Mario C. Bauer, Brand Ambassador, Entrepreneur & Teddy Bear
I love telling stories.
To catch people’s attention, to make them laugh, to make them think, to make them remember the moment. To give them something to think about.
When I heard a speech years ago by Andy Holzer, the blind Austrian climber who has climbed the highest mountains in the world, I was inspired. His Teddy Bear Story how to overcome threshold & fear stuck with me, and I started telling the story on stage, modifying it, creating a mantra out of it and proudly becoming known by my friends as “The Teddy Bear”.
The Teddy Bears
We found many people with the same positive attitude and start calling ourselves “The Teddy Bears” and had one goal above all others: to be out there helping others to see the positive things in life, the “Teddy Bears” behind each closed door, each obstacle in life.
Sharing joy
Besides making people happy & showing them their “Teddy Bear” we started our charity based on the belief that “The Teddy-Bear is EVERY where”. Together with the help of Chris Rogers & Barbara Schindler I published 2 books and have been hosting a podcast “Teddy talk with …” all with the purpose to raise more money for our cause: to help kids & make them laugh. Make them happy. Give them a chance to receive & give joy. Help them to become “Teddy Bears”. Over the last couple of years, we raised with your help over € 50.000 for several charity organizations.
Creating positivity
During the COVID lock down in 2020 I wanted to create a source of positive energy for our street, our neighborhood here in Amsterdam. A talented artist created a 2m high and 200kg heavy Teddy-Bear right next to our boathouse. Colorful, smiling, spreading joy for everyone here. Hundreds of people stopped by already, taking pictures and it has already become quite an icon here. If you are in Amsterdam you have to stop by.
Mario C. Bauer
Mario C. Bauer is an entrepreneur, author, keynote speaker, ketchup cook and teddy bear.
For almost a decade he was an executive at Vapiano responsible for international growth and partnerships. Together with his team he opened and operated more than 200 restaurants in 33 countries around the globe. In June 2020 ,together with highly respected industry professionals like Henry McGovern, Sinclair Beecham, the Van der Valk family and Gregor Gerlach, Mario purchased Vapiano. In the newly founded LOVE & Food Restaurant Holding, the new Vapiano owners have combined their industry knowledge and restored the brands former culture including the passion and core values that made it great around the vision: All we do, we do with love.
Mario is also the co-founder of and an advisor to Dr. Oetker Hospitality, currently developing concepts for the US and European markets and a board Member and Shareholder of Dean & David, a fast growing healthy restaurant platform to change for better. He is also co-founder of Whites Space Partners (Paris and London), a boutique strategy consultancy for international growth.
As a passionate keynote speaker about International Growth and Opportunities Mario C. Bauer is well known within the industry. He speaks regularly about his first book “The Teddy-Bear is everywhere” and his “Teddy Talks With”-podcast, in which he interviews experts from the hospitality industry has proven successful and popular. In 2019 he published his second book “Teddy Talks With … Conversations about Love and Food”. The book features Bauer’s podcast conversations with the stars of the gastronomy business. All profits from his speeches, podcasts and book sales are donated to his charity.
While growing up at his parent’s restaurant in Austria, Mario C. Bauer developed an entrepreneurial mindset. He founded several startups such as Bagel Station (bagel and coffee shop concept) or Papernomad (sustainable ipad sleeves). His most recent business project is Curtice Brothers where he is co-founder and CEO. Curtice Brothers is an ambitious international premium organic condiments business which lives up to his credo, that in life only two things matter: “Love & Food”.
Mario is a truly international person, who is constantly traveling. Currently, his harbor is a houseboat in Amsterdam, where he and his wife enjoy feeding the ducks in the morning and hosting friends from around the world.
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