When
the Boss lady was asked to introduce herself, Mrs. Soledotun Abdulkarim -
Yusuf, introduced herself as the brain behind La Dots Partycity Ltd., La Dots
Partycity Food, La Dots Partycity Kiddies, La Dots Partycity Fruity Drinks and
La Dots Partycity Rental and Logistics.
I felt Mrs. Soledotun Abdulkarim - Yusuf left out the designing aspect
of her business, but she explained that La Dots Creations, which was her first
ever entrepreneur business was birth in 2005, where she engaged in fashion
consultancy and designing, is another of her business organisation, on its own.
Before she ventured into party events planning and management in the year 2012,
which gave birth to “La Dots Partycity”.
How
did your business name come up?
During her Secondary School days, at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary
School, Ijebu – Ode, a close friend tagged or nicknamed her “La Dots” and
before too long her entire classmates and schoolmate started to address her as
La Dots” which was created during French language class, and automatically the
nickname stuck with her since then.
So, when the idea of creating a business name arose, she sat down in her
bedroom while the thought popped up, it would be interesting to use her
nickname “La Dots”. Which was later incorporated with “Partycity” to be unique
and also being a past Planning student during her University days, she wanted
to have a business name that people can easily relate with, that is totally eye
catching, from all the other event planning business slogan which usually ended
with the word “Events”, by now coming up with her business name “La Dots
Partycity”. She felt ”Partycity” was kind of a company household name or an umbrella under which, everything
party needs existed, not just birthday parties, but all the various types of
parties you can imagine, weddings, funerals or corporate parties…etc.
Was
the business born out of passion or was it a job idea?
The business was born out of passion as she is an organised and
resilient person who loves planning generally, not just for events. As she is
known as a triple planner, she is a Town Planner by profession, she also bagged
a Masters in Transportation logistics and Planning and currently she is an
Event Planner.
She started her event planning entrepreneur business with La Dots
kiddies Partycity, due to her great love for children. Although she knew she
would engage in all the various types of event planning fully, she decided to
start gradually by clamping the ladder of the event planning world through
organising kiddies’ parties.
Although, kiddies parties does not seems to have so much monetary
profits, but she derives so much joy from celebrating children. And she
committed so much her time to kiddies’ parties before she started getting
referrals for other bigger party planning events. Till dates, she still caters
for kiddies’ party of which La Dots crispy popcorn is famous, as one of the
best party treats served to both children and adults at the event.
Also, her kiddies party was incomplete without the mention of her unique
bouncing castles, cartoon characters entertainments, Special Children M.C and D.J, Children Action
figure birthday themes, for both boys and girls creamy ice cream, Cotton
candies, face painting, special cartoon characters of birthday cakes, and all sorts of children
activities to make the kiddies birthday fun, remarkable and memorable.
What
does your job as an event Planner entail?
To start with, she said the work of an event planner is very
interesting, because without an event planner, a party cannot be a seamless
event, without great coordination. The
role of an event planner is to help you plan and coordinate your party in order
to achieve a successful event. It is the duty of an event planner to coordinate
all your event vendors, without which a lot can go wrong, and your party might
become messy at the end of the day. Therefore, an event planner takes off all
the stresses off the party host and helps them to relax by taking absolute
control of the event, starting from the moment the event planning job had been
contracted to the event planner.
Thereby, finding a suitable location, hall and size for the appropriate
seating capacity of the event guests, organising meetings with food vendors,
the catering services that provides adequate plates, cutleries, cups, reception
hall flower decorators, chairs and table decorators and lighting effects,
arrangement of the best musical band for the occasion and many more, are the
responsibilities of the event planner.
The monetary aspect of every event except a for corporate
organisation events, La Dots Partycity
accepts a deposit payment of 70% upfront
and the balance is paid a week before the commencement of the event. But
for her corporate organisation event clients, she accepts a deposit of 70% upfront
and the balance of 30% after the event has been completed.
Do you
anchor events just within the western region or far and near the 36 States of
Nigeria?
She said she takes events everywhere within Nigeria, and had
anchored events in the north, east, south, and west of Nigeria. But the
majority of her jobs come from the western region of Nigeria. She also
mentioned she takes jobs from outside of Nigeria. As some of her abroad based
clients, usually travel to Nigeria to anchor their events. She had worked with
a lot of clients from the United Kingdom. United States. And recently she
worked with a client from Mexico, through referrals from satisfied clients whom
she had anchored their events in the past.
Although she had not travelled out nor been hired to anchor
an event outside Nigeria, but a lot of times when she travels on holidays
abroad, she usually finds herself assisting close friends and family to plan
and anchor their events , free of charges , it is her way of showing her
support, as a kind gesture towards their event planning. But she hopes that, in
the nearest future La Dots Partycity would be hired and have flown abroad, to
plan and anchor events in the diaspora, Insha Allah... Amen!
Was
there an event that gave you an unexpected challenge within the 8 years of your
business?
Of course, she had experienced a lot of challenges during
the 8 years of being an event manager and planner, but the most challenging was
the event for her Mexican couple, during the month of December 2019. She had
never anchored such a huge event before because it was a Premium wedding. As
she had not met the clients before but through a referral from past clients
from the FCT Abuja, Nigeria. When she was contacted on the phone, she told God
this was a huge one and prayed for exceptional wisdom to be able to execute a
flawless and fabulous job. Being a lover of challenges, she knew she would give
it her best. It was challenging because the clients already hired an event
planner but wanted her to handle the decoration and catering aspect of the
event. While she was used to being the main event planner, and knew how
challenging it could be, if the event planner is not on the same page with a
decorator or caterer. At the end of the day, she ended up working the role of
the events planner, alongside their hired event planner.
The clients were so impressed and amazed by her relentless
spirit, that they commended her big time, for her remarkable efforts, for
having a great impact on their event, because she delivered and responded to
the smallest task accorded her within the shortest time limit, which also made
the clients gave her 100% of the trust before the event took place and at the
end of the event, they said they would had rather hired her as the main event
planner , instead of asking her to work alongside their first hired event
planner, if they had received her contact earlier.
Was
there a particular event that opened doors to greater numbers of referrals
during your 8years of being an event manager and planner?
Amazingly, every event she ever catered for, always gave a
referrals, be it an indoor or outdoor party, where she caters for food,
decoration and fruity drinks or all sorts of drinks supplies, or small or
massive capacity events or a corporate events planning or wedding events or
funeral events or rental and logistics supplies or kiddies party. Every event
always brought her good tidings, which she is so honoured and grateful to God
for, every blessed day of her life.
Are your staff seasonal or permanent staff? My staff are
mostly seasonal, let assume 80% are seasonal while 20% are permanent staff, for
reasons best known to her. She has staff that works with her often, while the
seasonal staff are paid off after working with her for her on a particular event.
La Dots Partycity also claimed to also have backup staff
that are called for work, whenever any of the seasonal or permanent staff are
not available or whenever they needed more staff for bigger events ranging
between 1000 – 1500 guests at an event.
Does La Dots Partycity have other business expansion or
extensions asides the La Dots Creation? Yes, but the extensions / expansions
side belong to her husband, although the businesses co – exist. It is Affadots
studio, which is the photography,
videography, T.V production section of their business, although it belongs to
her husband, but she helps also in a latest idea invented and created by
husband, where they invite guests from all walks of life for a T.V questions
and answers interview series on various topics about everyday living,
professional inclined topic and also deliver film production and documentaries
… etc, which helps to produce and its shared on their YouTube channel for the
general public viewing.
Affadots Studio, in a nutshell works in collaboration with
La Dots Partycity, by handling all the photography and videography coverage of
every event anchored by La Dots Partycity.
What
impact did Covid – 19 have on business this year?
As we all know, Covid -19 affected every business in all the
works of life, in the whole wide world. Although she was lucky to have anchored
events starting from January 2020 and had just completed an event in the Month
of March, a few days before the lockdown was announced, she ended up cancelling
other jobs that fell within the lockdown season.
It was quite challenging, coping without working during
Covid – 19 lockdown seasons, but she was able to divert into mentoring some
upcoming event planners, as a part time job. Although she hopes to establish a
mentoring vocational school in the nearest future, God willing.
Although they had resumed catering for events after the
lockdown, she had to abide by the rules and regulations guiding Covid -19 set
rules for parties. As it is the largest number of guests, she caters for 200
guests in number or unlike before Covid – 19, the number of guests they can
cater for is unlimited in numbers. And she ensures the safety measures laid
down by Lagos State Government.
In fact, she is anchoring one event that was cancelled
during the month of July that was cancelled due to the lockdown, at the end of
this month of the December.
How do
you manage to combine and juggle with every aspect of your different
businesses?
La Dots Partycity Boss Lady gave all the credits to God and
her parents, her late dad, Barrister Chief O. Ade. Okenla and her mum, Alhaja.
O. Ade. Okenla, from whom she imbibed all her great attributes, who were
involved in so many businesses. She said her late father of blessed memories
was a Lawyer, an hotelier, and the first cinematographer in the western region,
who owned quite a few numbers of cinemas during his lifetime.
Her mum also was an entrepreneur, who engaged in food
catering services, she owned and managed a few supermarkets and was also a
fashion designer. She grew up to emulate and combine the lifestyle and business
orientation of both her late dad and existing mum, together which happens to be
the secrets and success of her strength.
La Dots Partcity Boss Lady acknowledges her first and
outstanding client’s patronages over the 8 years of her business existence.
She acknowledges the Institute of Town Planner, Lagos State
chapter as her first ever clients, that hired her for their end of the year
kiddies party at La Dots kiddies Partycity event planning for so many years.
Egbin Thermal Power at Ijede is also one of first clients and she still gets
hired by them till date. And they are one of the companies that commends her on
her popcorn production asides to children event parties. She mentioned having anchored events for so
many Churches including Redeem Christian Churches of God, Ikoyi Lions club
members of which she’s a member, she had also worked with the couple of Goge
Africa T. V shows, uncountable different personnel’s and individuals in all
walks of life.
She claims majority event planning of job where received
from past satisfied client’s referrals and online clients who view her event
planning photographs and videos on her various social media handles.
Boss lady of La Dots Partycity Recognition of Awards, Social
Societal Status and Club membership in Nigeria, are as follows:
A triple planner – Town Planner, Transport and Logistic
Planner and An Event Planner.
A certified event
planner certification APPOEMN – Association of Professional Party Organizer and
Event Managers.
A Registered Town Planner of The Nigerian Institute of Town
Planners And Logistics/ Transport Planner of Chartered Institute of Logistics
and Transport (Nigeria)
Town Planner Registration Council of Nigeria. (TORREC)
Fellow Institute of Professional Managers Association in
Nigeria (FIPMA) of City Managers in Nigeria.
Pro Women in Logistics and Transport (WILAT) Nigeria.
Corporate Member association
An Ex- President of Ikoyi Lions club and a continuous member
since 2013, till date.
Where
do you see La Dots Partycity in 5 years?
She sees her business everywhere on the globe. She hopes to
establish an event management and planning training school, where she would
tutor and mentor upcoming event planners, she also hopes to make her NGO
official, although it is in existence already, but hopes to take it to a higher
level. She usually gives back to the society through her NGO on every 29th of
November which happens to be La Dots Partycity’s business anniversary. During
the festive seasons, La Dots Partycity reaches out to the community and society
by supporting and partnering with Lekki motherless babies’ home, Pacelli school
for the partially Impaired Surulere, Bab- es- Salam home GRA Ikeja, and some other orphanages, to mention a few.
La Dots Partycity, Slogan, website, email address and social
media handles are as follows:
La Dots Partcity Slogan … Part needs @ their best!
We are you one stop company for event planning and
management. Wedding planning and Decorations. Event designs, Catering and foods
Processing / Production, Fruits and Drinks, kiddies Entertainment. Thanks for
contacting us.
Website. www.ladotspartycity.com
Instagram : @ladotspartycity
@ladotspartycity_foods
@ladotspartycity_kiddies
@ladotspartycity_fruitdrinks
@ladotspartycity_rentalogistics
Twitter: @la_
dots
Facebook: La Dots
Partycity
Email: la
[email protected]
Snapchat:
@ladotspartycity
WhatsApp:
07057757510
By: Akanke Teriba, Citypeople lreland Correspondent
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