Sotunde: We Celebrate Unsung Heroes Who Sustained the Economy Despite Covid-19 Devastation

The Managing Director, BusyBee Group, Bisi Sotunde said that despite the negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigerian businesses and entrepreneurs weathered the storm and need to be recongised. She said the Group provides platform for empowerment, proffering solutions to struggling businesses through its mentoring/coaching programmes and master class/business summits. She spoke to Chinedu Eze. Excerpts:

The major challenge Nigeria is having in the business sector is dearth of professionals. Can you throw light on the BusyBee Academy?
The academy is an arm of the Group that sees to the training and mentoring of aspiring /existing event professionals in the industry.
The brand has carved a niche in the industry by providing a platform for empowerment, proffering solutions to struggling businesses through its mentoring/coaching programmes, master class/business summits and through its event planning and decorations courses.

The group has recorded successes in so many ways and has contributed to the growth of the SME sector in the event space in Nigeria.
There are thriving “eventpreneurs” today who have passed through the BusyBee Academy with many more still undergoing training.
Rising from the aftermath of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the BusyBee Group has not relented in positioning its brand to provide solutions to some of the industry challenges through relevant professional development trainings.

You spoke about recongnising Nigerian entrepreneurs in the BusyBee Excellence Awards. How did these awards evolve?
The BusyBee Excellence Award is a platform to celebrate/recognise outstanding event professionals who have supported colleagues/community in the industry, who have shown consistent growth in business as well as who have displayed excellence in the delivery of their events/jobs.

This holds on Wednesday November 10th, 2021 at the Rosetree Event Centre Oniru by 4.30pm. The Awards are in two Categories that include events industry awards and well-watered garden tribe members’ awards.

You’ve been holding summits for several years and this year you decided to incorporate the Excellence Awards. What prompted this? What do you intend to achieve?
Well, being an influential industry leader with a large following, I thought it was a good time to celebrate the unsung heroes in the events industry. By virtue of mentoring and supporting a lot of event professionals, I realised that a lot of people are doing well in their corner but are not known or popular, so why not use my platform to celebrate these ones? This was how the BusyBee Excellence Awards was birthed.

The intention is basically to recognise professionals who are doing something right within their corners. The awards is an excellent one because the panel of judges has gone in search of bringing to limelight those professionals who are doing greatly in their space. From North to West to South South to East, we will be celebrating various professionals who have exhibited excellence in the delivery of their services The awards is given on merit. No voting was done.

How do you intend to grow professionalism through your summit?
The BusyBee Event Business Summit is an entrepreneurial workshop that seeks to address the challenges of event professionals in the industry. We bring on board industry leaders, event experts, business consultants, etc from Nigerian and also international players to tackle issues and proffer solutions on how to take the business to the next level.
This is its fifth year running, this edition is bigger with us introducing an ‘After Party’ into its activities tagged ‘Great Gatsby’ as well as Awards Recognitions.

How have the last years been for you in the business?
BusyBee Group, which comprises of BusyBee Events, BusyBee Academy and BusyBee Rental Hub has been there for over 12 years in the industry. We have been creating unforgettable experiences for our clients through excellent services and delivery. I am a certified business coach, mentor and consultant, who has trained/coached over 1000 event professionals in the industry through our event planning, decoration and business development workshops. I sit as the Convener of one of the most talked about conference in the industry, BusyBee Event Business Summit. I am also the Founder of the Thriving Business Support Community in the industry – ‘The Well Watered Garden Tribe Network’ with over 250 members cut across Nigeria and diaspora.

What challenges did you meet while setting up and growing the business?
I am who I am in the events industry, because God has blessed and elevated me to this level. Secondly, I am very big on personal development and empowerment, so I have consistently built my brand both personal and corporate by attending trainings/workshops locally and internationally. I network with colleagues and like-minded people, I try in my capacity to support and empower colleagues, etc. I have also ensured I deliver excellent services to all my clients. All of these have helped build my track record in 12 years.

Lately, organisations have developed the habit of giving out awards to questionable characters, what difference do you intend to make in BusyBee’s? What are the criteria used in the selection of the awardees?
The BusyBee Excellence Awards will be purely given based on merit. All nominees are winners; we will be giving then ‘Certificates of Nomination’ to say well done. The winners for the night will be picked based on showing consistent growth in business, genuine support to event professionals /community at large, outstanding delivery of services in their businesses etc. BusyBee Excellence Awards will also be recognising two industry giants: Funke Bucknor Obruthe of Zapphaire Events as Our Industry Icon as well as Mrs. Yewande Zaccheaus for her Excellent Leadership. We will also be recognising Kabir Tukura, from Zuru/Fakai Constituency who is member of the House of Representatives. He has supported entrepreneurship and empowerment in his Constituency, so he deserves to be recognised. Some of the awards include Young Event Professional of the Year Awards, Most Supportive Industry Leader. Event Professional Recognition Awards for Excellence (Northern Zone, Western Zone, Eastern Zone and South South Zone) amongst other categories.

Do you think the awards will make the desired impact on both the awardees and other operators/stakeholders in the event industry?
A great impact, I must say. Since we released the nominations list, there has been a lot of excitements and the nominees have been sharing how they have started experiencing a level of visibility and boost in business because the BusyBee platform has pushed them to limelight. It’s quite exciting to hear. This will be annual event, which has come to stay for good. It will be celebrated during our annual BusyBee Event Business Summit.

From your explanation the ‘awards’ is meant to honour and encourage the big wigs in the industry, what can be done to encourage and lift the new entrants and those yet to gain stability?
The awards are not only for the big wigs; it is for every professional doing something right in the industry. New entrants, growing businesses, established businesses, popular and not too popular brands.