I realize it’s been a while since I’ve blogged on what has been happening – so much in the creative beginning stages!  I’m still not quite certain which tools I am going to use to create the first functioning stages for members. 

I still have a strong desire to have a vegan option for members – challenge there – to find enough suppliers and bars to offer a strong variety and lasting quantity. 

I am also thinking of how to expand the social network activities, functions, etc … what all would people like to know about chocolate?  I’d love for this site to be informative and educational, too.  How much are people willing to buy into?  Lectures, classes, or workshops? 

I’ll be posting some ideas soon for some local gatherings around the informational side of chocolates… my heart is leaning towards a “pairing” class … suggestions on how to pair chocolates with foods, wines, and coffees.  This will probably launch after the holidays. 

Today’s task is to write up the agreement for subscribing to the network.  I need to be able to consider all the points to address in creating an agreement for the site… it’s like brainstorming all the “what ifs” that could arise in this business – especially since there is a membership of (hopefully) hundreds of thousands of people. 

So … this is a short, odd, blog post about my current process and current status on the site.  Right now I am sticking with the blog and possibly adding in a friendfeed group to serve the reviews… but, that right now will be for locals or folks who are able to buy the chocolates listed… I’m hesitant to list it right now; I need to talk to a few people first.  But the ideas and growth are churning and I am excited at the prospect of bringing this site to life. 

As always, stay tuned… subscribe to the feed of this blog if ya have to… because when this goes live … it’s gonna be ablaze with HUGE FUN! 

After a great conversation… it has come up that it might be a good idea to offer “tiers” of subscription to the memberships!  So… I will be crunching some numbers to come up with details for that. 

For now, it sounds like a good idea to offer a “Weekdays” … that would be the full package Monday – Friday samples – approximately 20 in each monthly package; then a “MWF” package that would be 3 samples per week (approximately 12 in each monthly package) matching the Weekdays’ samples for those corresponding days; and finally, a “Monday Bars” which would be exactly that, just the corresponding samples for the ones going out in the other packages resulting in 4 or 5 samples per monthly shipment.  The idea is to have everyone sampling the same chocolates around 4pm (a great time of day to take a break). 

Again, I will get the numbers dialed out and get that posted as soon as possible so that you can choose which membership package you would like to receive. 

Additionally, I am actively researching how to send chocolate through the mail to warm climates without having a meltdown to the products!  I will keep you posted on my findings – but I am pretty sure I will have that concern solved very soon! 

I am thrilled with how well this is growing already!  I look forward to creating this fun, informative and delicious opportunity for everyone!!  Thank you to everyone who has sent questions and comments for this adventure! 

It’s been an idea, then it was a fun event at work with friends – but now, NOW it is on its way to becoming something more.  This idea I have had is to share my love of chocolates with the world.  I have dreamed of having a site that will allow friends, family … and now the world … to explore chocolates in a club form and then share their reviews of the chocolates they try in one convenient location.  A network of chocolate lovers! 

This is stage 1 of (not sure how many) in my getting started period.  What I am seeking now are those friends and network connections who would be interested in signing up for the first chocolate package to be sent out towards January 2009 – to begin the year with a new project, a new social-networking for a niche group of fabulous people … I mean, really … if you love chocolate, you will fit in splendidly well! 

Imagine if you will … a package received once a month to begin this wonderful adventure – and potentially working up to a bi-weekly event – almost one chocolate sample per day to try and then to review! 

I am working out the kinks on how to have the reviews submitted in the beginning and then eventually have it worked into the network site as a feature that you click on yourself, as a proud member, to fill in your review and click on the star ratings. 

I am making a commitment to the first 100 members to sign up that they will receive special items in their packages – in addition to the chocolate to be reviewed – and they will be the first members guaranteed a lock-in rate of membership once the first 6 months of building out the site has finished. 

Signing up now is an investing process … you will be helping me create this dream – you my friends, family members, and close networked connections … you can be an essential part of creating this dream by helping develop the site features through trial and progress.  I am committing to finding premium chocolate companies – with a conscious – ones who are organic and hopefully fair trade as well.  Those are my first round choices.  I will also explore some of the more mainstream companies like Lindt, Ghiradelli, Godiva, etc.  In this way, I will also be exploring these companies with a specific intent set – I will be asking them if they have an organic, fair-trade line of chocolates we can sample… thus planting the seed with whomever I speak that there is a strong – and ready market for them to evolve consciously toward more sustainable and human friendly practices. 

SO!  Here we go… who’s with me?  Who is ready to get their 4 o’Chocolate fix?  Email me directly – and remember – I am limiting the membership for the first 6 months to only 100 members as that is all I think I can handle while I build the social-networking site that will allow us to share the entire experience more efficiently and quickly with the world! 

Contact me: 4ochocolate@gmail.com — you will receive a member number and receive periodic emails updating you on the status of the launch of the package sending (to begin hopefully the first week of January 2009) and with membership rates (estimated to start at $30/month – for the first 6 months – still working the figures out on this so it may change some).