The Jeweler's View

Courtney Gray
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

A podcast not only for Jewelry Makers, but all Creative Movers and Shakers,  connecting entrepreneurs and aspiring creatives in with the resources, knowledge, and mindset support they need to achieve goals they once thought impossible. 

  1. 4d ago

    #84: Are You Waiting for the Perfect Setup? Unleash Your Creativity Now

    Send us Fan Mail Resourcefulness Over Readiness: Building Momentum and Confidence as a Jeweler Courtney Gray welcomes listeners to The Jeweler’s View and shares lessons from nearly 30 years in the jewelry industry about what moves creative careers forward. She challenges the belief that growth starts after buying better tools, branding, or equipment, noting she has seen creativity stall in fully equipped studios while strong work emerges from limited setups. The episode focuses on resourcefulness, momentum, and how confidence is built through action rather than waiting to feel ready. Gray explains how “getting ready” can disguise perfectionism and fear of being seen, and how constraints can sharpen creativity, including in jewelry photography through understanding light and practicing repetition. She emphasizes that problem-solving builds self-trust, encourages small, imperfect steps, and cautions against romanticizing burnout while urging makers not to postpone their creative life for perfect conditions. We cover: 00:00 Welcome to the Show 00:32 The Gear Trap 01:24 The Ready When Myth 02:15 Perfectionism and Vulnerability 03:06 Constraints Spark Creativity 04:09 Better Photos Without Fancy Gear 04:55 Confidence Through Reps 06:13 Invest Without Waiting 07:25 Use What You Have 07:55 Closing and Next Steps Support the show Visit www.CourtneyGrayArts.com to read more about what I offer.  Be sure to follow The Jeweler’s View so you never miss an episode! Now you can watch on You Tube: @theJeweler'sView. I’d love it if you could subscribe, and leave a rating and review by scrolling down on the main show page, this helps the podcast reach more amazing listeners like you.  💎 Have thoughts to share or just want to say hi? Reach out anytime and be sure to get on my VIP newsletter list. Welcome to the tribe! – Courtney Helping Jewelry Creatives access the knowledge, resources, and mindset they need to achieve goals they once thought impossible. Connect with me or check out the Transform Your Jewelry Business course at  www.CourtneyGrayArts.com 🤗 Linktree: All the Things  🎁 Get your FREE guide: Courage, Clarity, and Customers  and  ...

    9 min

  2. Jun 9

    #83: Let Your Art Speak: The Magic of Wearing Your Work

    Send us Fan Mail Let Your Jewelry Leave the Bench: Small Visibility That Builds Confidence Courtney Gray introduces The Jeweler’s View and explains that jewelry gains traction through everyday wear, not just big launches or shows. She argues many makers get stuck waiting to feel “ready,” even though movement and visibility are what build confidence.  By wearing your work—especially experimental pieces—or letting trusted people wear it, you gather real-world feedback on comfort, scale, movement, and emotional impact, and you learn what resonates without needing every interaction to become a sale. The same idea applies online: share process, experiments, and evolving work through consistent small moments of presence.  Gray emphasizes visibility can be small and intentional, not performative or influencer-driven. Her weekly “bench note” is to wear something you made, observe reactions and questions, and notice what the work teaches you. We cover: 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:35 Jewelry Travels With People 01:51 Why Makers Stay Hidden 02:44 Wear the Experimental Pieces 03:32 Real World Feedback Loop 04:30 Confidence Is Tiny Evidence 05:20 Visibility Online Too 06:27 Small Intentional Visibility 07:13 Bench Note Challenge 07:49 Closing and Next Steps Support the show Visit www.CourtneyGrayArts.com to read more about what I offer.  Be sure to follow The Jeweler’s View so you never miss an episode! Now you can watch on You Tube: @theJeweler'sView. I’d love it if you could subscribe, and leave a rating and review by scrolling down on the main show page, this helps the podcast reach more amazing listeners like you.  💎 Have thoughts to share or just want to say hi? Reach out anytime and be sure to get on my VIP newsletter list. Welcome to the tribe! – Courtney Helping Jewelry Creatives access the knowledge, resources, and mindset they need to achieve goals they once thought impossible. Connect with me or check out the Transform Your Jewelry Business course at  www.CourtneyGrayArts.com 🤗 Linktree: All the Things  🎁 Get your FREE guide: Courage, Clarity, and Customers  and  ...

    9 min

  3. Jun 2

    #82: Unlocking Your Audience: Who Connects with Your Creative Work?

    Send us Fan Mail Stop Guessing Your Jewelry Customer: Find the Patterns That Drive Visibility Courtney Gray introduces The Jeweler’s View and explains that many makers assume their customer is “someone like me,” which can become outdated as their work and audience evolve.  She argues that understanding who actually resonates with your jewelry is foundational to visibility and affects messaging, engagement, sales channels (Etsy vs. galleries), presentation, and pricing; if the customer picture is fuzzy, everything downstream gets fuzzy. Instead of inventing a fictional ideal customer, she recommends looking for patterns and evidence: which pieces get picked up, tried on, saved, shared, commented on, reordered, or sell fastest, what price points move, and what feedback galleries, retailers, and staff hear.  If this conversation resonates, Systems That Save Time and Transform are both open now at courtneygrayarts.com What we cover: 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:35 Are You Your Customer 01:44 Why Customer Clarity Matters 02:54 Find Patterns Not Personas 03:36 Collect Feedback Everywhere 04:08 Learn From Retail Partners 04:59 Make Listening a Practice 05:44 Transform and Next Steps 06:46 Final Thanks and Sendoff Support the show Visit www.CourtneyGrayArts.com to read more about what I offer.  Be sure to follow The Jeweler’s View so you never miss an episode! Now you can watch on You Tube: @theJeweler'sView. I’d love it if you could subscribe, and leave a rating and review by scrolling down on the main show page, this helps the podcast reach more amazing listeners like you.  💎 Have thoughts to share or just want to say hi? Reach out anytime and be sure to get on my VIP newsletter list. Welcome to the tribe! – Courtney Helping Jewelry Creatives access the knowledge, resources, and mindset they need to achieve goals they once thought impossible. Connect with me or check out the Transform Your Jewelry Business course at  www.CourtneyGrayArts.com 🤗 Linktree: All the Things  🎁 Get your FREE guide: Courage, Clarity, and Customers  and  ...

    8 min

  4. May 26

    #81: Part 2: Building a Jewelry Business That Evolves With You From Wholesale to Direct-to-Consumer, Brick & Mortar & Hard-Won Lessons

    Send us Fan Mail Building a Jewelry Business Without Losing Yourself: Resilience, Team, and Retail Growth with Stacey King Courtney Gray hosts The Jewelers View and continues her conversation with Stacey King about what it takes to build and grow Lulu Designs while staying aligned with the work.  Stacey links her “latchkey kid” upbringing to resilience, learning from tough moments, and putting art first while relying on a healthy support system and community. She shares hard business lessons from wholesale, including over-inventory, cash-flow strain, long corporate payment terms, and the risk of relying on single large accounts, including an unpaid $11,000 invoice.  Stacey emphasizes incorporating early, using business borrowing/credit to reduce personal financial exposure, and investing in coaching. She discusses shifting toward more direct retail through a studio-plus-flagship store in Mill Valley, offering repairs and services, maintaining select wholesale partners, and valuing authentic in-person experiences amid AI-generated content.  Stacey describes a word-of-mouth-built team of master bench jewelers and looks ahead to more custom and one-of-a-kind work, ending with advice to make friends with change. We cover: 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:35 Episode Focus Shift 01:21 Resilience And Art First 03:57 Community And Reps 05:48 Inventory And Wholesale Risks 07:34 Incorporation And Borrowing 09:10 Protecting The Artist 09:57 Learning From Coaches 10:41 Pivot From Wholesale 12:26 Retailer Storytelling Limits 13:07 Opening a Tiny Store 14:02 Studio-Backed Brick and Mortar 14:54 Repairs and Local Services 15:26 Authenticity in the AI Era 16:21 Building a Word-of-Mouth Team 17:45 Custom Work and One-of-a-Kinds 18:57 Make Friends With Change 20:38 Glasses and Closing Reflections 22:16 Sponsor and Final Sendoff Support the show Visit www.CourtneyGrayArts.com to read more about what I offer.  Be sure to follow The Jeweler’s View so you never miss an episode! Now you can watch on You Tube: @theJeweler'sView. I’d love it if you could subscribe, and leave a rating and review by scrolling down on the main show page, this helps the podcast reach more amazing listeners like you.  💎 Have thoughts to share or just want to say hi? Reach out anytime and be sure to get on my VIP newsletter list. Welcome to the tribe! – Courtney Helping Jewelry Creatives access the knowledge, resources, and mindset they need to achieve goals they once thought impossible. Connect with me or check out the Transform Your Jewelry Business course at  www.CourtneyGrayArts.com 🤗 Linktree: All the Things  🎁 Get your FREE guide: Courage, Clarity, and Customers  and  ...

    24 min

  5. May 19

    #80: Part 1: Staying in the Magic: How to Stay Creative While Running a Jewelry Business

    Send us Fan Mail Staying in the Magic: Stacy King of Lulu Designs on Process, Tools, and Play in the Jewelry Studio In this Jewelers View studio conversation, host interviews Stacy King, founder of Lulu Designs, about staying “in the magic” while building a sustainable jewelry business. King describes creativity as presence and flow, shaped by her background in ceramics, dyslexia, and learning through repeated failure before the internet, and emphasizes collaboration and community over working alone.  She discusses resisting distraction and comparison from social media by keeping a daily grounding practice (reading, natural light, movement, and time in nature). King explains that she rarely sketches, instead letting materials, symbolism, botanicals, and experimentation lead, often supported by teammates like illustrator Christina.  She details how tools like a laser cutter, laser engraver/welder, and a Bonny Doon press are chosen to solve production, physical strain, and inventory/cash issues amid rising metal prices, and she protects creative R&D with a non-negotiable “Fun Day Friday.” What we cover: 00:00 Welcome to the Studio 01:37 Staying in the Magic 03:32 Learning Through Failure 05:35 Grounding Rituals and Distractions 08:00 Design Without Sketching 10:00 Where Ideas Begin 10:25 Tools Travel and Botanicals 12:29 Letting Materials Lead 13:33 Just Jewelry Perspective 13:57 Jewelry as Memory 14:45 Energy and Intention 15:33 Ego and Skill Building 16:55 Choosing the Right Tools 17:12 Bonny Doon Press Benefits 20:07 Metal Prices and Creativity 20:36 Fun Day Friday Playtime 23:16 Gratitude Over Comparison 25:35 Closing and Next Episode Support the show Visit www.CourtneyGrayArts.com to read more about what I offer.  Be sure to follow The Jeweler’s View so you never miss an episode! Now you can watch on You Tube: @theJeweler'sView. I’d love it if you could subscribe, and leave a rating and review by scrolling down on the main show page, this helps the podcast reach more amazing listeners like you.  💎 Have thoughts to share or just want to say hi? Reach out anytime and be sure to get on my VIP newsletter list. Welcome to the tribe! – Courtney Helping Jewelry Creatives access the knowledge, resources, and mindset they need to achieve goals they once thought impossible. Connect with me or check out the Transform Your Jewelry Business course at  www.CourtneyGrayArts.com 🤗 Linktree: All the Things  🎁 Get your FREE guide: Courage, Clarity, and Customers  and  ...

    27 min

  6. May 12

    #79: Imperfect Action and Moving Forward (Encore)

    Send us Fan Mail Imperfect Action and Moving Forward: Building Momentum When Nothing Feels Ready Courtney Gray closes a three-part creative cycle series on The Jeweler’s View by focusing on imperfect action, staying in motion without waiting for ideal conditions, after episodes on resistance and flow.  She shares how her all-or-nothing sprint style led to burnout and how sustainable progress comes from rhythm, one priority at a time, pivots, and celebrating micro wins.  A community member’s story illustrates the cycle: inspiration, tech issues that stalled a gallery application, a dog destroying a lapis pendant, avoidance tasks, then a small win (ordering a Maker’s Mark) that reignited momentum; she sent the application despite issues and was invited to join the gallery and an art crawl. Gray emphasizes that stumbles build skill and resilience, later is now, and Transform reopens in June. We cover: 00:00 Welcome Back Encore 01:01 Imperfect Action Intro 01:53 All Or Nothing Burnout 02:32 Start Before Ready 03:07 Gallery Application Story 04:23 Small Wins Momentum 05:33 What Progress Looks Like 06:01 Practical Imperfect Tips 07:10 Perfectionism And Resistance 07:43 Start Now Transform 08:29 Weekly Challenge Cycle 08:58 Closing And Outro Support the show Visit www.CourtneyGrayArts.com to read more about what I offer.  Be sure to follow The Jeweler’s View so you never miss an episode! Now you can watch on You Tube: @theJeweler'sView. I’d love it if you could subscribe, and leave a rating and review by scrolling down on the main show page, this helps the podcast reach more amazing listeners like you.  💎 Have thoughts to share or just want to say hi? Reach out anytime and be sure to get on my VIP newsletter list. Welcome to the tribe! – Courtney Helping Jewelry Creatives access the knowledge, resources, and mindset they need to achieve goals they once thought impossible. Connect with me or check out the Transform Your Jewelry Business course at  www.CourtneyGrayArts.com 🤗 Linktree: All the Things  🎁 Get your FREE guide: Courage, Clarity, and Customers  and  ...

    10 min

  7. May 5

    #78: When Urgency Undoes Alignment (Encore)

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Jeweler’s View, Courtney Gray revisits a top Transform members’ topic on how urgency can masquerade as productivity while undermining clarity, alignment, and sustainable momentum.  She shares that her burnout came from moving too fast, overcommitting, launching before things were ready, and losing presence and joy, and recounts a painful mistake made while rushing, accidentally sharing a private internal Google Doc with her team, causing lasting hurt.  She explains that urgency is often fear-driven (FOMO, fear of being forgotten, fear of falling behind) and is reinforced by hustle culture, with costs including burnout, resentment, unclear messaging, half-finished ideas, and broken trust.  She encourages creatives to slow down, honor natural rhythms, build breathing room and deep work time, and reflect on where they can reduce speed by 10%, offering support through her website and discovery calls. What we cover: 00:00 Urgency vs Momentum 01:04 Podcast Intro and Resources 01:28 Burnout from Moving Fast 02:22 The Costly Google Doc Mistake 03:29 Urgency Feels Productive 04:48 Why We Rush and Burn Out 05:38 Find Your Natural Rhythm 06:32 Practicing Space Over Speed 07:07 Slow Down and Recalibrate 07:41 Support and Closing Support the show Visit www.CourtneyGrayArts.com to read more about what I offer.  Be sure to follow The Jeweler’s View so you never miss an episode! Now you can watch on You Tube: @theJeweler'sView. I’d love it if you could subscribe, and leave a rating and review by scrolling down on the main show page, this helps the podcast reach more amazing listeners like you.  💎 Have thoughts to share or just want to say hi? Reach out anytime and be sure to get on my VIP newsletter list. Welcome to the tribe! – Courtney Helping Jewelry Creatives access the knowledge, resources, and mindset they need to achieve goals they once thought impossible. Connect with me or check out the Transform Your Jewelry Business course at  www.CourtneyGrayArts.com 🤗 Linktree: All the Things  🎁 Get your FREE guide: Courage, Clarity, and Customers  and  ...

    10 min

  8. Apr 28

    #77 Building a Cohesive Collection (Encore)

    Send us Fan Mail Build a Cohesive Jewelry Collection: The 3–5 Piece Framework Courtney revisits a Transform members’ top pick episode on how to build a cohesive jewelry collection without getting overwhelmed or stuck in endless experimentation.  Using the example of a student whose 40-piece spread looked like multiple different jewelers, she explains that selling and presenting work becomes easier when pieces feel connected—like siblings—rather than disconnected experiments.  She shares a simple three-to-five piece framework: choose one through line (shape, texture, technique, metal, or color story), create one anchor piece that carries the narrative, then build two to four supporting pieces that reference the same element. She emphasizes simplifying materials, avoiding adding new techniques mid-collection, using photos and boards to spot inconsistencies, and treating repetition as mastery and recognition.  The action step is to identify or create an anchor piece and plan its “siblings,” with a preview of an upcoming episode on approaching galleries and retailers. We cover: 00:00 Why Cohesion Matters 01:33 The Scattered Desk Story 02:50 Three to Five Framework 03:33 Pick Your Through Line 04:20 Anchor and Siblings 05:37 Simplify Materials 06:16 Repetition Builds Value 07:29 Extra Tools and Rules 08:36 This Week Action Step 09:13 Next Episode and Wrap 09:42 Final Outro Support the show Visit www.CourtneyGrayArts.com to read more about what I offer.  Be sure to follow The Jeweler’s View so you never miss an episode! Now you can watch on You Tube: @theJeweler'sView. I’d love it if you could subscribe, and leave a rating and review by scrolling down on the main show page, this helps the podcast reach more amazing listeners like you.  💎 Have thoughts to share or just want to say hi? Reach out anytime and be sure to get on my VIP newsletter list. Welcome to the tribe! – Courtney Helping Jewelry Creatives access the knowledge, resources, and mindset they need to achieve goals they once thought impossible. Connect with me or check out the Transform Your Jewelry Business course at  www.CourtneyGrayArts.com 🤗 Linktree: All the Things  🎁 Get your FREE guide: Courage, Clarity, and Customers  and  ...

    11 min
See All (84)

5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

A podcast not only for Jewelry Makers, but all Creative Movers and Shakers,  connecting entrepreneurs and aspiring creatives in with the resources, knowledge, and mindset support they need to achieve goals they once thought impossible. 

Information

  • Creator
    Courtney Gray
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    84
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Jeweler's View
  • Show Website
    The Jeweler's View

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