Jewellers Academy Podcast

What does learning jewellery making really look like behind the finished pieces?
In this episode of the Jewellers Academy Podcast, Jess is joined by jeweller and content creator Kelly Twigg of Willow and Twigg, the original Diploma Diary creator, to talk about the reality of learning new jewellery-making skills and why sharing the process can be just as valuable as sharing the finished result.
Kelly began her Diploma Diaries when she joined the Diploma in Silver Jewellery two years ago, documenting the projects she was making, the things she was learning and the moments when everything did not quite go according to plan. Since then, the Diploma Diaries have grown to include different students, tutors and jewellery-making techniques, giving an honest look at the highs, lows and breakthroughs that are part of learning a craft.
Jess and Kelly talk about why seeing other jewellers make mistakes can be so reassuring, how sharing your learning can help build connection and trust with your audience, and why experimenting with techniques outside your usual style can sometimes take your jewellery in a completely unexpected direction.
Kelly is also back on a Jewellers Academy Diploma this year, this time on the new Diploma in Wax Jewellery. She shares what it feels like to become a student again, why she missed the structure and community of learning alongside other jewellers, and how working in wax has given her more freedom to experiment and start again.
 
IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT:
Why the Diploma Diaries were created and how Kelly became the first Diploma Diary creator
What it is really like to document your jewellery-making journey while you are still learning
Why sharing mistakes and difficult moments can be just as useful as sharing successes
How seeing other students learn can make online jewellery courses feel less isolating
Why process content can help customers understand the skill behind handmade jewellery
How documenting your learning can give you months, or even years, of social media content
What Kelly learnt from revisiting her original Silver Diploma Diaries a year later
The different perspectives shared by Emma René, Tori Foster and Jane Taylor through their own Diploma Diaries
Why trying jewellery-making techniques outside your usual style can help you discover new directions
Kelly's experience of starting the Wax Jewellery Diploma and learning to slow down, experiment and work in a completely different way
If you're currently on a Jewellers Academy Diploma, we'd love to see your own Diploma Diaries. You don't need to document the whole year. Share a project, a technique you're learning, something that went wrong, something you're proud of or simply a moment from your week at the bench.
Tag @jewellersacademy and use #DiplomaDiaries so we can follow your journey too.
 
Follow Kelly's journey on Instagram this year @willowandtwigg and discover other Diploma Diaries at @jewellersacademy
Find out more about the Jewellers Academy online jewellery diplomas:
https://www.jewellersacademy.com/diplomas

Scared to show your face on Instagram? Jewellery designer Lauren Gunning knows the feeling.
In this episode, Jess speaks to Lauren about how sharing her personality helped her grow to nearly 30,000 followers, having originally set herself a goal of just 1,500. They explore finding confidence on camera, building connections through honest, imperfect content and the pricing mistake that almost made Lauren give up her jewellery career. Lauren also shares how she transforms found sea glass into gems and builds her business around family life. An encouraging conversation about being yourself, valuing your work and giving your jewellery business a chance to grow.
In this episode, we discuss:
Lauren's journey from her grandmother's bead collection to starting a jewellery business.

How she turns found sea glass into handcrafted jewellery.

Moving beyond product photographs and showing the maker behind the jewellery.

Overcoming the discomfort of seeing and hearing yourself on camera.

Growing an Instagram community through humour and honesty.

Learning to price handmade jewellery to support a sustainable business.

Returning to jewellery making after having children.

Discover Lauren's jewellery and connect with her on Instagram through her website:
Lauren Gunning Jewellery
Explore jewellery courses, free tutorials and business support:
Jewellers Academy

What makes a jewellery business newsworthy and why would a journalist want to write about yours?
In this episode, Anna Campbell is joined by PR and visibility expert Amanda FitzGerald, also known as Major Visibility, to explore how jewellers can uncover the compelling stories already hiding inside their businesses.
Amanda explains why announcing a new collection is not always enough to attract media attention. Instead, journalists are looking for engaging human stories, unusual details and ideas that matter to their readers right now.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why press coverage remains valuable in the age of social media and AI

How to turn your personal journey into a compelling PR story

Why your materials, provenance and creative process matter

How meaningful commissions and customer stories can attract attention

Ways to use local heritage, specialist niches and collaborations

How to connect your story to a trend, event or awareness day

How to identify the right publication and journalist

What to include in a short and effective press pitch

When and how to follow up with journalists

Why local, niche and online coverage can be so valuable

Amanda also shares the remarkable story of her mother Janet Coles, whose bead business grew from a hand-drawn A4 mail-order sheet into a million-pound company, with press coverage playing a major part in its success.
If you have ever wondered, "Why would anyone be interested in my business?", this episode will help you recognise the stories that make your jewellery brand distinctive—and give you the confidence to share them.
About Amanda FitzGerald
Amanda FitzGerald is a PR and visibility expert who helps business owners get seen, heard and recognised through press coverage, podcasts and speaking opportunities. She is passionate about helping women become more confident about self-promotion and turn their expertise into meaningful visibility.
Find Amanda online:
Website: https://amandapr.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaprexpert

If you're getting back to your jewellery business after the summer, you might already have a long list of things you think you should be doing.
But going from zero to overwhelmed isn't the way to build momentum, especially when you're heading towards one of the busiest times of the year for jewellery businesses.
In this episode, Jessica Rose shares her favourite ways to ease back into work, jewellery making and business after a summer break.
She talks about:
why starting small can make it easier to get back into the flow
simple rituals for resetting your jewellery bench and workspace
what to do when your motivation has disappeared
the power of choosing just one thing to move your business forward each day
how to decide what really matters between September and Christmas
choosing three key goals for your jewellery business
focusing on high-impact tasks rather than trying to do everything
preparing your jewellery, website, commissions and marketing for Christmas
creating start-of-day and end-of-day rituals that make running your business more sustainable
how to keep making progress when you only have a small amount of time available
If you've had a proper summer break, been juggling work around school holidays or simply found yourself out of your usual routine, this episode will help you get back to the bench without piling on the pressure.
Remember: you don't have to do everything today. Start with one thing and build from there.
Follow Jewellers Academy on Instagram to join our September challenge, where we'll be sharing one manageable prompt each week to help you reconnect with your audience and build towards the Christmas sales season.
https://www.instagram.com/jewellersacademy

There are so many things you could spend money on when you're starting or growing a jewellery business. New tools, packaging, paid ads, magazine features, more stock, a fancy website... it's very easy for your money to disappear before you've worked out what is actually going to help your business grow.
In this episode, Jessica Rose is joined by Anna Campbell to talk about some of the common places jewellers spend money that may not give them the return they're hoping for.
We talk about paid magazine features, paying for social media exposure, making too much stock, buying packaging in huge quantities, investing in every tool you want, paid advertising, expensive websites and awards. We also share some of our own experiences of spending money on things that, looking back, probably weren't the best investment at that stage of the business.
More importantly, we look at where your money can make a real difference, including investing in your skills, increasing your capacity and building useful business assets such as great photography, your website and your email list.
If you're wondering where to invest your next £500, £1,000 or £2,000 in your jewellery business, this episode will help you make that decision much more consciously.
 
In this episode, we cover:
What to ask yourself before making a big business purchase

Why paid magazine features may not deliver the sales you expect

Why more followers doesn't necessarily mean more customers

How much jewellery stock you really need when you're starting out

Why buying packaging in bulk can be a false economy

How to decide whether an expensive jewellery tool is worth the investment

Why paid advertising may not be the best place to start

How simple your first jewellery website can be

What to look for when entering business and jewellery awards

The three areas we believe are worth investing in: skills, capacity and assets

 
Jewellery Business Academy
If you're serious about growing a sustainable and profitable jewellery business, enrolment for the next Jewellery Business Academy will be opening soon.
https://www.jewellersacademy.com/the-jewellery-business-academy
The Academy is our year-long programme supporting jewellers with the business side of growing their jewellery brand, with training, mentoring and support throughout the year.
Sign up to be informed when Jewellery Business Academy enrolment opens:
LET ME KNOW!