CrimeFeb 06, 2026
Florida Man Sentenced After Selling Fake Native American Jewelry for a Decade Prosecutors say the man attended arts and craft fairs claiming he was a third-generation jeweler who was a member of the Pueblo tribe.
IndependentsJul 31, 2018
Squirrel Spotting: What Kind of Team Do You Want?
Your first answer might be, “the same team I’ve had for years,” but that is not necessarily the best answer, Peter Smith writes.
Peter Smith has more than 30 years of experience building wholesale and retail sales teams. He currently is president of Vibhor Gems.
To suggest that people are important to a business is akin to recommending a daily dose of fresh air for good health. While it may be a self-evident maxim, what actually constitutes “good people” is decidedly more complex.
Every business, of course, must decide how to best put together its team.
Some prefer harmony and an ease of management that excludes mavericks and outliers. Other businesses prize a performance culture that values individual productivity, and recognizes and accepts the inevitable challenges of managing top performers.
When I ask retailers to tell me about their team, I very often hear, “My people have been with me for years,” as though tenure itself was the secret to success.
I’ve often wondered how successful my beloved Chicago Cubs would be if Andre Dawson was still hitting clean-up at Wrigley Field, or how the San Francisco 49ers would fare if Joe Montana was under center.
OK, OK, I know that sports teams, where athletes must have a great mental approach along with world-class physical prowess, is not the same as sales, but I use sports (insert your own metaphor) to point out that tenure alone cannot be the measure of the competence of an individual, or the health of a team.
In fact, Gallup researchers conducted an analysis a few years ago of 1.4 million employees in its database and found an inverse relationship between employee engagement and the number of years she or he had worked in the job.
The study basically asserted that for most employees, the first year was their best year and thereafter it was, if not exactly downhill, a flat and uninspiring walk into sustained mediocrity. The conclusions from the study revealed that disengaged employees were a drain on profits, sales and customer satisfaction.
Angela Duckworth, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance,” wrote: “Do you know anyone who’s been doing something for a long, long time—maybe their entire professional lives—and yet, the best you can say of their skill is that they’re pretty much OK and not bad enough to fire?”
There is clearly a very big difference between your top performers staying with you for years and your mediocre people sticking around—not exactly setting the world on fire, but managing to keep their heads above water.
As I see it, there are really
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
three ways a business can go:
1) You can value tenure and accept that you are willing to give up performance for the sake of familiar people sticking around;
2) You can prize sales performance and, in doing so, understand that non-performers will be rotated out as results demand; or
3) The default option: You celebrate and value tenure, and choose not to spend too much time thinking about the costs to your business in sales and profitability.
In “Reward Systems,” Steve Kerr (not the basketball one) wrote, “If you reward seniority, you are likely to get very little in the way of risk-taking, innovation and candid, upward feedback.”
Each business, of course, much make its own decision (or no decision) and while I would still pay to see Andre Dawson take a few swings in a Cubs uniform at Wrigley Field, I’ll take Anthony Rizzo. Until I don’t.
Go Cubs!
Peter Smith is president of Vibhor, a public speaker and author of “Sell Something” and “Hiring Squirrels.” He spent 30 years building sales teams in retail and wholesale and he can be contacted at dublinsmith@yahoo.com, peter@vibhorgems.com, or on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.
1) You can value tenure and accept that you are willing to give up performance for the sake of familiar people sticking around;
2) You can prize sales performance and, in doing so, understand that non-performers will be rotated out as results demand; or
3) The default option: You celebrate and value tenure, and choose not to spend too much time thinking about the costs to your business in sales and profitability.
In “Reward Systems,” Steve Kerr (not the basketball one) wrote, “If you reward seniority, you are likely to get very little in the way of risk-taking, innovation and candid, upward feedback.”
Each business, of course, much make its own decision (or no decision) and while I would still pay to see Andre Dawson take a few swings in a Cubs uniform at Wrigley Field, I’ll take Anthony Rizzo. Until I don’t.
Go Cubs!
Peter Smith is president of Vibhor, a public speaker and author of “Sell Something” and “Hiring Squirrels.” He spent 30 years building sales teams in retail and wholesale and he can be contacted at dublinsmith@yahoo.com, peter@vibhorgems.com, or on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.
More on Independents
The Latest
FinancialsFeb 06, 2026
Pandora’s North America GM Departs Amid Executive ChangesNew CEO Berta de Pablos-Barbier shared her priorities for the Danish jewelry company this year as part of its fourth-quarter results.
TrendsFeb 06, 2026
Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi Wear Matching Cece Jewellery Signet RingsOur Piece of the Week picks are these bespoke rings the “Wuthering Heights” stars have been spotted wearing during the film’s press tour.
Brought to you by
The MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program: Attracting & Training the Next Generation of Bench JewelersLaunched in 2023, the program will help the passing of knowledge between generations and alleviate the shortage of bench jewelers.
MajorsFeb 05, 2026
Pandora to Begin Selling Platinum-Plated JewelryThe introduction of platinum plating will reduce its reliance on silver amid volatile price swings, said Pandora.
Weekly QuizFeb 05, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingFeb 05, 2026
De Beers Lowers Production Guidance for 2026, Anglo Mulls Another WritedownIt would be the third impairment charge in three years on De Beers Group, which continues to grapple with a “challenging” diamond market.
CollectionsFeb 05, 2026
Marco Bicego’s Amethyst Collection Travels to a Purple ParadiseThe “Paradise Amethyst” collection focuses on amethyst, pink tourmaline, garnet, and 18-karat yellow gold beads.
Brought to you by
How Jewelers Can Fight Back Against Cell JammersCriminals are using cell jammers to disable alarms, but new technology like JamAlert™ can stop them.
FinancialsFeb 05, 2026
Watches of Switzerland Reports Strong Holiday Results in Q3The retailer credited its Roberto Coin campaign, in part, for boosting its North America sales.
ColumnistsFeb 04, 2026
January Jewelry Sales: More Dollars Spent, Fewer Units Sold Sherry Smith unpacks independent retailers’ January performance and gives tips for navigating the slow-growth year ahead.
MajorsFeb 04, 2026
What Designers Should Know About Saks Global’s BankruptcyFrom how to get an invoice paid to getting merchandise returned, JVC’s Sara Yood answers some complex questions.
TrendsFeb 04, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: February Birthstone BlissAmethyst, the birthstone for February, is a gemstone to watch this year with its rich purple hue and affordable price point.
MajorsFeb 04, 2026
Marco Bicego Names New Global Marketing DirectorThe Italian jewelry company appointed Matteo Cuelli to the newly created role.
MajorsFeb 04, 2026
Frederick Goldman Updates Leadership TeamThe manufacturer said the changes are designed to improve speed, reliability, innovation, and service.
Policies & IssuesFeb 03, 2026
Tariff Relief on Horizon for India as Trump, Modi Make DealPresident Trump said he has reached a trade deal with India, which, when made official, will bring relief to the country’s diamond industry.
CollectionsFeb 03, 2026
Jade Trau Releases New Charms, Introduces RondellesThe designer’s latest collection takes inspiration from her classic designs, reimagining the motifs in new forms.
WatchesFeb 03, 2026
Casio America Calls Jersey City HomeThe watchmaker moved its U.S. headquarters to a space it said fosters creativity and forward-thinking solutions in Jersey City, New Jersey.
SourcingFeb 03, 2026
Nivoda Reveals Upgraded Gemstone MarketplaceThe company also announced a new partnership with GemGuide and the pending launch of an education-focused membership program.
GradingFeb 02, 2026
IGI to Acquire American Gemological Laboratories IGI is buying the colored gemstone grading laboratory through IGI USA, and AGL will continue to operate as its own brand.
CrimeFeb 02, 2026
Ylang 23’s Dallas Store BurglarizedThe Texas jeweler said its team is “incredibly resilient” and thanked its community for showing support.
EditorsFeb 02, 2026
Stars Choose Chokers, Elongated Earrings at 2026 GrammysFrom cool-toned metal to ring stacks, Associate Editor Natalie Francisco highlights the jewelry trends she spotted at the Grammy Awards.
CollectionsFeb 02, 2026
2026 Winter Olympic Medal Design Symbolizes UnityThe medals feature a split-texture design highlighting the fact that the 2026 Olympics are taking place in two different cities.
SurveysJan 30, 2026
These Are the Top Brands of 2026, Says YouGovFrom tech platforms to candy companies, here’s how some of the highest-ranking brands earned their spot on the list.
CollectionsJan 30, 2026
Follow the Beat With Etiq’s ‘Khol’ RingThe “Khol” ring, our Piece of the Week, transforms the traditional Indian Khol drum into playful jewelry through hand-carved lapis.
MajorsJan 30, 2026
Arch Crown’s 2026 ‘Tag & Label’ Catalog Is HereThe catalog includes more than 100 styles of stock, pre-printed, and custom tags and labels, as well as bar code technology products.
CollectionsJan 29, 2026
Ghirardelli’s ‘Chocolocket’ Returns for Valentine’s DayThe chocolatier is bringing back its chocolate-inspired locket, offering sets of two to celebrate “perfect pairs.”
AuctionsJan 29, 2026
These Were Bonhams’ Top 10 Jewelry Lots in 2025The top lot of the year was a 1930s Cartier tiara owned by Nancy, Viscountess Astor, which sold for $1.2 million in London last summer.
