Dan Abel Jr. is the Chief Chocolate Officer of two beloved St. Louis-based companies: Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company and Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier. Dan occasionally goes by another nickname: “Willy Wonka of the Midwest.” But no matter what you call him, he’ll never forget his roots. Dan is a 2nd Generation Chocolatier & son of the founder of Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company. Along with his two siblings, Dan oversees the operations of both Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company and Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier. Manufacturing, distribution, national sales channel and product development are the key areas to Dan’s focus. Currently the Abel family is expanding its manufacturing facility, adding a bar and a café – and Dan is very instrumental in the construction management and development of both concepts while continuing to push growth. Dan is married with three children –enjoys playing golf, gardening with his young children and spending time with his family. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [00:32] Sponsor: Taboola [01:48] Growing ventures through deep personal ties [03:01] Finding purpose through early hands-on work [04:29] Optimizing small resources for maximum impact [05:53] Building presence through hands-on outreach [07:56] Leveraging sampling to win customer trust [09:00] Sponsor: Next Insurance [10:12] Creating impact with hands-on marketing [15:18] Callouts [15:28] Attending trade shows to drive direct sales [16:35] Sponsor: Electric Eye [17:44] Sponsor: Freight Fright [19:44] Acquiring companies to accelerate growth [26:11] Delivering customer value despite COVID pressure [30:25] Creating connection through thoughtful service [31:41] Reinvesting in technology to enhance experience [34:34] Experimenting with old and new strategies [35:25] Solving problems through direct involvement Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Handcrafted Artisan Chocolates chocolatechocolate.com/ Handcrafted Chocolatier bissingers.com/ Follow Dan Abel Jr. linkedin.com/in/dan-abel-jr-15541765 Reach your best audience at the lowest cost! discover.taboola.com/honest/ Easy, affordable coverage that grows with your business nextinsurance.com/honest/ Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect Turn your domestic business into an international business freightright.com/honest If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts . It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
