Pawnshop Consulting Group is Proud to annouce that George Prout of the Bhanderi Group IE SmartGrown Diamonds IS Stepping up to our Title Sponsorship in the Diamond and Jewelry Sector and IS presenting at this years International Pawn Symposium

 

 

 

 

PCG International Pawn Symposium

 

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

 

 

George Prout – SmartGrown Lab Diamonds

 

From Jerry, it should be noted George approched PCG early last year (2024) to explore bringing lab grown diamonds into the Pawn Sphere directly from the Largest Grower in the World, JB Bhanderi of which he is the president of. In this collaboration, we created a brand (SmartGrown) specifically for the Pawn Space!

As George would like to say, and correctly I might add – LABS are the biggest disruptor in the history of the Jewelry Industry.

DeBeers has lost their control of the global diamond float and is in state of flux. Labs have come on strong with our client base, and this past year at the National Pawnbrokers Convention, teamed up, we onboarded more than 35 new clients and sold a large volume of product to pawnbrokers at that show, and over this past year in the Pawn Space right out of the chute.

Our clients who know how to value price and turn product are doing extremely well in this arena and it is here to stay. 

If your not in the lab diamond and jewelry trade YOU ARE MISSING THE BOAT! 

 

Bio on George Prout

George Prout brings over 40 years of experience in the jewelry business to play in his role as President of JB Bhanderi (Surreal Diamonds), the world’s largest Lab Grown Diamond Grower, but he’s also known as a contributing editor for Southern Jewelry News and Mid-America Jeweler where he’s written the popular Applied Marketing 101 column for the past fifteen years.

 

A graduate of Brown University, George began his jewelry career in retail working for Kay Jewelers while a college student, and then spent over a decade in the field as a sales representative for the Citizen Watch Company and Town and Country Jewelry manufacturing.

By the mid-nineties his role evolved into senior management positions, and he has subsequently guided several companies to top tier status serving Independent Jewelry stores. And now, as President of JB Bhanderi, the North American arm of the world’s largest Lab Grown Diamond Grower, George is applying his knowledge to the Pawn Industry as well.

George’s unique perspective combines a comprehensive understanding of consumer behavior with detailed insights into marketing and merchandising initiatives by leaders in the Diamond Industry.

 

As George puts it, “DeBeers’ magical tagline ‘A Diamond is Forever’ created the societal imperative of a gift of a diamond ring in order to seal an engagement. But the emergence of Lab Grown diamonds is creating a wonderful opportunity to democratize diamonds, such that now, A Diamond is Foreveryone! And we see a fantastic upside for the Pawn Industry, as this plays directly into the Pawn retail swing plane”.

 

Presentation – How to Build a Pawn-centric Lab Grown Diamond strategy that maximizes the size of the Opportunity while minimizing the Risks.

 

 

George and Smartgrown Diamonds, the consumer-facing Lab Grown Diamond brand built specifically for the Pawn retail vertical will lay out a road map for where Lab currently is and where it’s going, from the perspective of the world’s largest Grower, including a step-by-step plan for capturing market share in this critical category.

 

 

Come witness one of the most immediately productive and informational presentations coming from the worlds’ largest producer in Lab Diamonds exclusively at the at the Symposium.

 

 

Symposium Attendees can expect to witness some amazing opportunities on packages of product from the largest grower in the world that will only be available at this years International Pawn Symposium. 

 

 

Here is how our list of Pawn Professionals 0f which is shaping up for the “Ask some Pawn Professionals Anything YOU want”

 

Our panel is lining up with the following experts thus far:

 

• Jerry Whitehead – Founder of the Pawnshop Consulting Group

• Vito Wise – Pawnbroker / Creator of Pawnbrokers Helping Pawnbrokers Market Place and Much more

• Kevin Prochaska – CEO of Lombard Financial – A premier group of high end pawnshops / Former president of the National Pawnbrokers Association

• Sam Shockett – Owner – Kings Pawn – One of the largest volume and most distinguished single store Pawn Operations in the USA

• Maurice Fuller – Owner – Chesapeake Square Pawn – A newer rising star in the Pawn Industry

• Sean Makovsky – Multi-Unit Pawn Operating Specialist and much more, National Director for Fashionphile Luxury Goods

• Nicholas (Nick) Cohen – Business Development Leader for EZ Corp / Pawnbroker

• And ?? TBA

 

 

A footnote from PCG – Producer of the International Pawn Symposium

 

Our events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

 

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

 

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

 

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

 

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

 

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 85+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

 

Use this QR Code to register for the Symposium, once confirmed, we will send you the Hotel Passkey for Atlantis, slots are filling up quickly !!

 

 

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

Jerry Whitehead @ 954-540-3697 – Pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

 

Pawnshop Consulting Group – Blog Pages Link Click Here

 

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium