Nigerians are known for social events to celebrate either self achievement or that of loved ones and, this invariably makes the business lucrative. It is a lucrative venture for those that know the secret and made effort to exploit the opportunity.
It is an exciting and profitable business any day, anytime due to the numerous activities taking place day in day out which have made people to realise that to have a successful event they must engage the services of a planner.
Joy Kalumsi, the owner of Bumble Bug Entertainment, ventured into the business in 2005 focusing mainly on the aspect of handling children’s events after resigning from her banking job.
Kalumsi said she is excited being an entrepreneur because it gives her opportunity to take care of the home front instead of being under the stress of the office.
“I am proud to be an entrepreneur because, being one gives me self confidence, and time to do what I want to do in the home front as a mother and a wife. I am one that advocates for anybody to do what he or she wants. Am an event’s planner, I specialize with kids but, I also go into adult events,” she said.
The mother of three used to work in the corporate affairs unit of a bank where she learnt the rudiments of her business which she applied when she left to establish her own.
Her passion made her research more through the internet to gather information on the business.
“My event homely is called Bumble Bug Entertainment. Bumble Bug is a colourful bee and it is an exciting bee. And you know children are excited when they hear about party, that was how I came about the name,” she ventured. She started the business in Lagos where she was organising parties for friends and colleagues. Then people began requesting for her to organise their events for them. She kept spreading her tentacles, then she moved to Port Harcourt and then Abuja. One thing unique about her is that she still does businesses in both cities due to relationship she had established with her clients.
“When I started I did not start so big, my husband supported me. My capital based was about a million plus and it was because of the equipment I needed to get then. I needed, bouncing castles, trampoline, mascot, pop-corn machine, ice cream machine and so on.”
She said she kept re-investing her profit into the business and it was growing by the day. “I was buying other things in phases; every time I have a big job I will re-invest my profit by buying one thing or the other. So it was a step by step thing. In business you don’t expect to explode one day, it’s a gradual process of rising.”
