> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thechocolatelife.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Taking Stock of My ChocolateLife | #PodSaveChocolate Ep87 - URL: https://thechocolatelife.com/taking-stock-of-my-chocolatelife-podsavechocolate-ep87/ - Published: 2024-12-12T18:29:53.000Z - Updated: 2024-12-13T17:29:36.000Z - Description: Episode 87 of #PodSaveChocolate is a deep-dive look at my ChocolateLife from the early days of chocophile.com to the present. - Author: Clay Gordon - Tags: PodSaveChocolate, Live Stream **When and Where to Watch** 🗓️ The stream airs at 11:00 ****MST** (10:00 PST, 12:00 CST, 13:00 EST), on Friday, December 13th, 2024. **🔗 🔗 below to watch – or to view the archived episode.* Click on this (shareable) link to watch on YouTube. Please subscribe (free!) to the [@PodSaveChocolate YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@podsavechocolate/featured?ref=thechocolatelife.com), like this video, comment, and ****share** this episode to help grow the #PSC community. [Clay Gordon on LinkedIn: #podsavechocolate #lavidacocoa #thechocolatelife #cacao #cocoa #cacau…Episode 87 Overview One of the questions I am asked most often is how I decided to become a chocolate critic in the first place. The answer is simple in one…![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/al2o9zrvru7aqj8e1x2rzsrca)LinkedInClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/c45fy346jw096z9pbphyyhdz7)](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/claygordon%5Fpodsavechocolate-lavidacocoa-thechocolatelife-activity-7273037646480732160-W67f?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop) This ****LINKEDIN** link is shareable. [Taking Stock of My ChocolateLife | #PodSaveChocolate Ep87Other event by TheChocolateLife on Friday, December 13 2024![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/aGT3gskzWBf.ico)#PodSaveChocolate Ep87![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/media)](https://fb.me/e/2FA1yVIwO?ref=thechocolatelife.com) This ****FACEBOOK** link is shareable. --- ## **Episode 87 Overview** One of the questions I am asked most often is how I decided to become a chocolate critic in the first place. The answer is simple in one sense but extremely complex in many others. In this episode, I am going to explain what I mean by that characterization, and the methods I use, including some very recent thinking I have been doing that will influence the future directions of TheChocolateLife community – in context. > My hope is that by narrating my journey I may help you navigate yours. ### **SWOT** 💡 A SWOT – ****S**trengths, ****W**eaknesses, ****O**pportunities, and ****T**hreats – Analysis is a tool to evaluate a business, project, and/or personal situation. This approach is evaluated by my education and training in the fine arts. ![An illustration of the definition of SWOT.](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/12/swotAnalysis.png) Downloaded from LinkedIn. --- ### **A Visual Guide to Change** The images below are screen captures from the Wayback Machine at archive.org. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/12/chocophile-screenshot-2.png) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/12/discoverchocolateDec242007-1.png) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/12/thechocolatelifeJan62009-1.png) \[L\] ****2001 – my OG**. \[C\] DiscoverChocolate was a very short-lived attempt to update the look and feel of chocophile.com after the release of Discover Chocolate in October 2007\. \[R\] TheChocolateLife on Ning – moving from a blog to a community. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/12/tclsJamroomJul022015.png) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/12/tclsJamroomJun062017.png) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/12/tclMavenDec082017.png) \[L\] July 2015, shortly after migrating from Ning to Jamroom. \[C\] Jamroom in July 2017\. \[R\] TCL on Maven Dec 2017. The images below are screen captures of the live sites. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/12/tclArchive-current.png) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/12/tclGhost-current.png) \[L\] The archive site on Jamroom. \[R\] The main TCL site on Ghost. --- ### ’Casts [The Clubhouse AffairAfter 29 weeks I announced I was stopping the daily rooms to take a break to reset.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/oscar-sutton-o37M_Bt78x4-unsplashFeatured.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/the-clubhouse-affair/) I hosted 149 episodes over 29 weeks in 2021 [#TheChocolateLifeLIVE ArchiveNews, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/solen-feyissa-WG7v_wYZW4Q-unsplash-CalendarFeatured1920x1080.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/thechocolatelife-live-calendar/) I hosted 145 episodes between Nov 2021 and Nov 2023 [#PodSaveChocolate Calendar & ArchiveNews, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook. #PodSaveChocolate! \[ Updated November 18th, 2024\. \]![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/TagImageBanner-PodSaveChocTagFinal_1920x1080-5.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/pod-save-chocolate-calendar-and-archive/) This is episode 87 --- ### **Unmet Challenges** I tried to replace the community component on Ning/Jamroom, which Ghost lacks, with an open-source version of Slack called Rocket Chat. Endlessly configurable and thus impossible to implement and manage at the scale of TheChocolateLife community, Rocket Chat had a *negative* ROI. I attempted to address this challenge by implementing an SSO solution that was made extra challenging because Jamroom (on which the archive site is based) uses passwords and Ghost (the active site) does not. ### **Future Directions** In the closing part of the episode, I will share some ideas I have for TheChocolateLife in 2025 – and preview non-ChocolateLife initiatives I am collaborating on. --- ### **Questions?** If you have questions or want to comment, you can do so during the episode or, if you are a ChocolateLife member, you can add them in the Comments below at ***any*** time. --- ### **More Episode Hashtags (and Related Accounts to Follow)** #SWOT #cocoa #cacao #cacau #chocolate #chocolat #craftchocolate #PodSaveChoc #PSC #LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife --- ### **Future Episodes** 🗓️ ****Tuesday, December 17th** Nothing scheduled at publication time --- ### **#PodSaveChocolate and #TheChocolateLifeLIVE Archives** **To read an archived post** and find the links to watch archived episodes, click on one of the bookmark cards, below. [Pod Save Chocolate Calendar and ArchiveNews, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook. #PodSaveChocolate!![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2023/11/TagImageBanner-PodSaveChocTagFinal_1920x1080-5.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/pod-save-chocolate-calendar-and-archive/) [#TheChocolateLifeLIVE ArchiveNews, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2023/03/solen-feyissa-WG7v_wYZW4Q-unsplash-CalendarFeatured1920x1080.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/thechocolatelife-live-calendar/) [PodSaveChocolateHosted by Clay Gordon, the creator and moderator of TheChocolateLife.com, #PodSaveChocolate covers a wide variety of topics in the worlds of cocoa and chocolate. The video versions of this podcast are hosted and archived on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Click on the PodSaveChocolate link in the top nav on TheChocolateLife for the links to the post accompanying each episode.![](https://pnc.st/static/img/256x256.png)Pinecast![](https://social.pinecast.net/preview_card/podcasts/covers/d3730dca-0711-4720-9ef3-3b18918c1f0d/TagImageBanner-PodSaveChocTagFinal_1920x1080.jpg?title=PodSaveChocolate)](https://pnc.st/s/podsavechocolate?ref=thechocolatelife.com) Audio-only podcasts --- ## Not a Member? Live The Chocolate Life – Live La Vida Cocoa! Sign up for Free to comment and receive members-only content. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Premium subscriptions available. ### **Become a Premium ChocolateLife Member!** | These offers are available to free members, so subscribe above then click one of the following links. | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Team TCL Member** Monthly membership | [First 2 months FREE](https://thechocolatelife.com/first-two-months-free-team-tcl-member) (save $10/yr) | | **Team TCL Leader** Monthly membership | [First 2 months FREE](https://thechocolatelife.com/two-free-months-team-tcl-leader) (save $30/yr) | ---