110. The Sweet Work of Meaning: Family, Craft, and Purpose with Shawn & Lawren Askinosie

On today’s episode of What’s the Point, we explore how meaning is created—slowly, intentionally, and lovingly—through the everyday work of craft, family, and purpose. Bill welcomes Shawn and Lawren Askinosie, the father–daughter team behind Askinosie Chocolate, one of America’s most respected bean-to-bar chocolate companies. Their story is more than a business profile—it’s a human story of growth, legacy, and discovering what truly matters.

Shawn left a long and intense career as a criminal defense attorney to pursue chocolate making—a leap that few understood at the time. But that decision became a powerful turning point, both in his own life and for everyone who has touched the Askinosie mission. Today, he and his daughter Lawren co-lead the company with a shared commitment to community, craftsmanship, global relationships, and living with purpose.

In this conversation, Shawn and Lawren open up about family, loss, calling, and the values that guide their work. They discuss how compassion, grief, service, and legacy shaped their path; how meaningful work is built on relationships; and why the “sweet work” of craft can become a vehicle for connection across the world—from Springfield, Missouri to Tanzania and the Philippines.

You’ll also hear the surprising and emotional story behind Chocolate University, a program that has touched more than 20,000 children through education, mentorship, meals, and empowerment opportunities. And you’ll learn why the Askinosie approach to values is not something they add to their work—it’s the very backbone of how they operate, hire, and serve.

This is an episode about discovering what keeps you going, how people find meaning in their work, and how purpose is passed from one generation to the next. It’s a conversation about what drives us—and why the most important work we do often has nothing to do with profit, but everything to do with people.

What’s The Point? is a podcast hosted by Bill Ellis, featuring real conversations with people who’ve figured out what matters—their purpose. Each episode explores what motivates them and how they find meaning in what they do.

 

Connect with Bill:

[e-mail]
www.brandingpillars.com
www.brandingforresults.com
IG - @wcellis
Facebook - @CoachBillEllis
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/wcellis
Book: Women Who Won

Links for This Episode:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/askinosie-chocolate
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/askinosie.chocolate
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/askinosie
• Threads: http://threads.com/@askinosie
• TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@askinosie
• BOOK: Meaningful Work: A Quest to Do Great Business, Find Your Calling, and Feed Your Soul

 

Quick Episode Summary: 

• 00:00 – Welcome to What’s the Point: A conversation about purpose, craft & family
• 01:00 – Introducing Shawn & Lawren: A father-daughter story years in the making
• 03:00 – What it feels like to record this episode together
• 04:00 – Shawn’s shift from criminal defense to chocolate: following the path in front of you
• 07:00 – Lawren’s view as a teenager watching her dad reinvent his life
• 09:00 – The story behind the Askinosie name (and why Shawn advises against it)
• 11:00 – How father and daughter grew the Askinosie brand together
• 12:00 – Co-authoring Meaningful Work: what they learned about each other
• 14:00 – Why writing someone else’s voice is an act of trust
• 15:00 – The Lost & Found Grief Center and Shawn’s early calling to service
• 17:00 – How grief shaped Shawn and how that legacy passed to Lawren
• 19:00 – Lawren on compassion, community, and becoming a parent
• 21:00 – The generational impact of grief and healing
• 23:00 – Legacy, values, and what it means to grow a business from the heart
• 25:00 – How the Askinosie team keeps values alive during the busiest seasons
• 28:00 – Father–daughter dynamics: strengths, differences, and real communication
• 32:00 – Why Shawn would fear Lawren if she were a prosecutor
• 34:00 – Lawren’s passion for empowering female cocoa farmers
• 37:00 – What she’s learned from women around the world
• 39:00 – What Chocolate University really is—and why it’s transformative
• 42:00 – 11,000+ graduates: the long-term impact on students and communities
• 44:00 – The ripple effect of service and mentoring young leaders
• 45:00 – Bill’s own experience with Askinosie’s tasting kit
• 46:00 – Why every sale means something deeply personal to the Askinosie team
• 48:00 – How their chocolate becomes part of families’ most meaningful moments
• 49:00 – Rapid-fire questions: favorite bars, coffee vs. tea, early mornings or late nights
• 50:00 – What’s bringing them joy right now
• 51:00 – What they would tell their 14-year-old selves
• 52:00 – What’s the point?