Signet Has Started a Podcast

Signet Jewelers has started a podcast, called Beyond the Vault, meant to inspire people both in the company and in the wider industry.

The company has already posted the first two episodes, featuring interviews with industry analyst Paul Zimnisky and former GIA president and CEO Susan Jacques. World Diamond Council president Feriel Zerouki will appear in a future episode.

“As a team, we were thinking about how do we go about inspiring love through our ‘Grow Brand Love’ strategy,” Colleen Rooney, who hosts the podcast, tells JCK.

“We thought, ‘Wow. We get to talk to some of the most inspiring, passionate people,’” says Rooney, who is Signet’s chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer. “And for the benefit of mostly my colleagues, I wanted them to meet people like Paul and Susan, and get to learn from them—everything from what fuels their purpose and their passion to what they’re thinking about these days.

“One common theme [with] the folks I’ve had on is, they’ve all definitely taught me a lot. And I thought, ‘How nice to share that with others.'”

Rooney says she will try to “offer up perspectives that are inspiring” on the podcast.

“I’ve worked in many different industries, and this industry is the most enjoyable because people really care about it,” she says. “It’s really deep, in our thoughts. We thought, ‘We could really be a great unifier.’ It’s a really nice time for us to bring people together, because we all have a lot more in common than we have differences.”

The guest list might eventually include designers or people from producer countries, Rooney says. “We’re trying to think about the whole jewelry supply chain.”

She notes that in addition to Beyond the Vault’s target audience—Signet employees and other members of the trade—she’s heard from other people who listened to the first episode when she posted it on LinkedIn.

“It’s gotten a little reaction outside of the industry, too, which is nice,” says Rooney. “Maybe those folks will think of buying some jewelry. You never know.”

(Photo courtesy of Signet Jewelers)