Meet Mitch Siegert | Owner & Chocolatier

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mitch Siegert and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mitch, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My wife “made” me answer all 10 of these questions!!! So here are the answers:

1- I liked working with chocolate and I thought I could learn how to run a business without the risk and overhead of a restaurant. I heard Sam Walton failed 4 times before he started Walmart, so I wasn’t too worried about failing.
2- Companies that manufacture chocolates don’t typically work with chocolate. Most companies that make bonbons use chocolate that is made by a chocolate manufacturer. This is due to the equipment involved to produce high quality chocolate.
3- I am not afraid of failure. I don’t make decisions based on a fear of what might happen. A negative aspect of this is I wasn’t as responsible as I needed to be when I first started which most definitely hindered the growth of my business, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without that mentality.
4- Deciding to go to culinary school. Not only did it help give me a vast knowledge of the culinary world, but it changed my life immensely in more ways than one.
5- Admitting my weaknesses and learning when to ask for help.
6- Quitting smoking was the hardest thing I ever did. But that was back in 2001. I don’t stress out about a lot of things. I did, however, have a hard time figuring out how I was going to propose to my wife. I’m not sure if that counts…
7- My priorities are my faith, my family, and then my work. Without my faith I am nothing, but without my job, I can’t be the responsible husband and father to my family. That is how I strive to balance my life.
8- “Evil begets evil, but love conquers all” or “You can’t milk an almond”. These are both quotes from me and I believe in them firmly.
9- I don’t think I pursued it all. If I was following my plan, my life would be different. I never put myself in a box and believed I had to end at a certain spot. I originally planned on opening a restaurant but one opportunity led to another and when I was inspired by something, I would run with it.
10- I want my legacy to be that I spread joy, love, and happiness. And I think in a way, I can do this through my work.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I work in Bryan Texas at Truman Chocolates. Ain’t nobody like me but me!! I act like I know everything and I can do anything sometimes, and at other times I feel like everyone knows more than me. I keep learning one mistake at a time and make sure fear of failure never holds me back.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
So I’m an introvert and just the thought of planning and entertaining someone for a week irritates me. If a person asked to stay with me for a week I would kindly explain to them they have lost their mind! But I digress…..

George Bush Library,
Texas A&M football game,
We would go hunting,
We would go wrap the house of the kid that keeps flirting with my 4 year old daughter at school,
We would go to the country to ride Polaris ATVs.
If they were visiting from Dallas we would go eat at Century Square, they have some great pretentious restaurants like Porters. If they were visiting from Houston we would go eat at The Republic, it’s a very conservative red state kind of steak house, but I’d take anyone to Shannon’s. It’s the best soul food ever and it’s not easy to find. I’d also take them to Jose’s, it’s just really good mexican food that I like.
I would go to Target on a Saturday evening for no reason, because my daughter really likes Target and when I buy a new water bottle and she acts like I’m buying her a new car! And by this point we’ve been doing stuff for my friend for like 5 days and they’re getting on my nerves, plus my daughter is so much cooler than they are!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My wife! She motivates and inspires me, she helps me when I need help, and encourages me when I need encouraging. She will put her needs behind mine and she never expects anything in return. She is also the most beautiful person I’ve ever known, inside and out. I love her more than I love myself!!! Also, my Mom and Dad, & Ewald Notter (the chef that taught me chocolate)

Website: www.trumanchocolates.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trumanchocolates/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trumanchocolates

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/truman-chocolates-bryan

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1Po_XrZQQxAnqx4GNE0HFw