Using business as a force for good is a central theme for CEO Jael Skeffington (Rattigan) of the award-winning French Broad Chocolate. From a mom and pop farmer’s market stand to a national brand and through the pandemic, values have played an important role in the company’s growth.
Jael Skeffington (Rattigan), co-founder and CEO of French Broad Chocolate in Asheville, believes in using business as a force for good. What started in 2006 as a mom & pop farmers’ market stand has grown to 70+ employees and includes an online shop, a Chocolate Lounge & Boutique, and an experiential Chocolate Factory & Cafe. Her chocolates have been recognized in many national and international awards, and she was the recipient of the WomanUp “Best in Business” award in 2016. Her two sons, Sam and Max, eat chocolate for breakfast every day.
In This Episode:
- Impact is built of a thousand small choices.
- Maintaining values during challenging times depends on whether they are deeply infused into the company.
- The pandemic has been an opportunity to intentionally re-evaluate everything, from culture to operations.
A local institution with customers lined up to buy, French Broad Chocolates has grown as a company with award-winning products and leadership. CEO Jael Skeffington charts the course of growth of this remarkable brand from humble beginnings as a mom and pop farmer’s market concession through the pandemic to being a company poised for renewed growth. We talk about how challenging it’s been to be true to the company’s values when faced with choices about survival. Jael shares how this time has given her an opportunity to examine everything, and what’s required now to establish a solid foundation for spring-like growth.
Resources:
Jael’s website: French Broad Chocolates
Her email: jael@frenchbroadchocolates.com
B Corp certification: B Labs Impact Assessment
Book that inspired Jael: The Alchemist
Ursula Jorch, Host of The Impact Interviews
Ursula Jorch is a business coach, speaker, and podcaster who shows women leaders how to turn their businesses into profitable agents for lasting change, global impact, and a force for good in the world.
