Blakeman’s prescription for success? Bridal, brand names, and the Arkansas RazorbacksIn the late 1970s, Don Blakeman was working as a pharmaceutical rep for Pfizer. Then he met a Keepsake Diamonds sales rep who drove a Mercedes, worked fewer hours, and made more money. Blakeman swapped (prescription) drugs for diamonds and hasn’t looked back since: He opened his own mall store in 1987 and the freestanding Blakeman’s Fine Jewelry in 2005. His sons possess polar-opposite interests in the family business: Josh is a proficient bench jeweler, while Ben specializes in sales and marketing. But all three share one common goal—making Blakeman’s a regional destination. Starting Out Josh: I worked in the store as a teenager. I remember my first big sale—a $500 gold chain bracelet. Straight out of high school I started a family and was deciding between being a plumber or a jeweler. Betwe