Meet melissa crandley

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Melissa Crandley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Melissa, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

I get my work ethic from my parents. My father has an MBA and worked at 3M, and was also a Statistics teacher at night, and owned a business with my uncle building porches and clubhouses on the weekend. My mother was a high school graduate and was a care giver for neighborhood kids, worked at a Dr. office, and ran her own cleaning business cleaning offices at night and weekends. Throughout my childhood, I witnessed my parents working very hard, and they became very financially successful. I learned through them that you need to work hard for what you want, and things do not just “happen” for you. It takes effort and commitment.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am the owner of MECHA Chocolate. MECHA Chocolate is the marriage of my culinary and pastry experiences, creativity, and innovation. It’s the result of passion for the field, and a desire to form lasting relationships with customers and community. After leaving the finance world and graduating from the Culinary Art Institute of Philadelphia with a degree in Culinary Arts, I worked in the kitchens of notable Center City Philadelphia restaurants, where I discovered my love for the craft.

What began as a 100-square-foot office converted into a kitchen has now grown into two storefront locations in Haddonfield, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Despite years of evolution, my mission remains the same: let creativity and passion drive new and exciting creations. Quality and freshness are pillars of my creations, each adhering to the strictest standards for fair trade and sustainability practices. My team and I seek collaborations with local artisans, farmers, coffee roasters, distillers, brewers and more to create unique treats. Our attention to detail, understanding of flavor profiles and artisanal craftsmanship continue to set MECHA chocolate apart — and keep chocolate lovers coming back for more.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

In my previous field, I was an Operations Manager. I would study Profit and Loss statements for a billion dollar world wide company. I know this has helped in the financial side of my business.

I also went to Culinary School, which gave me a necessary base for learning the craft

When I was younger, I was an All -State Softball pitcher for the state of New Jersey. This experience helped to develop confidence at a very young age, leadership skills, and ability to work with a team.

My advice is to do what you do well, and the things you are not great at, get help.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

My Team has helped in all of these categories. Sometimes just having employees and a business forces you to develop skills you never knew you had. Each roadblock we encounter, we work together to solve it. Teamwork is the best strategy.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Portraits of Resilience

Sometimes just seeing resilience can change out mindset and unlock our own resilience. That’s our

Perspectives on Staying Creative

We’re beyond fortunate to have built a community of some of the most creative artists,

Kicking Imposter Syndrome to the Curb

This is the year to kick the pesky imposter syndrome to the curb and move