At the helm of the affairs of 6ix:45 Events Limited, Nigeria’s fast-growing event planning company is Jennifer Anuiyiagu, a young woman blazing the trail and navigating the everyday challenges of running a thriving company in a highly demanding industry.
For Jennifer, her journey into event planning wasn’t a direct one. She studied Computer Science in school but her love for the culinary arts led to her working as a chef and this set off her flare for creating curated experiences.
Sharing how it all started she expressed that, “It began when I worked as a Chef, catering and hosting dinners for high net-worth individuals and then I transformed into being a restaurant manager where I planned mini events and birthdays. This experience allowed me to learn large-scale management and planning.”
Jennifer’s earliest efforts at curating events for her friends’ and families’ birthday parties was an opportunity she grabbed with both hands. After years of balancing being a Chef, managing a restaurant, and planning events on the side, she decided to go into event planning full-time; and shortly after taking the bold step of starting her company, she started positioning herself as an event planner while retaining the services of people in her network.
Her first major gig came with a whole set of pressure as she needed to showcase her ability while also repaying the faith of a dear friend. Jennifer would deliver beyond expectation and her feats saw her score her second big client at her first major event. Successfully delivering on her first major gig was a huge morale booster for Jennifer and that event invariably opened the door for future events including a recent one for TikTok where she curated a Nollywood-themed event.
Working with different companies means 6ix:45 Events under Jennifer’s leadership always has to shape-shift and innovate around the client’s demands. Sge shares that her background from university and her work experiences has armed her with the critical thinking skills and the work ethic required to be a successful event planner. This ability to adjust according to the needs of her clients has helped her in choosing the right team to work with her company to deliver on the vision of each client.
While Jennifer considers skills and work ethic to be the major challenges, she also admits to facing occasional economic challenges. She tackles this by making contingency plans for unforeseen events and also working with innovative people who can find their way around unforeseen financial constraints. The lack of structures is one of the issues limiting the growth of entertainment in Nigeria and as an event planner, she believes that everyone needs to be creative. Since launching her Events company in 2020, the company has gradually made a name for itself as an innovative powerhouse that brings ideas to life. For Jennifer and 6ix:45 Events, the vision is clear—excellence is non-negotiable, propelling them into a prominent position in Nigeria’s event planning landscape.
