Is anyone in the craft a newbie or with good fortune unlocked the
passion within? I think one of the best words of advice, from a
fellow Arcadian, was this is an expensive hobby and a more expensive
business and that’s the truth.
I think as with all things it’s different for everyone. A friend of
mine and fellow jeweler decided she didn’t want to make cloths any
more and tried to a make a few pieces. Showed it to a couple of
people at a local fashion show next thing she knew she had a line in
Nordstrom’s. This happened within months.
My wife asked me if I could sell jewelry and I tried, was burnt out
from network systems and web designing, quickly found my lack of
knowledge wasn’t a good thing. I started to read and then read
everything I could get my hands on. Quickly discovered the passion
for making pieces and other talents I didn’t know I even had. I never
knew I could carve until I did it :D. Well going on year 3 now I am
still making it and building a client base.
Whew! that was the long way of saying don’t get discouraged. Make
your vision, find your market, and control your tool fetish which
many jewelers seem to have, I know I have one.
I found my market by prototyping my high end work in silver and lab
gems. I gave them to friends and family that are around allot of
people daily. A few calls turned into more and so on and on.
Word of mouth passes quickly and believe that too much business can
put you out of business just as fast as having no business if you
aren’t prepared.
Good fortune to you Jim,
Guy Payton