Vesta Chocolate Cofounders Julia Choi-Rodriguez and Roger Rodriguez are interviewed.

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Marketing may be beneficial, but it should not be the main reason for a product purchase.

-Julia Choi-Rodriguez, Vesta Chocolate Co-Founder

Julia and Roger Rodriguez established their store in February 2020, barely than a month after their wedding. Its formal grand opening was delayed for over a year due to covid. And then I got sidetracked again. And then it was canceled entirely, plans were discarded, and major alterations were required to keep Vesta alive; they went completely bare bones.

During the height of the epidemic, the pair worked just outside of New York City, hustling to generate interest through Easter, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day. Yet they not only made it through the worst of it; they flourished, doing well from the start owing to strong advertising. In this conversation, we discuss Vesta’s early days, bootstrapped marketing, and the future of social media. Thus, without further ado, please see my conversation with Roger and Julia below. I hope you liked listening to our talk as much as I did.

Check out where to purchase artisan chocolate online to learn more about it.

We cover the following topics:

• Roger’s background as a pastry chef and eventually chocolatier and then chocolate maker
• home-rigged chocolate making machinery
• how Julia’s background in advertising and food photography has helped build Vesta
• finding their bank vault retail shop
• their 2020 timeline as a new business
• advice to young businesses
• food photography tips
• how bonbons should be made

Get in touch with Roger & Julia and Vesta Chocolate.

Vesta Chocolates has a website.

Vesta Chocolate may be found on Instagram.

Vesta Chocolate’s Facebook page.

Contact Chocolate On The Road

@chocolateontheroad on Instagram

@chocolateontheroad on Facebook

Our show music is Phil Reavis’ Roadtrip, and our transition music is People Like Us’ Were Gonna Be Around and Lobo Loco’s Sweet Dreams.

Click here to listen to the previous episode.