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A good name is a tremendous advantage when it comes to doing business in today’s challenging and ever-evolving diamond market – people know you, they respect you and they trust you. Sometimes, however, such an established name can potentially be intimidating and overwhelming when it comes to forming a new business relationship. This was one of the hurdles Greg Sofiev encountered when he took the helm as CEO of LLD Diamonds USA. The “LLD” stands for Lev Leviev Diamonds, and while the businessman and philanthropist’s name carries a distinctive cachet, it also carries an enormous amount of responsibility for Sofiev. These days, Sofiev and his wife, Chagit Sofiev-Leviev (president of the Leviev Group USA), are eager to spread the word that LLD Diamonds USA is looking to further develop relationships with independent retailers throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America to add to its rapidly growing roster of clients. IDEX MAGAZINE • No. 302 | 105 | POLISHED > DOING BUSINESS | DOING BUSINESS The Power of an Established Name Greg Sofiev

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Page 1: 105-107

A good name is a tremendous advantage when it comes to doing business in today’s challenging and ever-evolving diamond market – people

know you, they respect you and they trust you. Sometimes, however, such an established name can potentially be intimidating and overwhelming when it comes to forming a new business relationship.

This was one of the hurdles Greg Sofiev encountered when he took the helm as CEO of LLD Diamonds USA. The “LLD” stands for Lev Leviev Diamonds, and while the businessman and philanthropist’s name carries a distinctive cachet, it also carries an enormous amount of responsibility for Sofiev.

These days, Sofiev and his wife, Chagit Sofiev-Leviev (president of the Leviev Group USA), are eager to spread the word that LLD Diamonds USA is looking to further develop relationships with independent retailers throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America to add to its rapidly growing roster of clients.

IDEX MAGAZINE • No. 302 | 105

| POLISHED > DOING BUSINESS |

DOING BUSINESS

The Power of an Established Name

Greg Sofiev

Page 2: 105-107

LLD is posting its vast selection of diamonds on the main online trading platforms and is creating a vibrant brand awareness of the company.

“We are more than one of the biggest names in the diamond industry,” says Sofiev. “We are a company that can be trusted and utilized as a valuable resource for quality, value and service for all sectors of the diamond and jewelry industry,” he adds.

“We have posted thousands of diamonds online to date, and we have thousands more to upload.” The company’s extensive inventory is also available on its website, www.llddiamonds.com.

This new approach and business philosophy seems to be working well. “With more and more business being conducted online, companies have less brand loyalty,” says Sofiev. “Customers shop according to goods rather

than by a particular company; but we have a very loyal customer base and we are extremely proud and grateful for this. Our retail clientele is happy, satisfied and, most importantly, repeat customers.”

To make his point clearer, Sofiev says that retailers are often not even searching other sites for goods; they first inquire what LLD has in stock. “We are opening up new doors every day,” he says, “proof that the strategy of the company’s superior customer service is helping to increase and maintain our brand loyalty.”

In Sofiev’s constant pursuit of keeping up with advances in technology, LLD Diamonds USA recently designed an app that features a majority of the company’s domestic stock, enabling retailers to access the company’s inventory, even when they are away from their computers.

106 | IDEX MAGAZINE • No. 302

| POLISHED > DOING BUSINESS |

Page 3: 105-107

11.97-Carat Fancy Yellow Ring with 1-Carat Radiant-Cut E/F VS1 Side Stones

Earrings with 10-Carat Emerald-Cut Diamonds. Total Carat Weight 42.26 Carats. (Call for Details)

Handcrafted 3.75-Carat and 3.63-Carat Platinum Studs (J/SI1 GIA EX/EX)

Staying with tradition, the company also offers an

exclusive collection of meticulously manufactured

handmade jewelry, as well as a diamond stud program

for retailers.

“It’s difficult, time-consuming and financially

challenging for jewelers to invest in heavy diamond

items such as the spectacular types of eternity bands

and bracelets and earrings that we are now making

available,” he says.

In this melding of the modern and traditional, Sofiev is

above all keen to emphasize the company’s customer

service, which is designed to make doing business with

this industry giant as easy as possible. “We’ve extended

our hours of operation and are able to receive and

service calls in all time zones throughout the day. We

leave ‘no stone unturned’ to facilitate, accommodate

and keep our customers happy.”

LLD Diamonds USA, established in 1998, is a division of

the Leviev Group of companies. The group maintains

offices in strategic diamond markets worldwide and is

headquartered in Israel and New York, with its New York

offices located at 580 Fifth Avenue.

IDEX MAGAZINE • No. 302 | 107

| POLISHED > DOING BUSINESS |