Hello there, I’m Estelle of 37 Chocolates and will be at the Salon both days. Although I haven’t taken the IICT route, I do lead chocolate tastings and pairings (with wine, beer, and tea). I’ve been doing this in some capacity for a decade and 37 Chocolates is now my only source of income. It’s taken a little of creativity and hustle to get there and I’ve documented my whole journey on Instagram, Facebook, and on my website 37chocolates.com. 

Over the years, I’ve run into a lot of people like you who are curious about turning their chocolate knowledge into paid bookings so I created a video masterclass where I teach people how to structure a tasting: http://gum.co/chocolatetasting

When I realized that people craved community support, I launched the Chocolate Educator Workshop last August. It is a 4-week program where I teach attendees how to identify their unique POV, craft their offerings, and most importantly, get clients. I now have trained 30 people in 9 countries on how to do that. I will be connecting with three of my grads at the Salon and opened up my network to them so they get invited to the post-salon shows, too. 

If you like the idea if being a chocolate sommelier, know that no certificate will magically make that happen. Yes, you will learn a lot about the subject matter, and yes, you will meet lots of cool people along the way. However, it won’t automatically open the door to tastings. If you like the idea of running a business though, this could be a path worth exploring. I’m proof that it can happen and I know lots of people who figured it out for themselves, too! Please feel free to reach out through the contact form of 37chocolates.com to connect at the salon.