The current pandemic is turning out to be a blessing in disguise for many. Social distancing has forced practically everyone to go virtual. However, there are a few who had positioned themselves in that space prior to this time, becoming highly sought-after mentors today.
One of them is Adeife Abiodun-Adeyemi. She is a digital eventpreneur and founder of Ifectiv Touch, which is in its 9th year. Her event planning and management business was officially birthed on July 23, 2011. She is reputed for offering virtual, hybrid event solutions to clients.
“My journey into event planning started in 2008. I had to assist my late dad, Dr. ‘Wole Olugboji with planning and managing the gubernatorial campaign dinner for his friend, the current Governor for Ekiti state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi. The event was a huge success and a few of the guests began to ask about the event managers,” she explains.
“They actually thought I had been into events for quite some time but that was actually my very first time. Prior to this time, I had only ushered once at a corporate event at the University of Ibadan in 2005. Without thinking about what was coming my way, I took advantage of the opportunity and told them I was the event manager and before I knew it, I had two potential customers from that event.”
She further narrates that at the initial stage of the business she operated under the name DEE Protocol Crew for three years before adopting Ifectiv Touch. From the outset, the entrepreneur spared nothing at making personal development her watchword up till her wedding day on July 23, 2011, where she unveiled the name Ifectiv Touch as the brand name and still continues to develop herself continuously till now.
She says that her wedding was the very first wedding planned and managed by herself from scratch.
Today, Ifectiv Touch offers full event planning and management, professional event ushering, VIP hospitality, virtual/hybrid event management. “The brand offers these services for corporate and selected social events. We also have an academy and several event communities,” she adds.
The digital eventpreneur says her brand’s contribution to the Nigerian economy is in no small measure.
“We have contributed our own quota to Nigeria’s economy by creating job opportunities for young individuals between ages 21 and 35 as event ushers, coordinators, virtual assistants, decorators, fashion entrepreneurs, to mention a few, “ she says.
“Moreso, we have trained over 1,000 people through free trainings, premium webinars, workshops, online courses and coaching programmes,” she discloses.
Sharing what influenced her success in life and in business, she says the God factor cannot be compromised. Leveraging strategic relationships and personal development with great support systems have been her mainstay.
She says other things working for her today in the event industry are passion for professionalism and her ability to leverage the virtual/digital space.
“After getting married in 2011, I had to relocate from Ibadan to Abuja to join my husband, but at that time, I didn’t understand how to run my business online. So I struggled with visibility. I was able to overcome this gradually after my husband got transferred back to Ibadan and I started to learn how to run my business online so that location will no longer define my visibility.
“Another challenge I faced was getting the right people on my team. I never got the opportunity to be mentored by anyone when I started in 2008, so I had to figure out how to train my team all by myself. I did a lot of research on the hospitality industry and the standards required to set up a professional and successful event business. I overcame this by creating my signature online course in professional event ushering which had evolved from training via BBM, then whatsapp, email, to proper and scalable online course hosted on our own online school.”
She says it has made it easy to guide her ushering recruits on standards and how to start a profitable event career right from the ushering level.
She wrote a book, ‘The Career Path For Event Managers,’ which now serves as a ‘text book’ for her trainees and mentees at all levels in the event academy.
“Online trainings, regular snippets are shared from our social media space – @ifectivtouch on Instagram as a way of adding value,” she further says.
On her post-coronavirus aspirations as a stakeholder in the event industry, she says she plans to satisfy clients more by ensuring her brand offers realistic solutions.
“We have started offering virtual and hybrid event solutions which include live streaming of intimate events for our clients who are majorly in the Diaspora.”
My advice for women who have techie fears is this,
“It starts with you desiring to learn. In the words of one of my coaches, you don’t have to be techie to go digital. Learning basic digital skills that you need for your business is as easy as knowing your name. Set goals and take it a step at a time,then practice and practice to build your confidence with using digital tools. Moreover, feel free to connect with me for mentorship.”
The event expert who did not fail to share a word for aspiring and budding entrepreneurs says they must understand that life is in phases and must learn to give value more than they receive.
“You will fail but fail forward. The relationships you build now will determine how far, fast and high you will go. Never forget God in all you do. He is the giver of unending wisdom and He alone gives power to create wealth.” She concluded.
