Jeff Guntzviller is the General Manager of Miner’s North Jewelers, a specialized jewelry store in Traverse City, Michigan. Established in 1975 as a rock shop by Wayne and Beth Guntzviller, Miner’s North Jewelers is dedicated to providing the ultimate jewelry experience to every customer. Jeff began working full-time after he graduated from Western Michigan University in 2010. He later continued his education at the Gemological Institute of America to become a graduate gemologist. As the store’s General Manager, Jeff envisions Miner’s North Jewelers as the leading jewelry store and diamond destination in Northern Michigan.
Jeff joined us on this episode to discuss what it takes to scale a family business. He talks about his beginnings in the fine jewelry business as well as what motivates him to serve Miner’s North Jewelers’ customers every day. He shares the history of Miner’s North Jewelers and describes what it’s like to operate a local specialty store. Jeff also highlights the importance of keeping your staff happy and underscores the lessons Miner’s North Jewelers learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The retail environment is stressful. But when you have happy people, you have happy customers. That’s important in retail.” – Jeff Guntzviller
This week on Traversing Entrepreneurship
- The history of Miner’s North Jewelers and how Jeff became its current General Manager
- Growing up in downtown Traverse City and what it’s like to run a true family business
- What keeps Jeff passionate about running and scaling the business
- Where the growth of Miner’s North Jewelers comes from
- The importance of keeping your staff happy
- The struggles of rapid growth and owning a fine jewelry business
- How COVID-19 changed Miner’s North Jewelers’ way of doing business
- How local customers supported Miner’s North Jewelers through COVID-19
- Technological changes Miner’s North Jewelers implemented as a response to COVID-19
- The lessons Miner’s North Jewelers learned from COVID-19
Our Favorite Quotes
“Attention to detail is huge in any business.” – Derek Dall’Olmo
“Surround yourself with people smarter than you and rely on different people that are equipped to handle situations better than you can. – Jeff Guntzviller
“There is a common thread among us business owners – we take the next step forward.” – Derek Dall’Olmo
Connect with Jeff Guntzviller
- Miner’s North Jewelers
- Miner’s North Jewelers on Instagram
- Miner’s North Jewelers on Facebook
- Jeff Guntzviller on LinkedIn
- Email: jeffg@minersnorth.com
About TreMonte Tax Solutions and Traversing Entrepreneurship Podcast
Traversing Entrepreneurship is a show for and about business owners in Traverse City, Michigan and beyond. In each episode, host Derek Dall’Olmo sits down with local business owners and the professionals who serve them to talk about business building, life, money, taxes, family — and all the ups and downs that come with doing something different. Join us to hear their stories and lessons learned — and to get inspired about what might be possible in your own business.
Derek Dall’Olmo is the founder of TreMonte Tax Solutions, a tax planning firm that serves business owners and entrepreneurs. This show is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for investment decisions.
Email Derek Dall’Olmo at derek@tremontefinancial.com with questions, comments, and to schedule a one-on-one conversation, and follow him on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Subscribe:
Apple Podcast | Google Podcasts | Amazon Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Deezer | TuneIn
If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on iTunes to help others discover the podcast.