I am definitely building a lifestyle business. I actually prefer to think, rather than "starting a business," I am "designing my life."

My business plan is fully meshed with my life plan and would likely not be useful to someone else. My hope is to bring to life and share a wonderful product that I love creating within the framework of my life goals and core values.

Just as my goals and values shift throughout my life, I want my business plan and products to have the fluidity of changing with my lifestyle.

Being able to self fund is extremely important, at least as I am building a start-up. It is essential to my vision that I maintain autonomy and control over decision making.

A little over a year ago, when I first began actively working to launch the business, I had a savings that I had decided to use toward my start-up costs. At the time, I was working within the framework of a completely different economy with a start-up plan of beginning as a chocolatier rather than a chocolate maker. I am now reconsidering the plan and where to invest further funds.

The costs for chocolate making equipment can be high, however I am taking webinars through CocoaTown, the company that builds and supplies the specialized machines. I am now looking at options for learning part of the process by purchasing high quality cocoa nibs and starting by purchasing only the machine that turns the nibs into cocoa liquor, and once I feel I've gotten skilled at that process, start investing funds into the equipment for processing the unhulled beans.

My business consultant at SBA has given me resources for micro-loans, which I have on the back burner as an option if absolutely necessary in the future. Right now, I am hesitant to borrow, especially given the uncertainty of the economy. I feel more comfortable relying on creative problem-solving, then in the future looking to invest when the business needs to grow.

I have a network of creative people in my life, however I would like it to expand. By attending the CocoaTown webinars, I hope to gain resources and a network of other chocolate makers around the world with whom I can interact.

I work best when I have long stretches of time alone where I can keep my focus, however I also need the creative energy of positive, enthusiast people. Because I will be starting solo, the interaction may be only virtual, through FaceTime, and phone calls with friends while I work.

I am still learning the process of making chocolate, so I am not yet an expert. I have attended classes, have practiced and experimented from home and shared with friends, but am still learning.

I have a great network of resources for chocolate entrepreneurs, such as myself, who are willing to share skills and are dedicated to my success.

I plan to be involved, at least in the beginning, in all aspects of the operation. Because I intend for it to remain a small business and be part of my lifestyle, it is important to me that I understand how all aspects of it work, including the things that I don't particularly enjoy, like cost analysis, bookkeeping, and projections.

Once I have an understanding of how things work and am able to do them myself, I will look to outsource the things I don't particularly enjoy or that I feel take up too much of my time - things like bookkeeping, taxes, etc.

I intend to always be the one with creative control of the product and development. I intend to be fully involved in the chocolate production and sourcing of beans and ingredients.

Having job security is a major factor for my starting a business. Although the idea of having a "job" is not what I am after so much as NOT having a boss with other bosses and HR.

A "secure job" for me is having something I genuinely enjoy most days and feeling like I have a purpose, which in most conventional jobs (even though my previous jobs would likely not be viewed as conventional) have never achieved.

My future professional goal is to become a master chocolate maker and have multiple products for sale from my business.

As a chocolate maker, I can see myself becoming an instructor or mentor for people new to the industry. I loved my previous role with students and that's something I would really enjoy doing again, though in a different environment. I can see possibly providing chocolate making classes with ongoing mentorship for people wishing to start a chocolate business or going to work as a chocolatier. It's a specialty that isn't offered through most US culinary and pastry schools.

I need to make enough money to provide a comfortable life for myself that can take me into retirement, assuming I intend to retire. I honestly can't see myself as a retiree, but I need to make sure I can survive if I can no longer work.

I intend to relocate, which means my cost of living will increase. Because my cost of living is relatively low currently, I will need to factor the cost of where I choose to live into my income needs and work toward that goal.

Maintaining a majority share will always be important. I am planning to register as a Woman Owned Small Business, so it will be essential I not take on a majority investor that is not female. But even a female investor does not interest me, at least not at this time. I may be open later to partnership if the right opportunity presents itself, but definitely not in the inception.

I have a very distinct vision for the business that is not only a "business," but my lifestyle, so the idea of having anyone in control of that feels like handing over control of my life, which is the antithesis of all the reasons I have for becoming an entrepreneur. I can't see ever voluntarily giving over majority share.