More than two centuries ago, Scottish poet Robert Burns penned the enduring line, ‘the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.’
It’s a timeless reminder that even the most meticulously crafted plans can be upended by unforeseen circumstances. Life, in all its complexity, defies perfect foresight. In business, and especially in the jewellery trade, we all learn this sooner or later.
This truth is one that BECKS has faced not once, but twice in recent years. Founded in 1976 as the Peter W Beck Company by Peter and Ann Beck, the business has long been anchored in family values and dedication to the local jewellery industry.
In September 2021, Ann Beck passed away, followed by Peter just a few months later in December. Not long before their passing, Greville Ingham had returned to the family business, working closely with Peter and his daughters, Carol and Jenni.
At that pivotal moment, Greville contributed an article to Jeweller magazine, reflecting on the unexpected nature of leadership transitions and offering insight into the importance of succession planning.
He emphasised the need for a shared vision and a defined path forward. Yet, perhaps his most powerful message was this: never lose sight of your origins. Safeguarding the legacy and values of a business is not just important; it is essential.
After Greville’s unexpected passing in September 2024, BECKS entered another period of consolidation - getting back to basics and identifying the strategic changes needed to move forward. I was introduced to the company four years ago as a consultant and, since becoming CEO, have focused on providing stability and support as the company finds its feet, helping to establish continuity for both staff and our customers.
In times of upheaval, communication and alignment are essential, something I'm sure every business owner can relate to.
During this time, I’ve been fortunate enough to work alongside Carol and Jenni as managing directors. After the passing of Greville, they’ve remained focused on honouring their father’s legacy, staying true to the BECKS DNA, and ensuring the best interests of the business and the industry.
Key for us was recognising and acknowledging the value and vital role that the wider BECKS employees would play in ensuring sustainability in a challenging market. We have been able to rely on the terrific support of the staff and their ideas to shape our direction. One of our most important jobs was to be good at listening.
The staff were so pleased to have Peter’s daughters running the business, and the level of support and dedication they have shown has been truly overwhelming.
Carol and Jenni have drawn on a lifetime of being in and around the industry, growing up with their father as he built the business, and now leading as managing directors. Their philosophy is to work both in and on the business, making sound commercial decisions, providing strong leadership, listening to our employees and setting a clear direction as to where and how they want to take the business.
What changes needed to be made?
Innovation, responsiveness, and product quality continue to drive us forward. The key to taking the business to a place where it can truly support our customers and drive sales has been understanding its various components and identifying areas for improvement. With so many moving parts, we have had to stay agile and adapt quickly.
It’s always important to remember that improvement in your jewellery business doesn't need to be dramatic; however, it should be deliberate.
It’s about being good at what we are good at and recognising, understanding, and leveraging the value-added points of difference that BECKS has historically and will always offer to customers.
Being in business often requires calculated risks in decision-making and direction. We collectively identified initiatives we wanted to trigger that would really provide the business a strong platform to move forward with in the future.
The ancient Latin proverb, ‘fortune favours the brave’, springs to mind as it took a level of courage to undertake multiple major projects to advance the business.
One key shift was moving away from external consultants unfamiliar with the nuances of our industry.
Instead, we focused on internal capability, leading to more efficient decision-making and better results. Sometimes, trusting your team’s instincts is the best move.
We also reworked pricing, customer engagement, and financial processes, and these changes delivered tangible improvements. Externally, we refreshed the brand with a softer and more approachable look and introduced a structured new product development process focused on quality over quantity, targeting the areas that would deliver the greatest benefit to our customers.
Where do we go next?
The International Jewellery Fair in Sydney was very rewarding, as we saw the level of engagement from both existing and new customers. Our latest product releases, display ranges, tray packages and services we provide were all very well received and translated into a strong level of orders.
We took this as great validation for the work we have done since joining and the decisions we have been making. It’s a challenging time for the industry and our customers, and we view it as our responsibility to support them with the best products, services, and guidance while staying true to our course.
These values have carried us nearly 50 years since Peter founded the business with a lathe in his basement. Carol and Jenni still recall him proudly showing them prototypes as children. From those humble beginnings to the international business it is today, now led by his daughters, it’s been an incredible journey to witness and to be a small part of.
For many reading this, your story may be similar - humble beginnings, built on passion, shaped by people - and that’s worth protecting.
As we approach our 50th anniversary we look forward to celebrating our journey and highlighting our identity as a proudly Australian based, owned, and operated company.
Name: Gavin Baird
Business: BECKS
Position: CEO
Location: Adelaide, SA
Years in the industry: 4
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