Within a short period of time,Kenny Onabanjo, the CEO of FINESSE EVENT Services, has taken her highflying outfit to an enviable height in the circle of Events handlers in Nigeria, having handled a good number of high profile jobs within and outside the country. Finesse Events is a one stop event outfit that specializes in decorating, planning and coordination of events. In this interview with City People Fashion Editor, BOLA AKINBOADE, she opens up on the top flight event outfit and her flair for the job.
Q: Can you tell us about your event outfit, Finesse Event?
A: Finesse Event is an event company that has been around for a while now. Basically, we do more of event planning, coordination and decoration. We help take the stress off our clients.
Q: What were the challenges when you started?
A: The basic challenge when I started was getting clients, probably because I didn’t have any connection then. But after a while, my good works started to speak for me. Every job I do, I always do it well and professionally and it always brings several other jobs.
Q: How did you get into the business of Event Planning?
A: When I was in school, I started working with Elizabeth R, owned by Ibidun Ighodalo, I worked with her for about 2 years and when I finished school, it became something I really wanted to do; I have a flair for event decorating, that was why I worked with Elizabeth R. So when I finished from school, I decided to take it as a job since it was something I have always wanted to do, that was how I set up Finesse Events.
Q: What is your relationship with Ibidun Ighodalo, the owner of Elizabeth R?
A: She is like a sister to me, I love her dearly because she really helped me, God has really used her in blessing me.
Q: What was your first job like as an event decorator?
A: On my first job, initially, I was scared and paralyzed and I prayed to God not to let me regret having taken up the job. But after I did it, everybody was surprised that the décor came out fantastic and beautiful. The ushers’ uniform where very beautiful and from the first job, I got about 4 other jobs and from then on, more kept coming.
Q: Does that mean you do your décor yourself?
A: Yes, basically, I’m very creative, I like designing and decorating, I can sit down and start designing, I do planning; decorating, and I provide ushers too. I use anything that comes my way to design. I used to make clothes and that was why I decided to train ushers and make beautiful uniforms for them.
Q: What is the minimum budget you can work with?
A: Basically, I tell most of my clients that it is very important for them to have a budget for any event, no matter how small it is. If you have a budget, it must be a reasonable one. I wouldn’t say there is an exact budget I can work with.
Also the number of guests determines the size of the budget. There is no budget I cant work with, as long as it is reasonable enough.
Q: Who are the people who constitute your clientele?
A: I have worked with so many people and corporate bodies; I don’t want to mention names. I plan any event, not necessarily weddings. We plan burial ceremonies too. Like I always do, I have to transform the venue of most burial parties to something people would see and say wow, this is beautiful. I also do birthday, e.t.c
Q: As an event planner who has worked with so many people, what would you describe as your selling point?
A: I don’t know but I can’t deny the fact that God has really been good to me. So many events have come my way that I didn’t believe could come, and there is no weekend that we don’t work and to God be the glory. He has been kind to me.
Q: How has the experience been so far?
A: It has been good you know when God just bring you up from no where, so many events that have come my way, that normally, you would ask yourself, do I really deserve this. But because you have put in your best, most times, I tell people, anything you are doing, if you put in your best, it’s not going to turn out as a regret. So because over time, I have been able to put in my best, gradually, it gets bigger and bigger.
Q: When you are planning an event, what are the extra efforts you put in to make it grand?
A: When I’m planning an event, there is a checklist, I try to review the date, what is it that might be needed that we are not looking at now. I ensure that all aspects, including bridals, the make-up are made provision for before the day, so that we won’t have any chaos on that day of the event.
Q: How do you also come up with the concept of your mind blowing decor?
A: It’s the grace of God, and then when I’m buying material, I ensure that I buy the best. I set out for the best. They might come expensive, but when you use high quality material, it gives your event class. I just picture what I want the venue to look like, the kind of materials to use, and I set out to get good materials, and it comes out nice.
Q: Apart from Elizabeth R, do you have any other training from anywhere?
A: I did some short courses in London when I traveled, then check websites, read materials about centre pieces, light, and I incorporate all what I have learnt and all the training I ’ve had into my event planning business, and the end result, I always thank God for.
Q:But don’t you think you are doing too much dabbling into Event Planning and Event Decoration at the same time, most Event Managers specializes in one of the two.
A: You might see it as too much, it depends on your strength. If you have the strength to do décor and event, why not as they are two different things. Event planning is something that is been done gradually, engaging vendors, checking on them, and all that. Event decoration is a day thing, when you have all the materials and workers who work for you, you just delegate and every body comes together as a team to execute. So they are two different things. So far you have good members of staff that work with you; everything will turn out fine and awesome.
Q:You also incorporated rent-a –décor into your line of business, what is that all about?
A: Rent-a –décor is about renting out décor materials, nobody is an island, you can’t have it all. So most times, when you don’t have sufficient materials for decorations, you can come in, rent some materials, make use of them, and then do a return of them.
Q: So what happens when they rent and don’t return or rent and damage?
A: There is a manager for rent- -a décor, someone is handling that, and every item has an invoice, and a refundable deposit. So when you return all the materials, your refundable deposit will be given back to you. It’s something that I own, but I only oversee and not manage. There is a particular person handling that
Q: What was the first job that you ever did?
A: The first job that I ever did, I wont call it an event, you know when you just want to start want to start something and you just go into it, it was wedding and it turned out well and because I was able to do it well, people fell for it, it was a fantastic job, the décor was pretty good and inviting. That gave me the courage and strength to do more. Of course the glory first goes to God, but you will be fulfilled in yourself that you made someone happy and that you didn’t mess her event up and all that
Q: You studied law in school; do you still have plans at a latter time to practice your course of study?
A: Most times, what you study is not what you use to fend for yourself after school. Law is just one discipline I had flair for, but I eventually found my calling in event planning. So I don’t thin k I would still want to practice Law as a profession. I’m fulfilled and glad to be doing what I’m doing now.
Q: You also make lovely clothes, and have made clothes for people, are you also thinking of trying your hands in the fashion industry?
A: Maybe along the line, like I said, I have always loved creativity. I just sit and picture images, if I want to do a décor; I just sit and picture what I want the hall to look like. I sketch, same for what I want to wear. If you are creative, you can come up with any piece of creativity that people will love. Maybe later on, I may want to settle down to do that, but not now.
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