211 - Mark Smelzer on Community in the Jewelry Industry

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this episode, I share my interview with Mark Smelzer, the former publisher of JCK and the current Chief Content Executive at Jewelers Mutual Group. Mark started his career in magazine ad sales in Los Angeles when he became the publisher of a city magazine called</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Buzz</span></em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">. After that, he moved to</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Variety</span></em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">, the entertainment trade publication, but a corporate shake-up there propelled him to become the publisher of JCK magazine. At the time, 18 years ago, he knew very little about the jewelry industry, but he grew to love it and has seen it go through countless changes. In 2021, he shifted to an exciting new role at Jeweler's Mutual, and he conceived of the event Conversations in Park City, which recently took place in mid-October. I'm really excited to have Mark on the podcast today to chat about his time in the industry as well as his experience of the unique retreat in Utah.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this episode, we'll be covering:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">What's it like to organize and execute on a major event for the jewelry industry?</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Why are leadership development and networking events so important for this industry?</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">What are some of the most exciting and invigorating things happening in the industry today?</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">…and more!</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sparkle Award:</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diamonds Do Good -</span> <a href= "https://www.nationaljeweler.com/articles/11405-the-new-diamonds-do-good-bracelet-has-