October is Women’s Small Business month! How many business owners do we have?
I’ve owned a couple businesses myself {Mary Kay, Beauty 4 Moms, and this blog} and I love to support other small business owners! By the way, Embracing Beauty, offers discounted advertising for women-owned small businesses.
Many people choose a small business because they allow Moms {or Dads} the opportunity too stay at home with their kids while also bringing in money to help with finances. There are so many opportunities these days that you can truly pick the company that’s best to work for depending on your style. I was recently given the chance to review the Dove Chocolate Discoveries job opportunity and I hope to give you an adequate review of it so you can make an educated decision of whether or not this would be a good fit for you.
Dove Chocolate Discoveries was launched in February of 2007 and there are now Chocolatiers in 48 states. Working as a Dove Chocolatier you have the freedom that comes with working for yourself. You can set your own flexible hours, set your own goals for income, and have extra time to spend with your family.
The Dove Chocolate Discoveries Starter Kit pictured below retails for $79 {with a $200 value} and it includes enough product to get you started hosting several parties. Here is a list of the contents of the Introductory Kit:
- 1½ Pounds of Milk Chocolate
- 1½ Pounds of Dark Chocolate
- 4 Chocolate Mousse Packets
- 1 Chocolate Martini Mix Bottle
- 6 Chai Tea Packets
- 1 Blue Heart-Shaped Fondue Set
- 1 Truffle Fudge Brownie Mix
- 1 Box Chocolate-Covered Almonds
- 1 Welcome Pack
- 1 Tasting Party DVD
- 1 Share the Sweet Life DVD
- 25 Host Coaching Guides
- 25 Tasting Party Invitations
- 25 Fall/Holiday Catalogs
- 25 Fall/Holiday Entertaining Guides
- 50 Order Forms
Dove’s website says, “Become a part of the latest direct selling company that combines the global romance with premium chocolate and the growing trend of home entertaining.” Most people I know love chocolate so I don’t imagine it would be too hard to convince them to come to a chocolate tasting party. Dove, along with several other direct selling companies, tell you that you don’t need selling experience, just an ability to share enthusiasm for the brand. At the Chocolate Tasting parties that you’ll lead, your hostess will invite her friends, you’ll share yummy chocolate treats and demonstrate entertaining ideas. Dove says that there is no need for cooking or Chocolatier experience required.
Last year, Americans spent more than $16 billion on chocolate! That should make it an easy product to sell. Unlike some direct selling companies that sell products that you’ll only buy once, chocolate is a consumable purchase. Once you have a customer who loves the product you could easily have a customer for life! They always say it’s ten times cheaper to keep a customer than it is to get a new one.
I loved, absolutely loved, the products I received in my starter kit. The Chocolate Chai Tea was yummy and the Truffle Fudge Brownie Mix was absolutely incredible! I hope to find a Chocolatier in my area that I can buy these from.
While I might splurge on a few of Dove’s premier items I have to admit that many of the items in the catalog are out of my price range. While I realize that I am incredibly frugal, I can’t imagine too many people willing to pay $24 for a box of 16 chocolate covered graham crackers. It seems to me that these are chocolate treats that many people would only treat themselves to on occasion. That’s not to say it’s a bad business idea but just something to take into consideration. They did have a few spatulas, parchment bags, and other bakery items with prices comparable to other well-known bakery brands.
After letting my husband sample the AMAZING Truffle Fudge brownies I asked him his opinion on them and if he thought I should continue to buy these at $14 a box. He loved them but said that my normal brownies would do just fine most of the time but he didn’t see why I couldn’t make these for special occasions. I do plan on purchasing Dove Chocolatiers products for any future shower or party I throw and of course to treat my family to on occasion!
Dove Chocolatiers have the opportunity to earn 25% – 40% of their sales which is lower than the 50% I’m use to with Mary Kay, although it’s still good. Dove’s website says, “Get started quickly and you can earn even more in your first 90 days with our TREAT YOURSELF Program. Sponsor and mentor a team and the possibilities are endless.” I would have to know more about their business plan to give further analysis but it seems like you have the possibility to make good money.
Pros:
- Work from home pros
- Smaller wardrobe
- No daily commute
- Flexible hours
- You’re your own boss
- Set your own income
- More time with family
- Yummy product
- Consumable product
- Respected brand
- Sales unaffected by economy
- Low start-up cost
Cons:
- Pricey product
- Direct selling (a possible con)
The only other thing that would be a problem for me is some of the items inside their product catalog. They sell cocktail shakers, daiquiri mixes, martini mixes, etc. While the Chocolatiers aren’t actually selling liquor they are selling items that encourage drinking. Please know that I’m not out to condemn everyone that drinks but I personally don’t drink and would not feel comfortable handing that literature to anyone.
All in all, the Dove Chocolatier opportunity sounds like a great one! You get to sample yummy, exclusive, premier chocolates and share them with others. Direct selling is a great way to meet new friends and stretch yourself out of your comfort zone making you a stronger person. If you think this would be a good fit for you, go to the Dove Chocolatiers Facebook page for more information or sign up today to be a Chocolatier and be on your way to earning money and sharing your love of chocolate with others!
P.S. If any of you sign up please let me know…you might just have your first customer! 🙂
Oh, I almost forgot…I have a start-up kit to giveaway to one fabulous, lucky, Embracing Beauty reader! { Don’t worry, this doesn’t sign you up for a business, it’s just free chocolate and information about the business opportunity!} Hurry and enter because it’s only a 24 hour giveaway!
Please note that while I’m offering you an extra entry in the giveaway if you tweet about the Cheap Sally contest I’m entered in I am in no way giving you an incentive to vote for me. However, if you feel so inclined I would greatly appreciate it. 🙂
“I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of DOVE Chocolate Discoveries and received a Starter Kit to facilitate my review.”
About Ashley
Seems Like It Could Really Make You Money If You Have A Large En0ugh Audience To Sell To. =]
Exactly! And most people like chocolate, right?
It seems to be a lot different than anything anyone else is selling!
I know, I had never even heard of this opportunity until Mom Central introduced it to me.
The thing that interest me the most is being a choclatier, it sounds fancy haha! I’m interested to learn more about becoming one!
It does, doesn’t it? …and you get to wear a cute apron that says “Hot Chocolatier.” 🙂
Pretty much everything you have said. It’s something that people (myself included) LOVE! Plus I know that Dove makes wonderful chocolate. I have so been rolling this idea around in my head but haven’t been able to justify the startup cost (even though it does seem reasonable it just hasn’t been in the budget). Would be wonderful to win this!!
Good luck! 🙂
Um, it’s chocolate!! And I have had their cooking chips before and they were awesome!
YES! I love those too! I hope to try their peanut butter ones.
I’m interested in learning how to turn my love (and everyone else’s love) for chocolate into a business venture.
you can contact me at http://www.dove-chocolate-discoveries.com/chocolatelovers
I think it is something everyone likes – chocolate would be easy to have parties and have people interested in coming.
The thing that interests me the most is the many flavors Dove has created..
There is so much more you can do with the drink mixes besides drink them. You can mix them with Cool Whip or Yogurt for a fruit dip or you can mix them with with an 8oz brick of cream cheese to form a cheese ball. This does include the Daiquiri mix. The Martini mix is liquid Dove chocolate and can be use as syrup over ice cream, to make chocolate milk/hot chocolate and you can even cook with it to give a little extra to a recipe.
As quoted by another chocolatier I know, you don’t go out to a fine dining restaurant everyday. You are more apt to go to someplace for the value meal and save for the fine dining for special occasions so you need to look at your Dove purchases in the same way. There are specials on products every month, plus there are Sweet Deal bundles that are available in the catalog all the time. These bundles are products grouped together and priced out lower than if you were to buy them separately. So there are different ways to help make your Dove Chocolate purchase more affordable.
Also, there is never a problem finding a large enough audience to sell to because your selling market IS everyone. Both women and men purchase chocolate equally and as stated in the article, it is a consumable that people come back to you time and time again.
How do I know all of this…I AM a Chocolatier with Dove Chocolate Discoveries. Where other direct selling companies may not be doing as well in today’s economy, Dove is.
That’s true, I have the Martini Mix (which is pure chocolate) and have used it for other things instead of a Martini. I’m just saying that for me personally I would have a problem with it presenting others with the catalog. I guess I could give a big preface before handing out the catalogs or maybe have a sticker inside that says something about how you can use the mixes for other things. Anyway…thank you for your feedback! 🙂
I fully understand MrsAshley and when presenting at a party or a craft/vendor show, I always state the vesitality of the drink mixes. Showing the versitality is what gets people to normally buy the drinks. One of my biggest hits is when I mix the White Chocolate Daiquiri mix with cream cheese to make a cheese ball. I then coat the outside of it with crushed up Multi-Grain Cheerios. People love it and is also great for incorporating into a Pink Party. For example if someone is doing a fundraising event for breast cancer
I love that Dove has a rich and smooth, chocolatey taste. I have eaten Dove Chocolate for years.
Dove, of course, is one of your best chocolates out there. I have always loved the dark chocolate, and Dove has always had the dark chocolates.
Judy
magnolias_1[at]msn[dot]com
I was able to review their dark chocolate covered almonds and they were A-MAZ-ING! If you ever get a chance to try them you should. 🙂
oh the chocolate of course I am addicted Dove is so creamy love it!!
I love Dove chocolate as do many others. Interested in the business aspect also.
Anything that has the words chocolate and Dove together are awesome. 🙂
april@pinebelt.net
Love You and LOVE Dove…what a perfect combination!
The best thing – CHOCOLATE!! and also Giving people an opportunity to work & still be home with their families!! Did i mention the CHOCOLATE!? lol
Chocolate is one of my favorites, and a gift of chocolate always seems to make people smile 🙂
mmm the creamy chocolatey goodness 🙂 danielle fouts
I didn’t even know that Dove had a Home Business branch. Wow, that is awesome. You can never have information on making money to improve your life.
Its a great business for any one who loves Chocolate and wants a home party plan business.
Starting your own candy business sounds very interesting.
I would definately attend this party – and probably would purchase since I love Dove chocolate!
I saw this at a vendor fair last winter. It got my attention, but I agree, I don’t think I could sell it to my community because of the price. However, what I did buy was awesome!
You would be surprised on how easy it sells. This is truly selling when other things are not doing so good. The one thing people like to do is eat to make themselves feel better during hard economic times. Chocolate has natural endorphines that make people feel good when eating it.
I’m also in direct sales, and have sampled the Dove chocolates at some events – Yum!
I love chocolate! And my fiance works for Mars (who makes Dove) so it would be like supporting both of us! Plus, what a fun thing to have people over for!
The fact that you can take a universally, well known respected product that everyone loves and educate them further about it while expanding their knowledge and taste buds and opening their eyes and senses to an entire new world of delights.
I have been a Chocolatier since 2008 ,as far as the Martinis and Daiquiri you can make a lot of real good products with each one them besides using as a drink, You can add the White Chocolate Daiquiri mix to cool whip and it makes a good dessart topping. You can add raspberry Vinaigrette to Martini mis and have a salad dressing you can evan use it as achocolate in a Chocolate Fountain with out all the oils you have to ad to any other fountains..
For questions you can contact me at
http://www.dove-chocolate-discoveries.com/chocolatelovers