A great business has to be digitalised —Biodun-Adeyemi

How did you get inspired to become an event planner?

My dad inspired my event planning business.  It all started in 2008 when he had an event and didn’t want to outsource it. He told me to put things together with my friends and people thought I had been doing it because it turned out well and that was how I started without prior training or experience. But I got my hands prepared for the opportunity. From there I started learning more about event planning, put my hands on social media. Most of the things I know are self-taught, because when I started going for training, I realised most of the things I was learning were things I already knew. So I just enjoy planning events, you know, seeing smiles on people’s faces from the beginning of their events till the end. I also know that through it, I would empower a lot of people, so that was another drive to continue the business. It’s not just about me; but impacting other people.  My  dad, late now, left behind the legacies that I now use to sort myself out financially.

How big was this event he allowed you handle?

It was a campaign dinner for Dr Kayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State. He was just starting his political career then and his friends including my dad had to rally for support for him. It went well and people kept saying it was great. My white lie was when I answered yes to questions on if I had been doing the job before. I didn’t even know what was coming in from the job until I started receiving calls for event bookings.

How did you start Ife’ctive Touch?

We started as an ushering crew in 2008 and soon I knew I wanted to do bigger things and not just be known for ushering. I went on to attend conferences, some with BusyBee in Lagos and online seminars. I still have my ushering agency but we also plan weddings, branded as  fiestabyIfective touch,corporate events, dinners, awards,  conferences, and we also have VIP hospitality for special care at events when requested for,  we have car hire and chauffeur services too. I train through online platforms too. I can call myself an online entrepreneur. I work from home and with my laptop in place, I’m good to go.  So I prefer to work online and coach people that way too. I have written a book to that effect titled; The Career Path for Event Managers.

The market space for event planners is gradually becoming crowded, how have you stayed on top of your game?

I don’t get carried away by all that competition. I try to stay in my game, and despite the competitive space, I have tried to build a feasible brand of mine. I strategically make sure I’m part of something that brings that feasibility. I sometimes sponsor events,  volunteer at others and these kind of things leverage contacts. Once you have a client base, you just improve your quality, and capacity. It’s about capacity sometimes. If you don’t have enough people there, people assume you can’t do. We have over 600 trainees from this company and several ushers on deck such that when people need us in Ibadan for instance, through the organisations and tribes I have joined, they network with me. I also learn from other people when I meet them. I’m a part of Busybee tribe. We create connections that makes it easy to get contacts. All these ways have made it easy to stay on top of the game.

What major craft for sustenance did you learn?

Well I’m not even hands-on like that, I am not good at crafts, I learnt decorations but stopped; I ran from it because I’m not really a crafted person. But my strong point, that makes me different from others is my thinking capability. I use my head more than my hands, which is why I am a  digitalised planner.  I’m a creative designer who can turn hard copy notes to e-books, create websites and automated payment for clients.

So you have to be digitally inclined to be successful in this generation?

Yes. It doesn’t mean you have to be techy. But just be digitalised. They are two different things. You can’t be doing things in archaic ways. You can learn to make receipts for your clients online so they don’t have to carry paper all the time. The world is going past that stage. I can train one thousand people online. I have embraced the opportunities of the digital age.

How do you deal with clients , last minute orders and other challenges of event planning?

Well, first if there is a contract, and a client changes plan, they have to pay for a new one. Some clients call at last minute for some reasons and it doesn’t get me so alarmed because of the capacity we have. We have trained six hundred people and more so if such client requests for fifty hostesses for instance, as this had happened before, when I  had to provide fifty of them , two days to an event. I was able to provide them because I train in advance, young ones, both male and female sexes. And I can be rest assured they would function even in my absence. The staff strength helps to deal with deadlines or last minute calls and other challenges.

what are your service delivery preference and standard?

I work based on budget but there is a limit. We have our standards, there is a minimum I would accept for ushers. Some times some clients could bring an offer and after I subtract expenses, salaries,transportation and other logistics , knowing fully well that the event would be neck breaking, there would be  unnecessary fatigue from some stressful dealing with the clients, and generally being  unprofitable, it’s very likely I will not take the job. I was once called for a bank’s event and was asked to provide five hostesses for 1200 guests, I had to say no because that capacity would drain just five ushers. I reject jobs that don’t put us at our best, and pray for a better offer. People want to pay very little for exotic plans.

Are there no jobs opportunities in Nigeria or is it that people not tapping from available openings?

Personally, I knew I was going to be an entrepreneur. But this is not for everyone. We have to identify our strengths. If it is hard to find that career job, realistically, so you have to create that job for yourself. Start with something in line with that career you hope to build. You never can tell who would see your passion. I have worked twelve years as a professional and I worked within my home space and with my laptop. A friend from across the street when he didn’t have a job coming started an akara business that has grown tremendously. He now has people ordering in large quantities for parties and general events. Youths these days just want to jump the process and make money. They want to live in Lekki and buy jeep just in a twinkle of an eye. We can’t wait for the government to provide jobs for everyone, if you have a vision , work on them and create something, out of nothing. By doing something you are also making impacts on other people. From just doing my thing, by God’s grace, I was found out and that was how I won the Blingz award as event planner and my ushering team won another. I have been nominated for another award last month.

How has it been with family and business?

My children are older now and they understand perfectly. When they were younger, I had my mother-in-law and sisters around to take care when I have to travel. Sometimes the nanny helps to babysit, she’s a trusted church member. Once they are safe, I’m at rest. My husband,  Mr Biodun- Adeyemi and my two children have been really supportive. Sometimes, we travel together. The children know when I’m at work and how busy it could be. Having a great support system has helped this path.