We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Renata Stoica. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with renata below.

Renata, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Who is your hero and why? What lessons have you learned from them and how have they influenced your journey?

My hero is my mom — not just because she raised me, but because she showed me what resilience truly means. She was married at 18, divorced by 22, and had three young daughters to raise with no education, no career, and no safety net. She could’ve given up. Instead, she chose to rebuild. She moved back to her small hometown in Brazil and started over — alone, with nothing but her will to give us a better life.

To support us, she began making and selling chocolate. I was always by her side, helping — and in that kitchen, I learned more than how to make sweets. I learned about strength, about showing up every day, and about building something from nothing.

What she built from that moment became more than just a foundation for me — it became a living blueprint for how to face life. She taught me that nothing is impossible when you lead with courage, focus, and self-belief. She showed me that putting yourself first isn’t selfish — it’s an act of self love. And she did all that while giving us love, strength, and a deep sense of self-worth.

Because of her, I believe in dreams. I believe in building something from nothing. And I believe that women — especially mothers — hold a kind of quiet power the world doesn’t always see, but desperately needs.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Renata, the founder of tinyB chocolate — a company built on resilience, love, and the deep desire to share something beautiful from my culture.

My story with chocolate started when I was a little girl in Brazil, helping my mom make brigadeiros to support our family. At the time, it wasn’t a dream — it was survival. I promised myself I would grow up, become a professional, and leave chocolate behind. But no matter what path I followed, chocolate kept finding its way back to me.

Years later, while searching for meaning in a new country and a new chapter of my life, I found myself back in the kitchen — this time, not out of necessity, but by choice. I started tinyB the same way my mom started her journey: from my home, with a pot, a spoon, and a dream. Only this time, I had the chance to do it my way — with the best ingredients, deep intention, and a heart full of purpose.

My husband — my biggest supporter and also my business partner — joined me, and together we’ve grown tinyB into something we’re incredibly proud of. It’s not just about the chocolate. It’s about connection. About bringing people together around something meaningful and sweet.

tinyB is more than a chocolate company. We handcraft Brazilian brigadeiros in small batches and turn them into meaningful gifts, corporate experiences, and joyful moments.

What makes us different isn’t just the quality of our chocolate — it’s the feeling behind it. Brigadeiro is part of every celebration in Brazil. It’s something you roll with your hands, share with people you love, and remember forever. That’s the experience I wanted to bring to the U.S.

I’m most proud of the connections we’ve created. Whether it’s a team-building event, a box sent across the country, or someone walking into our store in San Mateo and feeling instantly at home — what we offer is more than sweets. It’s a piece of our story, a taste of Brazil, and a reminder that joy can be handmade.

What I want people to know is that tinyB chocolate isn’t just my business — it’s my way of honoring where I come from and sharing the warmth, strength, and sweetness that shaped me. It’s a place where you can pause and find a moment of joy. A place you can count on when you need to simplify your life — whether it’s with meaningful corporate gifts or a personal treat. It’s a space where you can simply relax, connect, and enjoy.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Our biggest growth came from our boldest pivot — and it started by listening to our customers.

When the pandemic hit, we lost all our in-person events at tinyB chocolate over night. Our corporate clients — especially in tech — started asking if we had anything virtual. We didn’t….but we said we did – and then acted as fast as we could to make it happen.

As I like to say, we had to think outside the box — and put everything in a box.
That’s exactly what we did.

We turned our hands-on brigadeiro experience into a virtual event that people could enjoy from home.
We created beautiful kits and shipped everything needed, so all they had to do was open the box and start creating.
At a time when people were overwhelmed and isolated, we wanted to deliver a moment of joy.

That pivot didn’t just save the business — it transformed it. We grew more than 10x, went from local to global, and made it onto the Inc. 5000 list in 2021. But the real shift? It changed how we do events — even now that in-person gatherings are back.

We no longer do events the old way. Every participant still receives their own custom-packed kit — whether it’s a virtual or in-person event. It’s more effective, more scalable, and a better experience for our clients and for our team. What started as a fast reaction became a permanent improvement.

The biggest lesson? Growth often comes in the middle of a crisis. When things get hard, don’t panic — pay attention. Focus. Listen. And use the moment to evolve. That’s what helped us not only survive — but come out stronger.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Delivering more than we promise.
Caring deeply about every single client, whether it’s one box or 500.
And being authentic. People feel it when you’re real.

We don’t just sell chocolate. We create meaningful experiences, and we treat every order like it matters — because it does. That level of care is what keeps people coming back.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shop.tinybchocolate.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinybchocolate?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tinybchocolate?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr
• Yelp: https://yelp.to/yJO2JLXLKw

Image Credits

tinyB chocolate