The Future of Design? G&G Creations!!!!

G&G CREATIONS WINS SECOND ANNUAL

FUTURE OF DESIGN BUSINESS INCUBATOR CONTEST

  

G &G Creations was named the winner of the jewelry industry’s most unique and career-building contest today after making a live “Shark Tank”-like presentation to a panel of judges and an audience of industry VIPs, press and fellow designers.

Judges and team from G& G CReations (from left): Andrea Hill, Hedda Schupak, Ann Arnold, Mihran Guler, Esin Guler, Vahe Ghazarian, Sarven Ipek and Cindy Edelstein

“We are overwhelmed and so proud,“ says winning designer Vahe Ghazarhian on behalf of his team. “We have been working on our application for a very long time and we used all the feedback and advice we’ve gotten since last year’s contest when we were a semi-finalist. We have improved every aspect of our business since last year to better align our efforts with our potential.”

The Future of Design contest is a business incubator competition that nurtures emerging design talent in the fine jewelry industry. It is unique in both the extent of the prize package it provides and that it puts the designers’ business acumen on an equal footing with his or her design talent. It was created in 2012 by Cindy Edelstein of the Jeweler’s Resource Bureau and Andrea Hill of StrategyWerx.

The contest was judged live at MJSA Expo New York by Cindy Edelstein; Andrea Hill; Hedda Schupak, editor of the Centurion Newsletter and Ann Arnold, president/CEO of Lieberfarb. An additional judge who had been actively involved in the judging process up to this point, Bruce Pucciarello, owner of Novell Design Studio, couldn’t be present at the live event but his opinions were factored into the decision.

"The judging was one of the most challenging tasks I've ever faced," said Edelstein. "The margin of difference between the three finalists was paper thin but in the end the judges felt that G&G Creations had the most powerful mix of amazing product design, agile business practices and  marketability. They will become an important contribution to the fine jewelry community."

As the winner, G&G Creations will receive a raft of business services and support from a wide variety of industry organizations who have come together in their support of the next generation of jewelry designers.  

Additional information about the Future of Design contest can be found on the competition website here.

The live finale included 10-minute presentations by all three finalists, including runners-up Lisa Adkinson of Lisa Robin Jewelry and Suneera Swarup of Suneera Fine Jewelry Design. Each designer was tasked with making a final pitch to the judging panel that explained their work, inspiration, and plans for the future. Panelists and audience members, including competition “dream team” members Robert Lee Morris, Penny Preville and Lisa Jenks probed further into each designer’s vision with tough questions about manufacturing, retailers, marketing, and price points.

As the winner, G&G Creations will receive:

• A booth in the JA Designer Showcase
• A booth in the Emerging Designer area of the Centurion Show
• A booth in the JRB’s globalDESIGN show
• An ad campaign in INDESIGN magazine
• A photo shoot by RSP Media
• Technical and marketing support by Platinum Guild
• Manufacturing support by designerWORKS by Novell
• Financial and strategic coaching sessions with Strategywerx
• Marketing support by Supportwerx
• Inclusion in a Jewelry Information Center national media tour and membership in Jewelers of America 
• An AGTA membership and free entry to the 2014 Spectrum Award Competition
• A Contemporary Jewelry Design Group membership
• A Jewelers Vigilance Committee membership and Compliance Kit
• Editorial support by MJSA
• Editorial support on NationalJeweler.com
• A membership in JewelersResource.com Inner Circle
• Mentorship by all the judges 
• Promotion and publicity throughout the process and coming year

GG Love -- sterling, gold and gemstone hearts collection by G & G Creations

While G&G Creations was named the winner, co-creator Andrea Hill noted that all three finalists will receive help in the coming months. “We have a deep commitment to the three finalists. We feel strongly that everyone who entered this contest should benefit somehow,” Hill said. “All designers receive a 5-7 page analysis and recommendations report regarding their application. We are trying to help a wide swatch of designers grow stronger businesses.”

Future of Design Jewelry Education Fund’s Alice Abrams Scholarship To The Revere Academy

Announcing the 

Future of Design Jewelry Education Fund’s

Alice Abrams Scholarship Contest 

to the Revere Academy

The Future of Design Jewelry Education Fund, a charitable fund founded and administered by Cindy Edelstein, announces it’s first scholarship competition this month to the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Francisco.

The online application opens Sept. 15th 2012 - deadline is Jan. 15th, 2013.
This year’s grant is in honor of Colorado jewelry designer Alice Abrams and will be awarded to an active jewelry designer who wishes to attend the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Francisco, California.

The Future of Design Jewelry Education Fund in The New York Community Trust was established by Edelstein “to foster the future development of talented American jewelry designers by providing financial assistance in the form of scholarships, partial scholarships and awards to qualified students studying design and/or metals and/or jewelry courses at accredited educational institutions.”

Ms. Abrams is an accomplished jewelry designer as well as a longtime supporter of young talent in the jewelry industry. Now she is going further by providing a generous contribution for the first scholarship from The Future of Design Jewelry Education Fund, which will be awarded in her honor. 

“Alice’s talent and dedication to her craft, plus her commitment to helping others is well documented,” said Ms. Edelstein. “But few know how far back her career goes or how deep her roots extend in the metalsmithing community." She was, Edelstein continued, "in all likelihood the first woman to have a union card as a bench jeweler in the early '50's. Since then,” Ms. Edelstein added, "Over the course of her career, Alice has displayed her collections nationally and sold her work through art and jewelry galleries around the country as well as producing pieces for private commissions.”

The scholarship competition is open to anyone looking for the Revere Academy educational experience. Jurors will look for an individual whose work displays original, innovative, high quality jewelry design. The winner will be awarded $2500 in tuition credit, which can be applied toward any classes at the school for one year, including the Academy’s famed Master’s Symposium that takes place each Spring. Applicants must submit three print-ready images (up to 9MB in size each) of their work and answer two short essay questions.

The online application can be reached at:

http://www.revereacademy.com/guide/scholarship/alice-abrams-scholarship-contest/
Deadline: is January 15th, 2013 (MST) and the entry fee is $25.

For more information contact: Cindy Edelstein, Future of Design Fund manager at: cindy@jewelersresource.com or at Revere Academy at info@revereacademy.com.

Alice Abrams
A designer and goldsmith, Alice Abrams began her career in the arts at age eight, when she won her first art award from P.S. 233 in New York City. Alice was selected to attend New York's prestigious High School of Music and Art, after which she attended Cornell University's School of Architecture. Ms. Abrams then graduated from Pratt Institute in New York, majoring in Art Education. Ms. Abrams’ nascent artistic abilities were enhanced during an apprenticeship to highly recognized New York goldsmith, Ed Weiner. The earliest recognition for her jewelry was the "Young Americans Competition" in 1954, the same year she established Alice Abrams Jewelry. Subsequently Ms. Abrams received awards ranging from the "NASA Space Competition" to the "Swarovski Award," and she has represented the United States in an exhibition in Japan. 

Ms. Abrams is a founding board member of the Alliance for Contemporary Art in Denver, and also a member of the International Women's Forum, a worldwide networking organization of women community leaders as well as The Society of North American Goldsmiths, The Women's Jewelry Association, San Diego and The Colorado Metalsmiths Association. Alice Abrams is married to Dr. Fredrick R. Abrams and they have three sons. 

The Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts
The Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts has been a center for jewelers and jewelry since 1979, when it was founded by master goldsmith Alan Revere. Over the past 30 years, thousands of students and professional jewelers, from across the US and around the globe, have come to San Francisco to learn traditional jewelry making skills. “The Revere Academy is a great place to begin a career, add new skills, stimulate creativity, and network,” says it founder and director, Alan Revere who teaches many of the classes. Students of all ages and abilities learn from nationally recognized craftsmen who teach the skills they use every day. The faculty includes more than a dozen master craftsmen and experts who love what they do and are eager to share their passion and knowledge. Located in the beautiful corner suite on the ninth floor of the Phelan Building, San Francisco's historic jewelry center, the Academy has two fully equipped, state-of-the-art studios, which feature live video blow-ups so that students can see every detail. “It’s even better than leaning over a master's shoulder,” say most students. The Academy’s annual Master’s Symposium offers the opportunity to study under renowned visiting craftsmen and craftswomen who teach the specific techniques that they use to make award-winning work.

Cindy Edelstein and The Jeweler's Resource Bureau

Cindy Edelstein is an award-winning entrepreneur who has made it her mission to support the growth of designer fine jewelry as a retail category, an art form, and a community. It is a micro-niche but one she has dedicated her whole career to supporting. 

She founded the Future of Design Jewelry Education Fund several years ago as a means to support education and growth in the jewelry design field.

Cindy is an author, speaker, consultant and owner of Jeweler’s Resource Bureau, an umbrella marketing firm specializing in helping designers grow and prosper with unique trade events, publications, seminars and the industry’s first Project Runway-like Business Incubator Contest called Future of Design. 

 She works with big organizations, as well, helping them understand the designer community. She helps trade shows, membership organizations and even foreign export entities work with the design world. Her social media profile spans the worlds of design, manufacturing and retail across the fine jewelry, fine accessory and fine craft industries. She is the co-author with her husband Frank Stankus, of the book “Brilliance: The Art of the American Jewelry Design Council” and together they produce an annual designer business conference, a series of a specialty trade show called globalDESIGN and an online marketing intelligence community for designers. Cindy often addresses design schools, industry gatherings and networking events to help design professionals understand more about entrepreneurship.

Cindy Edelstein Named a Community Choice Honoree

Cindy Edelstein, aka the JewelryBizGuru, 

Named a Community Choice Honoree

in the 2012 Small Business Influencer Awards

Cindy Edelstein has been voted a Community Choice honoree in the 2012 Small Business Influencer Awards. Edelstein achieved the designation as the result of receiving top votes in the popular voting segment of the Awards, from the small business community. Edelstein was one of the top five popular vote getters, out of more than 300 nominees, in the category of Experts.

The Small Business Influencer Awards honor those who are influential to small businesses in North America, through the products, services, knowledge, information or support they provide to the small business market.

Edelstein was the only person from the fine jewelry industry nominated and was among a wide field that included New York Times best-selling authors and other seven-figure experts who come from much broader business fields than Cindy who specializes in the designer sector of the fine jewelry business. This makes her win even more impressive considering the width and depth of the competition.

The Awards are designed to recognize the unsung heroes of small businesses - those who support and encourage entrepreneurs and small business owners, and help them achieve success and stay successful, said the event organizers.

The Community Choice designation recognizes those whose communities have supported them with top votes.

Says Anita Campbell, CEO of Small Business Trends and one of the co-founders of the Awards, "Influencers are those who play crucial roles in the small business ecosystem, but who often are in the background. Many of the Community Choice honorees are themselves small business owners, entrepreneurs or small businesses."

There were more than 2000 votes for Edelstein, who's social media handle is JewelryBizGuru, during the contest and she also racked up one of the highest amount of Facebook likes, tweets, comments and testimonials. Here is a sampling of what her community had to say:

Robert Lee Morris, designer: “Cindy is a natural born leader and enabler. Her emotional intelligence soars off the charts as witnessed by how many people have been supported by her alone, on a gut personal level. She has already won this accolade many times over as far as I am concerned.”

Peggy Jo Donahue, Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America: “Cindy is, by far, the most passionate advocate for jewelry designers working in the U.S. market today. Her commitment is real, enduring, and long standing. I have been an admirer for as long as she has been in business. She deserves this award, and many others.”

Jennifer Dawes of Dawes Design: “Cindy has been a champion of jewelry designers in every capacity. The large household names to the small indy designers. Her passion has helped our industry in innumerable ways. She has my vote and support for anything she believes in!” 

Laurie Cavanaugh, designer:  “Cindy is doing a great job at demystifying the business of designer jewelry and encouraging new designers and "designpreneurs.” The industry is a better place for her participation!”

Robert May, previous Director of the Natural Colored Diamond Association: “Cindy’s devotion and passion to help designers new and old grow their business is nothing short of inspirational.”

 

About  Cindy  

Cindy Edelstein is an award-winning entrepreneur who has made it her mission to support the growth of designer fine jewelry as a retail category, an art form, and a community. It is a micro-niche but one she has dedicated her whole career to supporting.

Cindy is an author, speaker, consultant and owner of Jeweler's Resource Bureau, an umbrella marketing firm specializing in helping designers grow and prosper with unique trade events, publications, seminars and the industry's first Project Runway-like Business Incubator Contest called Future of Design.

She works with big organizations, as well, helping them understand the designer community. She helps trade shows, membership organizations and even foreign export entities work with the design world. Her social media profile (often under the JewelryBizGuru twitter and blog name) spans the worlds of design, manufacturing and retail across the fine jewelry, fine accessory and fine craft industries.

She is the co-author with her husband Frank Stankus, of the book "Brilliance: The Art of the American Jewelry Design Council" and together they produce an annual designer business conference, a series of a specialty trade show called globalDESIGN and an online marketing intelligence community for designers.

Cindy often addresses design schools, industry gatherings and networking events to help design professionals understand more about entrepreneurship. She is a passionate communicator and creative problem solver and many in the jewelry world avail themselves of her expertise every day. As a business coach she offers insights not found anywhere else to a population rarely addressed in larger venues. She's a champion of the entrepreneurial artist which she has dubbed design’preneurs.

 

About the Small Business Influencer Awards

The Small Business Influencer Awards, now in their second year, enable the small business community to nominate and show their support for those that influence and support them. The Awards have an open nomination period, followed by community voting, and then a judging period by a group of industry-knowledgeable judges.

The Small Business Influencer Awards initiative is produced by Small Business Trends, an award-winning online publication, serving over 4,000,000 small business owners, stakeholders and entrepreneurs annually, and SmallBizTechnology.com, a media company that produces online content and live events educating small and mid-sized companies on how to strategically use technology as a tool to grow their businesses. The Awards can be found on the Web at: SMBInfluencers.com.

Couture Design Awards - The Winners!

Last night in a star studded room filled with the elite of the Jewelry Industry dressed in their finest the prestigious Couture Design Awards were handed out...


You will get to see better photos later - but here's the list - photos from the event are on the Couture Facebook Page at: http://www.facebook.com/CoutureEvent

...I couldn't resist the photo of the Pearl Winner from Sevan Bicakci...Congrats to all of the Winners!!!!

Pearl Winner: Sevan Bicakci 
Silver Winner: Atelier Zobel/Peter Schmid
Gold Winner: Elena Votsi
Platinum Winner: Isabelle Fa
Bridal Winner: Stefan Hafner
Diamond Under $20,000 Winner: Moritz Gilk
Diamond Over $20,000 Winner: La Reina
Colored Gemstone Under $20,000 Winner: Federica Rettore
Colored Gemstone Over $20,000 Winner: Shaun Leane
Watches Winner: Gurhan
Technical Excellence Winner: Speake-Marin
Watch Innovation Winner: Claret
Debuting At Couture Winner: Kamofie
People's Choice Winner: Arman Sarkysian
Human Spirit Award Winner: Cathy Tivol

JRB Presents designerDay 2011

The Jewelry Designer Business 

Event of the Year!

designerDAY 2011

Monday, March 14th, 2011

NY Hilton Hotel, 1335 Avenue of Americas 

between 53 & 54 St., NYC

 

Beekman Parlor, 2nd floor

9:00 am - 6:30 pm

designerDAY 2011: The Full Day Business Conference for Jewelry Designers is the only business-centric education specifically designed forfine jewelry designers who run their own business.

We have gathered a host of experts who can help you make a significant difference in your business. Each session is custom designed for YOU -- they have thought through their individual disciplines to offer uniquely tailored advice. These are some of the best minds in our industry and they've come together to help you raise your own bar and add more profit, knowledge and ease to your business practices.

We are concurrent with the MJSA Expo so your trip into NYC is doubly useful.

 

Check out their website to see their full agenda and exhibitor list.

Spend the day with us and take your business to a higher level.

 

 

Can you afford to miss it?  Check out our great lineup:

 

 

 

 

 

#1: Plain English Technology Overview: Improve Your Business Productivity & Competitiveness

with Andrea Hill, StrategyWerx

The Cloud? CRM? Inventory and Manufacturing Control? POS? Integrating your website with business operations? Technology doesn't have to be complicated -- but most experts make it sound that way. Come join Andrea Hill as she applies her formidable skill in making complex business subjects easy to understand to the world of business technology. Andrea is the secret weapon companies of all sizes use to increase their bottom line with expertise rarely found in one person. She has CEO, CFO and CMO level qualifications along with a passion for small businesses. After serving as a CEO for 16 years (including Rio Grande) she left corporate life to help entrepreneurs succeed. This session will teach you how to use technology to build your business.

 

 

 

#2: Thrive Online: Building a Web Presence that Really Grows Your Business

with Wendy Culpepper, Chief Strategist, Spice Marketing

Wendy is a brilliant online strategist who has the unique ability to see just what you need online to sell more jewelry, because she's been there. She fell in love with jewelrymaking during college and left her budding digital career to focus on it. But the internet remained an important focus of her business and she has finally returned to her first love full time now. She has the skills to help you break through the clutter to focus on just the online tools and techniques a designer business needs. She can explain it in a way you can hear it, too. So let her teach you why you NEED a good online presence and what you should and shouldn't do with your website to grow your business. She'll cover why a good web presence is important, what your site should and shouldn't offer, how to add e-tail (or not!) and how to know if your site, your blog and whatever else your using is actually working for you.

 

 

#3: How to Communicate Your Vision, Passion and Salesmanship via Video - in 30 Easy Minutes

with Michael Schechter, Digital Marketing Director, Honora

Michael is a digital media leader in the jewelry industry -- he has tried almost every tool and technique to raise his company's exposure via social marketing. Thanks to Honora.tv consumers and retail partners can learn more about freshwater pearls and get to the know the business as well as the products. Whether it's training videos, studio visits, video blogs or even digital trunk shows, you can make your own video's in-house and share them with the world. Michael will break it down for you and let you know what you'd need and how easy it is to do. 

 

#4: Legal Woes & How to Avoid Them: From Non-disclosure Agreements to Copyright Protection

with Jordan S. Paul, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.

Jordan specializes in intellectual property rights and will feature copyright and trademark protection in his session. He will also touch upon many of the legal aspects of your business from contracts needed with sales reps, consultants, employees to potential customers. He will be able to answer your questions onsite and you can even email us ahead of time with your specific concerns (send questions to cindy@jewelersource.com.

 

 

 

 

ready to join us?     click to register

$199 per ticket   /  $179 if purchased before 3/1  

and our Inner Circle members save even more!

but wait ... there's more!

#5: Sales Strategies, Tips &Tricks: Interactive Learning Session

with Kate Peterson, Performance Concepts

Kate has spent her entire career creating training and sales programs for jewelry retailers. For the past several years she has expanded her services to include jewelry manufacturers, too. She has logged in more hours behind jewelry showcases than some retailers and now has turned that knowledge into something YOU can really use -- she knows how you need to sell to retailers to gain their trust in you and your designs. She will walk you through the Designer Sales Process and teach you how to sell better and be a better vendor to today's jewelry retailers. We'll learn and practice new skills and Kate will give us live demonstrations of effective sales conversations.

 

 

 

#6: Finding Creative Publicity Opportunities to Entice Shoppers Panel Moderated by Shaye Strager, StudioPR and featuring designer Alex Woo and others TBA

There are so many ways to promote your jewelry these days -- traditional press releases that garner you a photo credit in a magazine are so last decade! Now you have many chances to partner with magazines, websites, stores and TV/movie productions to gain audience share. Shaye Strager does wonders for her clients and is always up on the latest tools. She'll talk about what's hot now in publicity "Gets" and interview our panelists on their successes, as well. Alex Woo has built a massive press book by her own efforts and she'll share her best tips, too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet us at the MJSA EXPO the next day!

 

If you need a hotel room you can check out the discount room block from MJSA (http://mjsa.org/events/mjsa_expo_new_york/hotel_information).

 

 

FREE! Plan on joining us Tuesday, March 15 at the EXPO
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
"It Takes Two Tuesday": One-on-One Sessions with the Experts
This is your chance to get specific questions answered by experts on marketing, public relations, strategic planning, and other key areas vital to success. Experts include Andrea Hill, president of StrategyWerx; Cindy Edelstein, president of the Jeweler's Resource Bureau; Eugene Brill, marketing manager of Rio Grande; and Chris Ploof of Chris Ploof Studios and the Palladium Alliance International.

Get Your Tickets Now!

Seating is Limited

$199 per ticket

$179 if purchased before 3/1

(JRB Inner Circle Members get additional 16% off)

Tent Not Necessary! Jewelry Camp at F.I.T.!!

Lots of fun and networking will be mixed with an educational opportunity for appraisers and jewelers, from the Welcome Dinner sponsored by Bonham & Butterfields to a star studded list of Lectures and Seminars...to include:

Harrice Miller - Internationally Recognized Author & Jewelry Historian

Michael S. Coan, G.G. - Chair of Jewelry Design at FIT

Michael Burstein - VP of NY Flagship Salon for Harry Winston

Reema Keswani - Founder, Golconda Jewelry

and President of the American Society of Jewelry Historians

...but it's not all about history - this year Cindy Edelstein of JRB

shows you how to bring Estate pieces to the public using Modern Methods.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from @JewelryBizGuru Jan 23rd!

How to Grow Your Business & Connections Using Social Media
Everyone is twittering but how do you make sure you don't sound like a twit?

They're all on Facebook but who should you friend? And "like"?

And more importantly, who will friend you? And why?

From Sandy Lewand for Jewelry Camp, an institution for almost 35 years, offers education to jewelry enthusiasts on estate and antique jewelry as well as classes on new and current styles.
This special one day program will bring together noted speakers lecturing on topics such as the firms of Harry Winston and Van Cleef & Arpels as well as subjects pertaining to the history of fine and costume jewelry.
The estate and antique markets are the new trends in the industry. Knowledge of these periods will serve as a springboard to attract new clients. In these uncertain times, jewelry, whether it is antique and estate or current designs, is not only a an alternative to traditional investments but the older pieces are also a remembrance of times gone by and the superb workmanship of artisans who labored to make jewelry. Many of these jewels are available at reasonable prices.
Jewelry Camp offers not only information about periods and designers but it is also a time for networking. There will be instructors who will teach how to identify, price and market jewelry as well as classes for the beginner to the advanced student.
The new one day program at FIT is the beginning of our effort to provide educational information to the trade and public so as to promote this trend in the industry. There will be other one day programs featured in cities around the country.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE http://www.jewelrycamp.org
VISIT OUR BLOG http://www.jewelrycamp.blogspot.com

JRB Announces Second designLAB...

Such a GREAT concept - seen through by Cindy Edelstein at JRB (Jeweler's Resource Bureau)! ...and now JRB announces a second designLAB following the huge success at the JANY Show earlier this year...if you aren't already a member click here for more info.

Last Minute Sales to a Motivated Audience -- designLAB at JA Special Delivery Show

At the last JA Show we invented something new... a co-op booth where designers get one showcase at a great price. This October 24-27 we're going to do another one in the JA Special Delivery Show. This is not a brand-building event but a get-stuff-sold-at-the-end-of-the-year event. Know what we mean?

This was a big hit -- designers said:

"I Thought it was a fabulous opportunity to try out the trade show in a very low-pressure environment, and I was very grateful to participate."

The majority of our past event survey responders wrote more than $15k in sales.

The Special Delivery Show is likely to have higher results due to it's cash-and-carry last minute nature.

Click on the picture to get a better, larger view.

You won't believe the low price of this opportunity!