In this episode of Events Matters, David Watt speaks with Andrew Charlton, Founder and CEO of Hashtag Events, exploring his unique journey from the legal profession to becoming a prominent figure in the events industry.

Andrew reflects candidly on the challenges of the 2007 financial crash and reality of losing key clients overnight. Following this experience, and having identified a need for informal but focused networking spaces, he went on to organise the North East's first business expo.

Andrew emphasises the importance of networking, community building, and leveraging technology in the events space. He talks openly about the growth of his business, the balance between work and personal life, and his vision for the future, including the integration of AI and innovative solutions for small businesses.

Expect insights on:

• How community engagement drives event success
• Why surrounding yourself with better people is essential for growth
• The importance of learning from failures and mistakes
• Why building a strong brand identity is vital for success
• Why continuous innovation is necessary to stay relevant

This is a grounded conversation about the reality of entrepreneurship in the events industry – the highs, lows, and the eureka moments that make it so worthwhile. Andrew's story is full of inspiring takeaways for event founders looking ahead to the future.

In this episode of Event Matters, David Watt is joined by Ben Hardy, Managing Director of Richmond Event Management, to explore what leadership really looks like when you are responsible for delivering complex, high-visibility events at scale.

Ben brings a delivery-led perspective shaped by years of running large public events across the UK, where planning, safety, stakeholders and scrutiny collide. The conversation centres on a simple but often overlooked truth in the events industry: experience does not remove uncertainty, it simply changes how leaders carry it.

Together, they reflect on the quiet pressure that sits behind successful delivery. Ben talks openly about the weight of responsibility, the loneliness that can come with senior roles and the judgement calls leaders are required to make without perfect information. From safety planning and traffic management to managing teams through long delivery cycles, the discussion stays grounded in the realities event leaders recognise every day.

The conversation also explores partnership and sustainability, not as values statements but as operational necessities. Ben shares why strong relationships with clients, suppliers and authorities are essential to delivery, and why looking after people is not a wellbeing initiative but a prerequisite for consistent performance.

Technology features as an enabler rather than a solution. Ben explains how tools can create clarity and free up thinking time, but never replace leadership judgment, experience or human connection.

This episode is a calm, honest reflection on leadership endurance in the events industry. It offers reassurance to experienced leaders who still feel the weight of decision-making, and a reminder that confidence is built over time, not in the absence of uncertainty.

Host: David Watt, Partner at Kershaw Partners
Guest: Ben Hardy, Managing Director, Richmond Event Management

In this festive episode of Event Matters, David Watt is joined by Kershaw Partners, Mike Kershaw and Richard Dean, for a brilliantly honest (and often very funny) look at what’s really going on inside event businesses as we wrap up the year.

Together, they dig into why so many SME leaders feel overwhelmed, underconfident or unsure what’s actually causing the challenges in their business – even when things are going well on the surface. From the endless plate-spinning of agency life to the quiet panic that comes from comparing yourself to everyone else on LinkedIn, the trio explore the very real reasons event business owners struggle to diagnose their own problems.

They also talk about the moment everything changes: when you finally step back, look at the business clearly, and realise the situation isn’t half as dire as it felt. With some perspective, a solid plan and a bit of structured thinking, things suddenly feel far more achievable – and far less chaotic.

And because it's the Christmas edition, you’ll also hear stories from the glory days of the events industry: cloakroom catastrophes, hay bales, questionable safety practices and the kind of tales that prove events people have always thrived on a healthy mix of resilience and ridiculousness. They also reflect on how the Christmas party scene has evolved into something a little smaller, a little safer, and thankfully a lot less flammable.

Expect fun, relatable and practical insights on:

• Why event business owners often can’t see the real issues (even when they’re staring right at them)
• How imposter syndrome creeps in, even when the numbers say you’re doing great
• The magic that happens when ambition turns into an actual plan
• How “franchise thinking” can bring surprising calm to a chaotic industry
• Why hiring well matters – and why hiring in a hurry rarely ends well
• The often-overlooked power of existing clients (and why founders are always the best salespeople)
• What remote working has done to collaboration, culture and spontaneous genius
• And of course… how Christmas parties have changed since the days of 1,000-person bashes and unlimited everything

This episode is warm, funny and full of the kind of wisdom that only comes from decades in the events industry. It’s a reminder that while the work may be unpredictable, running a business doesn’t have to feel like a live event on the brink of going rogue.

Hosts:

David Watt, Partner at Kershaw Partners
Mike Kershaw, Partner at Kershaw Partners
Richard Dean, Partner at Kershaw Partners