A sweet partnership

Mother-daughter team up in company that makes chocolate

Some mothers and daughters share recipes; others share child-rearing tips. Pat Phillips and her daughter, Tracy Goch, share chocolate.

The sweet relationship between the two Aurora residents has grown into a sweet business plan for a company known as Chocolatier Amore.

Goch's interest in chocolate began when she was 12, the youngest in a family of three sisters.

"I started reading about chocolate and tasting different kinds of chocolate," she said. As she began to develop a discerning palate for chocolate, she wanted to make her own. "I started making candy for my family and friends. My sister loved my peanut butter cups. Then I started selling it."

"The insurance man came over one day and she even sold him candy," Phillips recalled.

Goch's sweet skills improved when she landed a job with the famous Dutch chocolate company, Stam's Chocolates. She became familiar with the importance of properly tempering chocolate and the finesse required to enrobe tasty treats in chocolate.

After two years of candy-making, she decided to start college. Her chocolate passion had to be suppressed while she was married, had two children and pursued a successful 18-year career as a business systems analyst.

Then a turn of events in 2006 caused Goch to rethink her career path after she lost her job.

"I worked for various vendors for a few months. Then one day I realized, 'What better time to go back to the love of my life'."

Goch finally got serious about her career in chocolate. She researched vendors, designed a store with an architect and wrote a business plan.

Meanwhile, her mother was also going through life changes. After serving as a bookkeeper for 10 years, Phillips' position was cut from full-time to part-time. She lost her benefits and felt discouraged.

"I decided it was a sign that it was a time to make some changes," she said.

Phillips began to share in Goch's plans. The mother and daughter team had run a successful gift basket business in the past and are both talented crafters.

The two decided to become partners. They found an investor and a location and hoped to open in October 2007. However, their financing fell through at the last minute and the plans came to a halt.

Undaunted, the duo decided to try to rent kiosk space at Westfield Fox Valley mall for the Christmas season. At first, they were told there was no space available. Then they found out a vendor for one of the kiosks had cancelled his plans.

"We had three days to get our display ready," Goch said.

Using the many ideas they had been working on for months, the two women leaped into action buying fabrics, making contacts with artisan chocolatiers and pulling everything together. They opened on schedule.

"My mom and I worked 15-hour days until Christmas, but it was worth it. We got great exposure and a lot of clients," Goch said.

"They were definitely a retailer that enhanced our tenant roster," said Stacy Jones, marketing director for Westfield Fox Valley. "Their entire display was edible, and on a scale of 1 to 10, it was an 11. I tasted the chocolate, too, and it was definitely high-end."

Although Goch has still not found an investor, she is continuing to make contacts for her company. Recently she contacted an owner of four Gloria Jean's franchises about selling her candy. The store was about to begin a promotion of a specialty beverage inspired by Turtles, the traditional chocolate dipped caramel and nut confection. Goch suggested selling her version of Turtle candy to accompany the coffee. After tasting Goch's candy, the owner agreed and Chocolatier Amore candies are being sold in the store. Other franchise owners also are interested in carrying her items.

Goch makes more than bon bons, however. She is a chocolate artist who can create chocolate centerpieces, personalized chocolate wedding favors and luxurious chocolate buffets. She is able to make custom molds and fill requests for special colors in her creations.

Her Web site, www.chocolatieramore.com, features some of the many services. She makes candy cakes and even once made a candy aquarium with chocolate fish and river rocks.

Phillips and Goch are determined not to let their chocolate dreams melt away.

"It's been a lot of work but we love every minute of it," Goch said. "There is not a day that goes by when my mother and I don't sit down together with a cup of coffee. She is my rock in this venture."