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Sunday 28 August 2011

How do I go about starting my own chocolate business? /Part 1

When you say you want to start your own chocolate business I take it that you want to make your own chocolates, package them all nicely and then sell them to the public via shops, restaurants and the internet. This I might be able to help you with.

If your future chocolate business has anything to do with sculpturing (not interested), retail shop (very little experience), bean to bar production (only what I’ve read in books, saw on TV, factory visit) or healthy chocolate then I won’t be that much help. Sorry! I might be able to point you in the right direction though….if I can be arsed.


No, you are the type of person who is good round the kitchen and decided to make some truffles last Christmas as presents to give to friends and family. Some of these people really enjoyed your truffles and thought they were that good that you should give up your career and make them commercially.

Where do you start?

First off…do you really want to give up that career? Give up 28 days holiday a year? Give up that pension? The company car? Sickness pay? The knowing that you can afford to pay the bills and know exactly what is round the corner? Your weekends away? 88 hours a week instead of 48?

All these things that make up your life are all alright and that but they just seem really boring and maybe a little depressing. But take these away and you could have a real recipe for disaster.
Clear your kitchen table and add pressure…I mean REAL PRESSURE…at least a couple of pounds worth. Mix in a couple of handful’s worth of bills. Add to this a tablespoon of debt. Mix well and bake real hard for a couple of years.

I can’t predict what you will end up with but nor can you. If this isn’t your bag then your life probably isn’t as bad as you think it is.

Most people I know who have a job work to live. Most people I know who have their own business live to work. No one is right and no one is wrong but you need to try and imagine which life would make you feel more alive.

I bet you know someone who moved abroad and has recently returned. They couldn’t hack it. The UK was always cold and miserable and they wanted sun, sea and sand. They had seen ‘Crocodile Dundee’ a couple of times and fancied the look of the bush.
Now they are back. Good on them for having a go but they sure could have saved them selves a whole lot of grief and money if they had tested the waters beforehand and had some insight into what they would miss and what they would have been leaving behind.

Most of life’s big decisions have their pro’s and cons.
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Therefore going into business IMO is a little like entering marriage. It should not be entered into unadvisedly or lightly; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of the taxman. Once you go into business, that business will/should take over ones life.


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