Inside Hotel Chocolat

Did you catch Inside Hotel Chocolat TV1 on Saturday night? You can find it on demand if you didn't and yes I'm biased but it's an inspiring watch!

It was also very nostalgic for me... I joined Hotel Chocolat in 2004 at the age of 23 when they were mail order and website only. I opened the first Hotel Chocolat retail store and followed swiftly with another 24 stores. Hiring the retail teams, working with builders, architects and commercial property teams, from agencies to the factory in Huntingdon. It was a steep learning curve but a cherished one!

I remember a poignant moment as we prepared for the opening of that first store; knee-deep in boxes, Frank Sinatra sang the lyrics "I did it my way" over the store music system and Co-founder Angus paused for a few moments, hands of hips and said, "well that's very fitting!" I don't know why that moment made an impact or why I remember it so clearly all these years later but I do know Hotel Chocolat has always done things "their way".
Fast forward to 2020 and I'm still a fan of running your own race in business. Yes, keep a bit of an eye on your compets but don't be obsessed with them. Make your own business not a version of theirs.

Click image to view on TVNZ on demand