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.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
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
IndependentsOct 15, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Amy and Elise Greenberg For 40 years, sisters Amy and Elise Greenberg have helmed their 126-year-old family business, leading with appreciation and integrity.
WatchesOct 15, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb’s New Movado Watches Are Made for Your Wrist StackMovado teamed up with the New York-based fine jewelry designer on a new collection of Movado Museum Velura watches.
SourcingOct 15, 2026
Signet Jewelers, Richemont May Join Bidder for De Beers, Report SaysThe two companies are reportedly in talks to join the Global Diamond Consortium, led by former De Beers CEO Gareth Penny, as per Bloomberg.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
CollectionsOct 15, 2026
Wolf x Marla Aaron's New Jewelry Box Is for Some (Not All) of Your ThingsThe “Some of the Things” box follows the two larger “Everything” box designs with the look and function of antique sewing and toolboxes.
Weekly QuizOct 15, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsOct 14, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Coleman and Mitchell ClarkFourth-generation jewelers Coleman and Mitchell Clark exemplify the best qualities of their predecessors: humility, modesty, and confidence.
SourcingOct 14, 2026
Manuel Marcial de Gomar, ‘The Emerald Whisperer,’ Dies at 90The gem hunter, whose 70-year career was defined by adventure and exploration, is remembered for his steadfast faith and sense of wonder.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
FinancialsOct 14, 2026
LVMH’s Jewelry Brands Turn in ‘Very Good’ Performance in Q3 Tiffany & Co. continued its full-scale store renovation project while Bulgari’s high jewelry collection generated “record-breaking revenue.”
Events & AwardsOct 14, 2026
Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference Releases 2026 ProgramThis year’s sessions feature leading voices from human rights, legal, and conservation organizations.
MajorsOct 13, 2026
David Webb Owner Purchases Lugano JewelryThe high-end jewelry retailer was sold to private investment firm Middle West Partners and a group of longtime clients.
Lab-GrownOct 13, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb Takes Lab-Grown Diamond Collection WholesaleThe jewelry designer has partnered with Sofer Jewelry to distribute her 85-piece lab-grown diamond collection.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Sean DunnDunn, this year’s Single-Store Independent inductee, is passionate about innovation and telling the story of natural diamonds.
AuctionsOct 13, 2026
Christie's Geneva To Auction 'Bulgari Pink' DiamondThe 24-carat fancy intense pink diamond ring could fetch up to $18 million at the November sale.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Greenwich St. Jewelers’ New Candle Smells Like HomeThe “Island Jewel” candle honors New York City and Puerto Rico and raises money for the island’s water relief efforts.
TechnologyOct 13, 2026
GemFind Is a New JA Member Benefit Partner The partnership will give JA members access to preferred pricing, exclusive benefits, technology solutions, education, and resources.
SurveysOct 09, 2026
These Will Be the 10 Busiest Days for In-Store Shopping This Holiday SeasonStores should expect to see the most customers on Nov. 27, and Christmas week is expected to be hectic too, as Dec. 25 falls on a Friday.
CollectionsOct 09, 2026
Elisa Solomon Collabs With Serendipity 3 on ‘Frozen Hot Chocolate’ CharmThe charm, our Piece of the Week, features brown diamond frozen hot chocolate topped with white diamond whipped cream and a ruby straw.
AuctionsOct 09, 2026
8-Carat Blue Diamond Goes Unsold at UK Jewelry Auction The top lot of Elmwood’s recent fine jewelry sale in London was a 1.84-carat, D color Tiffany & Co. solitaire diamond ring.
WatchesOct 09, 2026
Movado to Sell Majority Stake in Ebel for $66.5MThe watch company agreed to sell a 95 percent interest to a group comprised of F.P. Journe, Chanel, and Swiss watch exec Pierre Jacques.
Policies & IssuesOct 08, 2026
Third Wave of IEEPA Tariff Refunds Begins This round of tariff refunds is for importers that have sued over IEEPA tariffs in the Court of International Trade and won.
CollectionsOct 08, 2026
Brent Neale’s New Collection Goes ‘Back to Basics’It revisits the brand’s most requested silhouettes, from "Pillow"-set necklaces and bracelets to "Signature"-set rings and earrings.
SourcingOct 08, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair Heads Back to BrooklynThe trade-only event includes buying opportunities as well as educational sessions on artisanal mining, the new Paraíba source, and more.
Events & AwardsOct 08, 2026
Pattons Fine Jewelry Sweeps Local Design ContestAra Chanakian, a jeweler at Pattons, took home top honors in every category at Jewelers of Louisiana’s annual jewelry design competition.
AuctionsOct 08, 2026
Reba McEntire’s Jewelry, Watches Head to Julien’s AuctionsThe live charity benefit sale in Nashville will also feature gowns, boots, and other memorabilia from the country music legend.
Supplier BulletinOct 08, 2026
Overnight Mountings’ Bridal Builder Helps Jewelers Turn Custom Design into a Hands-On Selling ExperienceSponsored by Overnight Mountings
Policies & IssuesOct 07, 2026
The Plumb Club Amplifies Its Voice as Geopolitical Pressures MountThe supplier organization recently joined JA and JVC to have more input on political issues affecting the jewelry industry.
