ColumnistsNov 16, 2021
Reddit 101: How Jewelers Can Engage With Younger Customers ColumnistsNov 23, 2021
When Did You Know You Wanted To Be in Sales?
A question from an astute young relative has Peter Smith pondering this question in his latest column.
Peter Smith is president of Memoire and Hearts On Fire. He is author of three books, “Hiring Squirrels,” “Sell Something,” and his most recent, “The Sales Minute.” Connect with Smith on LinkedIn or at dublinsmith@yahoo.com.
“When did you know you wanted to be in sales?”
I was fascinated by the question, asked by my nephew, Jake, a senior at Santa Clara University.
No one had ever asked me the question before and there was no quick or easy answer.
There are, of course, poignant moments along the way that stay with us throughout our career, and I began to recall some of them as I pondered Jake’s question.
One such moment was when working at Colibri back in the mid-1990s.
As a “non-salesperson,” I had made a huge sale of pens to a giant office supply chain. Our rep for the area had not had any success with that account so I got personally involved as the marketing director for the category and made the important sale.
Later that day, the president of Colibri asked me how my appointment had gone. Acting as if I’d “been there before,” I casually replied with the details of the order.
Without missing a beat, he said, “That ain’t shit. Come back to me when it sells through.”
I did an about-face, barely containing my irritation, and walked back down the hall to my office.
In the minute or so it took me to get there, my annoyance turned into a wide smile, enlightened, even energized, by the realization that, as curt as his response had been, I had just received a sales education.
Sales should never be about sell-in.
Then there was the time, 10 years earlier as a young salesman at Tiffany & Co. in Chicago, when I sold my first Breguet watch.
I remember the look on the customer’s face when I told him a short story about Napoleon Bonaparte having owned a Breguet. That quick story was more impactful than any facts or features I could’ve shared with him.
Stories matter.
I was fascinated by the question, asked by my nephew, Jake, a senior at Santa Clara University.
No one had ever asked me the question before and there was no quick or easy answer.
There are, of course, poignant moments along the way that stay with us throughout our career, and I began to recall some of them as I pondered Jake’s question.
One such moment was when working at Colibri back in the mid-1990s.
As a “non-salesperson,” I had made a huge sale of pens to a giant office supply chain. Our rep for the area had not had any success with that account so I got personally involved as the marketing director for the category and made the important sale.
Later that day, the president of Colibri asked me how my appointment had gone. Acting as if I’d “been there before,” I casually replied with the details of the order.
Without missing a beat, he said, “That ain’t shit. Come back to me when it sells through.”
I did an about-face, barely containing my irritation, and walked back down the hall to my office.
In the minute or so it took me to get there, my annoyance turned into a wide smile, enlightened, even energized, by the realization that, as curt as his response had been, I had just received a sales education.
Sales should never be about sell-in.
Then there was the time, 10 years earlier as a young salesman at Tiffany & Co. in Chicago, when I sold my first Breguet watch.
I remember the look on the customer’s face when I told him a short story about Napoleon Bonaparte having owned a Breguet. That quick story was more impactful than any facts or features I could’ve shared with him.
Stories matter.
“The answer to Jake’s question is nuanced. There’s rarely a time, or sudden revelation, when people decide sales is for them.”
Or it could have been the first time a customer challenged me on Whitehall Jewelers’ awful practice of massively marking up the price of a piece of jewelry so that it could be “discounted” by 50 or even 60 percent.
My response to the customer was, “I agree, this is a questionable practice that I have no control over. But let’s talk about what I can sell it for and see if that makes sense for your needs.”
In short, I had chosen authenticity and honesty over a largely deceptive practice and was still able to satisfy the customer and make a sale.
The answer to Jake’s question is nuanced. There’s rarely a time, or sudden revelation, when people decide sales is for them.
There may, of course, be trigger moments, when they choose to embrace a sales career, but the wiring that defines top salespeople is evident from a very early age, certainly long before we give a first thought to jobs or career paths.
Kevin Mitchell wrote in his fascinating book, “Innate: How the Wiring of Our Brains Shapes Who We Are,” that, “We are different from each other in large part because of the way our brains get wired before we are born.”
One of the earliest and most fundamental of traits in people who become successful in sales is an inherent competitiveness from a very young age.
In thinking about Jake’s question, I was reminded of two observed markers I noticed in his young life that might be indicators of his sales orientation.
The first was his incredible competitiveness playing soccer as a boy growing up on the fields of Glendale, California and the surrounding towns. Jake’s dad often boasted about how seriously Jake took his game and how incredibly motivated he was to drive himself to the highest standards.
The second moment was when we were having one of our all-too-infrequent visits a few years ago at his home.
We were all sitting around the fire pit singing songs, telling stories, and enjoying a wonderful evening and, in the middle of it all, Jake excused himself to retire to bed early as he was running the L.A. Marathon the next morning.
I was both impressed by his discipline and left to wonder about whether he was even old enough to run a marathon.
In “Quiet,” Susan Cain wrote, “Our inborn temperament influences us, regardless of the lives we lead. A sizeable part of who we are is ordained by our genes, by our brains, by our nervous systems.”
I would add to Susan’s assessment that temperament is evident in the choices we make growing up—the activities we pursue, and the attitude and drive we bring to those activities, be it sports, debates, drama, fundraising or any other art form, academic or social situation that ignites our competitive spirit.
It’s not so much that we choose sales, but that sales chooses us. If you are one of the lucky ones, use that talent wisely.
Have a great holiday season and be safe!
I would add to Susan’s assessment that temperament is evident in the choices we make growing up—the activities we pursue, and the attitude and drive we bring to those activities, be it sports, debates, drama, fundraising or any other art form, academic or social situation that ignites our competitive spirit.
It’s not so much that we choose sales, but that sales chooses us. If you are one of the lucky ones, use that talent wisely.
Have a great holiday season and be safe!
More on Columnists
The Latest
CollectionsJul 25, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jemma Wynne’s ‘Forme’ NecklaceAnne Hathaway was seen wearing the toggle necklace three times while filming scenes for “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
Events & AwardsJul 25, 2025
Pre-Registration Open for September Hong Kong ShowJewellery & Gem World Hong Kong is scheduled for Sept. 15 to 21, and buyer pre-registration will be available until Sept. 7.
FinancialsJul 25, 2025
LVMH Sales Slip in H1 Amid ‘Prevailing Uncertainties’Renovations at Tiffany & Co. stores ate into profits in the company’s watch and jewelry division.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
Events & AwardsJul 24, 2025
2 Retailers to Receive 2026 Gem Award for Lifetime AchievementMark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers will receive the honor at the 24th annual Gem Awards next March.
Weekly QuizJul 25, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingJul 24, 2025
De Beers Sees Diamond Production Sink 36% in Q2 While struggles continue at the mining and trading end of the pipeline, consumer demand for diamond jewelry is holding steady.
CollectionsJul 24, 2025
Francesca Villa Adds Dimension to Her Intaglio CharactersThe “Fantasia” jewelry collection turns the intaglio animals from her “Close Encounters” collection into 3D characters.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
WatchesJul 24, 2025
Breitling Drops Super Bowl Watch Honoring the Philadelphia Eagles The special Classic Avi Chronograph 42 with an Eagles-green dial is limited to 59 pieces, a nod to the Super Bowl Philadelphia just won.
CrimeJul 23, 2025
JSA Warns of Violent String of Smash-and-Grabs in California JSA has received reports of mobs swarming jewelry stores, driving cars into the storefront or smashing through the windows.
CollectionsJul 23, 2025
Silvia Furmanovich’s ‘Kashmir’ Collection Is a Tribute to Northern IndiaThe “Kashmir” collection features centuries-old craft techniques made in collaboration with the region’s master papier-mâché artisans.
IndependentsJul 23, 2025
Montreal’s Ecksand Eyes Move to SoHoCreative Director Erica Bianchini shared why the jeweler is looking to expand into the U.S. and how it’s putting Canadian craftsmanship on the map.
IndependentsJul 23, 2025
IJO Raises Nearly $37K for LA Fire Relief Two Los Angeles Fire Department stations plan to use the donations to upgrade their equipment and tools.
CollectionsJul 22, 2025
Jewelry With a Rock ‘n’ Roll Aesthetic Heads to Sotheby’s LondonNext week, the auction house will kick off a selling exhibition of jewelry by British artist Hannah Martin and Coldplay’s Guy Berryman.
SourcingJul 22, 2025
Antwerp Diamond Heist Documentary Coming to Netflix“Stolen: Heist of the Century” is based on “Flawless,” the book about the middle-of-the-night theft, and will debut on Netflix in August.
Events & AwardsJul 22, 2025
NY Now’s Summer Market Returns in AugustThe wholesale trade show’s Luxury Lifestyle section will showcase established and emerging jewelry designers.
MajorsJul 21, 2025
Rio Grande Expands Personalization OfferingsAs demand for custom jewelry grows, the company is expanding its services to support retailers.
Events & AwardsJul 21, 2025
NAJA’s 2025 ‘Ace It’ Conference To Go VirtualThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers is slated for Aug. 9 to 10 on Zoom.
TrendsJul 21, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Graduated With Honors Graduated stones make for elevated tennis-style pieces and dramatic statement necklaces.
Events & AwardsJul 21, 2025
Gem Awards Now Accepting Nominations for 2026Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.
MajorsJul 18, 2025
Lewis Heyman on Sourcing Gemstones, Post-Retirement PlansHe retired last month after 28 years traveling the world to source the very best gemstones for his family’s jewelry business, Oscar Heyman.
TrendsJul 18, 2025
Piece of the Week: CCWW Designs’ Shell Charm NecklaceThe charm necklace features six nautical charms of shells and coral that founder Christina Puchi collected on Florida’s beaches.
MajorsJul 18, 2025
Plumb Club Elects New Board MembersThe organization elected its youngest vice president as it looks to draw in fresh talent.
TechnologyJul 18, 2025
Brad Campbell, John Liebler Join Clientbook’s Executive Team Campbell joins the company as vice president of business development while Liebler is the new vice president of operations.
CollectionsJul 17, 2025
2026 Winter Olympic Medal Design Symbolizes UnityThe medals feature a split-texture design highlighting the Games’ first time being hosted by two cities and the athletes’ journeys.
Supplier BulletinJul 17, 2025
The INSTORE Jewelry Show 2025: Your Holiday Preparations, All Wrapped Up! Sponsored by The INSTORE Jewelry Show 2025
SurveysJul 17, 2025
The Most Recommended Brands in the World, According to YouGovGlobally, travel and transportation brands reigned, while in the U.S., alcoholic beverage companies and a lingerie brand took the top spots.
