The Joy Box: Unwrap Your Happiness

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Willow Merritt, Owner of Yeti Chocolates, located in Rock Island, WA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Yeti Chocolates is a small-batch artisan chocolate shop nestled in the Wenatchee Valley of North Central Washington. We create a seasonally rotating selection of "edible art" with bold & unique flavors that tantalize the palate & entice the senses. Our customers are both online & in person, with a large component of clientele buying our products as gifts for others, tourists passing through, and a solid customer base who love our products.

Tell us about yourself

I have always enjoyed dabbling in chocolate and desserts, which stems from my mother, who was a great baker & cook, so I would watch and sometimes help her in the kitchen as a kid. When I was in college, I was at a loss of what I wanted to do with my life and decided I really loved baking & pastry and working with my hands to create things that bring others joy. So I went to culinary school and learned the foundations of chocolate work. I decided that was where I wanted to hone my focus, so I read many books, online forums and practiced A LOT! I decided in 2018 to leave my career as a Wildland Firefighter with the US Forest Service to give my chocolate business a real go. I love working with chocolate. I love the creativity, the artistry, and the endless possibilities of manipulating the flavors to create mouthwatering little pieces of joy. It's a finicky medium to work with, but I enjoy the challenge!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Currently, I would say my biggest accomplishment is recently celebrating my 5th anniversary as a business owner.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Most individuals that start up a business do it because they have a passion for something. There is a whole other "business" side of being a business owner that can be real challenging when all you want to do is create the product you are passionate about.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Get some sort of financial counseling if you don't have a business background. Understanding your financing and being able to do your own accounting to start is really important.
Get yourself a really good accountant. I still do my own accounting, but I have an accountant to do my taxes because they are more versed in tax laws than I am, and I want to make sure they are done properly.
Buy equipment you can grow into within reason. Sometimes it's hard to finance all the equipment you need when you are working on more of a shoestring budget. However, if you can buy at least one piece of crucial equipment that's larger than you think you need, it will pay dividends in the long run.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.yetichocolates.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yetichocolates
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yetichocolates/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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