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Shop Small, Support Local
Small Business Ups and Downs in a Chocolate Shop
On By Andy Ciordia / 0 comments
We love that you all are as mad as we are. For the entrepreneurial spirit and small business owner, it's often said that it's the toughest job you'll ever have,... Read more
Surviving Chocolate Holidays, Winter 2012 Edition
On By Andy Ciordia / 0 comments
December was just amazing for us. Chocolate, chocolate everywhere! Many times going, ‘How did chocolate get here–and there?!’ It was an odd December though compared to last year. It started off very slow, almost to the point of making us worry and then something changed–attitude, atmosphere, humidity? Who knows, the dam broke and we were under a deluge of people wanting our craft chocolates and confections. So be it! Long Hours, Early Mornings, Late Nights We worked the hardest we have since last February (also nicknamed the Valentines Massacre, hehe.)... Read more
The Secret Chocolatier
Chocolate Shop Metrics 2011
On By Andy Ciordia / 0 comments
Each year I comb our sales data and try to create a picture for the family of their hard work for the year. We thought it would be fun to... Read more
The Secret Chocolatier in Charlotte, NC : Grand Opening Preparations
Charlotte Chocolate Shop Grand Opening Success
On By Andy Ciordia / 0 comments
Charlotte, North Carolina's Chocolate Secret, The Secret Chocolatier had a fantastic grand opening serving their adoring fans for all their support. Read more
The Secret Chocolatier Passover Counter, Peering into the Kitchen
The Chocolate Whisper
On By Andy Ciordia / 0 comments
Tuesday May 16th, 2011 our doors opened without a whisper. We wanted to have a very very soft opening, so the best thing we could think of was to just... Read more
Chocolate Shop Dreams, Reality
On By Andy Ciordia / 0 comments
2010 was a long year for us. We set out with a goal–more specifically I told Bill and Karen Dietz that I would have us a chocolate shop or Plan B within 6 months of 2010. For the many who know us, that didn’t quite happen did it? I missed 2010, but things are different now. Good Things Come to Those Who Work Hard I realized through 2010 that if you can’t afford it outright you’re going to work your collective butts off (and then some) to get where you... Read more
Trials of Making a Chocolate Business Plan
On By Andy Ciordia / 0 comments
Anyone who has ever developed and made a business succeed knows the difficulty involved. Entrepreneurship is both awesome and terrible at each and every stage along the way. For those who don’t really know us we’ve been in business to this point for three years in June. From a single market testing our truffles to now.. 4 markets, 5 retail accounts, a number of commercial clients, and our happy chocolate for weddings. Where does that leave us? Growing Pains, Kitchen Strains During the Christmas holiday rush this past year we... Read more