I think I finally know what it must feel like to be treated like a star. Last week I had an audition at QVC headquarters in Chiswick, London and my feet haven't touched the ground since. Selling my raw chocolate making kits on QVC UK is an opportunity of a lifetime for my business and my excitement and gratitude knows no end.
My main aim, when setting up my company CHOC Chick, was to make raw chocolate making a mainstream activity and enable anyone who loves chocolate to make chocolate that's actually good for us (free from dairy, gluten, processed sugars, soya lecithin, additives and guilt!). My CHOC kits and ingredients are a very new concept and a completely different way to enjoy chocolate, so QVC is the perfect platform for me to be able to demonstrate how simple and fun raw chocolate making is.
I'm a huge fan of QVC (especially of Joan Rivers on QVC America) and have been trying to get my products onto this brilliant shopping channel for at least two years. Finally last March, I managed to secure a meeting with their Kitchen and Food Buyer and thankfully she loved my products and felt they would be perfect for their Christmas range which would be launched in October. To my surprise the buyer also said she thought I would be a perfect guest presenter and wanted me to do an audition which would be booked nearer the time. After several more meetings and a lot of paperwork, I was finally given my audition date... September 24th!
In preparation, I watched hours and hours of QVC with my daughters. I loved how chatty and relaxed the presenters are and how it did not feel like a 'hard sell', just some fab products and polished presenters sharing their knowledge with the viewers. So the next step was to become a bit more 'polished', which meant finding a good outfit for the audition. I took my fashion conscious 13 year old daughter Ella with me clothes shopping at my local Debenhams and after trying on a few outfits that weren't quite right, I noticed a sign about their free personal shopping. I was quickly whisked away by a very sweet young woman, Rebecca, who took us to a separate changing room, sat us down with drinks and magazines and said she would be back in 10 minutes. She returned with a rack full of dresses, each one a perfect fit and of course the first one I tried on was the 'one'. Rebecca then took me upstairs and arranged for a makeover or 'make-under' at Bare Minerals for Ella and for me, an amazing facial at Elemis and my eyebrows and nails done at Nails Inc. My transformation was complete and it was all done coincidently by specialist companies that started out and still sell very successfully on QVC.
I left feeling like a star and this feeling was completely reinforced by the QVC team at my audition. Everything was extremely professional and well organised. I was made to feel welcome and comfortable from the minute I arrived. Parking had been arranged for me, someone met me at the door and carried my heavy bag and then took me to the studio for my audition. I was introduced to the guest presenter coordinator, the camera woman, and the director and then to the very handsome Simon Biagi who was the presenter for the auditions that day. Everyone was at pains to put me at ease and the audition itself was actually good fun. I apparently passed with 'flying colours' and was told I am 'a natural' in front of the camera, that I worked well with the earpiece and didn't answer live when they spoke through it or made any weird faces, phew! Afterwards I was taken to the green room and even shown the dressing room I will use on the day. I will have my own dressing room...utterly amazing! I am still floating on air and am delighted to have been given this fantastic opportunity to demonstrate my passion for raw chocolate making.
The date is set for Monday October 21st 2013 (exact time TBC). So look out Joan Rivers...I am all set to rock QVC with my CHOC Chick goodness!