From Legal Battles to Chocolate Bars: Finding Purpose with Shawn Askinosie

In this episode, Shawn Askinosie, founder of Askinosie Chocolate, shares his journey from being a criminal defense lawyer to pursuing chocolate. 

Takeaways:

• Tragedy can lead to finding one's life purpose.
• Educating people about the value of bean-to-bar chocolate is a challenge.
• Rising cocoa bean prices pose challenges for chocolate makers.
• Building relationships with farmers is crucial in the chocolate industry.
• Profit sharing can have a positive impact on farmers and their communities. Askinosie's bean-to-bar chocolate company pays cocoa farmers a higher price and provides them with advance payments, improving their lives and communities.
• The company has funded projects such as metal roofs for homes, making a significant impact on the communities they work with.
• The Chocolate University program offers transformative experiences for students, teaching them about the impact of their work and the importance of human connection.
• Shawn highlights the challenges of technology and the need for in-person connections and authentic experiences in today's world.

Watch Shawn's TedX talk -> Find Your Calling Where it Hurts