CUSTODIAN MENTORS CONFERENCE 2021 - FUNKE BUCKNOR-OBRUTHE

 

She was born on June 27, 1976.

She is a Nigerian entrepreneur and lawyer.

She is the founder and CEO of Zapphaire Events Group in 2002.

She is regarded as one of Nigeria's pioneering event planners.

She is the author of the Essential Bridal Handbook.

She has hosted many national and international conferences and workshops on event management.

She was an elder sister and only sibling to the late radio personality, musician and spoken word artist, Tosin Bucknor, who died a few years ago from sickle cell illness.

HER SPEECH

"Be your authentic self. Be genuine.

'Do not try to be someone else.

'Whatever you want to do, you must know your 'WHY'.

'Who are your customers?

'Who are your target audiences?

'What is your business about?

'Perfect your craft.

'Be consistent.

'Be focused but change your strategy when necessary.

'Find out what you can do differently at all times. Go back to the drawing board to re-invent yourself always.

'Surround yourself with a good network of people.

'Determine your values before you even start your business.

'INTEGRITY - It is not only about stealing money. It is also about doing what you say you will do for your client.

'MISTAKES AND FAILURES

1. Everybody cannot like you. Even those who like you may not like you the way you think.

2. Learn from your mistakes. There will be mistakes with hiring your staff, marriage, friends, etc.

3. Know when to tell your stories. Tell your stories after you have overcome obstacles.

4. Obstacles will always come. Be ready to tackle and overcome them.

5. There is purpose in pain but there is always light at the end of a tunnel.

'Be kind to people.

'Be passionate about what you do.

'I was always a jovial child.

'When it came to choosing a course to study at the university, I did not know what I wanted to do but I was sure that I did not like mathematics but my parents wanted me to do a prestigious course like engineering, medicine, accounting, law, etc.

'I opted for law because it did not really require mathematics. So, I thought.

'Before sitting for SSCE, P7 was the minimum requirement to study law.

'Unforfunately, when it got to my set, C6 became the minimum requirement and I had a P7 in mathematics.

'So, I bought a GCE form and passed with a C6 which enabled me to get an admission in that year.

'From year one till I graduated, I did not like law but I kept on passing my courses.

I kept pushing on hoping that by the time I got to law school, I would begin to like it but that was not the case.

'Eventually, I completed law school and immediately I knew that I did not want to be a lawyer.

'Whilst in school, at the 

University of Lagos, I assisted my friends to organize their birthdays and other events but I did not know how to turn it into a business.

'The idea came after I watched THE WEDDING PLANNER starring Jennifer Lopez and that was when I knew that this is what I was born to do!

'I started going to the cyber cafe to make my researches.

'There was no mentor to guide me as no one was offering this service at that time.

'After school, I graduated to assisting my friends with their wedding events and other events.

'I simply thought that it would be a good idea to relieve people of the stress that they go through whilst preparing for their events.

'My character of being an outgoing person goes with the personality needed for an event planner.

'Zapphire Events is nineteen years old this 2021.

'I have worked for different clients. Inclusive in my list of clients is the daughter of Dangote.

'I planned her wedding.

'She sent for me and I had to go through different protocols before I could meet her one on one.

'She said that she had heard about me about five years ago before we eventually met and had penned down my name for the future.

'People are watching you.

'They may not patronize you now but they are watching you.

'So,put your best foot forward all of the time.

'Some of your clients will be stubborn.

'Do not complain or lament that they are the cause of the problem.

'Simply apologize to them even if you are correct and move on.

'Once a client of mine wanted to do an eight-course meal.

'They are Deltans and so Banga and starch would be part of the eight-course meal.

'I advised that an eight-course meal was too much and that we should do between a three and five-course meal.

'The client remained adamant.

'I obliged her and we did an eight-course meal which the guests hated.

'Still, she blamed me for the meal flop but I apologized.

'After the event, I sent her bouquet of flowers and a sorry note.

'She was surprised.

'Afterwards, I got about five more events from her family and friends.

'Be humble.

'Humily pays in this business.

'Thank you."

 

Musically yours,

DJ Irawo