Why and how did we sell our artisan chocolate business in October 2019?
It felt right.
We listened to the universe (guides, angels, whatever name you choose).
belgian chocolate
In neither of our wildest dreams did we imagine that in 2016 we'd move to Puerto Vallarta and own - be making artisan Belgian chocolate and artisan ice cream. But it happened - and it all happened quickly and easily - that's when you know you're listening to your soul.
So why after almost three years did we sell the chocolate biz - especially since we were obsessed with what we were doing?
The short answer is that it felt right in our hearts, it was time to let the chocolate go to someone who could give it the time and attention it deserved.
The long answer is that from day one of taking over the chocolate and ice cream businesses, we'd been focused mostly on the chocolate business.
Why?
Because after ten years, the previous owners had closed the chocolate business for over six months by the time we purchased it. We had no store and no farmers market, and everyone knew it had closed.
How to turn a biz around?
We needed to find a store and market to sell our chocolate and we needed to find it fast.
focus
First, I rebranded the chocolate company with fresh colors and logo. I wanted to make it ours and love design.
We never did find the right store location, so we opened our kitchen for chocolate sales - which worked well since customers could see the magic happening in the kitchen through a window. Our focus was commercial sales though we opened to the public a few days a week. We also didn't want to work too hard because, well, we intended on semi-retiring. Ha!
By the way, if you think attempting to semi-retire when you own two businesses doesn't make sense - you're ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!
We kept the same amazing quality, and and also added our own touches...
We started painting chocolate truffles - we LOOOOVE ART.
Also enjoyed creating new flavors for truffles and barks.
One of our fav new flavors for bark was CHUBBY HUBBY... dark chocolate-milk chocolate-pretzels-amish caramel! Another was PEANUT BUTTER CRUNCH - peanut butter between two pretzels, then milk and dark chocolate.
Some of the new favorite truffle flavors we created were Strawberry Balsamic, Lavender, Limoncello, Raspberry Hazelnut and Mexican Gazpacho! The creative process with chocolate, including gorgeous packaging is SEXY, BEWITCHING!
Slowly but surely, customers started coming back and new customers also found our chocolate. We were also on house hunters international, which brought even more customers.
ice cream
What about Lix Ice Cream when we had the chocolate business? Of course that was fun too and our natural ice cream has the same natural belgian chocolate - we created new flavors. But Lix was the red-headed step-child of the family. We didn't have the energy to work on any more ideas other than a few new flavors here and there.
the seed
Around Christmas 2018, we had a thought... Todd's son James was in his twenties and was looking for his path- he might be interested in living in paradise (Vallarta) and helping us with the chocolate business - and eventually he could take over that biz.
James was super excited and definitely wanted to follow this plan... he would continue working in Seattle and save up money, then move to PV in September 2019, before we reopened from summer break.
Five months later, May 2019, James changed his mind and was not interested in moving to PV and working with chocolate, it wasn't meant to be. At the time we were devastated.. we were looking forward to having James live in Vallarta, and also excited that we could direct some of our energy on the ice cream at last.
the joke
One day soon after we received the call from James, we were having dinner with our neighbors and made a joke about selling the chocolate business to them. They laughed and made a joke back that they'd be interested in buying it.
And they did! They took over the chocolate business in October 2019.
This is when the magic happens... when you're open and listen.
And now Todd and I can work on our ideas for the ice cream business.
Billy Bob sold the chocolate business without Larleen knowing - her reaction...
it's time for artisan ice cream
We needed a new kitchen since we left the kitchen with the new owners of the chocolate biz, and decided to open a second Lix ice cream shop in another location... we built and opened our second store in Fluvial with our kitchen (and a floor to ceiling window so that when we're making artisan ice cream and all the homemade ingredients that go into it, you can watch the scrumptiousness happen!).
This all came together in the summer/fall of 2019 with our soft open at the end of November 2019,
The most important thing I've learned about owning an artisan business... homemade natural products are a gazillion times better than most of what you'll buy in a grocery store.
INCREDIBLE QUALITY
NO HARMFUL CHEMICALS
THERE'S NO COMPARISON
I've been spoiled by these two businesses and believe in quality products made from local ingredients - believe in feeding my body NATURAL.
Todd's obsessed with ice cream and the culinary world, and now he's in heaven... creating fun new flavors, with my input as well - I'm pushing for BURNT SALTED CARAMEL! I've always loved ice cream, never been obsessed with it until I tasted our ice cream - now I can't get enough of it - wait till you see all the new exciting things we'll be adding besides decadent unique flavors!
What are your burning questions about opening a new business in Mexico? Send me a note below, would love to help.
xo
Kathleen Naomi