Woman-owned business
profile by Katy Quissell,
Galavanting co-editor-in-chief
Chicago Chocolate Tours
Owner: Valerie Beck
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Established: 2005
The couple of hours I spent on the Chicago Chocolate Tour made up one of the loveliest afternoons I’ve had in many months. Not only did I get to walk around Chicago on a gorgeous summer day eating delicious, delicious chocolate (seriously, who could complain about that?), but I also got to meet a truly inspiring woman who gave up her career as a lawyer to pursue her passions: entrepreneurship and uplifting people through chocolate.
Valerie Beck started the Chicago Chocolate Tour in November of 2005, but commented that her business started in her heart about five years beforehand. She received her BA and JD from Harvard University, and after practicing law in both Chicago and Europe she decided that her life needed new structure and new meaning. As a lawyer she felt she always had to do other people’s bidding, and she was drawn to the idea of starting her own business to chart her own destiny and not have to depend on someone else’s interpretation of what her day-to-day life should be like.
Living in Europe, inspired by the culture, the food, the wine, and yes—the chocolate, Valerie spent five years contemplating how to incorporate these interests into her life. Having always wanted to start her own business, she made the decision to go for it and turned her passions into a full-time gig.
When asked about the biggest challenge she faced in starting her own company, Valerie said that it was just making the decision to do it. Once she committed herself to the enterprise, opportunities presented themselves. And as she pointed out, in the U.S. women only make around $0.73 to every $1 a man makes for comparable work. So why not run your own business and determine your own salary!
But Valerie is not only a business owner, she is a leader in the Chicago women’s business community. Valerie is currently the President Elect of the Chicago area chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners, she mentors young women who work for her as tour guides, and she donates a portion of her proceeds to CARE, a non-profit that helps women in impoverished countries start and grow their own businesses.
Knowledgeable about the history and the production of chocolate, Valerie and our tour guide Haley offered interesting commentary on the range of chocolates we tried, from Aztec inspired dark chocolate with chili pepper to organic red velvet chocolate tea. We visited European shops such as Teuscher (mmm, champagne truffles), and more local chocolate shops such as Sarah’s Pastries & Candies (which also happens to be woman-owned, yay!).
There are multiple tours and other services available, and keep your eyes out for potential tours to Ecuador to visit and support women cocoa farmers.
It makes for a truly wonderful experience when you can combine the delicious pleasure of chocolate and the unique pleasure of helping other women. So be sure to check out one of Valerie's Chicago Chocolate Tours next time you're in the windy city (and soon, select cities abroad). ■
