1. Who exactly is Sunmbo Ajaba Adeoye?
Mrs. Adesunmbo Ajaba Adeoye, is the MD/CEO Esob Ventures, A graduate of accountancy and finance and a certified Entrepreneur from EDC Pan Atlantic University Lagos. An Ex Banker With over 7years of active service in the banking industry, Sunmbo a Multi-Passionate Entrepreneur, won several departmental awards in customer service, team building and her passion for entrepreneurial development earned her a recognition award for Outstanding Contribution towards progressive initiatives in Nigeria by the Nigerian Christian Corpers fellowship, Lagos Chapter in 2012 and Enterprise leadership award in 2013 Respectively.
Sunmbo who is happily married to the Senior Pastor Royalty Christian Centre, Pastor David Adeoye was born a little over 30years ago into the family of Late Adegboyega Ajaba and Mrs Comfort Ajaba. She is the last of seven children. Mother to great and intelligent children, Adesunmbo is a music minister and an aspiring Philanthropist. In 2011, she was awarded a scholarship by Goldman Sachs international, a full-service global investment banking and securities firm based in United States of America, under the Goldman sachs 10,000 women initiative. She’s an alumni of the Lagos Business School Nigeria and founder, Esob heroes, (the training academy of her event management company “Esob events” where she is today the Chief Creative Officer.
2. What propelled you to go into the business?
My passion and ceaseless desire for planning propelled me to go into the events planning business.
3. How would you rate the industry compared to the industry abroad?
Unlike, what we have abroad where event planning certification programs are offered and some universities even offer it as a major field of study; it’s relatively new in Nigeria. Majority of our industry pioneers all started out of passion for planning events and thereafter grew on their experience from helping family and friends put parties in order and personal development. But the good news now is, our society is becoming more aware of the role and benefits of an event planner and those of us at the top of our game can earn in excess of millions per annum. We even now have several training schools and workshop where creativity, logistics and more tips on how to handle events are being taught professionally like our training school Esob academy situated in agege.
4. Lot's of entrepreneurs seem to leave the subject of corporate social responsibility to the big companies, what's your take on this?
Corporate social responsibility is a culture that every business owner must imbibe. It is a way of giving back. It is not limited to giant companies only. For example on the 8th of march, I will be hosting a free conference tagged “inspiring change with Adesunmbo Adeoye” and our focus is to educate the girl child (“when you educate a girl, you educate a nation”) and bring their consciousness to entrepreneurship as the way forward, through mentorship, experience sharing, skill acquisition training, capacity building and advisory services on market entry and partnership. It is imperative that we give back to the society voluntarily.
5. What would you consider as the greatest challenge your industry is facing? Any other challenges?
The greatest challenge our industry is facing is human resources and expertise. These generation is too much in a hurry and don't wait to gain expertise before diving in. Other challenges are:
Ability to Build Your Own Intellectual Capital, and Changing trends:- creativity is evolving and trends are changing and a professional event planner who does not keep up with these changes will be left behind and tagged “old school”
6. How does your job complement other industries?
Anyone who has been assigned to put an event in order, knows how much stress goes into making sure every element comes together on time and as directed. A venue must be booked, food ordered just as the order is delivered and pick up coordinated. Not to mention entertainment, guest list and all other tiny details that must come together on time to make the event work. In short, anytime people gather together for an event, someone is always needed to oversee all details to ensure the event happens and it is a success. eg, companies Annual general meetings, awards dinner, fundraisers, exhibitions, fashion and musical shows, festivals etc are event that requires the help of a planner. So you’ll agree with me that the role of an event planner is as important as the money needed for the event. In short,we collaborate and make progress happen.
7. What would you say are the benefits of entreprenuring and what benefit do you enjoy the most?
The benefits of entrepreneuring are enormous. Firstly, it is the driving force that fuels the economy. It gives you a security blanket and the boldness to take up new risks fearlessly with the consciousness that you’ll make it. Success is timing, and the benefit I enjoy the most is that, Entrepreneurship gave me liberty, Liberty to use my time productively and it brought out the leading characteristics I’ve always had in me but never knew existed
8. What is your turning point in business?
Every business owner knows you can’t take no from a person who isn’t in the position to say yes. So we persist diligently till we experience the big breakthrough. Then at the end, we look back and realize it was all worth it. My turning point in business was when I had the opportunity to plan and coordinate the National Dialogue steering committee meeting of delegates from across the nation. I had the company of Past Governors, National state Elders, Law makers etc. and we dished out the very best of quality service. it was one unique experience for us at Esob events. As a service custodian in an African community, it is somewhat difficult to cross-sell because service is an experience so an opportunity to serve is all we look out for to leave a lasting experience that make the clients and guest always wanting to do business with us
9. If you had an opportunity to speak to the president one on one, what questions would you ask him?
What efforts has he put in place to ensure and public offices are no longer shortcuts to “wealth” but entrepreneurship is the only way forward towards a better Nigeria
11. Where do you see the industry in the next 5 and 10 years
In years to come, I see a more sophisticated than ever industry with professional planners becoming “Programmers of Human Interaction” where ideas bubble up from conversations that will change the world. There are a couple of things in the works already at Esob events, great innovations that will blow our clients mind and give them the “wow plus one” quality event experience that we promise. Infact, Esob events is the company to look out for this year because we are reaching for a hill top experience.
12. What's your advice to someone planning to go into your kind of business?
Events’ planning is an exciting, lucrative and interesting career choice but it is not for everyone so my advice to upcoming event planners is that they must be skillful and passion about planning, get some expertise and field experience from professional planners, they must be comfortable with self promotion, they must enjoy talking to and socializing with strangers. They must be very innovative, learn to think on their toes, have a lot of energy, be well organized and must be able to multi task as well as have eyes for details. Only then will they enjoy the career.
Thank you.
curled from NEW TELEGRAPH business column page 43/44
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