Encomium
POPULAR event planner, Ndidi Obioha has extended her business tentacles to bridals. In this interview with ENCOMIUM Weekly on Wednesday, January 25, 2012, at her office in Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, the fair-skinned lady unbuttoned her heart on her business and where she’s headed and much more.
What is your business plan for 2012?
In 2012, we intend to expand the business, expand our border. Enythst is an event consulting company. It comprises of different bodies. We consult for weddings, fashion designers, concerts, exhibitions, but our core area is conceptualizing, defining, planning, organizing, managing, executing and coordinating events. That gave birth to the bridal aspect of what we do. I call it more of styling a bride and in having to style a bride, you would need to have the right accessories so that gave birth to the sale of bridal accessories. We have the rental and affordable dresses. We also have hair craft for the bride and groom. Last year, we opened the red carpet of outfit where people can get what to wear to red carpet functions and weddings. As an event consulting company, we have found out that when you use our name as the RSVP of an event, people come to use and ask us how do we dress, what can we wear? So, we decided to cater for that need as well.
The bridal outfit is a one-stop shop where you can get everything you need from head to toe as a bride, from the dress, hair accessory, shoes, everything a bride needs for her wedding. So, what we intend to create is a one-stop shop for the groom and the bride-to-be. We sell dresses, be it designers or branded. We are opening the Yaba, Lagos branch where we can cater for another segment which is the rental aspect of it. People can get more affordable dresses in Yaba. In Dolphin Estate here, we have what we call high earner dresses but in Yaba, we have dresses that cut across and are affordable.
Would you say 2011 was good to you business wise?
2011 was good, every year is good. A strong man is the one that falls and gets up no matter how bad. As long as you can keep moving, that is the most important thing. Every year is good as long as we are alive to do business.
What are the mistakes you made last year that you want to correct this year?
I am not saying I am perfect but I don’t think I made any mistake last year. What I do every year is to make sure my business grows to the next level. So, it’s about improving our services, it’s not like we made mistakes but the idea is to continuously improve on yourself, read more, go for courses, exhibitions, do more fairs outside the country which can expose you to innovation and ideas in the industry. That is what we always do. So, what we do every year is to take ourselves to the next level. In 2012, a lot of things will be brought on board.
Since you launched the bridal wear, how do you cope and how profitable is it?
When I say it is not about the money, people say I am crazy. What gives me joy is when I see brides come in here and say thank you, they pay you for the dress and they are thanking you for making such outfit available for them. Ordinarily, they would have gone abroad but the fact is that they could find it here in Nigeria. So for me, the joy I get makes up for any profit I make. The most important thing is the joy, excitement from the bride.
So, why exactly did you go into the bridal aspect or is the event outfit not profitable?
(Laughs) Of course, it is. What we have at the back of our mind when we decided to veer into bridal business is the fact that we want to style our bride and make her look good. As an event and wedding planner, I have seen a lot of our brides on their wedding day because as the planner, I might not have the privilege to see them before the day but on that day, I see the total styling put together. For me, I might not be too happy because I know they can look better than that. Sometimes, it’s overdone, sometimes it’s under-done, sometimes it’s not even done right. They still wear a heavy jewelry. It is not done in the fashion world. Those are some of the wrong we try to correct. We make available the right tools to make them look good, because you can’t style a bride without having the right tools. As for me, I love shopping for the bride. Everything I do is passion driven, I have a huge passion for fashion and it is only natural to venture into it.
What would you say is the fun about your job?
The fun thing about my job is the fact that it brings out the creativity in me. It totally brings so much joy for me.
What are you most conscious about when it comes to event planning?
I’m most conscious about details and I think details differentiate us from competitors. We pay so much attention to details and we also think out of the box. I am conscious of our clients getting value for every kobo they spent on their event.
What is your candid assessment of the industry?
We have a lot of non-professionals parading the industry and my fear is that it might kill the industry sooner than we expect. A lot of people are coming in because they feel it is a big money making industry. For me, if that is what motivates you, then you won’t last long. You must have the passion and the zeal, that is what will make you fly any day. So, for me, that is one thing we have discovered in the industry. A lot of people are not professionals.
With a professional like you in the industry, how do you intend to curb quarks in the industry?
It’s because of my standard, any vendor that has to deliver any service to me must understand that I have a standard and they have to keep up with that standard. So, we totally monitor and follow up. We don’t just give out a job and pass it on, we don’t do that. We monitor every aspect of the job we have taken. We have been able to keep to our standard for the last five to six years and there are certain vendors I can only work with because they understand our standard, vision and mission. They know where we are going.
What are the qualities that make a first class event planner?
Paying attention to details, been very creative and trying to be professionals. Focused as much as you can that is what would distinct you as an event planner.
What do you find fascinating about your work?
It makes you think out of the box, like I said earlier. It brings out creativity in you, the way I will conceptualise for Miss A is not the way I will conceptualise for Miss B. The way I will conceptualise for a wedding is not the same for a burial or an award night or a birthday party. In every brief we get, we try to create a full concept and define that particular brief different from any other. So for me, it’s what I enjoy doing. If you are a creative person, it totally brings out the creativity in you, and then you have a client that gives you free hand to do what you are doing, you will have the ball totally in your hand.
What differentiates Enythst from other competitors?
We are very professional, we pay attention to details to the very end and we are very creative.
You are a very beautiful woman, what are the things you do that make you look good?
Being happy is very important. I love to have fun because it makes me a happy person to a large extent and it brings out the inner beauty in you. For the physical aspect, once in a while, I go for the fun spa treatment and I love to dance a lot. At most of my events, I am always on the dance floor having fun and I think that keeps me going.
Can you tell us some of the make-up product you use?
I have a lot of clients that have launch their make-up brand and I’m obliged to use their make-up products. So, I don’t have any specific product. You can see me with Sleek product, Mode, Zara, all these brands were launched in Nigeria. If I can’t find the particular product I need from this brand, then you can probably see me with an Iman product.
Are you a lip gloss or lipstick person?
I love lip gloss very much.
How would you describe your style?
My style is elegant, comfortable, chick and classy.
Do you have a favourite style icon in Nigeria and why?
I don’t think so because I always try to create my own style. I am a blings person, I love the blings, I love the pearls. I am a blings freak though Nigeria is blessed with a lot of fashionable women but I try to create my own style.
Are you a brand freak?
Not really, I am not. I just try whatever fits. I don’t care what brand it is, as long as I like it, I will buy it. For instance, there is this new Italian designer bag I’m carrying, his name is Robert Falbino, his products are classy, edgy and beautiful. So for me, it is a matter of if I like it or not.
What determines what you wear?
It depends on the function I am attending, I dress to fit occasion. For me, that is very mandatory. For work, I try to get as comfortable as I can but when I am going for a function, I dress according to that function, if there is a dress code, I follow the dress code but overall I dress to be comfortable.
Who designs your clothes?
Locally, I have three major designers that design for me. Data Okorodudu’s JD7, Iconic Nancy, Valerie Davies, these are the three designers that makes most of my outfit. But for foreign designer, we have some that work with us at the red carpet outfit and sell some of our outfit to sell and wear.
-FOLUSO SAMUEL
This story was first published in Encomium Weekly on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
