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Comment by Lauren Embree on February 13, 2011 at 1:50pm

Hello, new friends!  

My husband & I have been researching opening a handmade chocolate shop in our community.  We live in a good sized college town (around 75K, metro area 250K), where there are NO chocolate shops!  We are skilled amateurs with a ton of ideas & determination to create something new & notable in our area.  I'd love to connect with others on their journey! 

Comment by Huy Nguyen on February 10, 2011 at 5:55pm

Hello!

 

As with everyone else, I'm here on a journey to creating a wonderful and successful chocolate shop. I've been in the culinary industry for 8 years primarily baking cakes, truffles, and being a sushi chef. HAHA, I know that last profession is way out there but I learned the skill as a sushi chef about 5 years ago. It's a great way to make money and being in front by the bar lets me converse and socialize with potential clientele. I had initially went to culinary school just strictly for knowledge but I believe now is the time that I jump ships and do something that I have a passion for.

 

I'm planning on starting off by building my shop at home and expanding to a store front within a year's time. I'll be introducing to our community new flavors, exciting and complex flavors (hopefully they don't bite me) lol, and hopefully create a large footprint for years to come!

Comment by Mickey McDowell - CocoaVana on February 3, 2011 at 2:01pm

Ciao!

The adventure has begun. Hopefully with some practice, confidence, luck and cash (lots) I can create a sustainable business. With all the creative things that can be done with chocolate, I’m finding it hard to focus on a single business plan. The fun part is doing all the research (plenty of tastings). I anticipate the easiest part for me would be working with machines and equipment so I’m leaning towards the bean to bar concept.

sounds easy…

…did I mention luck and cash

Regards to all,
Mickey  

Comment by charley wheelock on January 27, 2011 at 11:14am

Hello,

I am a burgeoning chocolate maker in the Northwest. My wife and I have been running our Santha pretty much constantly for the past year. We are hoping to take it tot he next level and start a mini micro chocolate factory as soon as possible.  All we need is a huge pile of money and a space, a bunch of equipment, some marketing/branding, a web site and a source for beans!! 

Looking forward to taking this journey with you chocolate people.

Comment by Rebekka Hyclak on January 24, 2011 at 9:30pm

Hello!

I've been a group member for a couple of weeks, but have been incredibly busy and am only now getting around to my introduction.

I am a brand new business owner and, wow, kudos to all of us! I have recently opened a small, home-based confectionery in Westerville, Ohio. I make hand rolled truffles primarily. My hopes are to one day have a store front and offer chocolates and cupcakes (they're my other obsession!). I am mostly self taught, save for 1 or 2 culinary classes at the local college. Please feel free to visit my website, www.hyclassconfections.com

I really look forward to learning more here on The Chocolate Life!

Comment by Dale Anderson on January 23, 2011 at 7:56pm

Hello!

Nice to be a part of this community. I have been working with chocolate for about 4 years (and have experimented with and enjoyed it for years). I have taken the Ecole on-line chocolate class, and have attended classes at the French Pastry School in Chicago and L.A. Burdick's in Walpole, New Hampshire. I have made several thousand truffles in the past few years. I prefer the more rustic hand-rolled style, and am specializing in using organic and Fair Trade chocolate. I opened a small truffle shop in December in Kalamazoo, Michigan called Confections With Convictions, and am muddling through the vicissitudes of starting a small retail shop. I look forward to sharing my sometimes scant and sometimes hard-earned experience and knowledge with others interested in chocolate, and to learning from all of you.

Comment by Patti Humbert on January 14, 2011 at 11:14pm

Hey all~ I am a recent grad of the ecole chocolat professional chocolatier course.  I am currently working in a caterer's kitchen where I also do baking.  I plan to take the business plan for chocolatiers course this summer but I wanted to get some market research done before starting that.  I love this site and I have learned SO much from it.  I am trying to learn as much as I can about this business and it is great to hear from others who have been there, done that!

Comment by Kalena G on December 1, 2010 at 5:02pm

Hello Paul:

Have an open house at your house or at a hotel (whatever is afordable) and have samples, some games, and business cards/flyers. Send out a press release (prweb.com, if this is afordable to do) and try it.

Comment by Paul Mosca on October 1, 2010 at 10:00pm

Hi. I think when I joined this thread I skipped the introduce yourself part. So I'm revisiting my intro.

Two years ago I started Chocolate Seeds. I roast cocoa beans and cover them in dark chocolate. The catch is that I take the shell off the cocoa bean and keep them intact.

I am happy to share what I can. I'd love to get some feedback on go to market and sales techniques.

Cheers,
Paul

Comment by Robert Cabeca on August 24, 2010 at 12:52pm

Greetings! I have been making Chocolate products for over 20 years and have been in business on and off during that time. I am moving into a kitchen in a couple weeks and will be in full production mid september. I am going to be revamping everything, from logo and website to brand identity and custom transfers and boxes. This site has been a vast source of information and I am grateful for it as well as everyones willingness to share.

Please stop by my website www.robertschocolates.com

Best regards,
Robert

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