Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry is one of those businesses that truly keeps it in the family.
The three Berg brothers – Chad, Ryan and Scott – now co-presidents, were enlisted to help manage their parents’ store from a young age.
“We gift wrapped, answered phones, helped customers, whatever needed to be done we did,” says Ryan. “If we wanted to see our father, we went to the store. It’s where we grew up.”
That work ethic has led Lee Michaels to rapidly expand since first opening in 1978. It now has nine stores across four states in the US.
When the pandemic hit, the Bergs initially felt the strain like most, working diligently to protect both the business and the people who worked for them.
It was their father’s words that helped them to navigate the challenge, ringing more true than ever before: “Our people are our greatest asset”.
Now, they have come out stronger than ever before, not only delivering rapid growth within the business, but also managing to retain all of their employees.
“We are proud to say through constant communication with our staff and our customers, we not only got through but came out better for it on the other side,” says Ryan.
The Berg brothers also pride themselves on their business relationships, placing communication at the top of their list.
“It doesn’t matter how smart you are or how hard you work, the thing that makes a difference is building relationships that matter,” says Ryan.
They take careful consideration when building their team, seeing them as not only as their employees but also as brand ambassadors.
This means that they put their all into cultivating a healthy workplace culture, and this approach sets them apart and has set them up well to continue their growth and expansion.