“From a young age, I saw food as little treasures,” says Katrina Markoff, Founder of Vosges Chocolate, “to me it was really special.” This is the experience she has created for her customers for nearly 30 years with her gourmet chocolate confections. Not only was she a pioneer of adding unconventional ingredients like silver or olive oil to chocolate and making chocolate a slow-eating, full sensory experience, but her retail spaces were also destinations unto themselves.

Giving customers unique, specialized experiences with chocolate is what kept them coming back, and eventually word of mouth led to press coverage. By focusing on her craft and sharing her story with her community, her community returned the favor by spreading word of the business which then led to press coverage. Though very dedicated to being hands-on with every aspect of the business, Katrina eventually had to figure out how to scale to keep up with the demand of the product.

A lot of Katrina’s journey was just jumping in and figuring it out as she went along. Many of what seemed like setbacks were truly blessings in disguise. Mistakes are normal and happen in every stage of the process, so don’t let them throw you for too long. After all, nothing happens overnight.

Quotes

• “We’re always creating. Whether we acknowledge it or not, we are creating our lives. (14:38-14:44 | Katrina)

• “The more you focus on your craft, on your community, on your purpose for being, people will want to tell that story.” (22:08-22:18 | Katrina)

• “You have to tell your story. When you tell your story, people come to you. And that is what happened with Vosges…and what put her on the map.” (25:42-26:44 | Lindsay)

Connect with Katrina Markoff:

Instagram | http://www.instagram.com/vosgeshautchocolat

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