By Jemi Ekunkunbor

They are young, creative, full of fresh ideas and driven by passion. After being mentored by some of the big names in the event planning industry in Nigeria, they are happy to step out on their own, fulfilling their dreams of becoming event planners and owning their own small businesses.

In this encounter, they share their experiences and how they made the break from paid employment to running their own businesses as well as the challenges they face.

Somto Claud Nwachukwu — I love being in control of my time.

Somto is a product of Kings College, Lagos. He holds a Diploma in Law and a BA in Linguistics from Delta State University, Abraka. In 2008, while still in school, he set up his business which he ran alongside his studies. On graduation, he trained with Funmi Victor-Okigbo of No Surprises Events for over a year. Then, in 2014, he left to do his own thing, rebranded and established Events by Claud.

You trained at No Surprises Events for such a short time before you decided to set up your own company. What was that experience like for you?

I wouldn’t call a year and six months a short time but the experience was everything. We worked for multinationals and a lot of reputable brands in Nigeria.

While you were at No Surprises Events, you were an award-winning staff. What game did you bring to their operations?

Operations is the core of events; bringing your A-game is not enough. Sometimes, you feel like giving up but my passion pulled me through all the challenges. As Head of Operations, facing challenges was a regular thing, especially with clients that like details.

Most CEOs don’t like their best hands to leave. How did you make your break?

My boss, Funmi Victor-Okigbo, is a friend and mentor. The secret is to have a very good working relationship with your boss so, I left with her blessings and I’m climbing with it.

What is your relationship with your mentor like now?

Perfect! We are now more like a family. My parents love her. My mum, in particular, adores her. Not too long ago, we all had dinner at Ikoyi Club.

How were you able to raise funds to start your business?

I started my business way back in the university; when I was just 19 years old. I registered the company as an events design company when I turned 20. Funding wasn’t an issue as my first jobs came from course mates and progressed to me planning and designing student union dinners etc.

Have you received support from family since you started?

My lovely cousin, Ekene Agu, and my parents have supported me.

Your company is relatively young. What challenges do you face?

The industry is becoming too saturated; almost everyone is a planner. Building the right kind of clientele tops the list.

Of the different categories of people and groups you cater for; corporate, political and individuals, which do you find more challenging to do and why?

None actually. If events is truly your passion, there’s a feeling of excitement that comes with every kind of event.

Which is more fun?

I love events but if I were to choose, it would be the individual one.

What makes event planning tick?

The joy of seeing all your ideas come to life and that feeling of satisfaction on the faces of your clients.

What is the most fulfilling part about being an entrepreneur?

Being in control of my time and the satisfaction of following my passion.

Share your worst experience with a client.

None actually; thankfully none.

When you are not planning, what do you do?

Traveling!

Where is your favourite destination?

Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. It’s a beautiful city and everyone, even the locals speak fluent French.

Dunni Kasali — Clear communication is important in planning.

She is only 24 years old and already owns her business, Lé Amare Events. A 2013 Management Information Systems graduate of the Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Dunni, after a stint at a paid job, landed her dream job as an event planner and coordinator with 2706 Events Limited, a company run by Deola Okeshola.

You trained at 2706 Events Limited for such a short time before you decided to set up your own company. Why were you in a hurry to take that leap?

A lot of thought and preparation went into my decision. Before I set up Lé Amare Events, owning and running an events planning company had been a dream of mine for a very long time. This was a strong desire and passion I had from my university days. After university, I joined the corporate world, working in the financial services industry and then in software development. These equipped me with very valuable skills, discipline, and strong work ethics which came in handy when I joined 2706 Events. My time there was great. We were trained by one of the best – to think on our feet and to be creative. And, when it was time to move on to the next exciting challenge, I just knew. Lé Amare Events is the product of many great experiences I have been privileged to have.

How did you get your seed money?

My main source of seed capital was savings from previous jobs. Also, very importantly, God used so many people very close and dear to my heart to support me during the very early days of setting up Lé Amare Events.

Of the different categories of people and groups you cater for; corporate, political and individuals, which do you find more challenging to do and why?

Right now, I would say political events because of the fact that there is hardly ever just one individual responsible for the decision making. Various (sometimes, conflicting) instructions come from more than one delegate and this can slow down the job because we would have to keep checking and double checking, just to be sure we are all on the same page.

Which is more fun?

My team and I usually have so much fun whenever we cater for individuals; especially at events such as weddings because these events give more room for flexibility and creativity. They also tend to be more personal and it’s always nice to see the individuals happy at the end of the day.

What is your relationship with your mentor like now?

My relationship with my mentor is great! We have a relationship of trust and mutual respect. She is available and accessible to me 24/7 and we review my goals, achievements and milestones regularly. I thank God for her presence in my life.

What makes event planning tick?

It’s the process involved and seeing that on the day of the event, everything I and my team planned, every tiny detail we didn’t omit, everything we put into consideration, come together beautifully on that day and the appreciation that comes after (genuinely) from the client. It feels more like, I have fulfilled my God-given and driven purpose here on earth. (Laughs)

Your company is relatively young. What challenges do you face?

Having a young and growing company means investing a lot of time and effort. Some times, this can interfere with other aspects of your personal life. I am always conscious of the need to keep life balanced. A great deal of work is involved in running your own company but working hard is not too great a sacrifice as long as you have your ultimate goal in mind. Also, as my company grows, an important consideration, for me, is balancing the use of capital with recruiting the right talent at the right time because the company isn’t the building or the name (the name is just a brand). The company is actually its staff. Recruiting the right staff at the right time is fundamental to the company’s growth and expansion and Lé Amare Events understands this.

What is the most fulfilling part about being an entrepreneur?

The ability to stand up for what I believe in is the most fulfilling part for me. Also, I find fulfilment in my ability to create my own opportunities, to work wherever I like (from home, HQ, from a restaurant, even while hanging out with friends) and work on my own schedule. These are great perks. So yea, I smile a lot more now as an entrepreneur.

Share your worst experience with a client.

Wow! I really have not had a bad experience with any of my clients. What might have been a bad experience was managed quite well and made me extremely proud of my team. I once asked a client what the guest size was for their upcoming event. They gave my team and the hall manager a rather under-estimated figure. But the turnout was exponentially greater than expected. We had to make on-the-spot adjustments, bring in more attendants and coordinators and add extensions to the hall – all while making sure that the programme was running smoothly. Our team pulled it off and the event was a success. But we (including the client) came to an even greater appreciation of proper communication in the planning stages.

I have found that events are most successful when there is clear communication between all parties involved, when objectives are clear and focused and understanding is aligned. The relationship with the client is central to success. This is why I build friendly and warm relationships with my clients and let them know they can always approach me and tell me things as they are.

When you are not planning, what do you do?

When I am not planning a specific event, I am basically networking; meeting people, researching on the latest in the industry and thinking up creative ideas for my next event. I also enjoy spending time with friends, reading and watching films, particularly comedies.

Oyekola Smith — My mentor trained and pushed me hard.

Oyekola Smith, aged 28, is the protégé of the iconic event planner, Funke Bucknor Obruthe of Zapphaire Events. The 2009 graduate of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, was interned with her for over four years before leaving, in 2015, to set up his own company -MarcuSmith Events. Since then, he has been involved in the planning and execution of some very important events in the country.

You worked with Zapphaire Events before setting up your own. What was that experience like?

Working with Zapphaire Events was a journey you cannot describe in words. It took me some time to adjust but after handling and planning countless events, I got the hang of it. It was an exciting experience because I was able to go all out with my creative side and to successfully handle events back to back.

When you say your company is an all inclusive company, what does that mean?

It means that we handle all aspects of events; social events, weddings and corporate events.

Your hands-on experience is in social and corporate planning. What aspects set them apart?

Social events (birthdays, weddings etc), and corporate events have completely different requirements and logistics. Social events require more details in entertainment: the band, DJ, food, special effects etc. Corporate events require a lot of proposals being done with extremely creative and unique ideas.

How did you get your seed money?

Seed money was gotten through savings.

Of the different categories of people and groups you cater for – corporate, political and individuals – which do you find more challenging to do and why?

Of all the classes of events and clients we provide our services to, we find weddings and corporate most challenging. We enjoy being creative with social events and not just the regular come eat rice and drinks. We focus also on the special effects as well as unique entertainment features of the event; from the grand entrance of the bride and groom to the coming in of the bridal party.

The corporate aspect requires a lot of creative thinking to give that unique event. For us, no two events are the same hence we never repeat the same execution for different events. We always have to create the WOW effect.

Which is more fun?

We love weddings and all the requirements of executing weddings; going all out to give a dream event to remember.

What is your relationship with your mentor?

My relationship with my mentor, Funke Bucknor Obruthe, is pretty strong and good. She pushed me and trained me so well a lot of people started asking if we are related. I mastered how to execute events just like her, with the same zeal and dedication.

What makes event planning tick?

Event planning, for me, is my life. The creativity, execution and awesome memories left behind after the event is what drives me. For us, every event must be unique and different. We are always required to get out our thinking caps on to deliver an event which will be an experience for guests.

Your company is relatively young. What challenges do you face?

We are relatively new. We have no challenges at all. We thank God for that.

What is the most fulfilling part about being an entrepreneur? 

The most fulfilling part is being able to deliver and execute perfect events. Also, the feedbacks are also always overwhelming especially when people see the face behind the event.

Share your worst experience with a client.

We haven’t had a bad experience with any client. We have good relationships with clients so much so that we end up becoming members of their family even before the execution of the event.

When you are not planning, what do you do?

For over five years, I have been planning events every day. So, it is either I’m meeting with clients or having meetings with vendors or executing events. That’s all I do.

Moronke Abiuwa — Each event has its peculiar challenge.

Twenty four-year old Moronke Abiuwa, is a Tourism graduate of The Redeemer’s University. The young event planner started her planning career with Funmi Victor-Okigbo, where she honed her skill with bias for planning weddings. In 2015, armed with her savings, she set up The Pearl Jacobs Events and has been doing well since then.

You trained with Funmi Okigbo before starting your company. What was it like working with her?

It was a pivotal learning experience for me working with Funmi Okigbo. The event industry is a very competitive one and it was important for me to know what I wanted to get myself into by learning on the job. I learnt to understand clients’ needs and to ensure they are satisfied. So far, this has worked for me from feedback gotten from numerous clients I have worked with, both in the middle end and high end categories. Mrs. Funmi Okigbo is an all round leader and that has also made me one; I know everything and I mean everything about event planning. This is so important so one can do a thorough job.

What was on your mind when you chose Pearl Jacobs as your business name?

I wanted a name that speaks for itself in terms of style, class, excellence and, most importantly, people connection; a name that would resonate easily in the minds of prospective and existing clients.  Also, pearl symbolizes purity, clean, luxe, integrity and loyalty of its wearer which is my vision for the company. Jacob, however, is my dad’s name.

What aspect of planning did you specialise in?

I cater for all kinds of events. However, I specialize in weddings.

How did you get your seed money?

While I was working, I was saving a lot, knowing that one day, I would branch out and start my own business. So, let’s say, I got money from savings, family, friends’ support and the first event I planned which was a 60th birthday.

Of the different categories of people and groups you cater for – corporate, political and individuals – which do you find more challenging to do and why? 

Each of them has its own peculiar challenges; whether individual, corporate or political. The challenge of handling an individual event, say a wedding, isn’t so different from that of a corporate one or an end of the year party. What’s different is the strategy devised to execute them for apparent reasons because the audiences are different and what would satisfy A might be different from B. My approach to events stems from creating specific ideas for an event, especially that’s fresh and creative. A challenge is an inspiration to do more or do better. For example, coming up with a unique idea that has never been done in Nigeria would require finding the right vendors or specific skill set to get it done; we would find them anyway.

Which is more fun?

All! As long as I have my super team and I am given a free hand to conceive and express my creativity, I am all in.

What makes event planning tick?

Clear communication with all parties involved in the planning process, a fantastic crew, amazing vendors and a super creative planner.

Your company is relatively young. What challenges do you face?

I am quite young so, sometimes, I get doubted by older clients who think that I am too young to take on an event. In such cases, I make them understand that it is all about my zeal, passion, energy and, most importantly, getting the job done – results. Thankfully, so far, those that doubted me have all come back with positive feedback. One unforgettable one was: “Tiny Ronke, how did you pull that?” And I’m not even tiny.

What is the most fulfilling part about being an entrepreneur? 

The joy, the pride and the satisfaction one gets every day making clients happy gives me fulfilment. I never really found fulfillment working under anyone; always wanted to do my own thing since I was a kid; being able to train and mentor people under me to become their own bosses one day. Doing what I love effortlessly, working like I’m having fun, the joy of waking up and not rushing out in the morning because of traffic.

Share your worst experience with a client.

So far, I have not had any and I am not looking forward to having any.

When you are not planning, what do you do?

I am either reading a book, hanging out with friends or thinking of the next big idea to make my next event trend.