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Succession Planning: Today's Profits, Tomorrow's Exit Strategy
Location: Cobb Ballroom B - 8/21/26, 10:15 AM - 8/21/26, 11:15 AM (US/Eastern) (1 hour)
Sherry Smith (The Retail Smiths), Chuck Frey (Charles Frey Co.), Moderated by Elesa Dillon
Sherry Smith (The Retail Smiths), Chuck Frey (Charles Frey Co.), Moderated by Elesa Dillon

Every store owner needs an exit strategy, even if they never plan to sell. In this interview-style session, Andrea Hill sits down with retail strategy authority Sherry Smith and retirement and transition consultant Chuck Frey to cover everything you need to know to plan for succession.

Learn the difference between family succession, third-party sale, and employee buyout—and which path fits your situation. Learn how to build a business with clean books, defensible margins, consistent cash flows, and the other details that interest potential buyers. Learn how to understand EBITDA, inventory valuation, and reading financial statements the way a buyer would. No matter where you are in your journey, it’s never too soon to start planning your exit strategy.


About Chuck Frey

Chuck Frey, President of jewelry store retirement and transition sales consulting group Charles Frey & Company, Inc., began his career in the jewelry industry almost 50 years ago as a diamond grader at the GIA Laboratory in New York City. He later became a GIA instructor in diamond grading before moving on to consultation for jewelry store going-out-of-business, moving, consolidation, stock reduction, and retirement sales.

With 14 years of experience as part of the RJO Succession Experience and 30 years with Charles Frey & Co., Chuck is one of the jewelry industry’s leading experts in retirement and transition sales, cash-raising events, and succession planning, and one of the few that combines expertise in event planning, sales, merchandising, and gemology.

Sherry Smith

Sherry Smith is a Principal Partner at The Retail Smiths and a recognized authority in jewelry retail strategy, with more than three decades of industry experience.
Having owned and operated stores, built high-performing teams, and navigated both growth and contraction cycles, Smith brings a rare combination of real-world execution and strategic insight. Her work centers on helping independent jewelers strengthen profitability through financial clarity, disciplined inventory management, and leadership accountability.

She has developed performance frameworks used by retailers generating between $5 million and $100 million in revenue, with a focus on translating complex data into confident, actionable decision-making.

Smith serves on the Board of Directors for Jewelers of America and is a frequent speaker at major industry events. She is also a regular contributor to National Jeweler, INSTORE, and other leading publications.

Her core philosophy is simple: sustainable growth is built through strong leadership, clear metrics, and consistent execution.