Startup Central

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Comment by Andrew Montroy on March 14, 2012 at 10:58am

Hey Startup Central. My name is Andrew Montroy. I live in Raleigh NC. I want to follow my dream of starting a Chocolate Cafe. I have never owned my own business before, so the task is very daunting and exciting at the same time. All and any input is welcomed. I am going to start a blog documenting my process, so please comment on it anytime you want. Thanks and I look forward to building a relationship with the group!

Comment by Loretta on February 21, 2012 at 6:16am

Hi everyone!

I'm from Rome in Italy (but I live in a neighbouring village). I started do home chocolates in 2004, since I attended two professional courses at Castalimenti in Brescia, with the extraordinary Man and Master Eliseo Tonti. I sell them just twice a year and my customers have been constantly increasing, together with my chocolate passion.

Now I'm working to open an ecological chocolate workshop even if in Italy is very difficult change work. This is my goal for the near future!

I'm very glad to join this community. Thanks all!

Loretta

Comment by Kathryn James on February 17, 2012 at 10:14am

Hi everyone!

I'm brand new to working with chocolate.  I'd actually never tempered before December 31...I was determined to start the new year doing something I'd never done before, so I made truffles.  This snowballed into realizing that someone had to eat all those truffles if I wanted to make more and experiment with new flavors.  Then I thought it might be nice if I could sell the truffles so that I'd have money to buy more chocolate with.  Now here we are, less than 2 months into the year and I find myself running a business...not that I know how to run a business!  I've been an administrative professional in the construction field, a customer service agent in a call center, a licensed counselor, a non-profit program manager, and I'm also an actress and a musician, so I know little bits about how all those businesses operate, but I've never had to pull it all together and do it for a business of my own.  Thankfully, Arizona allows me to make confections out of my home kitchen and I've found a farmers market craft fair that doesn't require the $1M liability insurance and an up-front fee to reserve a space that most places do around here.  Selling at the craft fair is helping me build some buzz, and my local friends have been very supportive.  I've registered the business with the state and I have all my health department stuff squared away, but every time I turn around there's something new I haven't considered--insurance (still waiting on quotes), taxes (it takes 4 weeks for them to process the form by mail?!), a business checking account (to open with what money?), a business plan (wait, you mean beyond, "I think I'll do those vanilla truffles again, people really responded well to those"?) ... I'm constantly feeling like I went about this all wrong, but I just can't stop!  I'm determined to make this work.

I've named the business "Sweets by 5ftLatina" and I have a website at www.5ftLatina.com/sweets that's still under construction and a Facebook page at facebook.com/Sweetsby5ftLatina that has most of my info and pictures etc.

I'm really looking forward to being a part of this community and so glad I found others I can have discussions with who share my passion!

Thanks,

Kathryn James

Comment by Donna Slepicka on February 15, 2012 at 11:13am

Hi Everyone,

I am a mother of two, with my first child(and only daughter) off to college, I recently decided to take my passion for chocolate and open a small retail space with a production kitchen in my home town.

I have been renting a certified kitchen but cost is becaming too high.  I started my business as home based and attended a lot of shows and charity events to sell.  My following has grown and I now have a number of corporate clients and events who order regularly.

I am hoping to open my space in late spring 2012. My backround is in marketing and accounting, but I am rusty on the accounting side.

I have refered to the Chocolate Life for information, inspiration and I love the classifieds.

I do have a website:  http:riverforestchocolates.com for info and visuals only.

I am on Facebook, a regular Constant Contact newletter user, have a brief Utube video(link through my website) and can be reached at riverforestchocolates@gmail.com

Thanks and keep posting-I love it!

Donna Fantetti-Slepicka

Comment by Ancel Mitchell on December 26, 2011 at 1:23pm

Hi all,
I live on a permaculture farm on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, the farm was a cacao plantation before. The last two decades have been dedicated to raising tropical fruits and spices, but we have become increasingly interested in working our cacao. Our trees are matina forestero, and we're planting trinitario now. Up until recently we have been using our cacao for products we sell at our local farmers market, and having bars made with our cacao and vanilla by a local producer. Now we are very excited to be trying our hand at the production! We're waiting for our melanger to get through customs :) have many questions and queries and am so grateful for this forum and website! Our farm, Finca la Isla, can be seen here:

www.costaricacaribbean.com

Thanks! Best wishes for a chocolate coated 2012!
Ancel

Comment by Simone Vandersteen on December 14, 2011 at 2:32pm

Hi Everyone,

  I am in Nelson, B.C.... my husband and I are very near the completion of renovating our garage to be a certified kitchen. I already have a medicinal tea business (still small) and I am intrigued by the idea of including herbs into chocolate. I've been experimenting already, with milk and dark, tempering it with the cold water bath method... I'm using untempered organic chocolate. So far, so good, from what I can tell.

  Now, to build the kitchen to be suitable for chocolate making...

I may be asking lot's of questions in the near future...

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and for your patience!

P.S so far I am self-taught, but I hope to take a course one day...

Comment by Suzie Hoban on November 16, 2011 at 4:14pm

Hi All, I'm another soon-to-be-graduate of Ecole Chocolate. I'm planning to set up a business in Bogota, Colombia. Chocolate as a drink is very popular here but chocolate as a gourmet food is relatively novel. My plan is to transform the "maid's room" in my apartment into a small chocolate workshop and build from there. 

Happy to meet everyone.

Cheers

Suzie

 

Comment by Kim Darling on November 10, 2011 at 10:27am

Hello,

I've been reading a learning from this group for about 3 months now.  I'm just about finished with ecolechocolat chocolatier course and am looking forward to starting and building a small chocolatier business in the town I'm now living in.  

Thanks.

 

Comment by sinclair pinto on November 9, 2011 at 8:26pm

Hi,

This is my first group enrollment. I have worked since the last 9 years for several michelin chefs in london and USA. I am currently in San Francisco and am interested in all things chocolate. 

Hope this is an adequate introduction.

Thank you and have a nice day.

Comment by Mann Made Chocolate on October 26, 2011 at 11:51pm

I hate to take up anyone's time, but since Clay invited us to say hello,  I'll say "Hi" to the group.

I am a very small volume, client-only artisan chocolatier (i.e., still have a day job). I've been at this for about 8 years, and have built up a substantial fan base of customers, but do not consider myself a retail enterprise.  I am passionate about the art and craft and, frankly, the science, which to science-nerds like me is amazing.

I won't pretend I fully understand why people tell me they love my creations. (No, not just friends and family.)  Maybe it's because so many people have never had truly fresh chocolates before the subtle volatiles have dissipated. Maybe it's because I use time-consuming "old style" methods.  Maybe it's because of the secret ingredients I've learned to add or maybe because I put my customers' money into high quality ingredients, not packaging, keeping my prices reasonable.  Or maybe it's just because they just think it's funny that a medical doctor makes chocolates.  I don't know.  But, it's hard to argue with the feedback I get, and while I'm trying to keep this a truly small, artisan activity, if the demand increases, I may enter the commercial world, and if I do, I'm sure I'll be totally clueless on the legalities, regulations, etc.  I hope to read the wisdom of others (and The Chocolate Life is great for wisdom!) as I explore "what's next."

Thank you for listening and best of luck to all who work with this amazing substance.

-Bruce A. Mann, Chief Chocolate Officer, Mann Made Chocolate

PS: if you're one of those Facebook types, we're on facebook.com/mannmadechocolate. The real website is "under construction" at MannMadeChocolate.com

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