•CEO NORWOOD Event
Some weeks ago, the royal family of Oba Akinruntan literally shut down the Osborne Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi to celebrate their daughter’s wedding. As expected, it was a high-class event expected to cater for dignitaries and royalties. It was, therefore, an event that only the best hands could handle. Norwood Event was put in place for a high-class wedding.
Norwood Events was founded by Adebimpe Suleiman, a beautiful and strong-willed woman. She is not just in the event sector of the entertainment industry, but into a chain of other businesses such as Adean Cleaning, Qayum Meat, Migraw Expert Edge and others. Adebimpe Suleman is a graduate of Ambrose Alli University, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree.
She went on to the University of Calabar for her Master’s programme in Marketing. Being a lover of knowledge, Adebimpe Suleman is also a member of the certified Institute of Nigeria.
Asides from gathering knowledge, she is also a hardworking wife and mother. She also gathered many certificates to attest to her knowledge in event planning and management. In an interview with City People Reporter, DAMILOLA AKANDE, she revealed her journey in the events industry. She also revealed how she made her big break in events management. Read excerpts.
Can you tell us about the Norwood event?
I am Adebimpe Suleman, the CEO of Norwood Events. We are into corporate events and social events planning. We have handled a lot of events in the past.
How did you come about the name, “Norwood”?
I am a Yoruba woman from Ijebu-Ode. I went to study Event Management in Arizona in the United States. It was while I was in the USA that I came about the name. I don’t want the usual combination of names that included many names. I just wanted an English name so that it would be easy to pronounce.
What are the challenging requests you have had from clients?
Yes, we usually have challenges in cases such as when a client suggests his or her preferred vendors. We, as event planners, usually prefer to source for our vendors. This is because vendors recommended by clients usually don’t want to bend to the event planner’s wish because we did not source for them.
That is why we don’t have the leverage to control them. For example, I have vendors whom I work with. They cannot disappoint because they know I would not use them again if they do. So this is a challenging request from clients.
While working with other vendors, what are your top 3 rules?
They should be time conscious, neat and consistent. These are very important rules to observe and comply with.
How do you mix work with your duties as a wife?
It is actually easy though I have grown-up children. Even my last born who is 19 is already in his final year. All that matter is planning and being a planner you have to be coordinated. So, I coordinate business and home, that way, it becomes easy for me.
How did Norwood start for you?
I regret that I did not start early, I was into 9-5 jobs. My husband then established this Norwood event. When I started, I had doubts about how much I would be making. But now, I regret not starting early when I first saw how the business was growing, I decided to drop my 9-5 job and focus on the event business. Now, I thank God, it has taken me somewhere.
What event brought you to the limelight?
We have many challenges in the business, in fact, when clients start with you, you would want to quit the business. Then there were times that your clients meet up with you and appreciate your work and even tell people about your work. There was this event I did at Ayedun, Kwara State. It was a place that people kept talking about. They told me that the event held in Ayedun, Kwara was never organised. When I did the event at Ayedun, people kept saying that Norwood events brought Lagos to Ayedun. There was a shower of praises for the event and that was my big break.
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