Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tarah Warner. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tarah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?

My hero both personally and professionally is my grandmother, Linda. When I was 2-3 years old she decided to quit her job at a real estate agency and start her own business. She balanced being a matriarch and a successful business woman, and was the best grandmother any little girl could hope for. I did not understand how special and rare it was to not only have my loving grandmother and grandfather who liked doing all kinds of fun kid activities with me but having a grandmother who started her own business that was wildly successful. I love her story about why she started her own real estate company. After working her whole life in a myriad of jobs (server, bartender, saleswoman, landlord, etc.) she got her real estate licence and started working as realtor. At first, the company she worked for was a wonderful company. But, when new owners came on board and started changing the “company culture” for the worse, my grandmother got more and more annoyed. She threatened to leave, start her own company; “Linda, your a grandmother twice over. Don’t you want to spend time with your grandchildren? You can’t start your own business.” So, when she realized they weren’t going to change- she left and started her own company. She loves to use the Joan Rivers quote “The bumble bees wings are too delicate and its body is too big; it shouldn’t fly. But, no one told the bumble bee that!” She worked hard and was true to herself and created a successful business.
Now that I own my own business, my grandmother’s lessons are still important, as are the ones she is still teaching me when we talk about Truffles by Tarah.
My grandmother Linda taught me many life lessons. Her early lessons about the reward of hard work, knowing your worth, and being kind to everyone have stuck with me through every job I have ever had.

Tarah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Tarah Warner and I am the Owner and Chocolatier of Truffles by Tarah LLC. I make small batch chocolate truffles flavored with locally sourced ingredients to create truffles that are a taste of the Berkshires in every BITE! As a native Berkshire County MA resident I am so excited to be able to pair my passion for chocolate, the bounty that the Berkshires has to offer, and my technical skills learned from the Culinary Institute of America. We make many unique and creative flavors as well as the classics that everyone loves. I sell truffles in several local stores (Guido’s Fresh Market Place, MASS MoCA, The Shop in South Egremont, and more), on my website (TrufflesbyTarah.com), and at many fun markets. I love meeting everyone at live markets and watching them enjoy the truffles I dream up.

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

I am very lucky that Truffles by Tarah is a business that has not only a tangible finished product; but a tasty one as well! I have given samples and free truffles away since the business started. There is a fine line between offering samples and giving the store away; but sampling is the easiest way for customers to know your product to begin to build a reputation.

I am also a graduate of one of the finest culinary schools in the USA, the Culinary Institute of America. Also, I have over 12 years experience JUST as a Chocolatier. In the year and half-ish since I have started the business I have also taken several small business classes, have been awarded grants, and had several articles written. When it is appropriate, I will tell customers about one, some, or all of these accomplishments, which also helps to build a trusting relationship.

Building a strong reputation with customers creates a starting block for building trust with local retail businesses who may want to carry your product. In turn, when you tell customers that your product is for sale at local retail businesses that they trust- it makes your business more reputable and trustworthy.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

The initial thought for Truffles by Tarah was to be a side business, a way to be creative and work with chocolate while still working full time. At that time, I had worked for 11ish years in the chocolate and confection industry. My last job working with chocolate had ended because of poor management and had left me feeling bitter about what should have been a very sweet job.
I was working full time working on the line of a restaurant; which was an interesting change of pace, but it didn’t feed my creative side. I started making chocolate truffles for coworkers as a fun surprise; then started handing them out to regulars at the bar. One night, one of those regulars asked me if I would like to sell some in his store? I told him to give me two weeks; and in those two weeks I created a logo and business cards, put together some pricing, and the business started. I reached out to local organizations to figure out what paperwork needed to be filled out to be legal and quickly my little attempt at a side hustle turned into another full-time job! I loved it.
One of the most fun milestones that I have hit is the fact that I can make working for someone else my “side job,” to help me pay key personal bills. It is amazing to realize that I am my own boss and that this silly little dream I had is now a viable and growing business.

Contact Info:

• Website: TrufflesbyTarah.com
• Instagram: Truffles_by_Tarah
• Facebook: Truffles by Tarah LLC