It was 1976 when Milly and Carl Gandia opened Greenwich St. Jewelers in downtown New York Metropolis, a block and a half south of the World Commerce Heart. Over almost three a long time, they constructed a base of loyal shoppers who flocked to the store for repairs and customized items.
However when the towers fell on 9/11, the unspeakable devastation additionally touched their beloved retailer. The structural harm sustained compelled the Gandias to shut for nearly a yr, and once they lastly reopened simply two blocks from their unique location, they discovered the world drastically modified.
“It was actually exhausting to have a enterprise in that neighborhood within the [first] few years after 9/11,” Jennifer Gandia, now co-owner of Greenwich St. Jewelers together with her sister Christina Gandia Gambale, tells Entrepreneur. “We used to joke about tumbleweeds coming down the road. It was very quiet.”
On the time, Gandia was working in advertising and marketing at a cosmetics firm, however she left that place in 2003, placing her expertise to make use of at her mother or father’s store. Gandia Gambale, nonetheless in faculty then, watched the “camaraderie” take form and wished to affix in too. So, after graduating from GIA with a gemology diploma and dealing at a few completely different firms, that is precisely what she did.
Alongside the best way, each sisters have realized rather a lot about what it takes to construct again and persevere within the face of staggering but distinct challenges spanning a long time.
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“There was at all times a ‘Let’s attempt it, let’s have a look at’ mentality. And I feel that basically allowed us to outlive in these moments.”
In that preliminary interval post-9/11, Gandia says yearly was essential. Greater than something, it was about “maintaining afloat,” which included using the help providers obtainable to companies impacted by the assaults. One of many packages supplied a coach to combine extra expertise into the enterprise, finally inspiring them to revamp their stock course of and set up an internet site in 2006.
Gandia’s advertising and marketing background additionally performed a big function within the enterprise’s build-back.
“I used to be constantly searching for methods to let individuals know that we have been open and what we do,” Gandia explains. “We’re a service enterprise — we offer to the neighborhood with jewellery restore, watch restore. Individuals have been nonetheless having birthdays; they have been nonetheless getting engaged. And folks wished to help native companies.”
Greenwich St. Jewelers joined Metropolis Search, a now-defunct overview platform much like Yelp, for additional publicity, and acquired in on the digital advertising and marketing sport, which was comparatively cheap on the time.
“We have been early adopters of that,” Gandia says, “and it paid off.”
Greenwich St. Jewelers had as soon as relied on clients within the instant neighborhood — however the brand new advertising and marketing period flipped that normal on its head.
“Now, we have been pulling individuals in actually from all around the metropolis,” Gandia says, “generally from Brooklyn or Connecticut. In order that was one of many methods we began to develop past our neighborhood, which we needed to do for survival.”
Being in “survival mode” meant attempting no matter would possibly work, together with opening the store on the weekends — one thing the Gandias had by no means completed earlier than.
“It is a testomony to all of us, and particularly our mother and father — when shifts needed to occur, or we would have liked to pivot, everybody very a lot had an open thoughts and was prepared to attempt,” Gandia Gambale says. “There was at all times a ‘Let’s attempt it, let’s have a look at’ mentality. And I feel that basically allowed us to outlive in these moments.”
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Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Greenwich St. Jewelers
“For founders and people who find themselves going by means of this scary time, look inside your small business for the issues which are type of recession-proof, if that is attainable.”
That willingness to pivot wherever attainable was obligatory only a few years later when the 2008 recession hit.
As soon as once more, Gandia drew on her cosmetics background to navigate the chaos. Accustomed to the “lipstick impact” — the phenomenon of individuals persevering with to splurge on small luxuries, like lipstick, throughout occasions of financial disaster — Gandia wished to use that logic to the household enterprise. What is going to people who find themselves used to coming in purchase with out desirous about it an excessive amount of? The reply required some flexibility.
“For a time, we introduced in product traces that weren’t what we usually bought,” Gandia says. “So we introduced what’s referred to as bridge or trend product, so it was nonetheless made with gems, however possibly it was gold vermeil or sterling silver.”
Greenwich St. Jewelers additionally constructed out its bridal choices as a result of, simply as was the case within the uncertainty following 9/11, some issues, like individuals getting married, are fixed regardless of the circumstances.
After all, that truth stays simply as related as we speak, as inflation and recession fears go away many enterprise house owners questioning what, precisely, their subsequent strikes needs to be.
“For founders and people who find themselves going by means of this scary time, look inside your small business for the issues which are type of recession-proof, if that is attainable,” Gandia advises. “Even when it is not one thing that is going to develop you numerous, however simply goes that will help you survive lean occasions, and focus your consideration and time on that.”
Moreover, Gandia recommends maintaining the traces of communication between your small business and its companions open and productive. “Take the time to attach with [your partners] and see for those who can anticipate points that you just may need,” she says. “Speak about easy methods to get by means of this factor collectively if there are issues — if there is a money stream drawback, if there’s a list drawback. What can we do to work collectively to maintain each of our companies going?”
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Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Greenwich St. Jewelers
“We have been right here earlier than, and we are able to do that once more, so let’s put our heads collectively and see what has to occur.”
In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic offered Greenwich St. Jewelers with challenges each outdated and new.
Gandia Gambale recollects panic setting in: Not solely was the enterprise’s instant outlook unsure, however the nature of the well being disaster got here with further hurdles.
“I feel what helped us instantly in our thought course of was like, ‘Okay, we have been right here earlier than, and we are able to do that once more,'” Gandia Gambale says. “So let’s put our heads collectively and see what has to occur.”
Regardless of having an internet site, the majority of Greenwich St. Jewelers’ enterprise passed off in-store, so a speedy pivot to distant transactions was important.
“We began doing digital appointments in a short time,” Gandia Gambale says. “We occurred to be ready to launch a brand new web site round that very same time. So we pushed that ahead to ensure that that web site was up and operating inside a month of being closed.”
“I bear in mind one of many first conversations was like, ‘Okay, we have to tech everybody up huge time,'” Gandia provides. “We have been sending our workers iPads and ensuring they’d what they wanted at house. We did must furlough and lay off some individuals.”
Gandia and Gandia Gambale needed to translate the in-store expertise that earned them rave opinions into an equally spectacular digital one, and, happily, well-practiced in rising to the surprising event, they have been capable of do exactly that.
The sisters and co-owners of Greenwich St. Jewelers have seen rather a lot over the a long time, and, like all entrepreneurs and enterprise leaders, they know they must be ready for no matter comes their manner subsequent. However take it from them — with a little bit of agility and cautious planning, even the most important enterprise challenges may be overcome.
“A giant piece of recommendation that I may give to different entrepreneurs is to know your small business from the monetary aspect,” Gandia Gambale says. “Perceive the place your bills are, what’s fastened, what’s variable, and plan for 3 situations: The one the place you develop, the one the place you keep constant and the one the place you are under.”
Supply: Entrepreneur