Second AGS Virtual Education Conference Is All About Negotiation Skills
“Confluence” is happening in August.

Planned for Aug. 22 from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. PST, Confluence 2022 will focus on negotiation skills.
“Each year, Confluence offers our members a great opportunity to hone specific skills that can enrich their career and help them achieve their goals,” said American Gem Society and AGS Laboratories CEO Katherine Bodoh.
“Successful negotiation is essential to many of our members’ careers. We are pleased we can provide them with this important learning opportunity.”
The half-day of sessions will feature presentations from four negotiation experts.
Phil Jones will lead a session called “Exactly What to Say—The Magic Words for Influence and Impact.” Author of the internationally best-selling book of the same name, as well as six other business books, Jones is also the founder of five multi-million-dollar companies.
He is one of less than 200 living members of the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame and will teach virtual attendees how to make conversations count.
Kate Vitasek will present “The New Economics of Commerce: How to Leverage Nobel Prize-Winning Theory in Your Next Negotiation.” The author of seven books including “How P&G, McDonald’s and Microsoft Are Redefining Winning in Business Relationships,” and, “Getting to We: Negotiating Agreements for Highly Collaborative Relationships,” Vitasek provides research-based advice on innovation through strategic partnerships.
After a career with positions at P&G and Microsoft, among other companies, she is now a faculty member at the University of Tennessee.
Victor Antonio will present a session titled: “Position Your Value, Not Your Price.” He is a sales trainer and consultant with 14 books on sales and motivation to his name.
He is also the founder of an online sales training platform with over 60 courses called SalesVelocityAcademy.com.
Tony Perzow will speak on: “Negotiating Price Like a Pro.” Perzow has trained executives in the art of negotiation as a former negotiation trainer at the Karrass Organization and vice president of negotiation training at Strategic Pricing Associates.
He will deliver concrete actions, ideas and techniques based upon his experience as a buyer and seller that negotiated with companies like Walmart, Amazon, and Costco.
Only open to AGS members, they can register for Confluence online.
GIA is the 2022 event sponsor.
Bodoh said, “Because of their generous support, we are able to bring this valuable education to our membership. We are very grateful to GIA for all they do for the AGS community.”
The Latest

Sponsored by the Gemological Institute of America

Simon Wolf shares why the time was right to open a new office here, what he looks for in a retail partner, and why he loves U.S. consumers.

A third-generation jeweler, Ginsberg worked at his family’s store, Ginsberg Jewelers, from 1948 until his retirement in 2019.

The risk of laboratory-grown diamonds being falsely presented as natural diamonds presents a very significant danger to consumer trust.

The company failed to file its quarterly reports in a timely manner.


The organization also announced its board of directors.

Charms may be tiny but with their small size comes endless layering possibilities, from bracelets to necklaces and earrings.

Located in Valenza, the now 355,000-square-foot facility includes a new jewelry school that’s open to the public, Scuola Bulgari.

A platinum Zenith-powered Daytona commissioned in the late ‘90s will headline Sotheby’s Important Watches sale in Geneva next month.

The basketball stars wear men’s jewelry from the “Curb Chain” collection.

The Signet Jewelers-owned retailer wants to encourage younger shoppers to wear fine jewelry every day, not just on special occasions.

The 21 pieces, all from a private collector, will be offered at its Magnificent Jewels auction next month.

Lilian Raji answers a question from a reader who is looking to grow her jewelry business but has a limited marketing budget.

GCAL by Sarine created the new role to sharpen the company’s focus on strategic partnerships and scalable expansion.

The Indiana jeweler has acquired Scottsdale Fine Jewelers in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Van Cott Jewelers in Vestal, New York, is hosting a going-out-of-business sale.

Industry veteran Samantha Larson has held leadership roles at Borsheims, McTeigue & McClelland, Stuller, and Long’s Jewelers.
The two organizations will hold the educational event together this fall in Mississippi.

The entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.

The Ukrainian brand’s new pendant is modeled after a traditional paska, a pastry often baked for Easter in Eastern European cultures.

The jeweler has announced a grand reopening for its recently remodeled location in Peoria, Illinois.

The “Strong Like Mom” campaign features moms who work at Tiffany & Co. and their children.

Interior designer Athena Calderone looked to decor from the 1920s and 1930s when crafting her first fine jewelry collection.

During a call about its full-year results, CEO Efraim Grinberg discussed how the company is approaching the uncertainty surrounding tariffs.

The free program provides educational content for jewelry salespeople and enthusiasts to learn or refresh their diamond knowledge.

The feedback will be used to prepare other jewelers for the challenges ahead, the organization said.