JRB will launch a jewelry design competition
By http://www.jewelry-wholesale-china.com
Jeweler’s Resource Bureau (JRB) has partnered with StrategyWerx to launch a jewelry design and business competition, called the Future of Design Contest, which will afford one winner more than $250,000 worth of key business services and mentoring from a dozen of the industry’s experts.
“The impact of sound advice and a network of supporters can make all the difference,” Andrea Hill, owner of StrategyWerx, said. “The learning curve of success can be very steep and we’re excited to shorten it for the right folks.”
Applicants must submit examples of their work along with information about their professional plans, giving design and business equal footing in the competition.
Six semi-finalists will be chosen based on their marketing and business accomplishments, plans and designs, and will be interviewed by the judges via video conference call.
In addition to other prizes, all semi-finalists will receive a mentoring meeting with one of the Future of Design’s dream team, comprised of Gurhan, Erica Courtney, Todd Reed, Penny Preville, Lisa Jenks and Robert Lee Morris.
Three finalists will be chosen and flown to New York for the final round of judging, which will be a live, open event during the MJSA Expo New York in March. Each finalist will be given 10 minutes to pitch their plans and designs to the judges and respond to questions from the judges and select retailers, editors and industry members.
The judging panel includes Cindy Edelstein, founder of the JRB; StrategyWerx’s Andrea Hill; Kate Peterson of Performance Concepts; Mendel Rotenberg of Fusion Jewelry and Jim DeMattei of ViewPoint.
“We’ve mixed together our own recipe by bringing together colleagues from every facet of our business,” Edelstein said. “Our judges bring expertise in entrepreneurship, manufacturing, marketing, salesmanship and technology. Our dream team offers hard-earned wisdom learned on the road to success. Our sponsors provide critically important industry exposure and credibility.”
Altogether, it results in a lifetime of knowledge--put into the hands of a newcomer, Edelstein said.
Each judge will provide an element to the prize package: Hill and her team of business analysts will offer counsel on strategic organizational, financial and technological issues. Peterson will provide sales training and introduction to key retailers, and Rotenberg will provide a year’s worth of manufacturing services.
DeMattei will represent the new designer in his showroom for a year and feature them at the Couture show in the ViewPoint booth, and Edelstein will showcase the designer in her globalDESIGN show and offer a year’s worth of representation on JewelryDesignerFinder.com and a suite of marketing tools and resources from JewelersResource.com.
All five judges will also serve as mentors to the winner.
Deadline for entries is Dec. 1. The six semi-finalists will be chosen in January 2012, and the finale will be held at the MJSA Expo New York on March 13.
Application for the competition, rules and regulations, as well as information about the judges can be found here.
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