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She Built It® Podcast
Welcome to the She Built It® podcast. Join me as I talk to women who have successfully built it - a life and business that they love. We dive into the topic of “how” they built it and talk about everything from having the courage to make career leaps to the details of how to lead effectively, build teams, implement growth strategies, and infuse tech innovation. Magic happens when we focus on the part of ourselves and our business that brings us joy so let’s dive in.
She Built It® Podcast
Alexandra Samit on Building a Jewelry Empire
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On She Built It®, Alexandra Samit, Founder & CEO of Alexandra Beth Fine Jewelry, shares how she transformed a teenage jewelry hobby into a thriving fine jewelry brand in New York City’s competitive diamond district.
From selling handmade necklaces at 15 to pivoting during COVID into bespoke engagement rings and heirloom redesigns, Alexandra opens up about navigating business pivots, building credibility in the diamond industry, and scaling a direct-to-consumer luxury brand. She discusses earning her GIA certification, breaking into 47th Street, managing emotional client milestones, hiring when you’re the bottleneck, and maintaining trust in high-ticket sales.
If you’re building a luxury brand, pivoting your business model, or curious about lab-grown vs. natural diamonds, this episode is a masterclass in modern entrepreneurship, craftsmanship, and reinvention.
Connect with us:
Alexandra Beth Fine Jewelry Website
Alexandra Beth Fine Jewelry Instagram
Alexandra Beth Fine Jewelry LinkedIn
She Built It® CEO, Melanie Barr Instagram
What if the hobby you loved as a teenager became your first business and years later you rebuilt it into a fine jewelry brand in one of the most competitive markets in the world? In this episode, Alexandra Samet, founder of Alexandra Beth Fine Jewelry, shares what it takes to start a business and make a bold pivot when the original version of your company no longer fits who you're becoming. You started young, built early success, rebuilt your brand in a higher stakes market. When someone searches how to pivot in a business without losing momentum, what did that look like for you emotionally and strategically?
SPEAKER_01Initially, with the brand pivot, a lot of confusion and anxiety, a lot of asking people what they think. Someone who advises me told me, let the clients decide for you. Let your customers decide. See if people are buying costume gold plated, which I was selling, gold-plated jewelry, lower price point, or if they're buying diamonds and gold and natural gemstones. And what happened was clients kept coming and saying, Can you make a diamond eternity band? Can you make me a sapphire heart necklace? Can you make my engagement ring? So I took a pause and followed the natural flow. And then there was that one day when I said, okay, this is what we're doing. We're gonna get rid of all the other costume jewelry inventory that we had and focus on fine jewelry and only do that. And that was the start of the path to where we are now.
SPEAKER_00And take us back to the beginning. How did you start? And you've loved jewelry since a teenager, right?
SPEAKER_01Yes. So I'm 15 years old. I'm on my in my bedroom room in Potomac, Maryland, making jewelry on the floor and starting to sell to people at school who are wanting my necklaces. Approaching a local store and them taking necklaces on consignment, selling through, asking for more, approaching a retailer who I didn't even know at the time had a chain of 13 stores. So they bought 99 necklaces for all 13 stores. These necklaces were very handmade. So the ones who like go blind doing these little seed beads, and I had a pattern and a rose quartz heart in the center. So that is how I started at the age of 15. By the end of high school, I was selling in 20 local stores in the DC area. Through this time, there was no buying materials online. This is back in like 2004, 2005. So my mom would drive me up to New York City to the Garmin District to get supplies. Like it's so different than it would be now. That's really how I started.
SPEAKER_00I love stories like this because you took a passion, a true passion, and made it into a business.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. We were making line sheets, we were presenting, you know, wholesale and re-retail pricing to retailers. I started doing trunk shows. There was no e-commerce back then, but I would have a website, photos of a portfolio.
SPEAKER_00And that's so fun. And so you started more costume jewelry.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. So in the beginning, it was gold plated silver, sterling silver, semi-precious stones, rose quartz, amethyst, beads, and string. Literally beginning beginnings. It's called costume jewelry or demifine. So I was doing that for a while. I had success after college selling to Bloomingdales and Henry Bendel and a bunch of other retailers. I would do trade shows. It was really 2020 when the pivot happened during COVID. So my pop-up shops closed. I started selling again to my peers and referrals, and they were wanting diamonds and fine jewelry. So that is when the pivot happened.
SPEAKER_00And tell us about that pivot. It had to be a little scary. And what was the process that you went through?
SPEAKER_01100% scary. It was during COVID. So it's not like it was a pause in the world. And I also think clients at that time weren't traveling and they were started to buy more luxury goods. I was also like 34 at the time. So my peers are and people I knew were getting engaged, and they don't want cubic zirconia anymore. They want a diamond engagement ring. And I'm kind of, let me figure out how to do this. People are asking for it. And this is could be a really interesting new path for the business. What was that path like for you? Because you probably had to dive into learning a lot. A lot of the same clients from 15, 20 years ago that are now coming in for diamonds and for engagement rings. Um so I got the marketing and the clients, but the product is way different. The manufacturing is different. The diamond district in New York City is a league of its own. So it started with me going to 47th Street, which is the famed diamond district in New York City. 98% of diamonds in the country come through that one block, disperse out through the country. There's manufacturing there, polishing, stone setting, everything. But even learning the process of, no, you do pre-polish first, then you set the stone, then you polish it again. So learning everything. It's knocking on doors, who is going to do your jobs for you, who's going to help you. It's a lot of no's. Who's going to lend you a diamond? Show a client. It's a really hard place to break in once you're in, you're in, and everything's built on your reputation.
SPEAKER_00And you've already gone through the process of learning how to do the first phase. So I'm sure the process was pretty much the same, but learning this new style.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. I mean, I went to GIA, I got my diamond certification. There's also always new things to learn. So I am still learning every day. There's a new material or a new process or a new style a client wants, but I had the business background, I had the marketing, I knew how to do Instagram. I even used to do Instagram freelance for other brands. So I can do it. I need the diamond study rings. I need the materials. And I didn't know what would happen. So it was scary. It was also COVID. So there was not really anything else to do.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And you have a passion for it. Yeah, that probably helped having that drive and that passion behind it. If a founder asks, why isn't my business growing? What was the first real growth ceiling that you hit? And how did you that your path needed to change and shift?
SPEAKER_01The first growth ceiling was from 2009 to 2012. I was selling to retailers. So thank Henry Bendell, which has since closed, Bloomingdales and smaller retailers. That was when you could sell wholesale to a store and they would sell retail to the client. Then 2012, it really became direct to consumer. Brands are now selling via e-commerce and Instagram direct to their client. They're not putting that retail mark up. They're accessing the clients directly. They're having better prices, better marketing, everything. 2012 was probably my best year at the time. Henry Bendel closed. The retailers are buying less. The traffic in Bloomingdales, I'm standing there doing trunk shows on 59th Street. And if there used to be thousands of people coming through, there's 100 coming through. Then there's 100 coming through. And foot traffic is lower. So I knew I needed to pivot to this direct-to-consumer model to stay competitive in this new retail landscape. And that's when I stopped doing the Bloomingdales trunk shows. I was still doing a year to keep the relationship, but I started doing pop-up shops. So I did my first pop-up shop in Chelsea Market in 2012, and I sold over $30,000 in a week. And we're talking items that are like $50. So it was a lot of product moving. And the answer was right there. It's like, okay, pop-up shops, meeting the clients directly and cutting out that middleman who would mark up the retail pricing.
SPEAKER_00And when you're buying diamonds, you really want that personal relationship. Was there a moment where a mistake or delay or a hard client situation tested your confidence?
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. We're really good about not making mistakes, but these mistakes happen. The necklace is made in the wrong length, or maybe it's made in the wrong color. It was supposed to be yellow gold, but it got made in rose gold. I cover every mistake. So the clients don't even know the mistake happens. I will lose money on the sale. I will pay to remake it, rush it, pay a rush fee. Let's do everything possible to keep this client happy so that they come back again and they refer more clients in.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And that's the business owner mentality is if a team member or something happens, and it always does, we're human beings. But I'm the one making the apology, or the business owner is the one.
SPEAKER_01I'll take the hit. I will do anything to keep them happy. And those mistakes are it's inevitable. There's a lot of moving parts.
SPEAKER_00When entrepreneurs search how to deal with self-doubt as a business owner, what has been your internal battle, especially moving from creative founder, the CEO mentality?
SPEAKER_01When you have self-doubt, I'd remind myself I'm the expert here. Even if the client is older than me, or maybe the client's is intimidating or something. I'm the expert. I know what I'm doing. I've sold more engagement rings than I can count. I have my diamond certification, reminding myself of everything I've done and overcome and how much knowledge that I have with that situation.
SPEAKER_00And it's interesting. Certain situations can put us in that mindset where we feel like that. But it's it's great that you have that reminder. Building a fine jewelry brand requires patience and long-term trust. In a world that pushes for fast growth, which it seems like these days it's everyone's struggling to keep up. How do you decide what business you actually want to build?
SPEAKER_01This business did not happen overnight. I've been doing this since I was 15. So when people say, How long have you been in the business? Let me do some quick math, over 20 years, they're like, Look at me, how old are you? I'm 38. But the fine jewelry and the growth from 2020 until now happened very quick. Like the team is the sales are doubling, the team is doubling. So that's a lot to keep up with. But this built business was not built overnight. It's been, I've been laying every brick and every step, even with maybe I didn't know what I was building towards. Now it's very clear to me this is what I was building towards. Those clients I've had for a long time, that trust that we've built, our reputation has been built over a long time.
SPEAKER_00And with most entrepreneurs, it's like everything feels so slow. But then you look back over time and you think, oh, well, it wasn't exactly as slow as it felt in the moment. Absolutely. Totally agree. Founders often ask, how do I know when to hire? What was the first hire that truly changed the capacity of your business?
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. It's your baby. I'm like, okay, I know the answer to every question. I can do this better. Have this ownership over everything. The first time I hired someone, I was doing two events at once. And you can't be in two places at once. I didn't want to give up this opportunity that I had. So I had both events running and I hired someone and it was fine. Okay. So you're putting your trust in someone else is like scary. That was my first experience with that. And since then, it's when I become the bottleneck. So, oh, we can't ship that out because Alexandra didn't QC it or Alexandra didn't call the client yet. But now there's too many. I can't call every client when their piece is ready. I can't QC every piece, but we have really good processes in place. So when I'm the bottleneck and I'm slowing things down, I'm like, okay, we need to hire. And we spend a lot of time interviewing and making the right hire. And I would say that's the hardest part.
SPEAKER_00I'm so happy you said that because hiring can be a challenge and finding the right people in the right fit. But also sometimes we are the bottleneck. If you start a business and you're so close to it, sometimes you have to think, okay, how am I slowing things down? And how, if I trust in other people, can the business move faster?
SPEAKER_01It's about trusting other people. And as I've given my team and my staff more responsibility, they level up and they're amazing. And I'm like, oh, you could have been doing that the whole time. Why did I have to do it? A silly thing. We're fixing the printer today. So I called IT. Can you come fix the printer? But I used to fix the printer every time. And I thought I had to learn how to fix the printer. So even like, no, I'll pay IT to do it. Like, why would I spend my time fixing the printer? But those things of releasing control and realizing that there's other people that can help and want to help.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and I'm smiling because every entrepreneur goes through it in one way or another. Hiring, too, when you lose a key team member, I used to really worry about that, but now someone will come in with new energy. And now I I really try to frame it as an opportunity for more growth.
SPEAKER_01That's out of your control. So people's lives, they move, it takes turns. So we put a lot of focus into the energy of the office and the vibe. And when clients come in, they're like, oh, this is such a nice place or feels good. So making sure that it's a good fit. I will commit that that makes sense.
SPEAKER_00Well, no, it's so true because it is an experience and clients feel it. When I walk into a store, I feel it. Especially with what you do is so emotional. And personal.
SPEAKER_01And yes, it is a major milestone that the client's coming in for, whether it be an engagement ring or a birthday or a push present or like we have a client for like a 50th anniversary. Those are really important.
SPEAKER_00How do you carry the weight of the emotional side while still maintaining the business aspect?
SPEAKER_01Um, I'm laughing because I was thinking about my answer. I'm like, it's really hard. We become invested in these people's lives and almost develop friendships with a lot of our clients. And when I have a client come in to do an heirloom revamp, then often they'll bring in stones from a past loved one. I'm holding back tears in the meeting because they're saying I'm bringing these stones that were these persons, and I'm like, okay, I can't start, I'm designing their jewelry. I can't start crying here, but every time I'm holding back tears, and I'm like, hey, you got this, and you're helping them.
SPEAKER_00And my mom has started to give me jewelry and it's designed in a way that I probably wouldn't wear it today. And I've started thinking about, you know, how would I remake this where I could could wear it to to honor her. And I'm sure you see children too. I'm sure the next generations are now coming to see you.
SPEAKER_01We do a lot of heirloom revamps, so jewelry should be worn. Grandma's necklace doesn't need to sit in the safe for 30 years. Let's take out the stones and make something really new and fresh that you're going to wear every day.
SPEAKER_00Funny, because around COVID, I went through all of my jewelry and we were at home, so I wasn't wearing anything. And my daughter kept saying, Why don't you wear this? Why don't you wear this? So I went through a period where I was just wearing all of my jewelry because to your point, it was sitting in the safe. And you're right. It's completely at home. I like it. Yeah, it's so meant to be worn. When people are thinking, how do I avoid burnout as an entrepreneur? What has almost burned you out? And what habits do you have now that protect you?
SPEAKER_01I'm always burnt out. And I'm I'm really trying not to be burnt out so I can show up for my clients and my staff at 100%. That what I'm trying to do now is like, I'm gonna go to the gym in the morning and I'll come into work late. I need to make time for myself and take care of myself. But now we've also built to this point where like they don't need me 24-7. So office is fine if I take some time for myself ON. But I don't know, I'm trying to figure out how that burnout ends.
SPEAKER_00Someone said to me the other day, you don't have a day off, do you? And I thought, no, I really, as an entrepreneur, you're always thinking about a work and building your business. But I agree. I have this year I've been better than any other year about having that boundary of working out in the morning. I do a 30-minute Peloton weights and I I want to start adding in some running. But I also do a five-minute meditation. And when I don't do that, I feel it. I feel it the rest of the day. I feel it in the way I respond to things. And so that's been a really, really great thing for me for the start of the year. But it is very easy when you're so committed and you love what you do, skip those things that are so important.
SPEAKER_01That's been my New Year's resolution every year. I'm like, okay, this year at least I started. I didn't go to the gym once in December. But I'm like, okay, new year, get it together.
SPEAKER_00It probably feels good though, right? Absolutely. Yeah, and December, I'm sure, was a busy time of year for you. Crazy. Yeah. And uh jewelry brings so much joy, but how do you make sure that you're finding and living your joy?
SPEAKER_01Honestly, my work is my joy. When a client comes in and they're happy with their purchase and it makes them feel good and now radiating, that is my joy, right? I I love being with my friends and my family on the weekend too. I like going to the beach, going to Central Park, but I truly love what I do. So uh I like going on vacation too, but I'm also in my flow state when I'm in the office and things are moving smoothly and we have beautiful jewelry and happy clients, and like that right now really is my joy.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and it's so great that you love what you do. Please share with us how and where we can find you. And thank you so much for joining us today.
SPEAKER_01You can find me online at alexandrabeth.com. We do a lot on Instagram. The Instagram is also Alexandra Beth.