One of my absolute favorite things to do is search for new local shops ( Both of the brick and mortar variety and web based.) There is something special about finding a small business that you love...You know everything is being created with purpose and an artisanal quality, and you know you are helping support the dream of someone who comes from the same place you do. I have such an appreciation for anyone who takes that step to create and to stand up to the big box stores. It takes courage and creativity to stand out and accomplish success, and that is exactly what this weeks Boss Babes Tuesday is all about. It is my distinct pleasure to feature this interview with the ladies behind Brian & Nick Jewelers, they are both sharp and innovative (Not to mention how gorgeous their jewels are!).
Read on below to learn more about their story:
Read on below to learn more about their story:
H:
What was the driving force behind creating your brand? I love the aesthetic of your logo and
company name- What inspired you shorten your names to mens names?
B&N:
Throughout our careers, Nicole and I always had the “entrepreneurial itch” and knew we would eventually start our own business. With my passion for jewelry and her strong business skills and experience, we felt strongly that starting our own jewelry business was the next step in each of our careers. I have over 9 years of experience in the jewelry industry and always believed there was a void in the way clients are serviced and how jewelry buying was conducted. The jewelry industry is very male dominant and most companies are family owned and operated. With new technologies, social media applications, and younger generations with different values entering the market place, Nicole and I felt that we could fill that void and redefine the jewelry experience for our customers. Our robust ecommerce website and our social media marketing efforts on platforms such as Instagram, coupled with a personalized concierge touch is exactly what the industry was in need of.
Our online store includes a curated selection of our own selected or designed jewelry pieces and a number of brands that showcase a variety of style. Our social media efforts are a way for our current and future clients to get a sense of who BRIAN & NICK are and to see the jewelry for sale being worn. Our concierge service has a strong focus on bridal, however that is not to say we do not get many customers looking for our personalized touch to help them create a custom piece of jewelry. As an example, in the case of a diamond engagement ring, rather than our clients traditionally going into their local jewelry store, or shopping on the intimating diamond district of New York City, we bring the experience and our knowledge to them.
Our client interaction begins with an initial meeting, sometimes face to face and other times on the phone. The customer tells us about themselves, their future bride, their budget and their style preferences. We answer any questions that have about their customized request and review in detail what characteristics of their piece drive the cost. With this Nicole and I are able to source out the perfect diamond that matches their values. Since we do not have a storefront, or have significant overhead, we are able to offer extremely competitive pricing and save our clients time, stress and money. Because of this, and perhaps most importantly, we are able to take a clients budget and stretch it further than in a traditional retail store.
There were a few reasons we decided to shorten BRIANNA & NICOLE to BRIAN & NICK were a few things. We wanted our names to be a part of the company name but didn’t want something that was so cliché to the industry which is female-brand focused. Our up-side-down logo represents two things: 1) when you grade the color of a diamond you turn it table down and 2) the disruption our company brings to the traditional jewelry industry. Our goal is to turn things up-side-down!
H:
A concierge service for engagement ring shopping is such a unique concept and its clear you create a special moment in the assistance of selecting the stones. What is your advice for a someone who may be starting the process?
B&N:
For someone who is starting the engagement ring purchasing process, we would say the first step is to learn the style preferences of your significant other. Try to figure out what type of style setting they are looking for and if they mentioned the diamond shape they love. Social media is so significant in the daily lives of everyone and you would be surprised how many women already have a very good idea of what they want. Once the buyer has a good sense of that, we take it from there. As we said earlier, we’ll meet with you, educate you on the Four C’s, answer any questions you have, and by figuring out what qualities are important to you and where to invest your money. This is a very big purchase both emotionally and financially and you will need trusted guidance.
H:
What can be expected during a concierge shopping session?
B&N:
Throughout our careers, Nicole and I always had the “entrepreneurial itch” and knew we would eventually start our own business. With my passion for jewelry and her strong business skills and experience, we felt strongly that starting our own jewelry business was the next step in each of our careers. I have over 9 years of experience in the jewelry industry and always believed there was a void in the way clients are serviced and how jewelry buying was conducted. The jewelry industry is very male dominant and most companies are family owned and operated. With new technologies, social media applications, and younger generations with different values entering the market place, Nicole and I felt that we could fill that void and redefine the jewelry experience for our customers. Our robust ecommerce website and our social media marketing efforts on platforms such as Instagram, coupled with a personalized concierge touch is exactly what the industry was in need of.
Our online store includes a curated selection of our own selected or designed jewelry pieces and a number of brands that showcase a variety of style. Our social media efforts are a way for our current and future clients to get a sense of who BRIAN & NICK are and to see the jewelry for sale being worn. Our concierge service has a strong focus on bridal, however that is not to say we do not get many customers looking for our personalized touch to help them create a custom piece of jewelry. As an example, in the case of a diamond engagement ring, rather than our clients traditionally going into their local jewelry store, or shopping on the intimating diamond district of New York City, we bring the experience and our knowledge to them.
Our client interaction begins with an initial meeting, sometimes face to face and other times on the phone. The customer tells us about themselves, their future bride, their budget and their style preferences. We answer any questions that have about their customized request and review in detail what characteristics of their piece drive the cost. With this Nicole and I are able to source out the perfect diamond that matches their values. Since we do not have a storefront, or have significant overhead, we are able to offer extremely competitive pricing and save our clients time, stress and money. Because of this, and perhaps most importantly, we are able to take a clients budget and stretch it further than in a traditional retail store.
There were a few reasons we decided to shorten BRIANNA & NICOLE to BRIAN & NICK were a few things. We wanted our names to be a part of the company name but didn’t want something that was so cliché to the industry which is female-brand focused. Our up-side-down logo represents two things: 1) when you grade the color of a diamond you turn it table down and 2) the disruption our company brings to the traditional jewelry industry. Our goal is to turn things up-side-down!
H:
A concierge service for engagement ring shopping is such a unique concept and its clear you create a special moment in the assistance of selecting the stones. What is your advice for a someone who may be starting the process?
B&N:
For someone who is starting the engagement ring purchasing process, we would say the first step is to learn the style preferences of your significant other. Try to figure out what type of style setting they are looking for and if they mentioned the diamond shape they love. Social media is so significant in the daily lives of everyone and you would be surprised how many women already have a very good idea of what they want. Once the buyer has a good sense of that, we take it from there. As we said earlier, we’ll meet with you, educate you on the Four C’s, answer any questions you have, and by figuring out what qualities are important to you and where to invest your money. This is a very big purchase both emotionally and financially and you will need trusted guidance.
H:
What can be expected during a concierge shopping session?
B&N:BRIAN & NICK create a completely personalized engagement ring process. We have a three step approach to ensure your diamond purchasing process is educated, stress-free and well informed.
- Step One: You will have an initial consultation with BRIAN, our CEO and Head G.I.A. Certified Graduate Gemologist, who will provide you with Diamond Education, discuss the overall budget and the general style of your significant other. This can be done over the phone or at the time and location preference of our client.
- Step Two: BRIAN then utilizes BRIAN & NICK's network of private wholesale diamond vendors to present to you various stone options within your budget, shape and style preferences. BRIAN will make objective recommendations and walk you through the differences in stone quality compared to pricing. This is also where we finalize the setting design.
- Step Three: BRIAN presents to you your selected diamond in a setting that is custom and handcrafted by our reputable jeweler of the highest standards.
H:
What makes your company stand apart from other jewelers?
What makes us stand apart from other jewelers is that we offer more of a specialized service that meets the needs of our client. We have a variety of fresh new fine fashion jewelry pieces on our online shop and Instagram. We are constantly sourcing out new designs and brands that suit the needs of our clients. Engagement ring shopping typically is not a one day purchase. There are many variables that go into purchasing a diamond that we make simple, easy and convenient. If you’re someone whose job doesn’t allow you much free time we will come to your office. If you’re someone who feels comfortable in your home and you have kids and aren’t able leave the house, we come to you. Convenience is key in our business.
H:
I love all the different brands you carry, how did you find such amazing and unique companies to work with?
B&N:
We love attending jewelry shows and looking for up and coming designers for our business. Since we are new ourselves we love to find fresh new talent that we can grow with together and become successful on our journeys. We love to mix it up and have every designer specialize in something that’s different from one another so that we can offer variety to our clients. So far all of our new brands are female owned and operated and we think that is just awesome!
H:
Nicole, you just got engaged! Congratulations! Your ring is gorgeous- How did everything go down? Brianna, how was it creating a ring for someone you are so close to?
B&N:
We actually were featured on HowHeAsked.com (a sister site of The Knot)! “July 5th, 2018 a few friends and I went to our beach in the West End of Long Beach. Nothing was out of the usual. We packed a cooler, our beach chairs, towels, umbrella and took our 3-minute walk down the block. John stayed home to work for a few hours. At 4:00 pm I got up and went to the portable bathrooms. Brianna, came into the bathroom to tell me that John just arrived at the beach. I thought nothing of this and thought it was a bit weird that she was telling me but just washed my hands and headed back out towards our spot. There was a plane flying by with a banner. On Long Beach, this is not out of the usual so I didn’t bother looking up at it. Brianna see’s that I am not noticing and says “What’s that?” so I look up and see “Nicole Roth, will you marry me?”
Nicole and I had always spoke and brain stormed ideas beforehand on what she wanted. She explained she wanted something very unique that is still on trend but sets her ring a part from others. Once we had the design and details down I knew that it would turn out amazing. But creating the ring wasn’t the hard part it was keeping a secret about it where I was and when I was meeting with her boyfriend John!
More about Brian & Nick:
BRIAN & NICK's Engagement Concierge Service Team makes engagement ring shopping easy, seamless, and hassle-free. With your budget and style preferences in mind, BRIAN & NICK sorts through various diamonds and does the negotiating on your behalf. We narrow down the stones options and present to you the perfect findings.
BRIAN & NICK's Concierge Service Team curates fine fashion jewelry tailored to your needs whether for personal use or gifting. BRIAN & NICK are constantly on the hunt for new brands and designs of high quality to offer our clientele. Our online shop and Instagram is updated for new styles regularly but if you can dream it we can find it or create it. Our goal is creating a seamless way of shopping while saving you time and money.
Meet BRIAN
Brianna – aka BRIAN – has been in the jewelry industry for over 9 years. She completed her G.I.A. Graduate Gemologist Degree in 2017. Brianna has a natural talent where she knows the style and quality that clients are looking for. She specializes in engagement and custom pieces for her clients. Brianna is extremely selective of what she will bring to an appointment based on a clients request. Quality as well as respecting a clients budget is the number one priority for her.
Meet NICK
Nicole – aka NICK – grew up having family members and close friends in the Fine Jewelry Industry. However, being a numbers wizard, Nicole went to Quinnipiac University School of Business and completed her Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and Master of Business Administration degrees. After becoming a Certified Public Accountant and 5 years in the corporate accounting business world at both PricewaterhouseCoopers and a private technology company, Nicole felt that her true passion was entrepreneurship. Combining her business acumen and experience with BRIAN’s – aka Brianna – Fine Jewelry knowledge and expertise, together they formed the perfect business venture BRIAN & NICK Private Luxury Jewelers.
Find Brian & Nick:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/bnprivatejewelers
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