Hi everyone, I'm Brenda from Kalamazoo, MI. I am looking to apply what I learn from here to high end fine jewelry sales (custom $15k +) and my AirBNB business. I'm glad to be hear and have learned a great deal already :) Brenda

What did I do? I liked posts by the other leaders, lol. But they deserved the likes!

I did 2 world-wide searches to find the highest quality 8x diamond available for sale anywhere in the world. This is it, and I've got it on hold for a couple from California while we work on completing the design. I've also attached a videos of the two possible wedding bands and a mock-up of the engagement ring and wedding band together. I got some great advice from Prince about creating urgency. The truth is, I can only keep the diamond on hold for them for a set amount of time. So I've emphasized me not wanting them to lose their best-in-the-world diamond while we continue to work on the design. Tonight at 9:30 PM I will have a discussion with the groom about getting the diamond now ($9k), and then waiting to pay for the rest of the engagement ring once design is complete; everything is set for the wedding band, but that isn't needed for a while and so can be paid for and custom made a bit later. This couple is from California and they just purchased their first house this past weekend, so they have an entire house to furnish. I've also added Affirm and Klarna to the available payment methods so they have 0% financing options. I do know that once they have paid for the 5.08 carat oval diamond, the rest of the sale will come along over time. Here's the thing. With the economy, business for Designs by Nathan (R) (our fine jewelry company) has been so slow that we are considering closing it down until we see the economy recovering. I prayed to God that if He wants us to keep going, that he send us a large sale that would allow us to come current on all debt we owe (~$3k), then purchase the custom design software we need to continue focusing on the $8k to $30k market (the most inflation resistant and least seasonal segment of the jewelry industry). That system is about $3k. Then we need a photography system so that we can actually sell our custom, one-of-a-kind pieces of fine jewelry (another $2k). That totals $8k of expenses. The $9k diamond will net enough to cover half of the debt plus the custom design software that we actually need to complete the design process. The wedding band will cover (which they are definite on, but do not need quite yet) the rest of the debt plus the photography system. And the Engagement Ring/Mounting will be the gravy on top to go out and celebrate with a nice meal.

@Robert Crosby is no longer first on the leader board! We have @Brenda Milton in 3rd, @David E Ellis III in second, and the big dog @Lawrence Evers in first place! Sorry @Robert Crosby, you are now in 4th ps: not attacking rob or normally making posts like this. more of an inside joke thing between @Robert Crosby @David E Ellis III & @Lawrence Evers