Today we’d like to introduce you to Leland Baker.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Leland. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I actually learned the jewelry trade by putting myself through college while working for Zales and, later, for Linz’s Jewelers of Dallas. I loved the creative part of jewelry design. Being able to put shapes, colors and designs with people by fitting their request and all within their budgets is both challenging and rewarding. I believe that quality jewelry is a luxury. Therefore, I set high standards for myself and my clients, and I teach them that value is in the quality of the piece. I want people to not only value their jewelry but to also be proud of it.
Leland’s Gold and Diamond has been in business for almost 35 years in the Dallas area. Being a long-standing company in north Texas, I have gained a reputation for having a commitment to quality and standards of service that are lacking in today’s business world. I had a belief that there was a special gap in the jewelry world that I could fill. I was able to create, design and deliver jewelry to people in a manner that reached beyond just business. I believe in building friendships – not just a customer base. My company is a friendship based style of business. We have really never advertised simply because there wasn’t any need. I believe that if a person is happy with the service, pricing and quality of the merchandise, then the client will tell his or her friends. In essence, let the product speak for itself. At Leland’s, we believe in developing relationships and friendships with our clients. We like to think of it as a lifetime of service and not just a onetime sale. By this method of growth Leland’s has acquired over 23,000 clients worldwide. No matter where they may travel or move, clients continue sending their jewelry and even referring their friends from that region back to Leland’s.
Because Leland’s is a wholesale jeweler that is open to the public, a person is able to get more for his or her dollar and not pay the highly marked up retail price. Essentially a person is able to by-pass full retail mark-up that is normal in the retail jewelry world. This way they are cutting out the middleman and his profits, keeping the money where it belongs, in the consumer’s own pocket. I personally sit down with each client for an individual design consultation. We are a one on one business. All of my meetings are done by appointment to that it allows the customer the ability to set up a time for themselves to sit with me, and to have what they want to see there so that everything is more efficient for the client. The customer gets to actually see stones and other materials in their price range. This way it often keeps a person from overspending and being talked into something that either they don’t want to afford or can’t afford. It allows them to keep from going into debt because a sales person smooth talked them into something. In this casual consulting style environment, the customer gets to set down and discuss what his or her wants and needs are. By having both GIA certified and non-certified diamonds and colored gemstones at their disposal, a person can relax and actually learn about diamonds at a more leisurely pace without constant interruptions and pressures that are typical in a retail jewelry store.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Building your own company from the ground up is never without struggles. However, the rewards have greatly outweighed any struggles.
Please tell us about Leland’s Gold & Diamonds.
I specialize in custom design work that is tailored to each client’s individual needs and desires. I do a lot of new pieces, but we also do a lot of redesigns where we take old jewelry or inherited jewelry and remake it for the client into a style that is current and reflects the new owner’s personal style. Many people are afraid to consider having their jewelry remade because they think it is too expensive. We show them that it is very affordable and a great way to keep a family heirloom and enjoy it.
I am most proud of the fact that I still have clients today that I started with 35 years ago – along with their children and now grandchildren. That tells me that I’m doing something right.
The one thing that truly sets me apart from other jewelers is that I personally sit and listen to each client. I’m not just trying to sell them jewelry. I’m trying to create a piece for them that they will treasure for the rest of their lives, and, hopefully, a piece that they will hand down to future generations.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Nothing. If I had done anything differently, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lelandsjewelry.com
- Phone: 972-490-5626
- Email: leland@lelandsjewelry.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lelands-Gold-Diamonds-207284265965854/
Image Credit:
Ben Mitchell
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