James Averdieck has brought joy and pleasure to people around the world having mastered the way to the hearts of his customers through food! The founder and Managing Director of Gü, Averdieck's creation was once the fastest-growing food company in the UK and a brand credited with revolutionising the quality of desserts. Epitomising all it means to be an entrepreneur, James built a fantastic brand that stemmed from his passion for the product and bringing great tasting desserts to the mainstream public.
With capital of only £65k, Averdieck created a business which just over half a decade later would sell for a monumental £32 million. Having somewhat of a revelation during the process of building and refining his brand, James realised his chocolate dream of selling soufflés to the French and chocolate to the Belgians. One of the most influential and significant figures within the entrepreneurial world and in particular in the dessert industry, James Averdieck is available to hire as a keynote speaker for events, dinners and conferences across the UK through the Champions Speakers agency.
Following the sale of Gü, James Averdieck has become aware that the money, the power, the pleasure-seeking, the cars and the kudos, will never match the thrill of running and building a business and Averdieck truly is a real-life example to all that money doesn't equal happiness. Joining the graduate programme at strategy consultants, Arthur D. Little, James learnt about the key drivers to a successful business yet he had a greater desire to be closer to the action. Spending almost a decade in the food industry, James Averdieck worked for Safeway and St Ivel where the experiences again further developed his understating about sales, marketing and running businesses.
Moving to Belgium along with the company he was working for, St Ivel, James became a convert to Belgian gastronomy and it was in Brussels that the seed was sown for his chocolate venture. Seeing an opportunity of marrying high-quality chocolate patisserie with efficient UK supermarket distribution, James realised that UK consumers were demanding more quality and moving away from mass-produced 'branded' products.
Brimming with confidence in his ability to take on major corporations, James set out to create a brand that was "more focused than the big brands on using high-quality raw materials to deliver uncompromisingly good products." The result? Gü, a brand that embodied true chocolate extremism - evoking nostalgic memories and magical smells of baking with chocolate. Instantly adored and sought after, Averdieck's brand was embraced with love by the supermarkets, launching first in Sainsburys and Waitrose with the others following apace.
A phenomenal and inspiring entrepreneur that conveys a strong message about the value of loving your business, James Averdieck speaks passionately about true entrepreneurship; how to simplify ideas with an innovative approach, and how to make your dreams achievable. Renowned for his ability to deliver his speeches with real honesty and humility, James provides a holistic and realistic view of business as he acknowledges not only the highs but also the lows he experienced during his journey. A truly compelling and unique as a keynote speaker that has the ability to deliver the vital message that at the heart of entrepreneurialism lies the idea, the journey, not the exit strategy, and not the final sale price, James Averdieck is available to hire for numerous speaking engagements through the Champions Speakers agency.
How to hire James Averdieck
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring James Averdieck for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
When he's at corporate events, James is known to cover the following topics:
- Marketing and branding
- Leadership and teamwork
- Entrepreneurism
- Dessert and food