IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
TechnologyMay 02, 2018
The Smart Lab: Digital Delusion – Buyer Beware
Smart Age Solutions CEO Emmanuel Raheb lays out an eight-step guide for jewelers looking to hire someone to handle the digital side of their business.
Emmanuel Raheb is the CEO of Smart Age Solutions, a digital ad agency and coveted Premier Google Partner. Contact him at eraheb@smartagesolutions.com.
The start of a business is all about you and your ideas. You build a business, get it working, and then what? Your competitors start coming at you, your celebrations of a good month are short-lived, and you’re thinking of next month’s goals.
Like Steve Jobs said: “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.”
So, how can you be sure you are associated with the best in the market? Below is an eight-step guide for hiring an individual or agency to handle the digital side of your business.
Marketing People: Your Circle of Trust
These days, anyone with a laptop, café, YouTube and a good sales pitch claims to be an expert; add on a virtual office, and now they’re a full-fledged agency. The problem with the digital industry is that it’s vaguely regulated, with little oversight.
So, how is someone to navigate those waters? Well, first you have to …
Set the Right Goals
As a business owner, you should be the one setting the goals for digital sales, marketing, etc.
Once the goals are set, make sure your team understands their own individual goals. Letting people set their own goals is like allowing the fox to guard the hen house.
Ask Questions
At no point should you stop asking questions. Make your team accountable and ask them how the initiatives are aligned with the goals that you set.
Trust, But Verify
Be mindful where you are placing your trust when it comes to your digital business.
Check to see if they are reputable—look up the company, ask about their background and experience, ask for references and don’t get lazy about calling these references; you’d be surprised what can come out during reference checks.
When hiring someone to do the job, whether it is an agency or an independent consultant, you must be extra careful.
Certifications
One of the ways to make sure you are supported by the right team is by checking their references and certifications.
Companies like Google give out special “Premier Partner” badges to top agencies that are audited and vetted by Google and are known to have successfully grown their clients’ businesses. Only a few agencies around the globe have been given these badges, and that’s something you should be looking for before investing.
The Self-Proclaimed Experts
Just like you are particular about the quality of diamonds you offer
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
to customers, you should be particular about the person you hire to head marketing.
On paper, a lot of them shine and look like they would be a great return on investment but if you don’t do proper vetting, you might end up getting burned, badly. For example, if someone is telling you they are a “social media expert,” go check out her or his social channels and see what kind of engagement they get.
Time & Opportunity
The difference from where you are now and where you want to be in the next few years is in building good and efficient partnerships. You may not realize what effect it can have on your business, but as time goes by, the damage of hiring bad partners can result in serious loss of money, and more importantly, cost you in terms of time and opportunity.
On the flip side, marketing takes time to work its way through; some campaigns may be more directional than others. Building short-term goals as well as long-term goals are critical to the success of your digital marketing strategy.
Interview Your Digital Partners
Think of your interview process for hiring a new sales expert for your store.
For instance, when interviewing candidates you’ll want to know the names of past employers, how well they’ve hit their goals, their reputation and standing among those past employers, how well they know your market and competitors, and what they can do to help you reach the next level. You should have the same level of critique when choosing your digital partner or staff.
Today, customers are getting more fluid and the competition has never been as aggressive. At the same time, the rules of digital marketing are changing daily, making it extremely overwhelming for a business owner.
Hiring the right, trusted, and reputable partner will not only give you the peace of mind, but it will also keep you on par with today’s dynamic world of digital.
Buyer Beware
Remember, there are few barriers of entry into this digital world, and it’s getting easier to be fooled by opportunists, pop-up shops, and unethical operators who are mainly focused on getting money and building a fake image for themselves to attract more unaware business owners.
Do your research, ask questions, and never stop demanding results.
Emmanuel Raheb is the CEO of Smart Age Solutions, a digital ad agency and coveted Premier Google Partner. With nearly 18 years’ digital marketing and e-commerce experience, Raheb is passionate about helping and strategically growing national jewelry brands and local retailers alike. Contact him at eraheb@smartagesolutions.com.
On paper, a lot of them shine and look like they would be a great return on investment but if you don’t do proper vetting, you might end up getting burned, badly. For example, if someone is telling you they are a “social media expert,” go check out her or his social channels and see what kind of engagement they get.
Time & Opportunity
The difference from where you are now and where you want to be in the next few years is in building good and efficient partnerships. You may not realize what effect it can have on your business, but as time goes by, the damage of hiring bad partners can result in serious loss of money, and more importantly, cost you in terms of time and opportunity.
On the flip side, marketing takes time to work its way through; some campaigns may be more directional than others. Building short-term goals as well as long-term goals are critical to the success of your digital marketing strategy.
Interview Your Digital Partners
Think of your interview process for hiring a new sales expert for your store.
For instance, when interviewing candidates you’ll want to know the names of past employers, how well they’ve hit their goals, their reputation and standing among those past employers, how well they know your market and competitors, and what they can do to help you reach the next level. You should have the same level of critique when choosing your digital partner or staff.
Today, customers are getting more fluid and the competition has never been as aggressive. At the same time, the rules of digital marketing are changing daily, making it extremely overwhelming for a business owner.
Hiring the right, trusted, and reputable partner will not only give you the peace of mind, but it will also keep you on par with today’s dynamic world of digital.
Buyer Beware
Remember, there are few barriers of entry into this digital world, and it’s getting easier to be fooled by opportunists, pop-up shops, and unethical operators who are mainly focused on getting money and building a fake image for themselves to attract more unaware business owners.
Do your research, ask questions, and never stop demanding results.
Emmanuel Raheb is the CEO of Smart Age Solutions, a digital ad agency and coveted Premier Google Partner. With nearly 18 years’ digital marketing and e-commerce experience, Raheb is passionate about helping and strategically growing national jewelry brands and local retailers alike. Contact him at eraheb@smartagesolutions.com.
More on Technology
The Latest
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap SchemeTwo suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
MajorsAug 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Selects Mattel Exec to Lead Zales, BanterJamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
CollectionsAug 10, 2026
State Property Puts a Ripple in the ‘The Voyager’ CollectionThe brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
And IJO’s 2026 Vendor of the Year Is … Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Retail Veteran Pam Cloud Appointed President of Blue NileCloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Pandora Appoints Paulo Garcia as New CFO Garcia will take over from the company’s current CFO, Anders Boyer, who is retiring at the end of November.
