Look Book

36 www.thejewelrybook.com L I F E S T Y L E L U X U RY 5 Q U E S T I O N S W I T H A V I C T U A L S V I S I O N A R Y The reason? We're not just eating because we're hungry, we're eating for function and benefi t. The consumer was ready for a portable protein-centric, healthy nutritious snack like jerky, if made the right way. TJB: What were the critical steps that helped turn beef jerky into a high-end product? JS: Jerky is not fi let mignon cuts, but we did use whole muscle cuts to set it apart from competitors. It absolutely was luxury. I am a luxury consumer, so I know I will buy cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil for $50 a bottle and imported prosciutto, so I knew others would pay a bit more for better jerky. I'm careful not to say it's a luxury like Cartier, but inside of a category, KRAVE led a renais- sance that literally lifted the entire category. We helped almost double the size of the jerky category. And I drew from my wine knowledge by adding beautiful, attractive packaging with a sense of purpose and function. TJB: What are some of the top lessons learned from entre- preneurial moves? JS: Remain in a constant state of curiosity, always wanting the customer to validate your hypothesis. Stay humble and hungry for the next move. With KRAVE I felt that I learned a playbook for bringing brands to life. I under- stood strategy and positioning from the standpoint of knowing how to engage channel strategy—East Coast versus West Coast and Costco versus Whole Foods. At Sonoma Brands, our business is about people, and our goal is to invest in great companies that are good stewards to the planet. Every brand has an amazing founding story and distinct elements of authenticity that you can't create in a lab. TJB: What is your single best tip to fi ne jewelers? JS: There's so much emotion involved between jewelry and the consumer! People live constantly aspiring to be some- where—to run a marathon, to fi t in, to look elegant, or to be healthier. The things we wear help create an emotional return. So, stay as close as you can to the emotional trigger of the consumer. When consumers touch your product, understand his or her decision tree and their usage of the brand and product. Are they buying it for daily wear, for a special occasion? Understand how the consumer uses your product throughout the day to create those emotional connections. At Sonoma Brands, our business is about people, and our goal is to invest in great companies that are good stewards to the planet.

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