JA and BIJC Announce Cohort for Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program

JA and BIJC Announce Cohort for Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program

New York, NY - Black in Jewelry Coalition (BIJC) and Jewelers of America (JA) have announced the selected participants for the second cohort in their jointly developed Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program (EJAP), a series of interactive workshops designed to provide selected new retail jewelry entrepreneurs with a deeper understanding of how to build and maintain a successful business in the jewelry industry.

The cohort will feature the following seven jewelers from six jewelry businesses: Brooke Brinson, Ed & Ethel's Fine Jewelry, Christiansburg, VA; Zoe Clark, CLARK, Brooklyn, NY; Jessenia Landrum, Jevela, Brooklyn, NY; Brittney Moore, Britt Moore Jewelry, Santa Monica, CA; Olga Shatrova, Olga Shatrova Jewelry, Irvine, CA; and Katty Villapando Lyte & Mica Rencher, Shimmer Culture LLC, Franklin Square, NY.

The EJAP program, which is supported by the JCK Industry Fund, will kick off in February with interactive workshops conducted in the following core business topics: business strategy, accounting, HR/operations, legal, product development, jewelry forensics, ethical sourcing, sales, marketing, security and insurance.

"We are thrilled to announce the second cohort of the Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program in partnership with Jewelers of America. This initiative is a powerful tool to support and empower a new generation of jewelry entrepreneurs. The diversity, creativity, and ambition of this cohort represent the future of the industry, and we are honored to help them navigate the complexities of business growth," says Black in Jewelry Coalition President Malyia McNaughton, GIA GG.

After the workshops are complete, participants will provide a presentation encapsulating the program's educational content and how it would be utilized in their business. One of the participants will be eligible to receive a $10,000 grant. The remaining five will be awarded $4,000 each. Following the completion of the EJAP program, the cohort will continue to have access to periodic check-in calls, quarterly workshops, and invitations to industry events.

The EJAP Committee is made up of: Regina Ciarleglio, Jewelers of America; Annie Doresca, Jewelers of America; Molly Fallon, Jewelers of America; Sharie Fogarty, Jewelers of America;

Dahlia Fyffe, Jewelers of America; Amanda Gizzi, Jewelers of America; Lisa Jones, Gemological Institute of America; Malyia McNaughton, Made by Malyia; Susan Posnock, Jewelers of America; Adrianne Sanogo; Black in Jewelry Coalition.

Information on the EJAP can be found on the Black in Jewelry Coalition's website and Jewelers of America's website.