Tuesday, July 17, 2012

The Celebrity Event Planner- Aadil Saith

Aadil Saith may be small built tiny man, but don’t let that fool you. Dynamite sure does come in small packages.He’s got drive, ambition, (a compassionate heart) and serious systematizing skills—which we all covet. After studying graphics designing, he decided to use his skills and creativity to start his own event planning company—Unusual Functions located in Johannesburg, South Africa.Many people talk about dreams but only a few take action and he is one of them. To be an event planner, you need to get nitty-gritty with the details and need more than organizational and time management skills. What’s required: an eye for creativity, negotiation and interpersonal skills, tact, multitasking abilities, and the ability to stay calm under stress and pressure without pulling your hair out. With a few years under his belt and staff members to assist him, Aadil Saith is ready to take his company to the next level. Read on to find out more in his own words.

Nationality:SOUTH AFRICAN

Education/background:COMPLETED MATRIC

GRAPHICS DESIGNER/ 2 YRS INTERIOR DESIGNING AT WITS TECHNIKON

Drink I always order at Starbucks:ICE TEA OR TEA

1. Firstly thank you for agreeing to be interviewed despite your hectic lifestyle.You can be considered a young entrepreneur in your country after establishing quite a successful business, Unusual Functions.Can you tell Desert Pill Pusher readers how did it all start out for you?

IT STARTED AT THE AGE OF 18 WITH R500 IN MY ACCOUNT... DOING A FEW FRIENDS WEDDINGS AND BEING DRIVEN BY AMBITION TO PERSEVERE IN MY TALENT OF CREATIVENESS I CAN GLADLY SAY IT HAS BROUGHT GREAT SUCCESS TO ME AND MY FAMILY, BRANCHING OFF INTO MANY OTHER BUSINESS VENTURES.I MUST SAY I ENJOY WHAT I DO...

2. How do you find and get clients?

IN THE BEGINNING LIKE ANY GROWING BUSINESS IT WAS HARD TO FIND MY FEET, MY CREATIVITY AND TALENT SHOWED IN THE WORK I DID... SO CLIENTS CAME LOOKING FOR ME...

3. Is this your full-time job or do you have other businesses as well? Please elaborate

IT IS A FULL TIME JOB, I SPECIALISE IN SERVICING 20 OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS 5 STAR VENUES IN AND AROUND JHB, TRAVELLING TO DURBAN AND CAPE TOWN AS WELL AS NEIGHBOURING BOTSWANA AND SWAZILAND, I HAVE A TRADE BUSSINESS IN JOHANNESBURG (JHB) CALLED UNUSUAL DECO SPECIALIZING IN WEDDING DECOR PLANNING. I HAVE MY OWN VENUE IN JHB TOO SPECIALISING IN EVENTS ONLY...

4. What are the hardest challenges you face in running your own business?

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, MAKING PEOPLE HAPPY, AND OBVIOUSLY MEETING MY COMMITMENTS

5. Do you feel like you’re balancing your work and personal life pretty well?

MY WORK AND PERSONAL LIFE HAS BEEN INCORPORATED AS ONE, TIME OUT IS REQUIRED ... THE MIND, BODY AND SOUL REQUIRES IT

6. If you were not an event planner, what would you be doing?

I THINK I WOULD BE IN A SERVICE BUSINESS HELPING COMMUNITY UPLIFTMENT...

7. What topics and subjects are you the most passionate about?

DECOR, FASHION, STYLE, TRAVEL

8. What makes you the most happy? (Work or personal)

SEEING OTHER PEOPLE HAPPY MAKES ME EXTREMELY HAPPY...

9. Where do you and your friends like to hang out or do in your spare time? Any favorite food spots in or around Johannesburg

I LIKE TO SEE NEW THINGS SO IM ALWAYS HERE THERE AND EVERYWHERE

10. If someone could grant you a wish and you could choose to have any skill or talent in the world, what would it be?

SINGING

11. What are your favorite websites?

PRESTON BAILEYS SITE

WEDDING DECOR IDEAS

12. Who or what inspires you?

MY PARENTS FOR THE HARD WORK I SEE THEM DO

13. Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? YES

14. What’s your best event planning tip for Desert Moon's Diary readers, whether they’re planning a wedding or even something as small as a birthday?

YOUR FIRST CHIOCE IS THE RIGHT CHOICE

15. What was your most memorable event you and your team coordinated for?

NELSON MANDELA'S BIRTHDAY

16. What advise would you give to young entrepreneurs out there who would also like to start off their own business?

HARD HONEST WORK PAYS OFF... YOUR DREAMS CAN COME TRUE. BELIEVE IN YOUR TALENTS ...

17. Are there any additional comments you’d like to add for the blog readers?

THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE INTERVIEWED ON YOUR BLOG. IT WAS MY PLEASURE.

Once again,thank you Aadil Saith for taking the time to answer these questions. Desert moon wishes you all the best in your future endeavours!!!I would also like to add that the pictures below are courtesy of Unusual Functions and depicts some of Aadil's best work to date..
If you wish to have an event planned by Aadil Saith, you may contact him or any of his managers at the following telephone numbers..
Aadil Saith    -    0027 (0) 827355559
Fareed Saith -    0027 (0) 763282571
Ismail Saith   -    0027 (0) 825034600