A BIT ABOUT BLUE HAT
Blue Hat is a multi–award-winning event company specialising in high quality corporate team building, people development workshops & graduate programmes. Trusted by over 60 FTSE 100 companies and leading event management companies they provide in-house creative team building activities for any size of team, indoor or outdoor, anywhere in the World.
At just 17, Mark Dishington was organising major events for over 1000 people at an East Coast Holiday Centre. Liking water, Mark moved to running a party and event boat on the River Thames before jumping ship and joining team building and events company Blue Hat as Account Director. meetingsclub met up with Mark – ironically on the Banks of the Thames – to find out what makes him personally tick and to hear about Blue Hat’s latest creative creation Dino–Dash, a 15 piece brightly covered slot–together Dinosaur. It’s bound to be a roaring success.
Why did you choose to get into the Event industry?
From an early age I have always been involved in hospitality and events. When I was at school, I had a job at a Holiday Centre which at the time was the third largest in the UK. Before I was old enough to work behind the bar, in the Winter we staged half a dozen major events for up to 1200 people and because the General Manager was ill, I ended up running them! It was a great insight in to the events world with lots of staff and lead me to running a party and pleasure boat company on the Thames, which was a fun job. We ran day trips and parties. When I joined, we were running 100 parties a year and when I left this had gone up to 350. Time then to join Blue Hat and seek new opportunities.
Who has inspired you most in your career?
My wife has pushed me a lot in my career…! But in my role at Blue Hat I take daily inspiration from our clients, what they are looking to achieve and then helping them achieve their goals. Many are under pressure to deliver great events and understanding what success looks like for them inspires me to provide the right solution.
If you could work anywhere in the world where would it be?
San Francisco would be a cool place to work. I’ve been there a couple of times on holiday. It is a very cosmopolitan City with lots going on, plus the locals are big in to sport which is important to me.
What has been your most embarrassing moment?
One funny moment a few years ago happened when I was running a multi-activity team building event for a client. I threw everything we needed into the back of the van but forgot something! It was all about designing and building a catapult and we’d normally fire small sand filled animals such as frogs and hedgehogs, but they’d been left behind. I decided to improvise using golf balls from the Crazy Golf Equipment I had onboard. This was quickly brought to an end as the first team that fired their ball hit the windscreen of a passing BMW and then hit three other cars in a nearby car park. I won’t tell you which venue we were at!
What piece of advice would you give to your teenage self?
Just go for it what-ever IT might be. Make the most of any experience that comes your way.
What three items would you bring to a desert island?
1.A good book
2.A nice bottle of gin
3.A Stereophonics CD
What did you do last weekend?
Celebrating Jack my son’s 18th Birthday. We went to see Leeds v Ipswich, had dinner at a Gordon Ramsey restaurant and then afternoon tea at the Grand in Brighton.
What is your favourite place to travel to?
America. It is such a diverse mix and such a large continent where everyone has their own different identity.
Is there anything on your bucket list that you haven’t yet done?
I would like to go on a Safari in South Africa and one day own a Ferrari as I love fast cars.
What is your favourite APP?
Twitter – to keep up with industry news and sport.
What is your favourite food?
I’m a bit of a carnivore so would have to say fillet steak.
Do you binge watch and if so, what do you watch?
Yes, I binge! Walking Dead and Peaky Blinders.