KRIMM Events is an Events Management company based in Lagos. The company comprises of a team of young and vibrant individuals working together to change the way top-notch events are being organized. With over ten years experience in the events industry, KRIMM CEO, Lekan Bamisedun gives us an insight to the history and ideas behind his company.
Tell us about yourself and the inspiration behind KRIMM Events.
My name is Olalekan Bamisedun, and I hail from Lagos State. I was born into a family of 6, of which I am the second. After secondary school, I had an ambition to become a medical doctor, but due to some issues, I had to stay back here in Nigeria where I attended the prestigious University of Lagos, Akoka. After completion of my NYSC in February 2011, I started searching for a job but didn’t want to be idle, so I picked up a Masters Form and attained a Second Degree from the same University in 2012. I have also attended a few training courses locally and hope to do more in order to become better as an individual.
For the company name, while trying to form a Rave group in the University, my friends and I started suggesting names. Then I remember someone suggested KRIMM, we all laughed and asked what sort of name that was? Then he told us it was an acronym, meaning KEY RULES IN MAKING MONEY (KRIMM). After some thoughts, we agreed with him since everyone wanted to be rich someday and I guess that’s all about that.
What opportunities did you see before taking a decision to tow this path?
Organizing Events is one thing I have always been passionate about. I have always loved to see large groups of people excited, and knowing that I played a major role in making them feel such, it’s an exciting feeling for me as well. So for me, my decision to tow this path was influenced by an inspiration from within.
At what point did you decide to take the bold step into entrepreneurship?
Okay, my first events management experience was when I was in 300 level at the University and one day I felt the need to work towards being very influential among my peers. I called a few friends (then I used to have a lot of friends) and sold the idea to them. They were very pleased and excited about it. We agreed to form a Brand name immediately, KRIMM INC. and we started working towards our first event. At this point we were a nine-man group, and our first event was in December, 2005 and it was themed Pink Karnival, sponsored by one of the Energy Drink companies in Lagos. We had several other events before graduating from school, made lots of money which was usually split among us.
Towards the end of my M.Sc Program, I decided to return to organizing events pending when an employment will come. I did this, bearing in mind that the events industry is a broad one and the need for chiseling down my options was inevitable. In November 2012, I registered the company and started doing some paper work. On one fateful day in January 2013, a female friend called me that she wanted to celebrate her son’s 2nd year birthday the following week and she asked if I do events decorations; I said yes, even though I had never decorated for an event before. I took her details and agreed on the payment plan. She believed in me so much that I couldn’t afford to disappoint her. I prayed and started working towards a favorable outcome. To be honest, I managed to pull something nice and was appreciated after the event. I was very happy and I started to develop myself for subsequent décor and planning jobs. I read books, utilized my search engines properly, learned new ideas and started to build my brand gradually.
That was how Krimm Events metamorphosed, Thank God!
How do you balance running a business and other personal responsibilities?
To be honest it takes the Grace of God to manage these two.
Describe the challenges you face regularly as young entrepreneur and how you manage them?
Funding
As an events planner you really can do business with zero funds, but as a decorator, you need a reasonable amount of money to procure décor materials and gain grounds in the industry, and no one really gives out money these days. You know what I mean! So you have to rent materials to work with until you can start buying yours. Over time, I started buying materials with savings from jobs that I handle.
Keeping up with trends
I always tell people, one has to be very creative in this industry to stay relevant and more importantly be on the lookout for new decor, designs and fresh ideas to be able to ‘wow’ your prospective clients.
Getting customers
Getting jobs as often as every week is another major challenge in this industry as the level of competition is really high.
Tell us how you have harnessed social media in creating brand awareness for your business
I am active on almost all social media platforms and a good number of my first time clients contact me from there. I also have a website that allows customers make bookings online without having to visit us in person. In addition, we post pictures online of most of our jobs for internet users to experience.
How have you increased your clientele base overtime?
I do a lot of networking, and most importantly I make use of the internet to market my brand, as you can have your uploaded work speak for your brand in this industry.
What mantra do you live by that motivates you as an entrepreneur?
God First.
Tell us about your future plans for your business
My future plan is to acquire a consulting office, this way we can expand our scope of business and become more relevant in the industry; as smaller events companies can depend on us, and in addition we won’t have to rent materials for our own internal jobs.
Can you offer any advice to budding entrepreneurs?
If you are constantly dreaming it, start doing it! Time is money.
