Advertise on podcast: In the Loupe

We break down retargeting as clienteling at scale and explain why it feels like ads “follow you” after you browse jewelry online.  Hope Bellair shares practical ways to segment audiences, choose platforms, set budgets, and measure success beyond last-click sales.  Send us Fan Mail  Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: [email protected]

Mike breaks down the real differences between Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Discord so you can choose a communication platform that fits your team size, tools, and day-to-day work.  We also call out why group Gmail threads, group texts, and WhatsApp usually create noise instead of clarity and how to build a single source of truth.  Send us Fan Mail  Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: [email protected]

Stephen Barnes shares what his first year as owner of IJO really looked like, from decision-making and show strategy to staying grounded when gold prices swing. We talk through how independent jewelers can win with stronger vendor partnerships, smarter education, and a practical approach to tech and e-commerce.  Send us Fan Mail  Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: [email protected]

Mike talks through the loss of his grandmother and the unexpected way her jewelry becomes a bridge between grief, family history, and love.  He shares the story of how an immigrant life, a box of jewelry on a bed, and one garnet brooch shape his view of what jewelry is really for. Send us Fan Mail  Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: [email protected]

Michael talks with David Berdugo, CEO of Caratwise, about why custom jewelry sales break down when momentum stalls and how better UX helps independent jewelers give confident answers fast. We dig into transparency, real-time design, and the ring builder choices that turn “imagine it” into “see it now.”  https://www.caratwise.com/ Send us Fan Mail  Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: [email protected]

We check in with Ross Cockerham about Punchmark’s sprint into faster payments, a rebuilt Vendor Marketing Library, and a shift to a proactive client strategy. Along the way we talk AEO, rising AoVs, and why human support still drives the biggest wins. Send us Fan Mail  Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: [email protected]

Mike talks through four topics not about jewelry that he has been paying attention to that can help reframe the jewelry conversation in a new and interesting way.  The crashing of the rare plant market, an Olympian who capitalized on the spotlight, how publishing Instagram Reels helps with reach in 2026, and a book release event. Send us Fan Mail  Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: [email protected]

Mike sits down with Becka Johnson Kibby, the new CEO of Edge Retail Academy, to unpack real jewelry retail benchmarks, smarter inventory moves, and the coaching habits that outperform the market. We cover vendor partnerships, clienteling that actually works, and how to protect margin without leaning on discounts. Send us Fan Mail  Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: [email protected]

What if brick‑and‑mortar isn’t dying, but splitting into winners and roadkill? We sit down with Peter Smith, former Hearts On Fire president, columnist for National Jeweler, and sales behavior coach, to unpack why independent jewelers just had their strongest five‑year stretch while the total number of stores keeps falling. Peter makes a compelling case that physical retail is both a beginning and an end: a beginning for operators who evolve with data, people, and design, and an end for those who stay stuck in habits from another era. Read the full National Jeweler Article: https://nationaljeweler.com/articles/14583-peter-smith-physical-retail-the-beginning-or-the-end Send us Fan Mail  Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: [email protected]

We talk with Ostbye president Craig MacBean about leading through volatility, integrating a business acquisition without losing its soul, and why staying focused on independent jewelers' wins keeps a vendor business grounded.  Gold climbs, tariffs become unpredictable... yet smart operations, better data, and classic designs keep momentum strong. Send us Fan Mail  Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: [email protected]

We discuss gold’s leap past $5,000 (and back) and unpack why refiners are pausing intake even as demand soars. David Siminski explains the credit and capacity squeeze, the silver backlog, and how jewelers can navigate cash settlements versus physical exchanges. Send us Fan Mail  Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: [email protected]

We talk with Eric Lux, President of Rembrandt Charms, about why charms convert so well online, how vertical integration keeps shelves stocked, and what smart marketing does for repeat sales.  Learn more about Rembrandt Charms: rembrandtcharms.com Send us Fan Mail  Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: [email protected]

We bring back StoneAlgo's CEO, Devin Jones, to share how a human concierge turns website visitors into verified, high-intent appointments. We also dive into engagement ring trend data across lab grown and natural diamond purchases, straight from the StoneAlgo platform.  Book a Demo with StoneAlgo: https://getjeweleros.com/ Read the full Engagement Ring Trends report: https://getjeweleros.com/2025-engagement-ring-trends Send us Fan Mail  Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: [email protected]

We set the tone for Season 7 with a focus on substance: vendor stories without the pitch, real data that guides decisions, and platform upgrades that make selling online easier for everyone. 2026 gets a bold forecast as we track ADA progress, performance trends, and the metrics that matter. Send us Fan Mail  Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: [email protected]

We close the season by revisiting ten standout moments that shaped a year of change, from AI pricing and buying group leadership to gold’s surge, fancy color diamonds, and how Tahitian pearls really form.  • AI pricing tools and the case for fair markup • JewelCraft as the jeweler’s jeweler for scale • Google Workspace as a collaboration backbone • IJO ownership shift and long-term vision • Gold price drivers from rates to geopolitics • Reporting crime with care, not hype • Fancy color diamonds and profit logic • JCK Las Vegas • RJO's leadership focus on systems and learning • Pearl farming truth beyond the sand myth  Send us Fan Mail  Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: [email protected]