Send us a text Building Authentic Relationships and Business Integrity with Brianna Zenna In this episode of The Jeweler's View, host Courtney Gray welcomes Brianna Zenna, a leader in the permanent jewelry industry and serial entrepreneur. They discuss Brianna's entrepreneurial journey from vacuum sales to owning multiple businesses, highlighting the value of collaboration over competition, and the importance of building meaningful relationships in business. The conversation dives deep...
Send us a text For over a century, Gesswein has been a trusted name for jewelers, manufacturers, and studios around the world, providing tools, technology, and hands-on support to help them stay ahead in a changing industry. In this episode of The Jeweler’s View, I sit down with Roger Gesswein to talk about the company’s family legacy, how they’ve embraced innovation while staying true to their values, and why partnerships matter now more than ever. From new technologies like elec...
Send us a text In this episode of The Jeweler's View, Courtney Gray, a metalsmith educator and business strategist, reflects on the impactful 'Transform' course she created, designed to bridge the gap between creativity and business. She shares inspiring stories of women from diverse backgrounds—scientists, retirees, fine artists, and career jewelers—who have taken the course and experienced significant personal and professional growth. From gaining business structure and confidence to reigni...
Send us a text In this episode of The Jeweler's View, Courtney Gray, a metalsmith educator and creative business strategist, shares her journey in the jewelry industry and the creation of her course, Transform. Gray highlights the impact of her course on various women who have faced unique challenges in their jewelry-making careers. These women, including Breeta, Sophia, Mary, and Andrea, experienced significant personal and professional growth through the course, gaining confidence, clarity,...
Send us a text In this episode of The Jeweler's View, hosted by Courtney Gray, a seasoned metalsmith educator and creative business strategist, Courtney shares personal experiences and profound insights on the transformative power of struggle. Reflecting on her son's journey and her own professional challenges, she emphasizes that struggle is an inevitable part of life and business, not a sign of weakness. Instead of avoiding it, she encourages listeners to embrace and learn from their ...
Send us a text In this episode of The Jeweler's View, Courtney Gray emphasizes the importance of viewing mistakes not as failures, but as opportunities for growth and innovation. Drawing from her experience as a metalsmith and stories from various industries, including the invention of WD-40, Post-it notes, and the light bulb, she illustrates how 'happy accidents' can lead to incredible breakthroughs. Gray shares personal anecdotes and challenges listeners to reframe their approach to mistake...
Send us a text Courtney Gray, a veteran metalsmith educator and creative business strategist, welcomes listeners to another enriching episode of 'The Jeweler's View.' Joined by Jeanette Caines, the conversation dives into the inevitable mishaps in metalworking, emphasizing the importance of embracing mistakes as essential learning opportunities. Jeanette shares her philosophy that perfection is an illusion and that true mastery comes from understanding and executing the basics flawlessly. The...
Send us a text In this episode of The Jeweler's View, Courtney Gray introduces master goldsmith Jeanette Kaines as they demystify working with gold. They discuss overcoming the emotional barriers many jewelers face, like the fear of making mistakes with this precious material. Jeanette shares her insights on why gold, despite its high value, is delightful and not significantly more difficult to work with than silver. They emphasize the importance of persistence, sharing knowledge, and l...
Send us a text In this episode of The Jeweler's View, Courtney Gray shares insights from her personal journey and professional experience to help artists and creators identify the subtle signs of moving too fast. She discusses the dangers of urgency becoming the norm and offers practical strategies for slowing down and reconnecting with your creative purpose. Courtney emphasizes the importance of mindful pauses, completing tasks, and creating space for rest and reflection to prevent burnout. ...
Send us a text In this heartfelt episode of 'The Jeweler's View,' Courtney Gray reflects on the importance of self-care and rest during challenging times. As she navigates the emotional weight of supporting loved ones and maintaining her business, she shares her journey of learning to prioritize her well-being without waiting for a full-blown crisis. Courtney emphasizes the value of tuning into one's body, taking intentional pauses, and creating space for rest. This episode serves as a gentle...
Send us a text This one’s personal. In this episode, I open up about a health crisis that forced me to slow down, look inward, and face some hard truths about the ways I was getting in my own way—even when everything looked “productive” on the surface. We’ll talk about how self-sabotage often masks itself as perfectionism, overwork, procrastination, or staying small—and why it’s usually rooted in survival, not weakness. If you’ve ever delayed launching something, downplayed your prices, staye...
Send us a text This special episode of The Jeweler's View features host Courtney Gray moderating an engaging discussion with four accomplished artists and educators on the impact of AI in creative studios. The panel, consisting of Bette Barnett, Melissa Muir, Holly Gage, and Jeanette K Caines, delves into their personal experiences, concerns, and ethical considerations surrounding AI technology. From practical uses like organizing thoughts and enhancing productivity to the fears of inte...
Send us a text 🎧 REPLAY: Do It Until You Become It (Confidence for Creatives) Hey there, it’s Courtney—and we’re officially one week out from the next round of Transform! This is the second time I’m running this six-week course for jewelry makers who are ready to move forward with clarity, confidence, and a real plan. As we count down, I wanted to reshare one of the most-loved episodes of this podcast—because confidence is something we all wrestle with. If you’ve ever felt unsure, stuck, or a...
Send us a text In this episode of 'The Jeweler's View,' host Courtney Gray dives into an inspiring conversation with Bette Barnett, the founder of Studio Migoto. They discuss the profound benefits of starting anew at any age and how age can be a superpower. Bette shares her intriguing journey from a long career in corporate communications to becoming a renowned metalsmith in her sixties. They explore the joy and freedom that comes with embracing a creative passion later in life, the challenge...
Send us a text In this episode of The Jeweler's View, host Courtney Gray shares her extensive experience from 25 years in the jewelry industry to help artists and jewelers build supportive systems for their creative businesses. She emphasizes that simple, intuitive systems can provide freedom and reduce overwhelm. Courtney discusses the importance of having strategies for customer communication, pricing, custom work, and marketing to maintain a smooth workflow and professional presence. With ...
Send us a text In this episode of The Jeweler's View, metalsmith educator and creative business strategist Courtney Gray delves into the subtle but crucial shifts that drive long-term growth for creative business owners. Courtney shares her personal journey, emphasizing the importance of small, grounding adjustments over flashy moves. She introduces three 'energy insights' to help listeners identify sustainable practices within their businesses, and offers practical steps to turn these insigh...
Send us a text In this episode of 'The Jeweler's View,' Courtney Gray draws from her extensive experience in the jewelry industry to offer invaluable advice for creators seeking to build a sustainable and fulfilling business. She introduces the concept of 'creative authority,' emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries and aligning one's work with personal values. Courtney shares her journey of overcoming the pressures of constantly saying yes and how establishing firm, value-driven bou...
Send us a text In this episode of 'The Jeweler's View,' host Courtney Gray, an experienced metalsmith and business strategist, shares invaluable insights from her 25-year journey in the jewelry industry. Courtney discusses the importance of refining your creative business with ease and intention, emphasizing that it's not always about starting fresh but starting over with the wisdom and experience gained. She shares her personal story of selling her established business and rebuilding it with...
Send us a text In this episode of The Jewelers View, Courtney Gray shares her journey of reinvention after the sale of her company and the collapse of her perceived identity. Drawing on her extensive experience in the jewelry industry, Courtney provides insights and advice on how to navigate significant shifts in work, purpose, or identity. She emphasizes that reinvention doesn't necessarily mean starting from scratch but rather building on existing strengths and being honest about what...
Send us a text Reclaiming My Voice: The True Story Behind Selling My Jewelry School In this episode of The Jewelers View, Courtney Gray takes us on a deeply personal journey, sharing her experiences of running Creative Side Jewelry Academy for 15 years, the challenges that led to its sale, and the difficult path of reclaiming her identity post-sale. From the highs and lows of her career to dealing with personal crises, Courtney opens up about the process of letting go and finding her voice ag...