Cincinnati Business Courier

October 12, 2007

Question: How do you ensure that the company continues to grow at a pace that's robust yet manageable?

Answer: You must constantly balance the cost of your growth. Sales growth that does not properly factor the cost of that growth can put you out of business quickly.

Q: What's the best part of owning/growing a company with your wife, Sharon?

A: Probably the understanding we both have of our daily events, as well as sharing the rewards of the time and effort we have put in. She is my rock.

Q: A career in the chocolate industry must be a great conversation starter.

A: I get many more smiles when I tell someone I sell custom-wrapped Hershey's chocolate, versus when I told them I was a trial lawyer... Go figure.

Q: What's the best business advice anyone ever gave you?

A: Sign all accounts-payable checks yourself and don't have a stamp of your signature made. It forces you to be mindful.

Q: Tell me about the hardest decision you've made about your company.

A: The ones that keep you awake involve personnel. We see ourselves as a family business, and that includes all of our employees. You want to be helpful to individuals but also the group, which is sometimes not possible.

Q: When you're just chocolated out, what food do you really crave?

A: Chocolate goes with everything, which includes Graeter's ice cream and a weekly three-way at Skyline.