Name: Lisa Reinhardt 
Title: CEO and Chocolatier, Wei of Chocolate
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Product: Wei of Chocolate.

Background: I spent 11 years living in Asia—mostly in the Himalayas. I went there to study meditation and lived for many years in a monastery. I came back to this country thinking I might teach meditation, but discovered everyone was far too busy to slow down long enough to watch their breathing.

What was your vision when you launched your company? One day it hit me: put a piece of dark chocolate in your mouth, let it melt, and voila! There is absolute surrender as the exquisite flavor slowly unfolds—every moment is a sensuous reward for resting in the present moment. With phenomenally flavorful chocolate in your mouth, where else but the present would you rather be?

What inspired you to create this product? We're just emerging from the dark ages regarding chocolate, and the new reality is: It can be good for you! Not only is Wei of Chocolate organic, fair trade, dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, it's also enhanced with Ayurvedic, Chinese herbs and flower essences. As a people, we're constantly on the go, surrounded by our cell phones, computers and crowds of people—it’s no wonder we get a little out of whack. I believe that by letting an exquisite piece of chocolate infused with intentionally therapeutic flower essences melt in your mouth, you could regain your grace, poise and balance in this challenging world, while helping to unfold your multiple hidden talents.

How would you describe your aesthetic? For me, it’s all about creating something so complete that distraction is rendered powerless. Once fully immersed in the present moment, the beauty of life is there to be seen, experience, tasted, on all levels.

What makes this product different from other chocolate? Exceptional quality chocolate increases brain function, beautifies skin and supports heart health. But Wei of Chocolate has therapeutic ingredients that take it yet another step beyond—to be mentally, emotionally and spiritually uplifting and expanding—so that we may attain our full potential.