Starting A Business?

I am twenty years old in the navy and am planning on starting my own
business. And am looking for some useful knowledge and wisdom on
the best way to get started and go about it in the world of
jewelry. Any advice would be helpful

Thank you
Nicholas

Nicholas,

Thank you, first of all, for serving your country! I for one
appreciate it very much. You’ve heard, no doubt, that patience is a
virtue. It is especially true in the jewelry business. A business
degree would be an enormous start for you. Work as a salesman in the
jewelry biz as you go along. It helps you enormously with your people
skills. You will need this throughout your life no matter what you
end up in. If customers are drawn to you because of your winning
personality, you can write your own ticket(eventually). If you’re a
jerk, NO ONE will want to be around you! After your degree you may
want to consider the following schools:

  1. GIA in Carlsbad, CA. They offer courses in jewelry repair, stone
    setting, advanced stone setting, casting & wax carving. You can also
    take the same classes only over a longer period of time (6 mos.) &
    receive your JMA degree (Jewelry Mfg. Arts) You can check out costs &
    class schedules online @ http://www.gia.org

  2. The Revere Academy in San Francisco
    415-391-4179
    http://www.revereacademy.com

  3. Flathead Community College
    777 Grandview Dr
    Kalispell, MT 59901
    406-756-0019 (Jim Flaherty)

They offer a 2 year AA Degree in goldsmithing. They also have Artcam
CAD/CAM program along with Model Master milling machines. Artcam &
Model Master have invested a lot of time, energy, & money into the
program @ Kalispell. Plus you can’t beat the scenery in the heart of
the Rocky mountains!

Just a few suggestions. Good luck!

Walt Teats
American Goldworks

Nicholas, I would start with a business plan to focus your
attention, energy and money in the direction you want and need. Take
bookkeeping and business classes. Armed with this type of knowledge
you will avoid allot of pitfalls which undermine and destroy many a
start up. With out this foundation of schooling and business
planning you will cast around and waste time. I am convinced that
many businesses fail becasue of lack of focus and funding to survive
the inevitable mistakes you will make. The business plan will focus
you and provide goals and milestones so that during the slow times
you will have a method of controling your anxiety and stay on track.
At the very least this knowledge will be extremely usefull in the
future no matter what course you end up on. If you want specific help
please contact me directly at @Sam_Patania. I have
made so many mistakes in my career that I must know SOMETHING which
could be of use to a start up.

Sam Patania, Tucson