Business Consultation

James Laverty aka Miss Chocolate is originally from Northern Ireland (Ballymoney) and moved to New Zealand in 1999, settling in Wellington. I came from a hard up bring and life in Northern Ireland wasn’t easy and I was finding it hard to go on and didn’t see much hope for myself or life, moving to New Zealand was to give me a chance to be myself and find out life for myself and set my own rules on who I want to be. I start working for a bakery for $250 per week with 60 hours each week and no days off this job help me get on my way to becoming a New Zealand Citizen, I had done a few jobs before landing a role on setting up the first Chocolate Cake Company within Wellington 2004 and was well known for his design work and high-profile clientele. I also won Mr Gay Wellington 2005/06, I went on to use my title to give back over the year at community events and projects.

In 2007 I volunteered for 6 weeks in Kenya which was carrying out a life dream. Moving to Auckland in 2009 to re-launch the Auckland CBD Chocolate Cake Company in Elliot Street Stables, I went on again successfully for 3 more years creating forward thinking designs and again becoming a leader in the creative hospitality industry.

In 2013 for the first time, I wanted to address my dyslexia as I felt I had so much more to gift with my skills and wanted to put something on paper, I worked for Trade Aid as a Showroom Manager and they offer a great training program with Service IQ in Retail Management Level 4, I knew if I worked hard I could get something on paper. It was the first time any employer support me and offer the help I needed to do better. 

Literacy Aotearoa Adult Literacy Tamaki (Auckland) was amazing, and it really help and set up night classes foor me to come in and learn myself on how to write and read, and also to own dyslexia and not run away from roles that may require this. I got to speak on behalf of Literacy Aotearoa at an event called Speech for the Travelling Books Launch held at Government House, Auckland. I completed the course in 12 months not the 2 years that was given, I learn new tools to help me deal with dyslexia.

I decided to combine my creative background with business and marketing skills to set up fashion brand Talosia Design. I went on to open several gift stores and use my skills to manage and grow other businesses. 2016 I took a role with In Residence and use my skills in design and project management, and for 6 years I was operations / showroom manager. 

Over the years I helped with communtiy events and applied my skills through senior hospitality roles, for 8 years James had been weekend Manager of Family Bar (but I was best known by the name Chocks or Miss Chocolate!) and for 10 years in Auckland I worked at some of the best know bars within our community, also was behind a lot of the community events for over 20 years of helping fundraise for some of our best known community groups and organizing between Wellington & Auckland .

2016 ‘’ Miss Chocolate’’ led the New Zealand Police float for Pride and was regularly called on as a consultant for the New Zealand police. I was a valued member of the Diversity Liaison Officer Working Group and worked alongside officers to build trust and confidence in Police among the LGBTI community. I have been instrumental in writing new chapters for the Police and Prison Service Manuals and was partnered with Police Diversity Liaison Officers and Corrections to assist victims of crime to engage with police where they may have otherwise been reluctant to do so. This work has culminated in the presentation of a recognition award by the NZ Police at their annual awards ceremony in July 2017 – the first time an award for GLBTI work has ever been recognized at this ceremony. latest project involves consulting with the Corrections Department on GLBTI and trans issues within our prison Service 2016-17. I went on to do talks within Schools around Auckland and share my own personal journey and helped SCSP (Student Communication and Safe Practices Chartable Trust) finishing up in 2019.

I set up Rainbow Pride Auckland in 2018 to help rebuild Pride Parade for 2019 had a strong vision on the set up and ensuring things was done different and bring balance between corporate and community.

I was a guest speaker at Destiny Church conference 2019 and spoke about the important on being a parent to your child and how we treat each other or speak to each other and to remind use on how to use our words and to avoid cause harm to someone else. This was not an easy to try and build and understand between two community groups one of strong background in religion that the Rainbow community has always been the target off hateful speech. “But you only get somewhere by trying to come to the table and start dialogue and accountability”

2020-2021 Help with the setup of Fashion for Charity and the launch of their first event at Mangere Arts Centre, the event raise money for the Mental Health Foundation.

I like to spend time with friends and family I really enjoy cooking and baking on my days off. I have for the last 10 years on my day off I look after a dear friend that is now 87 and as memory loss, I have help her over the years and have ensure she is well looked after and settled into the rest home and is care for on a weekly base with her care and ensure all her bills and health is taken care of. I take her out on my day off as I believe no matter how busy we are we can always give our time to each and looking after our elderly is a gift.

“My desire to learn and teach people comes from my own life experience and the skills I have had to learn to keep myself on the right track, my story is like so many and if I can change one person’s life with ether sharing my own story or a few words to help someone else, then that cost nothing in life, Being involved in my GBLTI community has allowed me to achieve more than I ever imagined but you also pay the price of putting yourself forward to ether do better or make change, we all must do better to achieving Diversity & Inclusion and remind ourselves that not one box fits all and if we stand by this then it’s important we show Diversity & Inclusion to all. Be kind to each other no matter what our views are, Incredible things can be done simple if we are committed to making them happen”