By
Bob Cox
Several
years ago, I read a fascinating book written by Malcolm Gladwell that
set me free from analysis paralysis, a condition that for years made
me feel like a prisoner of indecisiveness. The book was titled Blink:
The Power of Thinking Without Thinking and the contents of this book
not only altered the course of my life for the better, it also
inspired me to start Go For It Magazine over nine years ago.
Gladwell
committed himself to studying some of the world’s most respected
decision makers and discovered that they relied more on split-second
gut level impressions and less on massive quantities of empirical
data. He pointed out that in the most expensive war game ever
conducted by the Pentagon, a marine officer who played the role of a
rogue military commander outmaneuvered American forces, which were
bogged down by overly complex decision making protocols.
From
the second I walked into Frith & Bradshaw Jewelers in Carmichael,
CA, I relied on those instincts, which have served me well. I was
amazed by how completely at ease I felt, which is something that
seldom happens in my line of work in outside sales. At Frith &
Bradshaw as I was warmly greeting by store associate Scott Streepy,
who then introduced me to the General Manager Jane Trux, who was
equally gracious and friendly.
I
spoke with Jane and their marketing representative Jamie Baker
recently about how Frith & Bradshaw has managed to defy the odds,
survive two devastating recessions and achieve extraordinary success
for the past four decades.
Q:
How did Frith & Bradshaw Jewelers get started?
Jane:
Larry Frith and Rob Bradshaw started the business back in 1984. Larry
worked as an apprentice for many years with another jewelry store and
he believed he could improve some of their practices by starting his
own business with the help of his business partner. Over the years,
he has developed his skills to become a terrific master jeweler.
Q:
What can people expect to find in your store?
Jane:
Frith and Bradshaw Jewelers has a great selection new jewelry and
estate jewelry ranging from the sublime to the truly unique,
including platinum diamond pins with rich sapphires and emeralds to
vintage wedding rings from the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s. We clean
and polish every piece of jewelry and inspect its quality and
durability to ensure that you can wear, love and enjoy your jewelry
as much as we do. We carry more modern designs in our estate jewelry
collection including many diamond halo bridal rings and wedding bands
with Asscher Diamonds and cushion cut diamonds. Many of our customers
comment on our vast selection of new and vintage jewelry that we have
on hand.
Q:
What are some of the things you do that make you special and unique
that people might not know about you?
Jamie:
We make custom jewelry for any occasion. If someone has an idea of a
ring design they want to make from scratch, we can create something
that will work for them that’s within a reasonable budget. Whether
they’re using their Grandmother’s stone or a diamond from Frith &
Bradshaw, we provide everything they need to create their dream
design.
Q:
What are some other things you do here that have helped you succeed
for over 30 years?
Jane:
We have a master jeweler here and most of our repairs are done on
site. We are a full service jewelry store, so we do everything from
simple watch repairs to custom designed jewelry and everything in
between. Jamie: We also have a terrific selection of jewelry in the
store that our customers can see and touch as opposed to just images
on a website.
Q:
Why is it so important to have a master jeweler in your store?
Jamie:
With over 40 years of experience, our master jeweler has the skill
and knowledge to create extraordinary and unique pieces of jewelry.
Jane: He understands the intricacies of all metals and he’s like a
surgeon in many ways.
Q:
I’ve seen the pieces he’s created and they are absolutely
breathtaking.
Jane:
Yes, his level of skill is extraordinary.
Q:
Do you have support people or methods to make custom jewelry?
Jane:
Yes, we also have a computer aided design (CAD) service to assist us
with extremely intricate and detailed work. Our quality control team
oversees every project to ensure the highest quality.
Q:
What are the advantages of buying from Frith & Bradshaw versus
shopping online?
Jane:
If you order jewelry online, there’s no way to touch and feel the
product you’re buying. There’s security in knowing that we’ve
been here for 33 years, standing behind every product we sell and
repair.
Editor’s
notes: For more information about Frith & Bradshaw Jewelers, stop
by their store located at 3933 California Ave. in Carmichael, call
(916) 944-1670 or visit their website at www.fbjewelers.com.
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