The Importance of Leadership with Chau Lui

Today's special guest Chau Lui is stepping into the Inner Circle. Her company Paris Jewellers' purpose is to be known as Canada’s most Customer-Centric retail jewelry brand.

They had a dream, to move from Vietnam to Canada to create a better life. Today Chau and Trang carry the vision and legacy of the Paris Jewellers luxury brand with 25 locations across four provinces, employing over 230 people. She has lived and learned everything about the family business, so you don't want to miss this episode!

Their goal is to ensure each customer feels happy about every purchase they make by bringing together people who love what they do with products that bring people happiness.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

1:59 - Their journey began when Chau's parents decided to emigrate from Vietnam to Canada in a search for a better life. Her parents got a job to support them until the opportunity came when they got a job at a jewelry store.
4:47 - Chau remembers when she was young and seeing her parents work a lot, they had to support the store, help the customer and do the work.
9:39 - Chau started helping at the store at 15; when helping customers she loved the process and the fun, she learned what her clients needed and delivered.
11:20 - She recalls when her parents' business was growing and had the opportunity to open the second store, they took it even when the store was an hour and a half away from their home.
14:12 - When it was time for her to fully enter the business, Chau wanted to know the business from top to bottom, so she started in reception and worked through every single aspect and department in the company. Learning was the only goal.
16:37 - 2010 was the most challenging year for them, they opened 5 new stores in different provinces, in the process they failed to connect with their customers due to the speed of the expansion and the amount of work needed to open each store, but also learned a lot about how to scale their business.
22:03 - Chau recognized that the company required a connection, so she made a decision: Don't say yes to anything until they went back to their values, beliefs, vision, mission and build a strong foundation. After they figured it out, Chau and her sister implemented the training in all of their stores.
29:53 - Chau explains her relationship with her sibling, the company, and how they work so perfectly together.
35:09 - She also recalls when she had kids, how it changed her life, how it influenced the growth of the company.
38:00 - Chau reveals some of the lessons she learned during her entrepreneurial journey, and how she tackled it.
40:17 - One of the most important activities that Chau does with her family and in her company is the practice of gratitude, and how it has been a game-changer.
43:21 - Another essential practice for Chau is time management, how she can have time for two kids, 25 stores, head office, and the company. The importance of being clear with her and the company goals, and how to achieve them.

Quotes:

"My parents didn't know English, so when customers would come in, they would pull a dictionary and that's how they communicate and translate with customers."
"I remember growing up, we would always try to help, we would make the sales sign with a marker, and they would put it up in the store."
"Nothing in life worth having is going to be free, you have to work hard for it."
"When we are pointing the finger at somebody else, we are actually pointing three at ourselves."
"Having values really determines who we hire, who we work with."
"It is our responsibility to ensure people are set up to win at their jobs".
"If you are going to do something, do it with grace, do it with kindness and just work really hard".
"We're a team doing this together and when you are a group of people you just go so much further, so much faster".
"I measured my worth as a leader by how many people liked me".

Mentioned:

Instagram - @parisjewellerscanada @chautlui

FB - ParisJewellers

Website - https://parisjewellers.ca/

Journey Into the Inner Circle:

Carrie Doll

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@carriedollconsulting - Instagram

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