Today we’d like to introduce you to Diane Haase.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Fifteen years ago, our son was going on a trip to Australia. He needed to earn some money for the trip but even more importantly to take some ownership in this great adventure. At the time he liked to bake so he suggested baking cookies to sell and leaning how to make truffles. I had eaten many truffles but never thought of making them. We decided on four flavors. We both enjoyed making them! He made some money, took ownership in his trip, and had a fabulous time. He has gone on to be a world traveler and I’m still making truffles! Five years ago, I decided to go the next step and become a small business owner, and Truffle Me! was born. Truffle Me! is truly a family affair with everyone playing a role. I have tried to learn from some of the best in the candy business and in the small business world.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Becoming a small business owner is never a smooth road. I learned early on that just because you think your product is amazing, you have to figure out a way to market it so everyone else knows that. I know you have to spend money to make money, but figuring out how to put you money into the best advertising platforms is still hard for me. I have a vision board that I look at every day that helps me stay grounded to my core values and keeps me moving in the right direction. I have tried to surround myself with solid business-minded people that can help me move in the direction that I want to go.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I love making truffles. They are made in small batches, handcrafted, and customized. We now have between 15-18 flavors with some of them being seasonal flavors. We have sweet to savory to boozy flavors. I absolutely love customizing the flavors and decorations on the truffles to fit the theme of the event. I have created beautiful truffles for weddings, fun and colorful truffles for birthdays, and truffles that match the color scheme of a business being used as client’s “thank you” gifts. I started teaching truffle-making class five years ago. When Covid hit, I developed truffle-making class using Zoom. Families from all across America joined together for a fun evening of truffle-making and enjoying each other. Here’s a question for you. When the cocoa bomb became all the rage, I decided I needed something similar. So, what does a cocoa bomb become when it grows up? It becomes a coffee bomb! I developed 3 luscious coffee bomb flavors that have become a big hit.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
There have been times that I think luck played into events/people that have come my way since I started Truffle Me! I have met people at networking events that were exactly the person I needed at that time. And yet was that luck? I like to think that I have chosen to be places and meet people because I wanted to be there. I have never lived my life thinking that good things will come to me if I just sit and do nothing. I believe that I have to put myself- my time, energy, and skills into making things happen.
Contact Info:
- Email: trufflemediane@gmail.com
- Website: www.trufflemelove.com
- Instagram: Truffle Me!
- Facebook: Truffle Me
- Youtube: Truffle Me!
Image Credits
Megan Haase
