Party promoter Belcario Thomas is a familiar face to many on the Island. The 33-year-old has been running Unité Event Marketing and Promotions for five years.

As the company's creative director, Mr. Thomas has launched some of the most popular parties on the Island's social calendar including the annual Pink Party, which will take place this weekend at Snorkel Park.

He was inspired to strike out on his own as an entrepreneur by the example of his late father, Fred, a well known businessman. After completing his schooling at Trinity College School and Berkeley Institute, Mr. Thomas decided to study law at Buckingham University, but that was not to be his destiny. Instead, he came back to Bermuda with the idea of bringing something new to the community.

"After a bit of introspection and time spent in a probing, observational mode for a couple years while travelling the world with the intercultural group Up With People and afterwards moving to London, I discovered I wanted to dramatically do two things upon returning home," he said.

"One, was to positively affect further social integration of similar psychographics, or people of various backgrounds but similar enough mindsets, while also adding to more quality and imaginative concepts to the Island's nightlife and general entertainment.

"So, one day after a couple of test runs, I took the leap, resigning from a stable job as a broker with Butterfield Bank and gave it a shot."

And so Unité was born. Mr. Thomas' unique job makes him a one-man mobile office, as key to doing his business are his Blackberry and his big personality. "A crucial bit of business often can be had over a double iced latte at one of my fave spots on the Island, Rock Island Coffee, with my portable lifeline always at hand in my CellularOne Blackberry," he said.

Other days might see him on-site planning out the details for one of his events. But most of his work is done pounding the pavement and networking. "Oftentimes, it's off-site building relationships and trying to better understand multiple sociological demographics to stay ahead of the curve," he said. "It's where one is observing and learning, from walking down Reid Street, to reaching out to a couple thousand friends on daily on Facebook, to meeting with and often begging important creditors, vendors, sponsors, venues, bankers, financers to work with you as you learn on the job!"

While the business has had its ups and downs in terms of financial success, Mr. Thomas finds it eminently fulfilling. "Being able to conceive and implement something from nothing, is a beautiful and rewarding thing in and of itself," he said. "Moreover though, when it's all said one wants to know that they are leaving the world a better place then when they found it.

"Everyone has the ability to be a part of the solution and via Unité Promotions I've been able, with a methodic purpose, to positively affect Island relations, our nightlife and entertainment and hopefully, some time in the future, affect increased and more satisfied Tourism as well."

That Unité's events attract a wide cross-section of the Bermuda population is a source of great pride for the entrepreneur and he hopes he can translate that spirit into support for social change projects as well.

"I think it's healthy for the Island to continue to have more vessels that encourage connectivity, focusing more on what we have in common than what we don't," he said. "In that vein, I'd like to see Unité further involved in spearheading a couple of dynamic community service efforts that further encourage young people to come together for simple, tangible, rewarding volunteer projects."

Mr. Thomas has been recognised for his efforts, winning the Best of Bermuda Gold award for Best Entrepreneur in 2006. Going forward he hopes to build on his success and not be derailed by setbacks. "I hope for moderate success in the future though, because I think that failure is getting knocked down, and staying down, versus dusting one's self off, learning from the experience and fighting another round or two before the final bell," he said.

He is forever learning in his job, he added, and forever working on bigger and better plans. Mr. Thomas would like to see Bermuda shake off some of its dusty conservatism and raise its profile among the world's trendsetters and globe trotters. He wants to offer weekend long excursions for special events at select venues to bring these young tastemakers to the Island.

"I believe this to be an important market for the Island as young professionals with disposal income are looking for the next safe, nearby, untapped 'It' spot," he said.

"Bermuda, with some tweaking can meet that offering, and thus ensure a new generation of returning visitors, as the Island's old tourists - though pretty happy with the Island as is - are dying, as are the ideas and concepts that got them here in the first place from the 60s.

"Unité Promotions has always been a stepping stone to being able to be more effective with future projects. My goal is to start having some private success in initiating innovative concepts while encouraging the Island to further break free of ultra conservative thought patterns which hold us back both socially and economically."

There is little separation between work time and downtime for the entrepreneur.

"The line between professional and personal life can be a bit blurred," he said. "Much of my job is social networking, understanding and being understood by people is tantamount to my particular industry which means work never really stops or begins."

Despite a busy schedule, Mr. Thomas loves his work.

"I love the instant gratification of being the prime mover behind people doing more of what is craved for on the Island, enjoying themselves, and enjoying themselves together," he said.

One path, Mr. Thomas has not yet pursued but has interest in, is politics.

"Perhaps in the distant future, and after finding private success, if their were to be a leadership vacuum in Bermuda in bringing people together while encouraging new ways to make the Island more competitive then, I think it would have made my parents proud if I were to try and make a go of serving the Island in a public capacity," he said.