening to the staff, encouraging and developing ideas, as well as empowering them to take ownership of ideas and projects. This investment in my staff is my most valuable asset and it pays off tenfold when customers walk through the door and are met by knowledgeable, enthusiastic and happy people. Just because you have a nice store with great, well-priced stuff, doesn’t mean that money will fall from people’s pockets — having a longer view and working with your staff, rather than being “the boss,” and creating that something special has been well worth the effort for me.

This article originally appeared in the October 2015 edition of INSTORE.

When There’s No Succession Plan, Call Wilkerson

Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”