Review of my Jewellers Academy Membership – fantastic value, just loved it!

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Farewell, Jewellers Academy…it’s a sad day.

My subscription has run out! And although they offered a half price renewal, I just don’t have the money. It ain’t there.

But I think that at some point, maybe next year, I will really splash out and do a Diploma with Jessica Rose and the crew, because wow, really great value.

I paid £425 for a year, and for various reasons I didn’t use it fully. I did most of the Bootcamp, which is intended to set jewellers (at any stage) up in business. Very, very comprehensive. I sometimes find the videos a bit slow, but then I’m always impatient. I have downloaded the workbooks and sheets for what I didn’t get done, and will get it done in the next few months before I have to go ‘Out’ to work (if in fact that happens). There is SO much information in it. Yes, you could find much of this for free, but getting it joined up and comprehensive like this is so perfect, and that’s how you can get yourself launched, properly, in 8 weeks.

It’s also beautifully presented. A couple of the presenters are a bit painful to watch (sorry) but who am I to say that, I hate bloody cameras and I cannot stand my voice/accent… But they defo practice what they preach when it comes to branding! And I WILL get an about-me (cringe!) video done this year!

When I started applying for a New Enterprise Award (business set up help for us poor sods on Universal Credit) I thought, right, business plan. This’ll be easy. Wow – not so much. But then I looked at what I’d done via JA and it’s everything I needed, and more. But it had been presented and worked through in a so much more interesting way than the template I had, and of course it was ideally positioned to inform my jewellery work. Although I honestly think the course would work well for anything handmade – the how-to photography stuff for example. My photos are way better even though I don’t have a DSLR to use.

What else…it was just fun to watch. I used to set up in the workshop and start polishing or something else fairly mindless, and watch a Masterclass or segment, make a few notes, and feel really accomplished both at and away from the bench!

The social side of it was great, with so many inspirational posts. People at all different levels and such a wide variety of styles too. I sometimes felt over-awed, but pretty soon someone would come along with a question I needed the answer to as well, or a problem I could even solve (!). Always read the JA posts on my feed, never skipped…and I skip a loooooot of shit… You can join in even before you pay any dollares.

I also looked at a few of the courses that membership gives you access to. Soldering, ring-making, stone-setting and other basics really helped me. I would pay again for membership for more of these, but they do take time. I am also so skint that using materials for things I’m not actually going to sell on…I just can’t…but of course have to make that investment…argh.

These courses can be bought individually for not a lot, you’ll make it back with one or two pieces. You get lifetime access that way, as well.

I have a few downloads to follow along with or finish, and I can’t wait to do some wax carving especially. Of all the courses on there (loads!!) I wanted to do a full 50% of them. Metal clay – I started with it, really want to do more. Oh I can’t even describe how much you get!

Well, I shall carry on implementing the strategies Jessica Rose teaches, and see how the Big Launch goes…TBA!

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