How to diversify your income as a jeweller (Podcast Episode)
If you're looking to build a more resilient jewellery business, diversifying your income can make all the difference. In this episode of the Jewellers Academy podcast, Anna Campbell and Kelly Twigg explore practical ideas for diversifying your income and building a more sustainable business. From teaching and affiliate partnerships to repairs, specialist services and making the most of the skills you already have, discover how multiple income streams can help you build a more resilient and sustainable jewellery business.
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Many jewellers start their business with one simple goal: make beautiful jewellery and sell it. It's a natural place to begin, but it can also create a lot of pressure. When every bill, every material purchase and every month's income depends entirely on selling finished pieces, it becomes easy to lose sight of why you fell in love with jewellery making in the first place.
In this episode of the Jewellers Academy Podcast, Anna Campbell is joined by jeweller, educator and author Kelly Twigg to explore the many ways jewellers can diversify their income while staying true to the craft they love.
Rather than replacing jewellery making, diversification strengthens it. It creates financial stability, opens new opportunities and allows you to build a business that feels both creative and sustainable.
Why every jeweller should think about diversifying their income
Running a jewellery business involves much more than making jewellery.
Alongside buying precious metals and gemstones, you're paying for insurance, websites, subscriptions, studio costs, equipment and marketing. Those costs continue whether you've made sales that week or not.
Having multiple income streams reduces the pressure on every individual sale.
It also gives you the freedom to:
experiment with new collections
spend more time developing your skills
navigate seasonal fluctuations in sales
build a business that can grow over the long term.
Diversification isn't about doing everything - it's about finding the opportunities that suit your skills, interests and lifestyle.
Here is a summary of the ideas discussed in this episode. Do listen to the full episode to pick up all the tips.
1. Expand how you sell your jewellery
Selling jewellery remains the heart of many businesses, but there isn't just one way to do it.
Many successful jewellers combine several sales channels, including:
their own website
online marketplaces
craft fairs and markets
galleries and shops
wholesale
commissions
private home events
Different personalities suit different approaches. Some jewellers thrive meeting customers face-to-face at markets. Others prefer building an online audience or working with galleries that sell on their behalf. The key is choosing the approach that plays to your strengths rather than copying someone else's business model.
2. Let your jewellery become your marketing
One of the simplest forms of marketing is wearing your own work.
Your jewellery naturally starts conversations wherever you go, whether that's at networking events, while travelling or even on the daily dog walk.
Likewise, encouraging friends, family and loyal customers to wear your jewellery helps introduce your work to new audiences through genuine recommendations.
Word of mouth remains one of the most powerful marketing tools available to independent jewellers.
3. Teach jewellery making
Teaching is one of the most rewarding ways to diversify your income. You don't need to be a master goldsmith to teach beginner workshops.
In fact, introductory jewellery classes are often the most popular because they're welcoming, accessible and give complete beginners the confidence to discover a new craft.
Teaching opportunities might include:
beginner workshops
evening classes
one-to-one tuition
private group sessions
hen parties
community workshops
teaching for an established jewellery school
creating online jewellery courses
Many jewellers underestimate just how valuable their existing knowledge is - skills that now feel obvious to you could completely transform someone else's creative journey.
4. Build an online audience
Sharing your jewellery journey online can open doors you never expected.
Kelly explains how simply sharing process videos, tools and tips gradually built an engaged audience that later led to affiliate partnerships with jewellery suppliers.
The important lesson isn't becoming an "influencer” - it's becoming a trusted voice. By consistently sharing useful, honest content, opportunities often arrive naturally, whether through collaborations, partnerships or teaching invitations. And in this cast, authenticity matters far more than follower numbers.
5. Explore affiliate partnerships
If you regularly recommend tools, equipment or suppliers you genuinely use, affiliate marketing may become an additional income stream. Many jewellery suppliers now offer affiliate programmes that allow creators to earn commission when people purchase through their recommendations. The key is maintaining trust, only recommend products you already use, genuinely believe in and would happily suggest regardless of whether commission is involved.
6. Offer jewellery services to other jewellers
Not every income stream involves selling directly to customers. Many professional jewellers specialise in supporting other jewellers.
That could include:
polishing
stone setting
repairs
resizing
finishing castings
engraving
laser welding
specialist bench work.
Within the professional jewellery industry, these specialist roles are incredibly common. If there's an area of bench work you particularly enjoy, it could become a valuable service business in its own right.
7. Specialise in jewellery repairs and remodelling
With precious metal prices continuing to rise, more customers are choosing to repair, remodel and restore existing jewellery rather than buy new pieces.
Offering services such as:
ring resizing
stone replacement
heirloom remodelling
jewellery restoration
resetting gemstones
can provide a steady income alongside your own jewellery collections. These services often build long-term customer relationships and create repeat business.
8. Use your wider business skills
Running a jewellery business teaches far more than jewellery making.
Many jewellers develop valuable skills in:
jewellery photography
video editing
social media
SEO
website design
copywriting
email marketing
branding.
If these are areas you enjoy, other jewellers may happily pay for your expertise. Sometimes your business experience becomes just as valuable as your bench skills.
9. Make the most of what you already own
Diversification isn't always about adding something new, sometimes it's about making better use of what you already have.
That could include:
selling unused tools
reclaiming precious metal scrap
selling surplus equipment
hiring out specialist equipment where appropriate
recycling old stock
repurposing existing designs.
Small improvements can create significant additional income over time.
10. Recycle your precious metal scrap
Many jewellers are surprised by how much value sits in their scrap jars. Rather than allowing silver or gold offcuts to accumulate for years, consider reclaiming or selling your scrap through a precious metal refiner. Not only does this reduce waste, but it can provide a welcome lump sum that can be reinvested into your business or help take the pressure off during seasonal low times.
11. Write books, create resources and share your expertise
Diversification often leads to unexpected opportunities. Writing books, creating digital resources, designing templates or producing educational content can all strengthen your authority within the jewellery industry.
While books rarely become major income sources on their own, they often create opportunities for:
speaking engagements
teaching
collaborations
consultancy
media opportunities.
Sometimes the greatest value isn't the product itself but where it leads.
Diversification is about freedom, not doing everything
One of the most important messages from this conversation is that diversification shouldn't become another way to overwhelm yourself.
You don't need ten different income streams.
You simply need enough variety that no single source of income carries all the pressure.
Start by asking yourself:
Which parts of my jewellery business do I enjoy most?
What skills do people already ask me for help with?
What knowledge have I stopped recognising because it now feels obvious?
Which opportunities feel exciting rather than exhausting?
Often the best income stream is simply an extension of what you're already doing well.
Listen to the full episode
In this episode, Anna Campbell and Kelly Twigg discuss practical ways jewellers can diversify their income, reduce financial pressure and build a more resilient jewellery business without losing the creativity that inspired them to start making jewellery in the first place.
Whether you're hoping to create more financial stability, explore teaching, offer jewellery services or simply make better use of the skills you already have, this conversation is full of ideas to help you build a business that works for you.
What income stream could you add to your jewellery business that would make it feel more sustainable—and more enjoyable?
jewellery business academy
Building a successful jewellery business isn't about doing it all alone. If you're ready to develop your business alongside a supportive community of jewellers, explore the Jewellery Business Academy. This one-year programme combines monthly training, mentoring and practical business support to help you grow with confidence.
Enrolment for 2026 has now closed, but you can discover what's included and join the interested list for 2027 here.
https://www.jewellersacademy.com/the-jewellery-business-academy
About anna campbell
Anna has worked with the London Jewellery School and Jewellers Academy since 2012, helping thousands of jewellers develop both their making skills and their businesses.
She has taught on many programmes, including the Jewellery Business Academy, supporting makers to build profitable, sustainable jewellery businesses.
Anna is the founder of Jewellery School Scotland, host of the Jewellers Academy Podcast, co-host of the Full of Ourselves podcast for women in business and the Good Girl Rebellion podcast,
She is the international bestselling author of Good Girl Rebellion: Build the Business, Break the Rules, Be Limitless.
Drawing on over a decade of experience in the jewellery industry, she is passionate about helping jewellers create businesses that are both financially resilient and creatively fulfilling.
About Kelly Twigg
Kelly is the founder of Willow & Twigg Jewellery, where she creates handcrafted jewellery inspired by the British coastline.
Alongside running her own successful jewellery business, Kelly teaches jewellery making at Jewellers Academy Brighton and enjoys helping other makers develop their skills and confidence. Through her popular social media channels, she shares practical jewellery tips, tools and techniques with an engaged community of jewellers.
Kelly is also the author of an upcoming book on making sea glass jewellery, due to be published in 2027.