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EP 374 Joy and Human Connection NYC Jewelry Week | Otter.ai

EP 374 Joy and Human Connection NYC Jewelry Week

Tracy Matthews50min

Tracy Matthews

00:00

Welcome to the thrive by design podcast episode 374. Hey there, it's Tracy Matthews, chief visionary officer of flourish and thrive. The host of the show today. And I'm excited to be here talking all about New York City jewelry week, and their theme, joy and human connection. I am super excited to share this interview with you today because it was really fun. And we had a blast just chit chatting, it went a little bit longer than normal. So this is going to be a longer episode, but it's definitely worth a listen, very entertaining. And if you've ever been thinking about attending or participating in New York City jewelry week, I think you'll get a lot of great information about how you can do that. Plus, they are going to be streaming on their YouTube channel some of the panels so if you want to get in on the jewelry week conversation, make sure that you check that out. Now, the reason why I wanted to bring Bella and JB and Alon on is that I love supporting people who are supporting other designers. So this is a great conversation, I can't actually believe that I haven't had them on the podcast sooner, which is kind of funny. But at the end of the day, you know it is what it is. So we're gonna dive into today's episode really quickly. But I just wanted to give you a heads up that we are in open enrollment for our brand new traffic on fire accelerator. It is a Sales Accelerator for jewelry brands who want to get more traffic to their website using a combination of organic and free content plus a paid ads strategy. So if you've been thinking about running paid ads, and you don't have $5,000 a month to hire an agency, then you might want to take a look at this because we're going to help you train your team or yourself. We're going to help you get into getting more traffic to your website. And we're going to give you strategies on how to convert that traffic. Once you do get an opt in or website visitor and all those things. We're going to be covering everything from SEO, all the text stack setup, we're gonna be talking about Google ads, Facebook ads, Instagram ads, tick tock ads, and Pinterest ads. Plus, we're going to be talking even more about content strategy because that is just as important as your advertising strategy. So this is going to be amazing. If you'd like to dive deep with us, we are here for you. And for anyone who joins now you're gonna get two months of our momentum program for free. We're going to just let you slide in through the rest of the year for free to get support with planning with retargeting ads, and accountability throughout the holiday season. So if you'd like to learn more about that head on over to flourish, thrive academy.com forward slash momentum that's flourish. & thrive academy.com forward slash momentum and check out the program. Okay, before I dive into the episode, let me share this New York City jewelry week is a cultural platform dedicated to the celebration of jewelry. We're a hybrid hub delivering jewelry culture directly to our audience through content, events, strategic initiatives, and an annual jewelry week in the support of our mission. jewelry for all. Each November New York City jewelry week platform hosts our annual jewelry Week, a week long celebration that invites a global audience to experience the world of jewelry in New York City. Our annual jewelry week is free and open to the public modernizing the way the world thinks about jewelry by bringing together everyone from window shoppers to avid collectors. Our 2022 event will take place November 14 to 20th under the theme of joy and human connection. All right, let's dive in to today's episode with Bella naman, JB Jones, and Alana smitch. Welcome to thrive by design, the podcast for ambitious independent jewelry brands looking to profit from their products, get ready to make more and sell more doing what you love without spending every single waking minute doing it. Hey, and if you're a creative fashion or product based business, I want to welcome you to the show. I'll be dropping big tips on launching growing and scaling your business. So you can spend more of your precious time using your creativity to make money. You ready? All right, let's do this. I am just so excited to be here today with JB Jones, Bella Neiman and Alon Samak. So thanks for being here, guys.

04:24

Yeah, thank you so much.

Alon

04:26

Thank you for having us. Thank you.

Tracy Matthews

04:28

So I met JB and Bella many years ago over email I think my former business partner introduced us about Yeah, and I wanted to have you guys come on and talk about jewelry week this week. And then JB and Atlanta have a podcast together. So we're gonna dig into some really fun stuff. Now, before we kind of dive in to some of my prying questions that I have for you all. Why don't you all give us like just a brief background and we'll start with JB

04:57

Yeah. Hi, everyone. My name is JB and the CO founder of NYC jewelry week. I also do consulting on marketing and social media for small Tory businesses do a little bit of writing do a little bit, a little bit everything in jewelry. We've had joy week now for five years as our fifth year anniversary, which is super excited. And Bella and I met about eight, eight years ago now. And we've been working together since we've since really the moment we met actually. So tell them about you.

Bella

05:29

Hi, I'm Bella. I'm the other co founder of NYC jewelry week. And I when I'm not working on jewelry, which actually feels like that's all I work on. I also consult for some jewelry galleries. I help them with exhibitions and research and I also lecture at the 92nd street and why and at Christie's on jewelry. I lead jewelry tours and jewelry history courses. And also I write Yes. And I do write I write for different publications including metal smith, and I don't know Yeah, so I just kind of have

06:05

all this. Yeah, anything jewelry. We can cover you guys.

Unknown Speaker

06:08

Yeah, exactly. It's true.

Alon

06:12

Okay. I remodeling see Mitch. I'm a photographer. I am not a co founder of jewelry. Wait, I only show up when these two ladies tell me to show up. And

06:24

there's a lot to show up.

Alon

06:28

It's a lot you're very demanding. And we have JP and I have our silly little dog and pony show the official NYC jewelry leak podcast that we co host called ruff cart, which is you know really about, you know, my skincare routine and how wealthy I am honestly, yeah, a little bit of jewelry thrown in maybe a lot of gossip. Mostly fat. Yeah. really

Tracy Matthews

06:56

entertaining to listen to. I started binge listening to it. When I found it. I was like, Oh, I didn't even know they had a podcast. I started listening to it. I was like there are larious together.

Alon

07:07

Thank you. We try.

07:09

Also a lot of no issue mentioned is on our here we are committee for joy week, which is a committee that supports our program. Here we are, which is equity program that we run. Yes.

Alon

07:20

I do that as well. You do. Yeah. Okay. So

Tracy Matthews

07:23

what was how did the idea for New York City jewelry week came up? Because I remember hearing about it for the first time. I was like, this is interesting, like interesting concept. And it was all over the city. And there were all these exhibitions and all the things and I was like, Yeah, tell me about it.

07:40

Thank you. I'm gonna let Bella tonic she tells us it better. It was her idea that

Bella

07:46

no, well, so JB and I really loved working together. And we wanted to continue working together. And I think like all true creative. So we were thinking of ways of coming up with a project that would be really ours. And also that wasn't done before. And something that would allow us to hang out and spend time together, but also to support a lot of our friends who are creatives and independent jewelry designers. And we wanted an opportunity to showcase the type of jewelry that we like to wear. That's actually really how it started. And so, you know, I the idea for jewelry week is not so original, because it exists there, you know, other models for it, predominantly in Europe. And so that's actually where I was, I was visiting another jewelry week when I kind of thought, yeah, I went to three that year. Yeah, I was in Paris, and I went to Barcelona. And then I go to Munich for Schmuck, which is sort of like, the mother of all jewelry weeks. And I came back and I thought, you know, why don't we have something like this in New York? Because, you know, we keep having these conversations about how do we support the industry and blah, blah, blah. And so it took me a little bit of time to pitch it to JB you know, when your friends call

09:01

you and they're like, I have a really good idea, but I'm not going to tell you,

Bella

09:05

which I hate that was I hate that you're like, oh, yeah, because I don't know, I thought she would hate it. Like I thought she think it's really dumb. So I was trying to figure out how to pitch it to her in a way that she be like, Oh yeah, sure I will dedicate my life to this for the next 567 God knows how many years and you know, not do anything other than eat sleep, breathe jewelry. So anyway, I did I pitched it to her and she think God loved it. So anyway, that's how the idea came about. Because we really wanted to find an opportunity to support our friends in the industry.

09:44

I think to like another part of it was we were working at a gallery and meatpacking and we also felt like the traditional retail model was not working. It was like, Okay, people come in sometimes, right We thought, and sometimes they buy jewelry. Right? So we thought, how can we like turn this upside down. And that was kind of the original, like impetus for our partnership. And then jewelry. We came along as Bella explained. So it was kind of like met all the things we wanted to do. Yeah, to think about retailing a different way and get consumers excited in a different way.

Bella

10:23

Yeah. And that was the other thing, like we saw there was a real, like, a need for our, you know, for our designers, our friends to I mean, sell their work, like in the end, that's really what it's about. It's about like, yes, we do all of these great, you know, panels and talks, but it's really about making sure people buy jewelry.

Tracy Matthews

10:45

Yeah, so So when it started, was it really a shopping event? Or what did it end up being more about the pianos and the conversations? Or how did that go? I always find it interesting that it was in November, what was the what was the decision to do it in November? For?

10:59

Well, I think there was, so we go to a lot of design fairs that, and a lot of like, you know, pay attention to the fashion scene as well. And that was the month that nothing was happening. And we really very much wanted this to sit on its own and not be connected to design or fashion. We want jewelry to have its own moment. So that was a big part of it. And also, it gave us a reason to talk jewelry. For the holiday. It's a little early, but it gets that conversation started. And if you're going to custom make a piece of jewelry started at jewelry week.

Bella

11:39

And it was always that mix of retail activations and panels because when we, I mean, that's, I think JB and I have connected on this as well as that, like, you know, we would go to all these different talks where, you know, fashion designers come together or, you know, you're like, you know, like just kind of events that are sort of educational, but are really about essentially consumerism, right? I mean, when you go here, Marc Jacobs in conversation with, let's say, Fern malice, what are they talking about? They're talking about his brand, and how to get people to come and shop. Right. So like, I think the educational component is really meant to give consumers insight into how the designers like what their vision is how they create the pieces, because everything in jewelry, because it's about that story, you know, like, it's storytelling is really at the heart of the week. So even the retail activations you know, when JB and I approached designers to participate, the first question we've asked them from the very beginning is what is the story that you want to tell? So that's why having those panels is just as important as the retail activations?

12:50

I think, too, though, I think your question brought up an interesting point. And like that, that first year, we were so supported by the industry, like expecially, independent designers, that that's how we got known was because the industry backed us in a way that was like, so enormous. And so there was a point where we were like, Okay, we, we got to get back to like the goal of consumerism, because that's what everyone wants from us, right. That's what all these supporters want from us. But it was like, quite amazing, like turnout from the industry. And I remember on Instagram, when we launched, it was everywhere. And that really propelled us into a space that we were like, Whoa, this because we were like, oh, let's do like a few events. It'll be cool. And I think we did what, like 8585 85. Yeah, it's crazy. Yeah.

Tracy Matthews

13:50

Well, I remember someone I was Glen rock, and Rod Smith was in town, I think for that first one. You guys know, Glen? Yes, of course, he was like, going to all these panels. And I'm like, I'm gonna catch some of them. And I was just like, there are so many, like, how did they organize this many in a first run? It was insane. I'm like,

14:09

Yeah, you came out of the woodwork.

Bella

14:11

Yeah, I think people were just really excited to get behind it. Because, like I mentioned, this model is not new. But what is new is that we bring in all different types of jewelry. So that's what happens is like, you know, if you have like, five, you know, programs dedicated to vintage or stage jewelry, and five or six programs dedicated to contemporary studio jewelry, and none, let's say like 10 or 15, you know, it just starts to build up because, you know, so many people want New York is their arena, you know, and so, while we support New York City based brands, we have a lot of participants come from other parts of the world who you know, want to to be on the schedule. So that's actually how it starts to grow really organically. You No, because we invite people to participate, and then people apply to participate. So then it just becomes like, wow, like even now JB and I were discussing that there's, like 130 events this year. And we couldn't believe it. Because I didn't. We didn't even think there was going to be that many nights. I just had our Director of Operations count. And we were like, Oh, my God, that's insane. That's so yep.

Tracy Matthews

15:26

So how did you get involved in this?

15:31

This is an interesting story, because we don't agree on it.

Alon

15:34

Yeah, I'll recollections of how I got involved are very different. In that I, you want to sound like, I remember going to Jonathan adalah. Actually, to finish this department. Yeah. Great in here. It's Jonathan, our showroom. But we went in there. Thank you. But I went in there, and you guys were hosting an event, or we're about to host an event in there. And I saw pamphlets, and then I went to your IG. And I thought, Oh, this is such a great, cool organization. And so very different from all the sort of other industry things that I was aware of at the time. And I remember thinking, I would love to be a part of this and DMing the jury, we count, this is my recollection and saying, How can I be a part of this? And then

16:23

what I think I DM him first, because I kept seeing his name everywhere. He was doing talks and classes on his own, as well as talks about other people. And I just kept seeing his name over and over again, and he said, develop, I really want to meet this guy just seems really interesting. So I DM him. He says he did it first, but I'm gonna take credit.

Alon

16:47

Yeah. At this point, it doesn't matter. And then we've never bothered going back far enough.

Unknown Speaker

16:52

It was gonna say, figured out

Alon

16:56

the mystery. Yes, for us. Yeah. Yeah, like that. So then, what

17:00

did we do? I think we just did an Instagram Live.

Alon

17:03

We did Instagram lives together. And then you had asked me to join the here we are committee. I think I had a chat with you about that. Bella, actually. And? No, I don't remember. I don't either. But I believe it was you who called me about that, maybe. And then, after some time of working together with a bunch of theater, Mitzi stuff together, we did some photo shoots together for jewelry week, and for the here we are committed specifically, I think we should

17:34

say that a lot is so generous with his time and his skills. Like that's kind of how we went deeper and deeper. Because for our here we are program, we were always trying to find opportunities. And we're always trying to, you know, get discounts or get our get away and or find what we can to support the jewelers who involved. And Alon would always call an offer things. And that's so amazing. So we kind of just develop this relationship and like, oh, what's possible, right? Yeah, think of what's possible.

Alon

18:10

It's such I love about working with these ladies, we come up with ideas, and then sort of like, we can kind of ruminate on an idea for a little while. But we always in some way, shape, or fashion, end up actually doing it. And are you sure campaigns? Yes, yes. And I insist on doing it and won't let anybody else do it. But I didn't know that it's true. But well, you know, we can always sort of come together and say, Hey, how about this, and then we make it happen. So that's sort of what I enjoy about working with them in that we sort of actualize the ideas. It's not sort of just talking kind of a haphazard thing. We had this real kind of action and motivation and passion behind what they do. So I love being a part of all of that. That's so good.

Tracy Matthews

19:01

I mean, you're such an amazing artists along so it's like, oh, thank you insane. Like, if anyone go check out his website, it's like incredible that that is. Thank you. Yeah, I wanted to follow up on something that was said earlier about, like designers applying and all that stuff. What's that? What does the application process look like? And like, what's the lens you guys are filtering through when you're picking and selecting designers for this?

Bella

19:25

So the application opens in the beginning of the late spring, early summer. And we have a theme every year that we would like applicants to consider when applying this year, the theme with joy and human connection. And ideally, you know, we're looking for individuals who really have something unique have a really unique point of view. Look, there's a lot of jewelry out in the world and our goal isn't how do I say this? Our goal is to it is jewelry for all. And it is all different types of jewelry. But we also don't want to show all jewelry because not all of it is great. If I can say that, yeah, and so and so really, you know, we focus on designers who have a really unique point of view, those who we feel really have longevity, those who have authenticity and integrity, and those who also have a really creative concept, because that's the other thing. We know we are not a tradeshow our events do not happen under one roof. So if you are applying with an event that has to be something that can stand alone, right, it can, it's something that is going to drive visitors and as much as we put all of our effort into promoting everything, we want to make sure that every exhibition or every talk or every pop up, every activation is really special. So the application just really has to kind of like speak for itself, to be honest with you.

Tracy Matthews

21:03

And so you mentioned that the theme is joy and human connection this year. How did that come about?

21:10

I think we were all just were like

Bella

21:12

depressed. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I think also, because a lot of what we were hearing was that like not to bring up the pandemic. But during the pandemic, a lot of you know, individuals will put on jewelry, you know, with their sweatpants, and it gave them joy. Like, they would look into their jewelry box. And like just an smile, you know, longingly or lovingly had the pieces that they used to wear and like, and I think that for us has been really important because we love jewelry, like if I don't know, I've obviously well, you can't really see but you can try. We're all like wearing lots of jewelry, right? Like, and so we put it on, it really brings us pleasure. And so with that, we wanted to sort of like capture that moment, you know. And that's why we thought it's so great theme for this year.

Tracy Matthews

22:03

So, Alon, you're a fine art photographer, and you've done like some beautiful, beautiful work. And I know designers, a lot of the people that we serve here at flourish and thrive, some of them do all their creative themselves, some of them outsource to photographers like you, I mean, at the higher level. And you know, others are trying to just find their way like How important do you think it is to have good photography, and campaigns like marketing campaigns with visual images to the success of a jewelry brand?

Alon

22:37

I'm clearly going to be a very biased party when I answer this question. I think it's tremendously important. And for one for the obvious reasons in that, for 90% of your kind of follows potential consumers, the only way that they're ever going to interact with your pieces before purchasing them is going to be via some sort of visual medium, right? Whether that's photography, video, whatever the case may be, and therefore kind of quality is paramount. So that's kind of the first obvious the second obvious one is to communicate to your potential clientele professionalism. Because you do want to be able to engender trust, because oftentimes, you know, these designers that are just starting out are certainly not household names. And they certainly do not have the funds to become household names anytime soon. So they have to work extra hard to engender trust with a potential consumer and sort of a professional presentation helps you do that. And kind of the third reason that I always belabor is storytelling. Really, the thing that beautiful sort of creative imagery does is it tells a story and helps connect you to your potential consumer in a way that you you know, obviously, writing, copy and great branding, and all of those are really important components of that storytelling, but the visual kind of visceral impact of a fantastic photograph, there's nothing that can really quite compete with that, because it's sort of it's instinctive, it's visceral, it's immediate, and it it touches your potential demographic right away. I think that that is something that a lot of jewelers need to think long and hard about. It's part of your cost of doing business really. I typically say to my clients, it should be treated no different than the the, you know, funds to allocate to sourcing the metals and stones to produce jewelry to begin with, because it's that integral part of trying to compete in the market place. Kind of what I think is really, really important about having great visuals to present your bandwidth is it helps you to cut through the noise of an incredibly crowded market. I always remember try to remind people that you Even if you're sort of a bench jeweler, right, and you're doing everything on your own, and you don't think of yourself as necessarily a luxury goods company, you are ultimately, you know, selling luxury goods, whether that's at $100 price point or at $100,000 price point, you're because you're not selling socks. So you have to when I don't know who you are convinced me that, you know, I, you're worth the money you're asking me for, for this particular product. And in luxury imagery is everything. And people attach themselves very much to brands and to certain visuals, and they identify the top five with them. So it's paramount to any brand. I'm always baffled when I need sort of young jewelers entering the market, if you don't seem to have a great sense of that, because it tells me that they're not quite aware of the actual market, that they're entering sort of what the actual arena is, which is ultimately a luxury space.

Tracy Matthews

26:01

Yeah. So if someone doesn't have the funds to invest in someone like you to do their photographs, how do you recommend, what do you recommend for them to try to get some great shots just in the early stages.

Alon

26:13

So I usually say to people, if there's any way you can allocate your money in the beginning, and if you're kind of really strapped for funds, just make sure that you're investing in great product photography, first and foremost, maybe you can't afford to do all the creative work just yet at least not executed at a really high level, to make it sort of worth the investment, at least make sure that you have really fabulous product photography, that is sort of up to industry standards, that is the best way to sort of allocate those early funds, because those images are going to be really evergreen, and they're going to have serve many different functions, they're going to be used, you know, by price by PR by everybody's going to sort of demand a great product shot of your work. And you really want to invest in that. Because that is also going to be your sales pitch to your customer as well. And the beginning, sort of pretty much the most important one if you don't have kind of all of the other trappings of a luxury goods company. Right. So that is usually what I advise people to do a shameless plug, I do teach I still live course take his class. Yeah, I do teach a few times, a few times a year, I teach creatives to live course, where we kind of show people some tips and tricks on how to do their own kind of satellite photography, oftentimes is nothing but an iPhone, and we teach them Light Shaping Tools and that sort of thing, just enhance what they're already doing, maybe for their Instagram feeds. But I always, you know, give them the disclaimer of none of that replaces, you know, professional work, it's really meant for something like Instagram, it's really meant to kind of just help you supplement content that you're going to need to put out regularly. Yeah, yeah. But it's none of it is going to replace sort of having a proper professional campaign of any sorts.

Tracy Matthews

28:07

I mean, you're only 16. So how did you get into this?

Alon

28:11

Well, I was 12. When I started my business, skyrocketed. And then it just exploded. I was a sort of, in a roundabout way, I was actually a photo journalist. When I first left university, and I worked on human interest stories about women and children in post conflict zones. I spent months at a time in India and in Nepal, doing photo essays precisely on that subject matter. Then I did my very last story in Sarajevo, in my native Bosnia, where my family had lived through the war. And after I did that photo essay, something very much within me shifted. And I found it very, very difficult to do that work. It felt very hard to, I don't know, it felt very hard for me at the time to not feel like the work was not inherently somehow exploitative. And that's a whole, you know, different conversation. And you can get into the nitty gritty of that. And I have a lot of peers who would strongly disagree with me, which is completely fair. So that happened. I started working for Steve McCurry, who was a very well known photojournalist here in the city. And when I started working for him, I realized that most of his work or the way that he kind of supplemented his, you know, lifestyle in his studio and supported his staff was be a commercial work. And so he shot the Pirelli Calendar, he discovered Kali Closs. And I worked for him at the time when he shot that fairly calendar. He also shot campaigns for Valentino. We while I worked for him, we actually shot the backdrops to Windows OS X or os 10, whatever that was, I didn't know. It was New Zealand landscapes, whatever computer stuff, I don't know. So I learned a lot about commercial photography there. And then eventually I started my own business and I got very lucky in that Early on in my business, I landed some larger, sort of more well known clientele. I got images published in Harper's, and then my business just sort of skyrocketed from there. And it's going strong. Still, I'm very, very lucky. Worker. Yeah, well, I work every single day,

Tracy Matthews

30:23

every single day, seven days a week,

Alon

30:25

27 days a week, every single day. That's what I do.

Tracy Matthews

30:30

So I want to bring this back to jewelry week to talk about like, what are some of the your the exhibitions that you're most excited about for this round?

30:38

Oh, wow. There's a lot to process there. But let me start

Alon

30:45

looking at that calendar.

30:48

Sorry, yeah. Oh, you did? So yeah. Bella curated a show? I don't Is it on the website yet?

Bella

30:54

And it should be in an hour. As soon as I leave here. You know, I dislike that question. And I'll tell you why. Well, that no, no, the reason? I mean, that is definitely the most popular question. That's the question. Everybody always asks us. But the reason I disliked that question is because it's really hard to talk about all of the programs, because one, there are so many, and I always feel terrible if I leave something out, because it's, you know, but also because, because the week, you know, we are so intent on having all different types of jewelry represented, I always hate sort of talking about a project that somebody may not be interested in, because let's say they don't like costume jewelry, and I'm excited about it right, or like, they don't like studio jewelry, but that's what I want to see, you know. So I always say like, the point of jewelry is for you to discover something for yourself. So I think it's better for you just to go on to the website and look at the schedule and find the things that you're excited about, versus me telling you what I'm excited about. Because it also changes on the daily.

Unknown Speaker

32:06

Can I tell you what I'm next? Yes, please, that I want to know

Alon

32:10

I really excited about our very first live show live recording of rough cars. On Saturday, November 19, at 3pm. Industry City.

Tracy Matthews

32:26

Are you gonna be interviewing people as they're walking by or they're gonna, you're gonna have just

Alon

32:30

people we're gonna be doing an episode in front of an audience. And we have no idea how that's gonna shake out?

32:35

Well, I think you know, we haven't planned it yet. Let's be honest. I think people want by people.

Alon

32:41

Yeah, maybe.

32:44

We'll look at them and like, size them up and see if their doctor was under a bus. And then we want,

Alon

32:51

but to Bella's point, I totally understand where you're coming from. Because I keep getting clients of mine who are asking me which events? Are you going to go to? What should I go to? And I was looking at the calendar with one client recently. And I said, like, every one of them, because they're all different. And they're all very representative of very different kinds of work. There's a fabulous antique show, there's this, there's that I mean, there's so many different things. So I can't answer that question either. And I always say to my clients, like, go to Mike as many as you can, because they're all going to be very, very different.

Bella

33:28

And also go to something that you don't know, like, I think we always, you know, you sort of look at the calendar, and you're like, Oh, I know this person or that person, or I want to say, but actually use this as an opportunity to go see something that you may not be familiar with, like use this, you know, to learn about maybe some great, you know, I don't know, midcentury jeweler, or maybe some awesome, you know, contemporary jewelry you've never heard of, or, you know, go see a TA I mean, I don't know, but kind of go out of your comfort zone. Because I think that's the other thing that this you know, look, you can absolutely Google, you know, Karbolyn bracelets and find something right, like online, but the point of jewelry week is for you to go in person and look at jewelry and try it on virtually or virtual. Yes. So that's the other thing. Virtual is a huge part of this year's program as it was the last two years, but we are still virtual. So yes, if you can be here, go to our YouTube channel, because we have an incredible roster of virtual programs as well. Actually, the majority of our talks are actually virtual. But yes, but if you are in New York, you know, that's good for you. It's good for you. Yeah, come in, you know, and we also do

34:39

a program on Instagram every year. This is be the while average, this is our third year of doing programming on Instagram as well. So we usually have some really interesting interviews on there. And this year's theme for that is obsession. So it's it's very, very good. Exit. Yeah, yeah.

Tracy Matthews

35:00

I love it. Okay, let's talk about your podcast. How'd that come about?

35:04

We have a podcast. I was by accident, I think, well, it was Alonso idea.

Alon

35:11

I just didn't know. You're here. I refuse to take any credit for that, as well. So we were

35:17

doing Instagram lives. And Alon called me and was like, We should do a podcast. And I was like, Yeah, cool. Okay. And then he was like, No, really? We should do it. Yeah. And then we said, All right. We're gonna go into the studio. I don't even think I told Bella that we were testing it because I was so like

Alon

35:42

it like, will this I love hearing that now from you. Yeah.

35:48

Well, also nervous, like, because I also am the one in jority week who's like, I have this idea, this great idea. And nine times out of 10. It's not a great idea. And so like to do more stuff. I'm like, Sure we can. So I also is also another reason that I was like, if this works out, because you know, I could have been, we could have been terrible. It could have been awful. It could have been really tough. I could probably split it. So we went into maybe it is yeah. Studio. And we did one and then which

Alon

36:22

was like a test. It was a test. And I got really pushy. And I said, I think this is really fun. You should just we need to just put it out.

36:29

And I I didn't agree. Yeah, she disagreed strongly. I had a dinner party at Bella's and I made everyone listen to it. And then I made everybody not listen to them.

Bella

36:39

Well, that was actually the other thing. She was like. Okay, so we have the first episode. And I was like, Okay, great. And that was it. And I was like, Well, are you gonna send it like, Oh my goodness.

36:52

I don't remember. Compared to what how racy we are now. Whatever it was. So anyway, yeah, it was so not

Alon

37:00

ready. See what much racier now than we were. Then I remember JP had rung me up on like a Saturday and said, No, we cannot put this out. And I said, we're putting it out. So we had a we had a whole fight over the phone about it. Yeah, we did. And then we put it out. And it was a huge success from episode one. And we were both sort of baffled by that. And it's just been growing and growing and growing ever since. And it's kind of astonishing. So but because that first one was successful, we thought like a shed, I feel like now we kind of have to keep doing this. Right.

37:40

Right. And then Bella has been a guest on it ever since she was a guest. That episode. I think you're still number one out there lying.

Alon

37:48

It's true. It's actually true. Yours and Emmanuel Taipans. Successful

37:56

behind you though.

Alon

37:57

Yeah. Yeah, you've beat him

37:59

by really want Bella to do and I'll just mention that here for the whole world to hear what we told her.

Alon

38:06

We said that we want eventually a whole network of shows onto the jewelry week umbrella and that babbler needs to host her own show. And we need to get other people involved to host their own shows under that sort of umbrella.

38:18

Yeah. So Bella is she's a writer, as we've established and curator and a teacher, and she just is so good at storytelling. So you do like one on one to me so

Unknown Speaker

38:32

good. It'd be great.

Bella

38:34

So here's what I really actually love, like about jewelry we and about all the people that are involved is that I, it's so rarely are so I shade it's so rarely happens that somebody's like, I wanted to do this, I'm going to go out into it. Because I think when you work in a corporate environment, there's always somebody above you, that's going to be like, yeah, and here I think because we are all independent. And because also we clearly have a problem with work life boundaries.

Bella

39:07

We're basically we're basically like, I want to do this. Yeah, I don't care if it pays me. I don't care if it's gonna kill me. I don't care if I don't see my family and friends. I'm just gonna do this thing. And then you do and so I'm just like sitting here listening to like Alon talk about like his business. And you know what I know, obviously, of the way we run jewelry. And I'm like, Wow, I'm actually really proud and just like, in awe of this, people like wanting to do the thing and then doing it. And I know that's kind of what we talked about when I was a guest on the podcast. But I mean, it's really true, I think for the creative industry as a whole and for you know, jewelers that you work with a lot. I mean, it's really like somebody's vision that they execute. It's kind of amazing. So

Alon

39:54

yeah, it's sort of daunting when you really think about it because it's I don't know how You to do what you do every year with jewelry week. I don't know how we find the time to do the show. I honestly I don't know where that time comes from because it does constantly feel like we're stealing time from somewhere. I don't I work. Like I said earlier, I work every single day of the week. I don't know how I show up to do the show. And thank God I have a partner like JP who, frankly, she does like most of the actual outlining and like work for the show, and I kind of just show up and I complain about the temperature. Really. There's a lot of other stuff. I do things I wear like an outfit.

Unknown Speaker

40:37

You also named all the episodes.

Alon

40:41

Yeah, that's me. Yeah, that's right. This AC I know. It's like what the next episode is gonna be called sapphic yearning.

40:49

You don't even know what it's about.

Speaker 1

40:50

I have no idea what it's called. But you don't have a guest. You just know that that's going to be the Oh, I love it.

Tracy Matthews

40:56

Yeah, it's amazing. Yeah. See? Ya good. So anyway, if that didn't tell everyone listening that this show is hilarious and fun and entertaining, and also around amazing topics around the jewelry industry, then go listen to their podcast. Do you have any what episodes do you have coming up besides staff security, which I didn't even

Alon

41:21

mean? Well, we've got an amazing one coming out with the owner of foundry. Beth, who is an incredible human being and hers is going to drop on the 14th of November. Our next one coming out will be featuring Anna barrio, from barrio Neil and we had a fabulous chat with her. So which is coming out the Monday after this one. And then we've got one with Emily Veselin again, who is a super fun kind of kind of our makeshift third co hosts because we've had her on twice now and she's hysterical and witty and really, really fun to banter with. I think we spent most of that time during that episode actually talking about the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and Erica Chang sort of criminal activities.

42:09

Gonna do a gripe episode. At the end of the day. What

Alon

42:13

is that? Yes. Yeah,

42:15

it's us just complaining. I thought it was someone's done. But

Tracy Matthews

42:20

that was the weirdest thing music just randomly.

Alon

42:24

We make music play.

42:26

Yeah. I thought I thought it was like the Oscars where you were like, okay, and I

Tracy Matthews

42:33

have no idea what just happened you guys that was like, Okay, this

Alon

42:37

is really long play the music.

Tracy Matthews

42:40

Here the music we're going over time. But what were you saying? Because I want to capture what you said. Sorry.

Alon

42:47

Oh, yeah. So we're gonna have a great episode where we just sort of complain and bitch the whole time about how we started. That's how we started just complaining. And then for we're gonna have like a little bit of a holiday special episode. As well as we always have very ambitious ideas for the show. How many of them actually happened? You know, we'll, we'll see. But that's sort of the plot for now. But we always have amazing guests and we just had on energetic India as well. And she was an incredible guest. That episode is called what is that episode called? Magic llama magic. I should know this a name that

Bella

43:23

can ask you guys a question. So do you guys. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not a professional. Um, are there? So? Do you find now that how many episodes have you done?

43:38

You like pitched some ideas?

Bella

43:40

No, no, but how many

Alon

43:42

about 20? We've done stuff.

Bella

43:43

Oh my god. Okay, so do you find now like when you're reaching approaching guests, are you having an easier time them saying yes or no, just

Bella

43:52

say approach? Okay, that's awesome. No, I asked because that, like jewelry, we could slide you know, like, the more you do something people then like, start to recognize that it's a thing. So like, are you getting Is it easier now?

Alon

44:02

First, we would email people. Yeah, that being connected to jewelry we always see is a huge help. Because otherwise I don't know who would approach us but in the beginning, it was a bit harder to get people to respond. But now literally, we get emails from people who really want to be on a show. Not just anyone we get emails from like, really big, really famous people. Like can I be on your show? And we're like, I don't even know.

Bella

44:27

Hey, I Okay. Well,

Bella

44:28

when we turn off the mics, I want to know who you've turned down.

Speaker 1

44:30

We've We've turned out so many people so many. I want to know oh

Bella

44:35

wait, can we also do another plug that we need a sponsor for the podcast? So we allowed we need sponsors

Alon

44:39

for the podcast? Yeah, we've got some sponsorship for the podcast already. We're really working

44:45

slow too. If you're a jeweler, and you just want to be represented.

Alon

44:49

We're very generous about Andre seems like

Tracy Matthews

44:52

it's fine now. It's all good. What who is the perfect sponsor, that you're seeking

Alon

44:58

anybody who wants to give me their money? I've been

45:01

art. So our audience is independent jewelers, which is pretty great for jewelry like this is the we are so consumer focused. And this is like the outlet for jewelers. This is like our first sort of like, foray into supporting that community. We've done stuff in the past at jewelry week. But this is like the first time we've really like tried to dig in and have a conversation about the industry. We we talk about that history. I don't know that we know that much. But we talked about it. But yeah, I guess anyone who wants to reach them. eBay is one of our big sponsors for jewelry week. And they'll be joining us on the podcast this year, which will be great. I think that's a really cool opportunity. Yeah. To talk about what they do and how they so

Alon

45:50

anybody who caters to jewelers in some capacity is a great sponsor, because that is our audience. So if you're even in a production facility of some sort, or anybody who does work for independent jewelers of any kind. That's our audience. That's where kind of the sponsorship would be most ideally targeted.

46:09

Yeah. And also that you don't mind all the things we say?

Alon

46:13

Yeah, we do. We had, like 15 minutes of Elizabeth's conversation from the last episode. Yeah, yeah, it got very racy. got very lesbian. And then people were still offended by the use of the word lesbian on that episode, which was bizarre. But anyway, that's why the next one is going to be called savvy q&a. It's critic just to piss those people.

Tracy Matthews

46:37

Like, well, if you want to be entertained, make sure that you go listen to New York City jewelry week. Rough Cut is am I saying the name of the podcast correctly? That is right there. Perfect. All right. So thank you guys, for being here today. Where can everyone find you? And well, first before I asked that question, tell us the dates for New York City jewelry week again.

Bella

47:00

It's November 14 through the 20th.

Tracy Matthews

47:02

November 14 through the 20th. And they can watch it if they can't make it to New York, they can stream out

Bella

47:08

Yeah, on our YouTube or they can join us for an Instagram Live. Yeah.

47:11

So our websites, NYC Tory week.com. You can join our mailing list there, which is the best way to know everything that happens. And our Instagram is at NYC jewelry week. And I'll let a lawn plug his his own.

Alon

47:29

Yeah, my website is just my name alarm. image.com. And same goes for my Instagram. And also again, rough cut live show November 19. Saturday 3pm. Industry City enjoy week headquarters near city jewelry headquarters. It's gonna be it's fabulous space, it's gonna be fabulous show up. We're gonna have live audience.

47:48

There's exhibitions on view. And there's a really do want to talk about what's happening.

Bella

47:53

Yeah, so we're really excited. We haven't had a headquarter space since 2019. And this space is going to be not only for exhibitions for independent designers, but also different organizations like the Society of North American Goldsmith's are showing there. But we're also going to do some great talks. We have a talk with Victoria malsky on AI, in the jewelry industry, and then also a talk with the Keto back who just published a book on hip hop Billings. Ice cold with torsion. Yeah, so Becky will be joining us with two jewelers who are in the book. And then is one of them. Yes. We haven't announced it yet. But yeah, okay. No, no, it's fine. Excited. People were super, super excited. And then we'll also have talks on Sunday. So both Saturday and Sunday actual have talks and it's gonna be great.

Alon

48:49

Yeah, and if that isn't enticing enough. Yeah, podcast is such that and that isn't enticing enough. I plan on wearing very very skimpy clothes. November maybe

Tracy Matthews

49:00

I know it's winter. That hasn't stopped before so

Alon

49:03

it still does ask any of my exes.

Tracy Matthews

49:07

It's hilarious. i This has been such a fun interview. I want to have you guys on again. How about we do a recap? After and you can share share with us like, don't you brilliant takeaways.

Unknown Speaker

49:17

Okay, that sounds great. Thank you. Yeah.

Tracy Matthews

49:21

Thanks, you guys.

Unknown Speaker

49:22

Thank you so much.

Tracy Matthews

49:24

Thank you so much for listening to the show today. Definitely check out in New York City jewelry week, whether you can make it to New York or you attend their virtual sessions. It'll definitely be worth joining the conversation. And once again, if you'd like more support with your traffic and content strategy with your online sales for your jewelry brands, head on over to flourish thrive academy.com forward slash momentum and check out our traffic on fire accelerator. It is going to be an amazing way to kick off the new year. And if you join now, you get the opportunity to actually join us because the seats are filling out fast. And you also get the opportunity to get supported by us for the rest of the year when you join. Ready? All right, head on over to flourish thrive academy.com forward slash momentum and check out the program. This is Tracy Matthews, signing off. Until next time

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