b'BIG G E S TS U C C E S S E SJewelry store owners reflect on what theyve gottenright and wrong in their first years of business.Tiny Gods is co-located with an art gallery, which brings a visual synergy to the store. RACHAEL NOV, GIN & THEwe are more than happy to accommodate BANKER A smattering of Gigiand continue.SUCCESS:We have curated our designerClozeau charms stocked at Gin & The Bankerselection well, allowing each designer toMISTAKE: See our answer about success-stand out and not compete with the design- es! It is hard to scale thebusinesswithout ers they sit next to. Not oversaturating ourlosing a touch of the on-demand offerings, store and keeping our selection tight allowsbut we will continue to make the quality ex-each designer to get the recognition andperience our first priority, even if that means attention they deserve. pacing our growth.MISTAKE: Mistaking that I cant be bothDON PURCELL, DON PURCELLkind and assertive. SUCCESS: We have consistently engaged the community with our trunk shows and RYAN RYAN, THE FINE JEWELRY BAR events. We create an experience at our events, which are usually catered SUCCESS: Carrying out the high standards I set for myself from thewith a bar and DJ.beginning to make shopping at The Fine Jewelry Bar an experience the customer will not easily forget. MISTAKE: The only mistake was not opening my own store sooner.MISTAKE: Underestimating the complications and breadth of retailKATHERINE JETTER, THE VAULT NANTUCKETcoming from being a designer/wholesaler. SUCCESS: I feel really proud of the community we have built with our vendors. There is no competition, no cattiness, just a wonderful group of MICHELLE PENDLETON, PENDLETON JEWELRY designers who all love and support one another in the most beautiful way.SUCCESS: Since the stores entire existence has been during the pan-demic, I feel like we have pivoted in ways we never thought were possible.MISTAKE: Ive made plenty of them and I probably still am. I wouldnt call Private in-store appointments along with video chats, on-demand textit a mistake, but I was very lucky to not sign a lease two weeks before the messaging, home try-on services and otherconcierge-like offerings grewpandemic hitthat would have been a major mistake.As an entrepreneur, exponentially the past year and now have become standard practices, whichIve learned that hiring people from a company culture perspective is more important than a conceptual hire.MARY MARGARET BEAVER, TINY GODSSUCCESS: I have trusted my instincts and have made it a point totake chances.MISTAKE: I opened in such a whirlwind that, at times, I was so living and breathing and working in the moment that I didnt allow for thoughtful far-future planning. This I know I can do better!A view of the showcases andNATIONAL JEWELER 63colorful dcor at Atlanta jewelry store Don Purcell'