Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leyira Gininwa. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Leyira, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry?
Corporate America’s hand in the jewelry industry has brought forth a few issues however, there is one that sticks out far worse than the rest. The corporate jewelry industry no longer focuses on the clientele, but rather the cash flow.
I want to preface this by saying I acknowledge that there are quotas that every business must meet to continue its operations. That is standard for any and every business that has ever been. That being said, Corporate America has influenced the crossing of a very significant line in the industry. The industry no longer seems to truly value the desires and requests of the customers. Putting the “customer first” has almost entirely become a facade used to mask the various upselling strategies.
On numerous occasions, while selling jewelry for household jewelry store names, I would have people coming into the store very upset and even turned off to the idea of buying jewelry in-store given how hard the previous salespeople tried to get them to swipe their card on a piece that was double their budget. Those sales came the easiest to our team. It was not because we had what the clients were looking for per se and it wasn’t because we had better deals running. It was because we chose to go against the corporate grain. We refused to see them as just another dollar sign and chose to view them as people with specific visions.
No two people buying jewelry are the same. People have different budgets, different lifestyles, different goals, different hobbies, and different personalities and I think that Corporate America fails to acknowledge that this is the truth.
Leyira, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My journey in the jewelry industry started during the pandemic. I was in the house 24/7 and was trying to find out just what my real passions were. Like most people, I found myself in a scarily uneventful loop of eating snacks and watching YouTube videos. Once I was at my wits end, I decided to do just what any normal person would do, impulsively purchase jewelry that I could afford. Doing this for a while and realizing just how much I enjoyed each piece showed me that there might have been more to my impulsive thoughts than I realized. Once the COVID-19 restrictions started to lift, I went to my local jeweler to discuss my newly found passion and he advised that I consider working for a jewelry store to get my foot in the door.
Although entry into the industry itself wasn’t difficult, it was a scary step for me. I was still figuring out what I wanted my future to look like and starting my journey in a jewelry store felt like laying the first brick of a large building. I valued those moments in the jewelry stores a great deal. Not only was I surrounded by so many beautiful pieces daily but I also learned many invaluable skills. Among those are general sales skills, effective communication, creativity in the realm of fashion, and many more. That being said, I also learned many things that I was not a huge fan of. I would say the biggest of those things was the amount of dishonesty that was permitted in the industry.
I would say that is the reason why Crown Counsel exists. The company exists to show that jewelry is for everyone. It is not just for this demographic or that demographic. At the end of the day, I believe that what separates me from others is that I am not trying to sell anyone on any particular piece. My purpose is to ensure that my clients walk away from me feeling confident that they made the best choice possible within the confines of the industry. Jewelry is a physical method of expression that everyone is entitled to and if there is one thing that my followers should take from my business, it is that.
As far as what I do, I serve my clients through three different consultation packages geared toward fashion jewelry, engagement rings, and luxury watches. Through my services, I ask my clients a series of straightforward questions as well as abstract questions about themselves or whoever it is they may be shopping for. These questions pertain to their lifestyle, budget, as well as personality. I take the answers to these questions and use them to create a curated list of pieces that give the best value for money and highlight all of the traits of my client. In this list, I go into detail about the pieces, their specifications, why they work so well for the clients, and more. This way, my clients will have security that they are investing in the best quality possible. My goal with my luxury watch package in particular is to operate as an agent that works on my clients’ behalf to get their desired watch at the best possible price. Within all of the packages, I want to be present, flexible, informative, and honest with all of my clients to help them get through their purchases successfully.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Actually yes, there are two people/groups that have been very helpful in developing my entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy. One of those people is Moses from Moses Jewelry. A little over two years ago, I stumbled across his YouTube videos and after very little time, his channel became one of my most visited pages on the internet. I have never seen any salesperson show as much love to their clientele as Moses has. The spirit that he brings to his work daily is exactly what I hope to embody. He is very passionate about jewelry, always has a smile on his face, and is very transparent. Most of the videos that I have seen from him are videos on watch dealing which has shown me a lot, but he also chooses to show behind-the-scenes or day-in-the-life content. I would say his videos have shown me that while the industry tends to be cut-throat in nature, it does not have to take the life out of genuine interactions between two people.
The second of the two groups/people that have shifted my entrepreneurial thinking is a watch retailer called Luxury Bazaar. I have a very high level of respect for Luxury Bazaar as a company and for the way that they choose to utilize their platforms. The content that I see from them is a lot more educational and shows the realness of the watch industry. I believe that early on in my jewelry career, I had my thoughts about how the watch industry looked but the beauty of Luxury Bazaar is that they utilize their platform to educate people on what it is in reality. It is really helpful and valuable to get a perspective as this because not only is it coming from professionals who have been doing this for years, but it is also coming from people who have seen all of the ups and downs that the industry has to offer. I have been fortunate enough to connect with one of the guys on the team and his insight has also significantly enhanced my perception of my business and how it should be conducted.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
I have always found it hard to point out good aspects of myself but I certainly think connecting with people is a strong suit of mine. My ability to connect and relate with people helps them understand that I see them as people and not a price tag. Positive business encounters with people help me out greatly because they feel inclined to tell others about me and my work. While I don’t necessarily see connecting with people as a strategy, there is no doubt that it helps me to grow as a business. I am working to find the best ways to market myself and utilize social media because I believe that my most effective growth strategy will be getting more people to see my face, hear what I do, and hear why I do it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thecrowncounsel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecrowncounsel/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecrowncounsel
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leyira-gininwa-40562623a/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecrowncounsel
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecrowncounsel
