Our Sidekick community is made up of people from all walks of life. Their backgrounds, their passions and their stories are part of what makes them so good at what they do. Mark is an Auckland based Sidekick, who, when he’s not microbrewing some top-notch beer is Sidekicking as part of his quest to work his way around the globe.
Where were you working before you started Sidekicking?
I was travelling the world working for four and five-star hotels in Canada, London, Melbourne and most recently here, in Auckland.
Tell us something unique about yourself (hobbies, interests, experiences etc)
When I’m not Sidekicking, I brew my own beer! It’s now a passion of mine and I have been producing some pretty high-quality beer with the All-Grain brewing technique.
What was your first Sidekicking gig?
I applied the day after I returned from a six week trip through America and Mexico and was approved for my first shift the next day! It was aiding a screen printing company print hundreds of shirts for Pizza Hut. It made me want to eat pizza so much.
Coolest thing you’ve done on a Sidekicker shift:
Being a liquor warden for events at Spark Arena has been awesome. I got to see Sean Paul, Craig David, Ne-Yo and Mario at one concert and then I worked at Drake!
What was your first job?
Without wanting to push the cliche, my first every paying job was a paper round. It didn’t last too long as I managed to land a job at McDonald’s when I was 15.
What do you hope to do in the future?
My career path is definitely in the hospitality and tourism industry. Working in hospitality means I can have a job wherever I travel because my skills are so transferable. In the future, I would like to become a travel consultant.
What did you want to be when you were younger?
I wanted to be a Pilot… until I realised how difficult physics was.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone who wants to be a Sidekick?
Keep an open mind about work. Do things outside of your comfort zone that you haven’t done before.
Why do you love what you do?
Engaging with different types of people and the ability to travel and experience living in different countries through work is awesome!