On this week’s episode, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates sit down with Stephanie Gottlieb, founder and creator of Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry, to hear how she built her business by tapping into the power of social media. Stephanie also talks about what’s ahead for the brand and her picks for this holiday season’s best sellers.
BONUS: Hear a special sponsored mini interview with Jewelers Mutual chief information security officer Grant Hansen about the most common cybercrimes, with tips to help jewelers avoid them.
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Presenting sponsor: Tracr
Sponsor: Jewelers Mutual
Episode Credits
Hosts: Rob Bates and Victoria Gomelsky
Producer and engineer: Natalie Chomet
Editor: Riley McCaskill
Plugs: @jckmagazine; tracr.com; jewelersmutual.com; stephaniegottlieb.com
Show Notes
03:29 The internship that opened the door
06:45 The diamond woman
09:45 Building a brand
17:19 Celebrating natural diamonds
21:43 Colorful new marketing
24:00 Holiday preview
26:10 Cybersecurity tips from Jewelers Mutual
The internship that opened the door
Victoria and Rob welcome guest Stephanie Gottlieb, founder and creative director of New York–based Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry, and invite her to share her backstory. After growing up in the New York City suburbs and graduating from college, Stephanie landed a summer internship at family-owned diamond wholesaler Beny Sofer. Two months later, she was smitten with the jewelry business. She stayed with Beny Sofer for five years and credits the company with giving her a chance to learn many aspects of the trade and for opening doors. Her own company, established in 2013, is right across the street from her mentors.
The diamond woman
Victoria asks what prompted Stephanie to start her own jewelry line. She goes back to the early 2010s, after she was married and found herself the de facto diamond expert for her friends who were getting engaged. They were struggling to find resources to help them make an informed purchase. While everyone had a “diamond guy” in New York, “no one was talking about the diamond woman who was going to help them design the ring,” Stephanie says. “They were just talking about the guy who was going to get them the best price on the street. That was so unappealing to me [because your engagement] should be such a romantic moment in your life.”
Instagram was gaining momentum, and it proved an ideal forum for Stephanie’s experience in marketing and “passion for jewelry photography.” In addition to posting, she built a website to showcase her jewelry designs. Initially, both were for friends and family, but gradually her inner circle expanded, and she added a click-to-buy function on her site.
Building a brand
Rob notes that 99% of Stephanie’s customers discovered her through Instagram, and asks how long it took to attain her following of 510,000. She says it was 11 years in the making, with slow initial growth reinforced by a popular influencer wearing her pieces. Every time she posted, Stephanie’s following grew. “I started seeing the value in that influencer role,” she says.
Instagram remains her milieu, but other members of her 20-person staff focus on different platforms, creating short-form videos for TikTok and YouTube. “That’s definitely the direction social media is heading,” says Stephanie, who sees those outlets as key to reaching new audiences. “It’s important to be on different platforms and tailor the content for the audiences that are on each,” she explains, noting that her brand also has a presence on Pinterest and Facebook.
Last year, Stephanie hired childhood friend Morgan P. Richardson as brand president and chief operating officer. The two have known each other since first grade, but they lost touch for a while before reconnecting as professionals. When they’d meet for lunch, Stephanie would bounce ideas and business challenges off Morgan. Eventually she coaxed her friend to come aboard. “She’s been an amazing support for me,” says Stephanie. “We go back such a long way, and it’s been such a pleasure to work with someone who I know and trust who brings all of the expertise I don’t have to the table.”
Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry sells only online and by showroom appointment, but Victoria wonders whether a brick-and-mortar store might be on the horizon. “It is absolutely a dream for me, and it is on the seven- to 10-year plan,” Stephanie says. For now her top priority is to perfect her e-commerce experience for customers. She mentions that she recently sold a $90,000 necklace sight unseen to a new client online.
Celebrating natural diamonds
The conversation turns to a 2023 press trip to Botswana, where Victoria first met Stephanie, who joined as a guest of De Beers. Stephanie says the diamond giant approached her about partnering two years ago, drawn by her passion for natural diamonds and her fan base of jewelry enthusiasts with the right demographic to buy diamonds.
“To be able to go to the source and see what it’s all about was unbelievable,” she says. “I fell in love with the story of the origin and provenance of diamonds…. I loved the concept that these natural treasures of Mother Earth are discovered in remote locations and brought to life.” Visiting communities that have been positively affected by diamonds was unbelievable, she adds.
Stephanie says she steers clear of any messaging about the lab-grown market. “You can’t really win with an online audience,” she says. “But my goal is to just educate the consumer to make the choice that makes sense for them.”
Victoria asks about Stephanie’s recent collection based on De Beers’ Origin Service. “It was really nice for us to double down on the messaging and…to explain why natural diamonds are so special,” she says. “It added a layer of storytelling that made it feel more special to buy [diamonds].”
Colorful new marketing
Rob is curious about a new series of short clips Stephanie Gottlieb posted on YouTube. Stephanie says they’re part of her 2025 goal of reaching new audiences beyond social media through digital marketing. The videos showcase that Stephanie Gottlieb is “a colorful, playful brand that allows people to embrace their own individuality through jewelry and tell their own stories,” she says.
Holiday preview
The conversation wraps up with predictions for the holiday shopping season. What trends are on the horizon? How are rising gold prices affecting sales?
“We have managed to keep our prices as stable as possible, and our customers are continuing to see the value and purchase the high-quality gold jewelry,” says Stephanie. Gold cuffs were among the best sellers in the company’s anniversary sale in September, she says. “That tells me the customer is buying into the look, they see the long-term value of gold as an investment.”
All of the company’s best sellers reflect the popularity of the bold gold and stacking looks, Stephanie says. People are layering necklaces and chunkier chains with charms, and personalized pieces are trending too, she says. Plus, “the classics are here to stay.”
Any views expressed in this podcast do not reflect the opinion of JCK, its management, or its advertisers.
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