Follow your passion, have a clear vision and be prepared to stick it out! 

– When I think back at it, it was a little crazy, says John. I was only 28 when I opened the showroom in Toronto with only limited research and no external support. I had very little experience from the industry when I started – basically only one year at Tiffany & Co. Apart from some financial backing from my parents, I did it all on my own.

John knew from an early age that he wanted to work with jewelry.

– My maternal grandfather was a jeweler, so jewelry was something we always had an affinity with. Moving to Switzerland at the age of 13, I grew up around all the big names – there was so much to see that inspired me. Although I initially studied art history, I always thought about jewelry, the beauty of it and how it’s made.

John’s passion for jewelry has always been his driving force.

– My plan was never to build a growing empire. I’ve developed the business moment by moment, but I always knew that I wanted to create a very dynamic and private business that catered to people that really appreciate quality.

Before launching his Toronto showroom, John started out working very privately.

– It was all by appointment, where I would meet my clients at their homes. In Switzerland, we still operate via private appointments only, and our showroom in Toronto has a private jewelry gallery located upstairs, so people really have to know where we are. The formula of the business hasn’t changed, just the size.

But this clear strategy also presents the company’s number one  challenge.

– I’ve developed a business that is intensely personal. My first clients were my friends and most of my friends are also my clients. If I’m not there, a client might defer the purchase.

– Since we only offer our own collections and one-of-a-kind pieces, it means that we do a significant amount of custom work. This absorbs a lot of time, so the challenge is to balance managing clients and growing the business. We’re finally getting there now, but it’s been a slow process.

John’s initial plan was to focus on his core skills.

– But in a smaller business you have to be involved at every level, no matter how much you delegate. Finding the right individuals helps and I’m lucky that I still work with some of the people that were with me from day one.

Drawing the line between work and private life can also be tricky.

– There’s a very large social element to what I do. I can go to a party  and end up doing business – I’m always the brand ambassador. Luckily, I’m a social person so mostly I’m comfortable with the situation.

The freedom is the best thing about being a business owner.

– There’s no head office telling you where to take the business or when you can or can’t take time off . The flipside is that you’re entirely responsible for your own income. At times, it has been difficult – money doesn’t flow all the time so you have to budget and make sure that you’re investing in the right things.

– Owning a business is definitely not for the fainthearted – you have to be convinced of what you’re doing to last through tougher times. Of course I was worried in the beginning, but once you’re involved in building your business you get so busy you don’t have time to analyze what you’re doing – you just do it!

Working smart – and hard – is necessary to make it work.

– Starting out, the toughest thing was to get clients. I aligned myself with different events in the city, like charity auctions, and placed my catalogues there. We were also very lucky to have editors come to us intitially while advertising regularly in Canada’s largest newspaper, The Globe and Mail. Eventually things snowballed into a JdJ community. I had to work hard at it – but it happened!

Developing and maintaning strong ties with the press is still an important strategy.

– We have tried to make it personal, for example by delivering press kits with personal notes by hand. Today we have developed really nice relations with editors. We get regular coverage as they call us asking for pieces to shoot. Some ofthe magazines we have been featured in include Oprah Magazine, Hello Canada, Elle Canada, Fashion Magazine and Flare Magazine.

Combining integrity with freshness is equally important.

–There should always be an identifiable common thread and a certain standard in any communication you get from the company. We strive very hard to have a strong reputation of integrity, honesty and quality. I feel proud that when I look at our catalogues, I see plenty of evolution, but also a lot of integrity. Our clients never need to second guess anything.

The next step for JdJ: to expand through new sales channels.

– We’re developing a whole new line that is more accessible, which we will launch under a different name. We’ve also started developing relationships with retailers and we’ve gone online at luxury websites nayella.com and 1stdibs.com.

And for anyone who wants to start a business, John believes that now the time is perfect.

– People who start their business today have a huge advantage – technology has enabled social networks that make it so cost-effective. The web has made it possible for small businesses to have an advantage. If you’re business savvy and have some charisma and creative energy, there’s no reason why you can’t get a business rolling!

John's advice to the business owner

• Have a clear vision of where you want to go

• Be disciplined and prepared to stick it out

• Hire motivated people with the right skills

• Find a mentor who can help you develop your business over time

• Focus on the things you do best and try to delegate the rest

• Take educated risks, carefully choose who to engage with in business 

Jeweler JdJ specializes in custom pieces, from concept to creation.

The company caters to an international clientele and is based in Canada and Switzerland.

Read more at www.jdj-jewelry.com.