Operational performance advisory for hospitality,

leisure and membership businesses.

If your venue isn't hitting its numbers, the problem is almost always operational, not marketing. Blackbook Performance works directly with owners and operators to find where you're losing money and fix it. Practical. Hands-on. 30+ years of senior operational experience.

→ Book a free 30-minute discovery

Call Mark now: +61450169038

ABOUT

About Blackbook Performance

Blackbook Performance is an operational performance advisory founded by Mark Tarrant.

Mark's career in hospitality spans more than 30 years, beginning in the UK where he developed his operational foundations across some of Britain's most recognised venues. He started at Rank Organisation's Botley Park Hotel and Country Club before moving into high-volume operations with TGI Fridays, where he was certified across bartending, floor service, door hosting and training. He went on to manage bar and restaurant operations across Europe, including Greece and Spain, before taking on assistant general management roles at Batten's in the Channel Islands, a cocktail bar, brasserie and fine dining restaurant whose General Manager was awarded a double Booker Prize for Excellence, for both Best Bar and Best Restaurant, presented at the Dorchester Hotel, London, by celebrated food writer and broadcaster Loyd Grossman. He then held a similar role at the Capital Radio venue in London's Leicester Square, a high-profile themed restaurant, bar and nightclub in one of the city's most competitive entertainment precincts, before transitioning into operational consulting across Asia and Australia, including engagements with Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong and the pre-opening launch of what is now Peppers Sentosa Villas in Bali.

Before establishing Blackbook Performance, Mark co-owned and operated several of Sydney's most recognised independent venues. He was co-founder of The Rum Diaries, the first dedicated rum bar in Australia, which built a collection of over 100 rums and became a landmark within the industry. He also co-owned White Revolver, a nightclub in Bondi that became one of Sydney's most sought-after venues, regularly drawing queues down the street and attracting a devoted following across Sydney's creative, entertainment and sporting communities. The venue hosted private events for international artists including U2, Wu-Tang Clan and Mumford & Sons, and counted among its clientele Leonardo DiCaprio, Mel B and Example, alongside many other international celebrities and artists. Additional ventures included co-ownership of The Canteen and Green Tangerine, both in Bondi.

Mark brought that experience to Australia's most demanding commercial environments, spending two decades on the floor and in the boardroom across luxury hospitality, premium private members clubs, commercial fitness and wellness, multi-site gaming and entertainment, and large-scale events. High-profile event deliveries include the Lord Mayor's New Year's Eve, Bazaar magazine's tenth anniversary, the Lexus Million Dollar Lunch in Melbourne, Night Noodle Market bars across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and Open Air Cinema in Sydney and Melbourne.

He has launched venues from the ground up, turned around underperforming operations, led workforces of 200+ across multi-site portfolios, and held full P&L accountability across substantial revenue environments. He knows where operations break, why they break, and how to fix them.

Unlike traditional consultants, Blackbook does not deliver slide decks and disappear. Every engagement is hands-on, commercially grounded, and underpinned by ISO 9001 QMS Lead Auditor accreditation and Volkswagen Group Global Service Management audit experience, bringing structured, audit-ready rigour to every operational review.

The result is measurable improvement, not generic advice.

WHY BLACKBOOK

Why Blackbook Performance?

Operational performance is not theoretical. And the businesses Blackbook works with cannot afford advice that is.

Mark brings direct, senior-level experience across every challenge Blackbook is engaged to solve, from venue launches and operational turnarounds to workforce architecture, compliance frameworks, and commercial transformation. Every recommendation is grounded in what actually works on the floor, at scale, under pressure.

What that looks like in practice:

  • International consulting engagements delivered across Hong Kong and Bali, including operational setup, bar design, menu creation and staff training for Harvey Nichols Hong Kong and the pre-opening launch of the Sentosa Villas in Bali, now operating as Peppers

  • High-profile event bars delivered across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, including Lord Mayor's New Year's Eve, Bazaar magazine's tenth anniversary, Lexus Million Dollar Lunch Melbourne, Night Noodle Market bars, and Open Air Cinema Sydney and Melbourne

  • Venues taken from pre-opening through to full commercial performance

  • Multi-site overhead reductions delivered through disciplined workforce analytics and labour-to-revenue modelling

  • Premium membership businesses launched and scaled from zero

  • Forensic financial governance that has uncovered significant reporting discrepancies and strengthened controls

  • Workforces of 200+ led across geographically dispersed, complex operational environments

  • ISO-aligned compliance and WHS frameworks built across regulated, high-volume venues

SERVICES

What Blackbook Does

Operational Performance Reviews

A structured, forensic review of your operations that identifies where you are losing money, where execution is falling short, and where the opportunities are. Grounded in ISO-aligned audit methodology. Delivered with a clear, prioritised improvement roadmap you can act on immediately.

Venue Launch & Operational Readiness

End-to-end pre-opening support covering operating model design, SOP creation, technology stack setup, financial controls, staffing frameworks, and compliance infrastructure. If you are opening a venue, the decisions you make before day one determine how the next three years go.

Commercial Transformation & Revenue Growth

Whether it is F&B margin, membership acquisition, event revenue, or ancillary income streams, Blackbook identifies where your commercial model is underperforming and builds the operational levers to improve it. Calibrated to your specific venue, your customer, and your cost structure.

Workforce Architecture & Labour Control

Roster design, workforce analytics, labour-to-revenue modelling, and team capability frameworks. If labour is your biggest cost and your biggest variable, this is where significant overhead reduction lives.

Governance, Compliance & WHS Frameworks

Audit-ready workplace health and safety frameworks, liquor and gaming licensing compliance, ISO-aligned quality management systems, and regulatory governance. Built for operators who understand that a compliance failure is not just a fine, it is a reputational event.

Customer Experience Design

A structured review and redesign of your guest and member experience, from service culture and floor presence to programming, retention, and the moments that drive loyalty. Drawn from experience across ultra-premium private clubs, luxury hospitality, and high-volume multi-site venues.

WHO THIS IS FOR

Who Blackbook Works With

Blackbook works with a select number of businesses at any one time. The engagements that deliver the most value tend to share a few things in common.

You are operating in a premium or complex service environment where execution directly impacts revenue and reputation. You know something is not working but lack the operational clarity or internal capacity to fix it. Or you are about to launch or scale and want to get it right from the start.

Blackbook works with:

  • Premium hospitality venues and hotel F&B operations

  • Private members clubs and lifestyle businesses

  • Commercial fitness, wellness, and leisure operators

  • Multi-site gaming and entertainment portfolios

  • Events and experiential businesses

  • Premium customer-facing service brands

If that sounds like you, the first conversation is straightforward. No obligation, no jargon, no pitch deck.

Testimonials

What Clients Say

Mark joined The Pillars in a consulting capacity to assist with the launch of the business, playing a key role in establishing the operational foundations and supporting the successful opening of the club.Mark was instrumental in building a high-performing team and worked closely with the designer, builders and project stakeholders to ensure the finished product reflected the premium standards and vision of the brand. His attention to detail, operational expertise and commitment to excellence helped create an outstanding member experience from launch.Mark’s professionalism, leadership and high standards were highly regarded throughout the project and contributed significantly to building an exciting new luxury offering within Sydney that aligned with international hospitality standards.

Bradley Delamare

The Pillars CEO & Co Founder

Mark has played a key role in helping streamline 8 Limbs Gym’s operations, improve efficiencies, reduce costs and identify opportunities to drive stronger commercial performance. His practical advice, operational expertise and hands-on approach have delivered genuine value to the business.

Alex Vidoni

CEO & Co Founder Of 8Limbs

Mark was instrumental in the successful launch of Seadeck, helping navigate complex licensing and operational challenges during the vessel’s approval process. With significant scrutiny from the Office of Liquor & Gaming and NSW Police, Mark’s reputation, leadership and operational expertise played a key role in securing the liquor licence required for the business to operate.

Following the launch, Seadeck quickly became one of Sydney Harbour’s standout hospitality experiences, regularly operating multiple events each week with up to 400 guests onboard. Mark oversaw all hospitality, security and marine operations, ensuring seamless coordination across all departments.

Operating a large-scale venue on the water required an exceptional focus on compliance, safety and risk management. Mark maintained high operational standards at all times, carefully managing stakeholders, staff, patron safety and regulatory requirements while protecting both the business and its investment. His leadership, attention to detail and ability to manage complex operational environments were critical to Seadeck’s success.

Scott Robertson

Former Co-Owner - Seadeck

We engaged Blackbook Performance across several hospitality and event projects, including the launch of the Gin In It pop-up bar at Barangaroo. Mark's operational advice was practical, commercially grounded and made a measurable difference to how each project came together. A trusted advisor we would not hesitate to recommend.

Mikey Enright

Founder & Director - Barrelhouse Group

Mark Tarrant is one of the most capable hospitality and events operators I have worked with. During our time working together across Accor Hotels and the Swiss Grand Hotel Bondi, Mark consistently delivered strong operational outcomes across large-scale venues, events and licensed environments.

His expertise in hospitality operations, compliance and stakeholder management enabled him to successfully navigate complex regulatory requirements while maintaining high standards of service and execution. Mark developed excellent relationships with staff, local authorities, licensing bodies and key stakeholders, earning a reputation for professionalism, integrity and reliability.

What sets Mark apart is his ability to combine strategic thinking with hands-on operational leadership. Whether managing large events, licensed venues or complex projects, he brings a calm, practical approach and a commitment to delivering results.

I would highly recommend Mark to any organisation seeking an experienced leader with deep operational expertise and a proven track record of success.

Richard Holt

Former General Manager AccorHotels Darling Harbour

Mark launched Bartender Boxing in Australia and successfully built the brand from the ground up, leading all aspects of the program, operations and event delivery. He designed and managed the participant training program while also becoming registered with Combat Sports NSW as both a licensed promoter and matchmaker.

Throughout the program, Mark managed all key stakeholders including governing bodies, police, sponsors, coaches, participants and event partners. He successfully delivered multiple sanctioned fight events, some attracting crowds of up to 800 attendees, while maintaining a strong focus on compliance, safety, operational execution and sponsor outcomes.

Mark’s ability to manage complex approvals, coordinate large-scale events and deliver commercially successful programs demonstrated exceptional leadership, professionalism and operational expertise.

Raj Nagra

Founder & CEO, Bartender Boxing

CREDENTIALS

Qualifications & Accreditations

  • ISO 9001:2015 QMS Lead Auditor

  • Volkswagen Group Global Service Management (GSM) Retail Auditor

  • Advanced Diplomas in Hospitality, Management, Events, Business & Marketing

  • Certificate IV, Training & Assessment

  • Certificate III & IV, Fitness

  • RSA, NSW & QLD | RMLV, QLD

  • Approved Manager, NSW & QLD

  • BTEC Leisure Studies & Tourism

Technology Mark works across: Oracle Micros · Lightspeed · SwiftPOS · OrderMate · Me&u · FoundU · Tanda · Deputy · Xero · Asana · Monday.com

→ Book a free 30-minute discovery

Call Mark now: +61450169038

CONTACT

Let's talk about your business.

Blackbook works with a select number of clients at any one time. If you are looking for practical, hands-on operational improvement, start with a 30-minute discovery call.

📧 mark@blackbookperformance.com.au

📞 +61 450 169 038

🔗 linkedin.com/in/marktarrant

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