119 - Laryssa and Liz Interview Danielle Miele of Gem Gossip, the "OG" Jewelry Influencer

Summary

Episode 119 Summary: Interview with Danielle Miele of Gem Gossip

Success With Jewelry hosts Laryssa Wirstiuk and Liz Kantner engage in an insightful conversation with Danielle Miele, the trailblazing creator behind Gem Gossip, hailed as the "OG" Jewelry Influencer. This episode delves into Danielle’s journey from passionate jewelry enthusiast to influential content creator and entrepreneur, offering valuable lessons for jewelry designers and entrepreneurs seeking success in the industry.

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1. Introduction to Danielle Miele and Gem Gossip [00:00 - 04:36]

Danielle Miele introduces herself and shares the origins of Gem Gossip. Launched in 2008, Gem Gossip began as a blog stemming from Danielle’s deep love for jewelry. Living with her parents at 23, Danielle was inspired by her boyfriend to channel her passion into blogging, marking her entry into the jewelry industry. This move allowed her to connect with fellow jewelry enthusiasts and laid the foundation for her future endeavors.

Danielle Miele ([01:48]):
"That’s how my blog was started. And that’s, I think, in my opinion, like, the first step into becoming a part of the jewelry industry."

2. Pioneering Jewelry Blogging in 2008 [04:36 - 05:30]

Danielle reflects on the early days of blogging, highlighting the scarcity of dedicated jewelry blogs at the time. This unique niche positioning gave Gem Gossip a competitive edge, allowing Danielle to establish herself as a thought leader in the jewelry blogging community.

Danielle Miele ([05:00]):
"There were very few people blogging, and if there were blogs, it was mostly about fashion or just, like, everyday stuff. No one was really honed in on just jewelry and just fine jewelry."

3. The Birth and Impact of "Show Me Your Rings" [05:30 - 08:02]

One of Danielle’s standout initiatives, "Show Me Your Rings," invites followers to share photos of their ring collections. This feature not only fostered community engagement but also influenced jewelry trends, particularly the popular practice of stacking rings. Danielle muses on her potential impact on contemporary jewelry aesthetics.

Danielle Miele ([05:51]):
"I've always wondered, like, if I haven't started that when people to this day, like, wear a ton of rings, like, all on all their hands."

4. Content Creation and Visual Storytelling [08:02 - 15:37]

Danielle discusses her approach to content creation, emphasizing creativity and meticulous attention to detail. Initially, she conducted pro bono photo shoots to showcase designers’ pieces, aligning jewelry with complementary aesthetic elements such as outfits and makeup. This dedication to quality content eventually translated into monetizing her blog and expanding into jewelry sales.

Danielle Miele ([08:39]):
"I just knew I really liked photography, and I loved doing photo shoots, and I loved paying attention to details."

5. The Evolution and Relevance of Blogging in 2025 [11:20 - 15:37]

Liz raises a pertinent question about the longevity of blogging as a platform. Danielle responds by highlighting her continued commitment to content creation, specifically through her "Jewelry Collection Stories." She underscores the enduring value of high-quality content for SEO and audience engagement, even as digital landscapes evolve.

Danielle Miele ([15:18]):
"It's still great for like SEO purposes driving people to you. Like, content is everything."

6. Balancing Industry Focus with Broader Audience Reach [16:43 - 22:34]

The conversation shifts to Danielle’s strategy for engaging both industry insiders and a broader audience. She manages two separate Instagram accounts—Gem Gossip for personal content and Shop Gem Gossip for sales—to maintain a curated and targeted presence. This dual approach allows her to connect authentically with diverse audience segments.

Danielle Miele ([17:37]):
"I have those two Instagram pages... one is my main page, Gem Gossip, and the other is Shop Gem Gossip."

7. Navigating Social Media Algorithms and Maintaining Engagement [22:34 - 31:53]

Danielle candidly discusses the challenges posed by changing social media algorithms, noting a decline in her reach and engagement between 2022 and 2024. Despite these hurdles, she remains steadfast in her commitment to consistent content posting, emphasizing the importance of showing up regularly to sustain community trust and engagement.

Danielle Miele ([26:29]):
"Be consistent. Always show up, even if you don't want to, even if you're feeling sick or under the weather."

8. Strategies for Selling Jewelry Online [31:53 - 35:04]

Danielle shares innovative strategies for online sales, such as following every customer who purchases from her via Instagram DMs. This personal touch fosters a deeper connection with her audience, enhancing customer loyalty and providing valuable insights into her customer base. She also highlights the effectiveness of user-generated content in expanding her reach beyond the jewelry niche.

Danielle Miele ([32:31]):
"I started following every person who buys something from me... it’s been really fun to see, like, my Audience..."

9. Managing a Content Calendar and Consistency [28:02 - 31:53]

Danielle reveals her unique approach to managing her content calendar without relying on digital tools. Preferring handwritten schedules, she maintains a disciplined routine that underscores her dedication to consistency. This traditional method ensures that she remains engaged with her audience daily.

Danielle Miele ([29:19]):
"I have a calendar that I, like, handwrite everything. Everything's handwritten."

10. Advice for Emerging Designers [35:04 - 36:05]

In her closing remarks, Danielle offers practical advice for emerging jewelry designers. She emphasizes the importance of finding a unique niche, avoiding fleeting trends, maintaining consistency, building authentic customer relationships, and collaborating with influencers to foster brand growth and visibility.

Danielle Miele ([36:05]):
"Find your niche and to really explore that and to not get stuck in what I like to call like trend traps... consistency."

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Notable Quotes

• On Starting Gem Gossip:
  "That’s how my blog was started. And that’s, I think, in my opinion, like, the first step into becoming a part of the jewelry industry." ([01:48])

• On "Show Me Your Rings" Influence:
  "Whenever I go to a jewelry show, I'm always stacking on all of the rings and showing as much as possible in one photo." ([05:51])

• On the Power of Content:
  "If you just stick to doing things like posting things that you would want to see because you love it and creating content because you love it, you will reap the benefits." ([21:25])

• On Consistency:
  "Be consistent. Always show up, even if you don't want to, even if you're feeling sick or under the weather." ([26:29])

Conclusion

Danielle Miele’s journey with Gem Gossip exemplifies the power of passion, consistency, and strategic content creation in building a successful brand within the jewelry industry. Her insights provide invaluable lessons for jewelry designers and entrepreneurs aiming to enhance their online presence, engage authentically with their audience, and navigate the evolving digital landscape with resilience and creativity.

For more insights and to access exclusive content, visit successwithjewelry.com.

Transcript

[Larissa]

Welcome to the Success with Jewelry podcast where we invite you inside our conversations about business success and marketing for jewelry designers and entrepreneurs.

[Liz]

We're Larissa and Liz, jewelry marketing experts with a combined 16 years of experience in jewelry marketing and proven track records and helping jewelry brands meet their goals. When you listen to or watch this podcast, you get an intimate and exclusive peek behind the curtain of all the things you wish you could know about earning success in this industry.

[Larissa]

Welcome to episode 119. In this episode, we're joined by the OG jewelry blogger herself, Danielle Mealy of Gem Gossip. Danielle started her journey in the jewelry world as a passionate collector, blogger and storyteller. Over the years, she's transformed Gem Gossip from a blog platform into a platform where she curates and sells stunning vintage and antique jewelry along with some of her original designs. We'll dive into the power of content and collaboration in the jewelry industry, how Danielle built a strong online presence and her best tips for selling jewelry online. Whether you're looking to grow your audience, boost your sales, or refine your storytelling, you won't want to miss this conversation. In the bonus content, Danielle and I will recap the NYC jewelry trade shows that took place in early February. We'll share key takeaways, emerging trends, and what stood out to us this season. To access the exclusive content and direct access to both Larissa and me, head over to successwithjewelry.com and sign up. Hey Danielle and Larissa, let's get into it. Hey Danielle, thanks for being here.

[Danielle Mealy]

Thanks for having me.

[Larissa]

Welcome to the podcast. Why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about how you got started in the industry.

[Danielle Mealy]

Okay, cool. I am Danielle Mieli and I started my blog Gem Gossip back in 2008. So it's been a while. You kind of have to rewind all the way back. And I like telling the story because it's fun and different and it really takes me back to when I was just completely in love and had such a huge passion for jewelry and I just didn't know what to do with it. To set the tone of everything, I would say I was living with my parents. I was 23 years old. We lived in the same house my entire life. We decided to finally move as a family and that was probably the first step into finally, you know, moving somewhere where I didn't know anyone. I didn't have a job, I didn't have a car. So I was basically, you know, sitting there for the first time in my life with nothing to think about, except something that I was really passionate about, which was jewelry. So all day, every day, once we had moved, I was just kind of staring at jewelry online. I was going on ebay and, like, buying random things and sending all of these links to my boyfriend at the time and just, like, so into jewelry. And he, you know, would work all day, and then he'd finally, like, talk to me on the phone at the end of the day, and I would just be so excited about the links that I sent him. And I was like, did you check out that ring? Or, like, that necklace? Like, what did you think about it? And I. That point, he was kind of like, you should really do something with this, because, like, I don't really care about jewelry, and you can, like, connect with other people that love jewelry just as much as you. And I was like, okay, but I don't know what to do. Like, I don't really want to work at a jewelry store. I feel like I'm not good at sales. And he was like, well, you should maybe start a blog. A lot of people are starting blogs, and if you want to, like, I can show you how to do that, because that's what he did. He was really good at techie stuff and, like, creating websites and stuff like that. So he was like, come up with a name, and we can go from there. So it's kind of how my blog was started. And that's, I think, in my opinion, like, the first step into becoming a part of the jewelry industry. Something that I didn't know anything about but always dreamed of being a part of.

[Larissa]

I love that. And in 2008, like, blogging, was it, like, the communities around blogs and blogging. I was a blogger, not in the jewelry space. I was, like, writing about, like, lifestyle and music or whatever. And I have friends that I met from blogging then that I'm still friends with. And I think that's something I love about kind of the online community.

[Danielle Mealy]

Yeah, there were very few people blogging, and, you know, if there were blogs, it was mostly about fashion or just, like, everyday stuff. No one was really honed in on just jewelry and just fine jewelry. So I think that really also worked in my benefit because not only was, like, I one of the first, but I was one of the first to just have such a, you know, unique niche.

[Larissa]

I'm gonna say something bold here real quick. You started. Show me your rings, and I'll let you tell the story of why you started that. But you're you. Do you ever think about the, like, everything that's trickled from what you created and where jewelry, Instagram and jewelry content is now.

[Danielle Mealy]

I've always wondered, like, if I haven't started that when people to this day, like, wear a ton of rings, like, all on all their hands. I know, like, it's not like a monumental thing, but I just think at least, like, whenever I go to a jewelry show, for example, I'm always, like, stacking on all of the rings and showing as much as possible in one photo. And I love, like, the maximalist style that's always just kind of been what I've gravitated towards. So it's interesting to wonder like. Like, how much of an impact did I actually have? I'm not really sure, but. But yeah, I've always. So when I started show me your rings, I was specifically had this vision in my head where I wanted to find these photos of hands with tons of rings on them. And I remember Googling anything and everything to try to find these pictures that I had in my head of what I was trying to find. And I did it for hours and I maybe found like four or five pictures, which was fine because, like, I could at least have an example of what I was looking for. But I kind of put that post together and I was like, everyone who reads my blog, please, like, say, send me, show me your rings. Like, send me photos of all of your rings, like, your whole collection. Or, like, if you're a designer, put all your rings on, send me a picture. And it was like, that was probably the first time in my life. This was before social media, so, like, I couldn't Instagram post it, that type of thing. I just had to put it on my blog and be like, email me your photos. So I was like, opening these zip drives that I didn't even know if it was like a virus for my computer or what. But people were sending me all these photos from all over the world, and I was like, oh, my gosh, are like, I didn't even know this many people even read my blog. And then to not only, you know, actually send me pictures. It was really cool.

[Liz]

I think it's super cool how you've carved out this space. I think me and Liz can relate too, because we kind of, like made jobs for ourselves in this industry. And I can't remember, like, exactly when I started following your blog, but it was way before I got into this industry, like, so more than 10 years ago. And I mean, maybe not consciously, but I remember thinking like, oh, there is a space in the industry. And I feel like seeing, like, what you've done has inspired me in some way, and I think that's really cool. And so I think there are, like, ripple effects to these things that you've done.

[Danielle Mealy]

Yeah, I never intend for certain things to be a certain way. It's just like, kind of just like, make, like, you said you made a job for yourself. Like, I kind of was the same way, too, with, like, the different photo shoots I would do. And, like, it was hard back when I started blogging because it was like, I wasn't really making money off of it. So it was like, how do I turn this into something that someone could pay me for? So I just. I knew I really liked photography, and I loved doing photo shoots, and I loved paying attention to details and, like, having designers send me jewelry and from that kind of create a photo shoot based off of what the jewelry evokes to me from the outfit that I was wearing, the makeup that I wore, the nails that I ended up painting, just, like, every single detail was very thought out. And the first few shoots I did, which I think, Liz, you were one of the first few shoots with Todd Reed. And it's just I didn't. Never thought I did those for free, but I just kind of wanted to show, like, what I'm capable of and, like, what my vision was. And then once I did a few shoots, I was able to be like, okay, this is what I can do. And now, like, I tried to put a price on it to, like, do going ahead in the future, but that part was always hard for me because it's like, how do I put a price on something? But I also, you know, I have to make money somehow. But I always said, like, if I'm able to monetize what I do in a different way, then I would always go back to focusing on blogging, which is my main love and passion, and try to do it more for free. Like, I. Like in the beginning. Like, how I did it in the beginning. So I'm kind of finally at that space in my life where, you know, I kind of went from blogging and creating content for other designers to finally now selling jewelry, which I never even thought of would be a part of what I do. So going from that to selling and now feel like I'm able to turn around and return to blogging again and being able to do things for free, you know, and be sponsored by myself. So that's very amazing.

[Liz]

Do you find that that platform is still relevant in 2025? Because I always wonder about that. The blogging platform, blog.

[Danielle Mealy]

I don't know. We'll find out. Because I just, I just kind blogging again in January and for me it's mostly like I just want to be creative again. I was just. I love selling jewelry, don't get me wrong. I love each piece that I sell. I just, you kind of, don't you get in a rut where it's not really super creative. I'm just a creative person. So like, it's just revisiting that. And, and I do think a lot of people are wanting to kind of go back in time a little bit. And I know some people are even kind of going away from Instagram and trying to build their own website or their own platform because you never know what could happen in the future. And that would be crazy devastating to think of everything that I've built on Instagram be taken away. But we saw what happened with TikTok. We saw. And although it is back in, like back up and running, but I really felt for the people that started on TikTok and were so focused on TikTok and didn't really put much effort into any other platform. And then to have it all, you know, possibly wiped away, like I was kind of really feeling for them and being like, okay, this is probably the time where I need to like start putting all my efforts back into my own website that I can control and, and all that.

[Liz]

That makes a lot of sense and it's so smart.

[Larissa]

I think that Larissa and I are advocates for having an email list and like bringing everything back to your platform and like, you know, even like people talking about substack, which is like an email blog situation, like you're, it's still not anything you own, like bring people to your location like on the Internet. And I think that the. We'll get into this more. But I really wanted to talk to you, Danielle, about like content and the power of content. Because I was thinking about you and I was thinking about that Jules, at your doorstep that we did ages ago. And it's like you still have that content to like, you know, on your blog you have like 10 plus years of content. More than that. So much content on your blog and that's like so great for like SEO purposes driving people to you. Like, content is everything. And I think that something else I want to mention real quick is like back then when we did that jewels at your doorstep, like the jewelry industry, the fine jewelry industry in particular, was not thinking that content was important right it was like, kind of. Like a lot of people were still kind of coming onto that idea, whereas I, kind of working for that brand was like, oh, I'm a blogger. I see the power of digital marketing and being online and collaborating and getting that content and having those photos to share. Um, but it took a while for the industry to get on board with that. Do you think?

[Danielle Mealy]

Yeah, it took a while to even be accepted to jewelry shows, to even take photos to put out on. Whether it was social media or my blog or anything, people would not even understand what a blogger is or, like, what they do. So, like, that was the very beginning where it was still, like, super rough to try to explain what I do and, like, why I would even be important in any way. But it's funny because, like, now all of that content still lives on my website. It's still also pinned on Pinterest. Like, there's some pins that are still going viral or have, like, a lot of clicks, and they're pins that I made like 10 years ago. It's kind of crazy. That's wild.

[Larissa]

And that is the power of content. It's a really incredible thing. And I love what you're doing now, and this is something Larissa and I talk about a lot too, is like, you're putting all this energy into making this content, like the. The personal collection stories, and now you're like, resharing them again and you're using it again in a different way. And I think that's really, really smart.

[Danielle Mealy]

Yeah. That feature of my blog is probably hands down my favorite feature to do. So I ask collectors to basically deep dive into their personal collections and open their jewelry box, take photos of what they own, and tell me the stories behind the pieces. And my audience just absolutely loves it. It's. Anytime I do it, they get so excited to not, first off, just to be asked to be a part of it. They get so excited. And. And I've also loved connecting with these people even more. On a deeper level, this is what social media is about, you know, connecting with people and telling their stories. And I think a lot of these people that I've been asking, like, I see their stuff on my feed every day, but I just don't know their full stories. So, like, you know, you really get to know them on a personal level through their jewelry, and it's just so fun. And people love finding new people to follow too. So that's. That's great too.

[Liz]

I have a question. I've always kind of wondered about your content. So over the years, Obviously now in 2025, like, a lot of the jewelry industry is familiar with you as an influencer, and they know you. But I know also you obviously sell and create content for outside the jewelry industry, because that's ultimately, you want the consumers to be seeing, like, the brands that you partner with and the jewelry that you're selling. So how do you balance kind of like talking, like, inside the industry versus like, trying to reach a broader audience? And I know a lot of people out there are probably wondering this too, because they feel like they're in this vacuum of, like, the jewelry industry and struggle to get out of it.

[Danielle Mealy]

So you're asking, like, how do you reach new people that, you know, they might be interested in jewelry, but they just haven't really.

[Liz]

Yeah, yeah. Because I think at this point, it's probably easy to keep speaking to the industry because a lot of people are familiar with you, but how do you kind of keep branching outside of that.

[Larissa]

And to people who might buy the. The antique jewelry you're selling and the pieces you're selling? Like, how do you speak outside of our little jewelry bubble?

[Danielle Mealy]

Gosh, that's hard to say. I. I just keep making the content, and I think a lot of it is word of mouth. And other people who buy things from me will tag me and their friends who might not be necessarily into jewelry will see it and, like, maybe check it out. I do think a lot of people are starting to learn that it is a good idea to invest in fine jewelry rather than fashion jewelry, and they're wanting to make those investments, and they're not sure who to turn to if they're getting ripped off, that sort of thing. So Google, for some reason, will, like, lead them somehow, some way to a page on my blog. And, like, they'll kind of just be there for a few minutes and hours, sometimes days, and be like, oh, wow, this is. There's so much information on this blog. Who is this? And eventually they'll follow me on Instagram and, like, it kind of builds that way. But I don't know. I guess just keep. Keep producing content and people will eventually, if they're interested in jewelry, they'll eventually find you. But, yeah, do you think it's great that I do have those two Instagram pages? One is, you know, my main page, Gem Gossip. And I'm constantly, like, trying to promote other brands and other people and just talking about my love for jewelry. I will obviously, like, post some things that I'm personally selling too, but I've been trying to Stay away from that and like just keep selling to my shop gem gossip page. So I think that's having those two different platforms really helps too because you know, you really dedicate one headspace to one and one to the other. So like, I don't know, I think that's helpful for me too.

[Liz]

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.

[Larissa]

Yeah, I think that's really smart. I think that I, I know this about you too, that like you have this, you've had this boundary of like I only do gold jewelry, I don't do sterling silver, I don't do costume, I don't do. And I think that's smart because you're like, you've le into this niche and then same with your two pages, they're definitely both you. But there, you can tell there's like a different kind of goal and voice between the two.

[Danielle Mealy]

Yeah, so true. And I've definitely been very adamant about sticking to that rule because that's been my rule since day one is like, it's only fine jewelry. I don't want to talk about vermeil or gold plated or synthetic stones or anything like that because that's just not what I personally wear. And just to have that as a guideline because otherwise I could be like, you know, it could be so much stuff on there. It's very finely curated also. So I think that's important too.

[Larissa]

Yeah. And you have so much user generated content to your point too. And that's something to help like keep growing and expanding past the industry or like our little bubble. Because to your point, like normal people who are buying your charms or your chains or whatever it is and they're sharing with their audience who aren't necessarily jewelry people like you kind of keep expanding that way.

[Danielle Mealy]

Yeah. And also doing the jewelry collection stories like I don't do them to get more followers. Like if that was the case, like what, why am I here? But it does actually produce more followers for me. Like it's, it's a. If you just stick to like doing things like posting things that you would want to see because you love it and creating content because you love it and that's what you would want to see, you will reap the, the benefits basically. And I just think those who are kind of like asking like how do you go viral? How do you get more followers? Like if you're going to ask that, like, you'll never know because you shouldn't. I don't know. You just have to, I don't know if that's Your goal and like, that's your end. You'll never get there.

[Liz]

Because have you noticed in the past few years the algorithm, like, affecting you and your reach and have you like, shifted in any way to accommodate that or has it been pretty steady for you with like, the type of content you're creating?

[Danielle Mealy]

I've definitely noticed that it definitely doesn't reach my full potential audience for sure. And it's definitely gotten worse. I would say probably 2022 to 2024 was, I think, really bad. Just like, in terms of just like every month it seemed like my content was just not being shown to less and less people and like story views being down. I also kind of equate that to like, where I'm at in my life. And like, yeah, I don't go to. I wasn't going to shows or like doing my jewelry road trips that people would get excited about. And you know, like, it does really, what I do really does affect my story views and that sort of thing. But like, I don't regret that. And I do think it's important that, you know, you do take time to step away and like, follow your heart and like, if you want time to be a mom and like, do family stuff, I think that's important. And then you can always come back and like, pick up where you left off. And like, I think that's totally cool. And like, I attribute, you know, my following kind of like just really not growing much at all. In fact, I feel like I lost a lot of followers within that time period. But that's totally fine with me. Like, I not like upset about that. But I do think it's important for people to like, be okay with stepping away and then if they want to come back, it's totally fine.

[Larissa]

Yeah, I completely agree with that. I was just thinking too about the. What you do in that thing you just did where people share within the different categories. Your like jewelry advent calendar or like your jewelry calendar, like, that's a great way to get people new followers too because you're inviting people to share, you're sharing the content back. There's like a lot of cross promotion going on.

[Danielle Mealy]

Yeah. Anytime I kind of come up with like a challenge or something like that where I have a set, like theme for the day and people will share theirs. For example, like, show me your sapphires today. And people can chime in with, you know, their personal collection, the store that they work for. If they're a designer, their own brand is so cool to like, see so many people follow along and actually do it. And so I'm. I was like, I did that all of January, and I was just, like, constantly resharing every, like, as many as I possibly could because it's so exciting to see. And people also would get so excited that, like, I reposted their photo and it was just fun all around. I love doing stuff like that. I wish I could do stuff like that all the time. It's a lot of work, so.

[Larissa]

It's a lot of work. Yeah. Sorry. I called it an advent calendar.

[Danielle Mealy]

Oh, no, it. There was definitely. We used to do one, like, an advent calendar in the vintage and antique community. And it was. It was like, that was another highlight. Like, everyone looked forward to it. I forget when people kind of stopped doing it, but it kind of just fell off and no one really did anything ever again.

[Larissa]

That happens. I think that one of my favorite things about having known you this long is that, like, the consistency of it all. Like, the, you know, your top three gifts for Chris from. From the holiday season that, like, you every year. Like, how long have you been doing that? Forever. Or, like, show me your rings has been around forever. And.

[Danielle Mealy]

I feel like I'm the queen of consistency. And, like, if. If I ever have a tip for anybody, it's be consistent. Always show up, even if you don't want to, even if you're feeling, like, sick or under the weather. Like, I continuously show up every single day on. On Instagram. And, like, even when my views were so low and, like, my likes went from, like, being. I used to get, like, 2,000 to 5,000 likes on a post back, like, at the height which was probably, like, 2017, 2018, and now I would sometimes get, like, 200 or less. And, like, most people would just get really upset and be like, oh, it's just not working. Like, and I just never really was, like, bothered by that. I just kept going, kept doing what I've been doing forever. And I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but that's just me.

[Liz]

Well, it's interesting to hear you actually talk about it as you're saying, like, oh, you took a break being a mom and stuff, and that you pulled back. For me, as, like, an outside viewer, it doesn't feel that way to me. Like, you're so consistent. Like, I always see you in my feed. I'm always seeing what you're doing, and I'm like. It's, like, surprising to me that you're saying that.

[Danielle Mealy]

Yeah. Like, I think the funniest Thing was, when I had Gino, my firstborn, I had him, and it was like, opening day of JCK Couture, and I was, like, sad, obviously missing out. But I had a friend do, like, she was, like, my reporter, and so she was, like, going to do an Instagram takeover. And, like, I gave birth and then was, like, in the recovery room and, like, posting all of her posts that she was sending me, and people are like, wait, girl, you just had a baby? Like. And I'm like, no. Yeah, I need to put her content out. And I don't know. That's just the way I've always been.

[Liz]

Yeah. How? I'm going, like, kind of off the questions, love.

[Larissa]

I want you to.

[Danielle Mealy]

I'm sorry.

[Larissa]

I'm here for it.

[Liz]

I'm curious, like, and maybe. Well, whatever. I'll just ask, how do you manage your calendar? Like, how far in advance are you planning? And I know probably because people out there are like, how does she do it? How does she stay so consistent? How does she come up with all the, like, creative ideas? So what's, like, your process?

[Danielle Mealy]

I think if I ever had, like, an intern or, like, someone come here, here to my office and was like, how do you do all this? And, like, they watched me, they would be like, are you, like, you. You're, like, living in 1999? Like, everything I have is, like, I have a calendar that I, like, handwrite everything. Everything's handwritten. Like, all of my. When I do my taxes and all that stuff, I handwrite everything. I don't know how to use Excel. I don't know how to, like, I'm very old school, and that's how I've always been. Everyone's like, do you have an Instagram app where it, like, automatically will publish things? I'm like, no. I just. I've been doing this for. Since, like, 2012. I think I've had my Instagram account. So if I don't post something one day, I feel like something's missing or, like, I'm getting something. So, like, I wake up and I automatically am like, okay, what's today's post gonna be? Like, that's the first thing that I plan out. I don't really have much of, like, a content type thing. I feel like maybe just this past January, I somewhat have, like, an idea since I started to do that New Year's challenge in January. And then, like, this month, I'm doing my New York now content as well as those jewelry collection stories. So, like, I do have things kind of planned Out. But, like, that's the extent of it. But that's, like. This is, like, rare for me to have, like, some sort of, like, plan.

[Liz]

I guess I'm impressed because if it's not on a calendar for me, it ain't happening.

[Larissa]

Yeah, I don't. I don't planoly app. I do everything in Instagram because, I don't know, it just feels better.

[Danielle Mealy]

Yeah. My photographer friend Lauren, who came to New York now with me, she's so funny because she has, like, that there's a certain app where she was like, okay, which one, like, looks good with my feed? And she was showing me all the different options, and I was like, that's. I've never, like, planned that, like, looking at my entire feed as, like, in general. But it's funny and everyone's different, and I appreciate that. And yeah, yeah, that's.

[Larissa]

This is great. I mean, I just want to repeat it again because it's so good. Be consistent. Consistency is so important. It leads to growth. It leads to an engaged community. It builds trust. There's so much that comes from it, but. Okay, a couple more questions before we head on to the bonus content. Unless, Larissa, if you have any, feel free to dive in, but any mistakes to avoid when selling online or any thoughts you want to share about or, like, tips for selling online, because I know a lot of designers are kind of looking for help in that area.

[Danielle Mealy]

Yeah. So I kind of did something kind of fun, to me, at least. So, like I said before, I have two different accounts. And so, like, my Shop Gem Gossip account, I've always had, like, one person I was following, and that was my main account, and that was it. And one day I got the idea of following every person who buys something from me, and so I started doing that January 1, 2024. So if someone bought something from me, I would, like, send them their tracking info. Send them their frequent buyer card, which I always have. I have, like, a digital frequent buyer card, which is kind of fun. It was just, like, based off of, like, a sandwich shop having, like, a punch card, and my audience loves that. But so I would send them that and their tracking number, and then I would follow them. And, like, sometimes people would be private and they, like, wouldn't accept my request, which is totally fine. Like, I get it. You don't want some random girl who sells jewelry to follow you. But for the most part, like, everyone accepted following me. Or, like, I just would follow everyone's account. And it's been really fun to see, like, my Audience, like, this is like a true depiction of like, who my audience is. Even though, like, I've never really set out to be like, okay, this is the person I'm like, marketing for or like, I'm shopping for this girl. Like, she's ages this and this and like that type of demographic. Like, I've never really pictured like, who my ideal customer is. And just by following all these people for like the past year, I've basically like shown myself who my audience is. And it's been really eye opening. It's been like, great to connect with these people. I've built like, friendships with some of them. I just, it just randomly came up as an idea and I did it and I think it's like one of the best ideas I've ever done. I'm not sure if it's like, like, I'm not saying, like, everyone should do that, but like, it's a fun little thing I did.

[Liz]

Well, most of your customers on there, they're shopping through like DMS and comments, right?

[Danielle Mealy]

Yes.

[Liz]

Yeah, that's probably much easier than like if you had it on, on a website or something. That's really cool. I never thought about that as like a customer profile or something.

[Danielle Mealy]

Yeah, right. Because when someone buys from my e commerce site, like, I can't, like, I, I don't know obviously what, what their handle is, you know, on Instagram. So there have been a few moments where like my frequent buyer card, like, someone's like, hey, wait, I bought more than just four items. Like, I bought some stuff from you online. I was like, okay. Like, people usually either let me know if they're like very into that. But, but yeah, just since, since my selling is through dm, I think that's a fun way to do it.

[Larissa]

I think that's a brilliant idea. Even if, you know you're not, you're selling through a website and it's harder to. I would still encourage you to try to find them and follow them. I think that's great because then you do, you have, you can build a relationship. You have a better understanding of who's shopping. I mean, such a great idea. I love that. Okay, let's wrap this up with any advice for emerging designers looking to build their brand.

[Danielle Mealy]

I would say I just really gravitated towards any designer that really offers something that no one else is. And, you know, to really find your niche and to really explore that and to not get stuck in what I like to call like trend traps, where you're kind of just like making designs to entertain a trend that's happening. You know, if. If that trend is not, like, resonating with you, I just don't think it's. I don't think you should put time or energy into trying to make something to, like, fulfill that trend and to, like, move pieces quickly if, like, something is trending. But, yeah, I obviously. Consistency. I always like to talk about that and how showing up daily is important and just to build relationships with your customers. I think that's important too. And just. I do think it's really important to also reach out to influencers in this space. Like, it is really hard. I know when, like, I was first starting, like, it was just always amazing to just be, like, reached out toward and just like, talking and connecting with other designers, because that part is, like, something you can totally explore. And, you know, it doesn't. It might not necessarily be, like, where you have a relationship where you monetarily can, like, give them money or not. It's just, like, depends on what you agree upon. But I think it's always nice to have that rapport with people you find in the jewelry space to, like, those that, like, catch your attention and you like their content and that sort of thing. I think that's important, too.

[Larissa]

This is great, Danielle. Thank you for being here. Where can people find you?

[Danielle Mealy]

My Instagram handle is Gem Gossip, and I'm on gemgossip.com and shop gemgossip.com all the things.

[Larissa]

Thanks, everyone. What did you think of this episode? Let us know. Visit successwithjori.com and if you love the podcast, we'd love to hear from you. Send us a message or leave us a review. Thanks for being a part of our community.