Tell us about yourself.
I am an immigrant born in Ghana who moved to the U.S. when I was three. I graduated from Spelman, an HBCU in Atlanta. I mention that because it was so transformative for who I am especially as a Black woman in the spaces I am. I was a secondary math teacher for several years until I retired in March of this year.
How did Cocoa Asante come to be?
The surprising thing is: I am not a chocoholic. I had this random experience while studying abroad in Tokyo, Japan. I went to this ritzy store NAMA and spent like $20 on this box of chocolate. The customer service was AMAZING. They made me feel like a queen. Then I tried the chocolate and it was absolutely amazing and it changed my life. I remember it melting in my mouth, the texture, how fresh it was. It made me want to have that experience here in the US. It was my inspiration.
What was it like to see your business go viral almost overnight?
It felt incredibly amazing. I always knew social media was our shot. It only takes a video, just one and ours went to the right person. I am beyond grateful and I think I still haven't fully processed it yet. Summer is normally our slow season and we have not even stopped between orders, moving, the grant, our Kickstarter, prepping for the holiday season, etc. It was an absolute miracle. I'm just excited for the future and the positive publicity it brought to Chattanooga. To be a part of that was incredible.
Describe your transition to full-time entrepreneurship.
Honestly, it is something I am grateful for every day. I don't know if people realize the gratitude I sit in every day. No one will fully understand the incredibly hard work of being an educator in a high needs school, especially during the pandemic, while also having a baby, then dealing with severe postpartum for over two years. I just feel gratitude.
What are the misconceptions about being an entrepreneur?
That you can just do whatever you want, that you are always making money, and that we are doing whatever we want with the money we make. People don't realize we have payroll, accounting, insurance, taxes, purchasing ingredients, and paying for the space. In three months alone, we literally spent over $40,000 in shipping. That doesn't even include packaging, the ice packs, or the peanuts. It's a lot on you. People don't see all the sacrifices we make. I pay myself last.
What do you love about Chattanooga?
What stands out to me about Chattanooga is all the scenic nature outdoors. We didn't have that in Atlanta. I love it here. I want to grow here, and as long as we have the support not just from a customer standpoint but as far as resources, capital, and Chattanooga continuing to grow.
Learn more about Ella Livingston and Cocoa Asante at cocoaasante.com.
It felt incredibly amazing. I always knew social media was our shot. It only takes a video, just one and ours went to the right person. I am beyond grateful and I think I still haven't fully processed it yet. I'm just excited for the future and the positive publicity it brought to Chattanooga. To be a part of that was incredible.
