New York-Jewelers of America and the Black in Jewelry Coalition are looking for five emerging business owners to join their business incubator.
The organisations announced the Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program (EJAP) last month.
EJAP will guide five business owners, who have been in business between two and five years, through an eight-month educational program designed to help them succeed in the jewellery industry.
“Running a successful business in the jewellery industry isn’t for the faint of heart,” said BIJC President Annie Doresca.
“We created the EJAP with Jewelers of America to provide tangible business support and access to ensure participants can overcome past challenges with greater ease.”
The programme consists of a series of interactive workshops, each led by a different subject matter expert.
Workshop topics include business strategy, human resources and operations, product development and jewellery forensics, accounting, marketing and sales, legal issues and strategy, insurance and security, and ethical sourcing and manufacturing.
At the conclusion of the programme, the five participants will give a presentation of no more than seven minutes on how they will apply what they have learned to their businesses.
Following the presentation, one participant will receive a $5,000 grant and the other four will receive $1,250.
Once completed, the EJAP will continue to support jewellery entrepreneurs through regular check-in calls, quarterly workshops and invitations to industry events.
To apply for the EJAP, participants must own a jewellery business that sells directly to consumers, have a business EIN, reside in the United States, be 18 years of age or older, and be able to attend all workshops and give a final presentation.
Applications are available online and should be completed by 31 October.
Industry professionals interested in serving as subject matter experts can also apply online.
“Access to education is paramount to success,” said David Bonaparte, president and CEO of Jewelers of America.
“Through EJAP, our goal is to provide high-quality content at no cost and help talented business owners achieve longevity in the jewellery industry.”
EJAP is supported by the JCK Industry Fund.
